Pioneer of Krautrock and sound inventor: Conny Plank

His vast musical spectrum ranged from jazz, rock, pop, electronic and folk to experimental and avant-garde rock. Conny Plank was one of the most innovative and revered music producers in pop history – long before the producer "stars" of the 1990s and 2000s. In view of his premature death in 1987 at the age of 47, one wonders what other new sounds he might have inspired.

Having already worked with jazz luminaries such as Alexander von Schlippenbach, Plank teamed up with the world-renowned jazz musician and his orchestra in Cologne in 1970 to record a discordant, experimental studio session. Featuring three takes of two different tunes, Plank was able to lure old master Ellington out of his comfort zone. The session was finally released as an album in 2015.

Considered one of the world's most influential bands, Kraftwerk, the electro pioneers from Düsseldorf, were already working with Plank when they were still known as Organisation and released the LP "Tone Float." In the following years, Plank helped Kraftwerk develop their unique sound, culminating with the landmark 'Autobahn' album in 1974.

When Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother left Kraftwerk to form Neu! with "hidden member" Conny Plank, they created the famous Motorik beat, a continuous, pulsating 4/4 rhythm that became the trademark of Krautrock – as the experimental West German sound was dubbed in England. "Hallogallo," the pounding 10-minute opening track of Neu!'s self-titled first album, came to define the Motorik sound.

Plank worked with many of the acts under the Krautrock moniker, although the term was barely used in Germany. Can, an experimental rock band from Cologne, became one of the best-known exponents of the genre, though Plank only mixed the band's 1978 record, "Out of Reach." But the midwife of avant-garde rock also produced key Krautrockers like Guru Guru, Cluster, Kraan and La Düsseldorf.

Plank put his signature on the early work of the Hanover hard rockers and the best-selling German band of all time. Under Plank's guiding hand, Scorpions' 1972 debut album "Lonesome Crow" featured a dark, psychedelic sound. The seminal collaboration is discussed by Scorpions' Rudolf Schenker (top left) in the 2017 film "Conny Plank: The Potential of Noise," made by Plank's son Stephan.

The British New Wave trailblazers recorded "Systems Of Romance" with Conny Plank at the mixers. The band's third and probably most electronic album ushered in a long, fruitful collaboration between the Londoners and the German producer. Also produced by Plank: Ultravox's biggest hit, the single "Vienna," giving him major international status.

Plank later produced the Düsseldorf-based electropunk band featuring Gabi Delgado-López (front) and Robert Görl (rear). Combining punk, pop and electronic music, D.A.F. were luminaries of the Neue Deutsche Welle movement - which also featured bands like Nena before veering into techno. Görl once praised the way Plank "left musicians to their own devices" before adding an essential "boost."

Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox produced their debut album "In The Garden" alongside Plank. An impressive team of collaborators came to his studio in Wolperath to work on the record, including blondie drummer Clem Burke, Robert Görl from D.A.F. and Can's Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit. The album was not commercially successful but helped the duo find their sound before they became global stars.

Also strongly influenced by Krautrock bands, the Thin White Duke tried to convince Plank to produce an album with him in the late 1970s. While living in Berlin and creating his legendary trilogy of records, Bowie travelled to Wolperath to meet Plank and took a seat in his legendary kitchen. But Plank refused. No one knows why, but one wonders what might have been.

Bowie's collaborator and producer Brian Eno had more luck with Plank. Recording numerous albums with him in the 70s and 80s, he returned to Wolperath regularly. In addition to his success with bands like Roxy Music and as a solo artist, Eno became a sought-after producer with the likes of Grace Jones, Coldplay and U2.

Despite mediation from Brian Eno, Plank decided he couldn't work with U2 frontman Bono (pictured) due to his ego. "I can't work with this singer," said Plank before turning down one of the biggest bands in the world. Perhaps he feared not finding what he once called "that utterly naïve moment of 'innocence'" that inspired him "to hit the button at just the right time to capture it."