Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider dies aged 73

Florian Schneider, the co-founder of German electronic band Kraftwerk, has died at the age of 73.

The news was confirmed to The Guardian, with one of his collaborators stating that Schneider had died a week ago and had a private burial.

He formed the pioneering band in 1970 along with Ralf Hütter after the pair met in the late 60s.

Schneider played the flute, guitar, and violin in addition to a variety of synthesisers. He left the group in 2008 after producing 10 studio albums, including the highly acclaimed Autobahn in 1974, as a part of Kraftwerk.

David Bowie was among the artists influenced by the band, naming the track V-2 Schneider on his Heroes album after Schneider.

Read more: My Boy Lollipop singer Millie Small dies aged 73

The group's Computer Love was sampled by Coldplay on their song Talk while Jay Z and Dr Dre used part of Trans Europe Express for their Under Pressure collaboration.

In 2015, Schneider released new track Stop Plastic Pollution with producer Dan Lacksman to raise awareness of the environment impact of pollution.

Tributes poured in for the musician upon the news of his death.

Electronic musician Robin Rimbaud, aka Scanner, tweeted: "Farewell to the extraordinary Florian Schneider (1947-2020) of @kraftwerk - the man machine lives on through an astonishingly original back catalogue of inspirational music."

Meanwhile, the page for group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark shared: "We are absolutely devastated to learn that one of our heroes Florian Schneider has passed away."

"Way ahead of his time," commented Ultravox singer Midge Ure. Musician Thomas Dolby remarked: "Another of my great heroes gone."