Horst Weidenmüller, the visionary founder of !K7 Records, passed away at the age of 60. The sad news was confirmed by !K7 through a post on Linkedin on February 10, stating that Weidenmüller had succumbed to a serious illness. His profound impact on !K7 since its inception in 1985 has left a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire those who carry on his work and values.
Established in 1985, !K7 was named after its original location at Kaiserdamm 7 in Berlin. Weidenmüller’s influence on the company’s direction led to the creation of iconic series like 3LUX and X-Mix, which introduced DJ mixes with cutting-edge computer-generated graphics and even found a place on MTV. The DJ-Kicks series, launched in 1995, became a cornerstone in electronic music culture, hosting mix albums from pioneering artists like Moodymann, Disclosure, and Four Tet.
As !K7 evolved into a full-fledged label in 1996, it continued to release innovative music from artists like Red Axes, Seth Troxler, and Bloc Party. Weidenmüller’s commitment to independent music extended beyond his role at !K7, as he served on the boards of IMPALA and the Merlin Network until his passing. His dedication to the music industry will be remembered and celebrated by all who knew him.
For those wishing to pay their respects to Horst Weidenmüller, you can find !K7’s heartfelt tribute to him on the official Linkedin page. His vision and passion will forever be cherished in the electronic music community
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