Remembering Achim Szepanski, Mille Plateaux founder and dissident

We’ve just learned of the passing of Achim Szepanski, founder of Mille Plateaux and Force Inc. labels, icon of glitch, “Clicks + Cuts,” and a visionary beacon of experimentalism across Germany and internationally. Here is a collection of remembrances in English and German.

The news came via Sebastian Lotzer yesterday (see his longer obituary at bottom, DE):

In Erinnerung an meinen Freund und Genossen Achim Szepanski – Sebastian Lotzer | https://t.co/3kxaPtj2EM pic.twitter.com/b12gBk7w5c

— sebastianlotzer (@sebastianlotzer) September 24, 2024

[warning: flashing images / fast image sequences]

Writing to CDM, more memories from those who knew him. In times of sometimes bitter disagreement, I’m struck that part of the joy of knowing people is sometimes arguments and tension, and I hope somehow people hear that – and know on a deeper level how much we’ll miss them when they’re gone. We badly need people to put up resistance in music. Here are some eloquent words on why Achim’s absence will be felt so strongly.

Tanith

Most people here will probably know Achim Szepanski as the label owner of Force Inc. and Mille Plateaux, but we knew each other much earlier when I was still living in Wiesbaden. In 1984 there was a place called EG, which was something like a New Wave pub with art and design aspirations, where he sometimes danced like a dervish in a suit and a cigar. I thought he was a weirdo and didn’t know we would soon be organizing concerts together at the Wartburg in Wiesbaden. That was because we both knew the guy from Bogey’s, the Wiesbaden scene outfitter, who could submit the money that we didn’t have, and so we soon brought Einstürzende Neubauten, Swans, Psychik TV, and Laibach to the city.

I moved to Berlin in 1986; he stayed with the Bogey’s guy and made the Boy Recordshop, from which the labels emerged and put Mainz on the techno map with the Brückenkopf parties. He was also the one who brought me to Omen for the first time. It was after a Front 242 release party in 1990 at Dorian Gray, and he said they also had something like the UFO Club in Berlin, but when we walked in, Les Rita Mitsukio was playing, then Dr Alban, and he was visibly embarrassed by my skeptical look.

His Force Inc. releases then arrived reliably with the postman in Berlin, but apart from that, we pretty much lost track of each other, and I couldn’t do much with Achim Szepanski. I met again via Facebook, and I tried to communicate with him a few times, but it was always too Baudillardist or Marxist for me. He was too grumpy about the world — although, of course, what he postulated was razor-sharp and well-dissected. I just didn’t need this theoretical/intellectual overhead. And since I played at the Mayday Rave, I’ve been a “commercial whore” for him anyway, as he put it so nicely, so at some point, we had nothing more to say to each other.

Now he’s gone, and it’s a pity that such a luminary and Frankfurt original is no longer around to bark at the world.

Dr Walker

Achim, you old stone-throwing dissident!

With Force Inc. and Mille Plateaux, you created two of the most groundbreaking and influential labels—both for the scene and for me personally. They were essential for my own professional and personal development, helping to shape my self-discovery, my sound, my stage appearance.

Dealing with you was like experiencing techno as it was meant to be: direct, wild, surreal, entertaining, serious, dada-istic, communistic, elitist and anti-elitist at the same time. Earthy, brutal, open, in-your-face – full of love, in love with yourself, not in love with yourself, uncontrollable, breathtakingly new and different, badass, fkkd up.
Always in search of the ultimate bass drum and the next, even nastier noise.
Consistently inconsistent.It was amazing!

I will miss you!

Dr Walker (Force Inc / Mille Plateaux / Communism Records Artist)

“Dealing with you was like experiencing techno as it was meant to be: direct, wild, surreal, entertaining, serious, dada-istic, communistic, elitist and anti-elitist at the same time.”

Dr Walker

Robin Rimbaud – SCANNER

I was terribly sad to read of the passing of Achim Szepanski. Having posted a modest tribute to him online this morning, the responses point to his commitment, especially his kindness and openness to making futures happen positively. Back in the early 1990s, he was one of the first people outside of the UK to support my work. I was already familiar with his work in the inspirational ensemble P16.D4. Their Kühe In 1/2 Trauer (Selektion) release in 1982 was a kind of template for so many of my peer group, so when he faxed me one day, it led to a series of intensely inspiring conversations over the phone. Even remembering this is a picture of a particular moment in time, his gentle voice, accompanied by breathy intervals, was hypnotic.

So much of my own musical and personal history is wrapped up within this world that he helped to create. So many of my friends and colleagues exist from these connections, from Taylor Deupree to Carsten Nicolai, Stephan Mathieu to Markus Popp, Mouse on Mars to Asmus Tietchens, Vladislav Delay to SND, and countless others. He promoted an ideology that united ideas and philosophy with music and sonic experiments. Thinking could finally be valued again. Thankfully, the expanse of his visionary approach is vast, and listeners today have so much to explore and invest. In that sense, he will never be forgotten. RIP Achim.

Khan of Finland

The 90s are musically unthinkable without Achim Szepanski.

He was the pool and the pipeline through which electronic music was compressed and released.

He was the only person who could put up with my output!

RIP Achim

Khan Of Finland aka 4E aka Bizz OD, El Turco Loco etc.