Richard Harold Kirk (21 March 1956 – 21 September 2021)[1] was an English composer, musician and producer. Kirk is best known for his work in electronic music, and for co-founding the influential music group Cabaret Voltaire in 1973.[2][3] As a solo artist, Kirk released music under his own name as well as under more than 30 aliases. He also collaborated with other artists in a range of groups such as Sweet Exorcist and Acid Horse.
Background
Kirk was born on March 21, 1956, and grew up in Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England, where he lived his whole life.[4] He attended the Psalter Lane School Of Art, where he completed a one-year program in sculpture and met Peter Care, who would later direct several Cabaret Voltaire videos.[5][1][6]
“When we started, we wanted to do something with sound, but none of us knew how to play an instrument,” Kirk told the New York Times. “So we started using tape recorders and various pieces of junk and gradually learned to play instruments like guitars and bass.”[1] Kirk's father, a ham radio operator, also helped spark Kirk's interest in electronics.[4] He cited a wide range of musicians, including Stockhausen, John Cage and Fela Kuti, as inspiring his work.[9]
Kirk's first release as a solo artist, Disposable Half-Truths, was released in 1980 and he maintained a career as a solo artist alongside Cabaret Voltaire until the band's dissolution in 1994.[8] He reformed the band in 2014 as the sole remaining member, performing sporadically with all-new material more akin to his solo work than the output of the original incarnation of Cabaret Voltaire.
Kirk released much of his music on his own labels, including Intone, which he founded in 2003.[10]
During the 1990s, his solo output increased considerably. Kirk's works explored multiple types of electronic/dance music under many pseudonyms.[8] His prolific work resulted in AllMusic calling him contemporary techno's busiest man.[11]
Kirk died on 21 September 2021, at the age of 65.[12]
Aliases
In addition to solo releases under his own name, Kirk used the following aliases:[13]
Agents with False Memories
Al Jabr
Anarchia
Biochemical Dread
Blacworld
Chemical Agent
Citrus
Cold Warrior
Countzero
Dark Magus
Destructive Impact
DR Xavier
Electronic Eye
Extended Family
Frightgod
Future Cop Movies
Harold Sandoz
International Organisation
King of Kings
Multiple Transmission
Nine Miles Dub
Nitrogen
Orchestra Terrestrial
Outland Assassin
Papadoctrine
Pat Riot
Port-au-Prince
PSI Punky Dread Allstars
Reflexiv
The Revolutionary Army
Robots + Humanoids
Sandoz
Signals Intelligence
The Silent Age
Trafficante
Ubermenschlich
Ubu Rahmen
Wicky Wacky
Vasco de Mento
Collaborations
The following is a list of groups and artists Kirk has worked with:[13]
