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Richard H Kirk RIP

Just announced that he has died, he was only 65.

One of three founder members of Cabaret Voltaire. For me they did all their best work on their first few LPs, when Chris Watson was still a member, but I know many people like their later, more danceable, stuff.

 
I saw them first around that time too, more than any other they were the group who opened me to electronic music.
 
Sad news. Cabs were brilliant and I have some of his solo work which was damn good too.
 
That is very sad news. I have the usual vinyl (Red Mecca, 2x45 etc) plus saw them pretty early on (Plato’s Ballroom Liverpool in 81 I think). I have a couple of Richard H Kirk’s later Warp albums too. Far too young. RIP.
 
Very sad news. Though rarely talked about nowadays, Cabaret Voltaire were one of the most influential bands of the late 70s/80s. I first came to them through their 1980 album, Red Mecca. They were big favourites of the NME, which I read avidly. I was lucky enough to see them play twice, in 1983 touring The Crackdown - one of their best albums - and three years later just after they'd released The Covenant, The Sword and the Arm of the Lord. Some of their best moments, I would argue, are to be found on 12" singles, especially Sensoria (1985), one of the greatest songs and music videos of all time.
Cabaret voltaire- sensoria ( long version) - YouTube
 
In the late seventies I amassed a great collection through Rough Trade mail order to Northern Ireland, all lost now. For the life of me I can’t remember how that happened or even how I sent the orders. The single* most influential record on all my listening since then in my admittedly hazy memory is of the b side of Nag Nag Nag single. I still marvel occasionally at the greatness of Red Mecca. RIP to a true great.

*Even including Grotesque after the Gramme
 
There is rarely a week goes by that I am not blaring Cabaret Voltaire or more often Sandoz & RHK. Sadly missed. I had bought most of his output on vinyl during the 90's....now sadly lost in many moves or sales!
 
Very sad & no age at all. I got to know Richard (& Stephen & Chris to a lesser extent) from the start as I was a DJ & small time promoter in Sheffield at the time. I had never heard music like that, it was a breath of fresh air & pretty revolutionary really. I was invited in to their studio & to their gigs many times & I treasure those memories, & their records.
R.I.P. Richard.
 


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