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Heaven 17's Martyn Ware remembers Florian Schneider from Kraftwerk

Florian Schneider, co-founder of highly influential electronic pop group Kraftwerk, has died at the age of 73.

The German quartet set the template for synthesiser music in the 1970s and 80s with songs like Autobahn and The Model.

They achieved both musical innovation and commercial success, and inspired scores of artists across genres ranging from techno to hip-hop. The long list of artists to have been influenced by Kraftwerk included David Bowie, who named the track V-2 Schneider on his Heroes album after Schneider; as well Depeche Mode, New Order and Daft Punk.

Martyn Ware from Human League and Heaven 17 explains how their music was "as exciting and relevant as the birth of rock and roll was for the baby boomers."

PHOTO: Kraftwerk/Getty Images

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