LolitaLuxe
Vision of Paradise
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pitchfork.com
Chris Rediske reports:
Nearly 41 years after forever changing the face of popular music with the introduction of the Moog modular synthesizer, Robert Moog died yesterday afternoon at his home in Asheville, N.C., at the age of 71. Moog had been diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year, and had been undergoing both radiation treatment and chemotherapy in the months since. He is survived by his wife, Ileana, and his five children.
A history of Moog's life, is, in a way, a history of electronic music. He began his career in 1954 by building theramins with this father, later developing the Moog Modular Synthesizer, at the behest, in part, of experimental composer Herbert Deutsch. After premiering his invention at the 1964 Audio Engineering Society Convention, he began producing the Moog commercially, as he continued to refine his design and produce new models. The Moog first made a real splash with the release of Wendy Carlos's Switched-On Bach-- an album that went platinum and raised both the profile and demand for the unique synthesizer.
The needs of touring musicians were soon addressed by the introduction of the Minimoog in 1970, a compact version of the Moog that expanded the brand's popularity and usability. In 1977, Robert Moog left the company he had created, founding a new company entitled Big Briar, where he continued to develop new electronic musical instruments. Without him at the helm, Moog Synthesizers (now produced by parent company Norlin Music) ceased production in 1986. Meanwhile, Moog continued to create synthesizers and sound modules under the Big Briar label, until 2002, when he reclaimed the rights to use the Moog name for his products.
Moog's creations have inspired legions of musicians, not least among them modern artists such as Stereolab, Air, Radiohead, Fiery Furnaces, Broadcast, and Super Furry Animals. Following his passing, Moog Music President Mike Adams posted a message on the Moog website, which read, in part, "[Bob] was a musical pioneer for the love of it and musicians everywhere have had the opportunity to expand their own creative horizons with Bob's inventions. He will truly be missed by all of us, but we can take comfort in the fact that his musical innovations will live on in the music he has inspired and the products we will continue to make."
Robert Moog's family has posted personal information about Moog's last days on CaringBridge.com; the site also includes a bulletin board for friends and well-wishers to share their thoughts. His family will be holding a memorial celebration in his honor on August 24 at the Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club, in Asheville.
* Moog Music: http://www.moogmusic.com/
* CaringBridge.com: CaringBridge.com
tons of stuff, interviews w/ different artists 
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