Bruce Haack reissue of ‘This Old Man’ LP + 'Thank You' video

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Kramer and Shimmy-Disc have released the posthumous reissue of Bruce Haack’s 1975 album “This Old Man”. This reissue is the first time “This Old Man” has been released on vinyl since its initial release 50 years ago, originally via the artist’s own label, Dimension 5.

Kramer also created a video for the single, “Thank You“, which you can see below.

Shimmy-Disc already re-released Bruce Haack’s “Captain Entropy” LP in August 2023.

About Bruce Haack

Born on May 4, 1931, in Alberta, Canada, Bruce Haack displayed musical talent from a young age. He taught himself piano by age four and was instructing others by twelve. Haack earned a psychology degree from the University of Alberta and briefly attended the Juilliard School in New York City. However, he found the environment restrictive and left to explore diverse musical forms.

Haack was renowned for inventing electronic instruments, including:

Peopleodian: An analog synthesizer operating on a 9-volt battery, used to play tones on people.
Mr. C: A robot-shaped analog synthesizer programmed for live performances.
The Musical Computer: A digital/analog synthesizer and sampler encased in a suitcase, using sensors and touch to trigger sounds.

In the 1960s, Haack appeared on TV shows like “I’ve Got a Secret” and “The Tonight Show”, often demonstrating his inventions. He continued composing serious works, with his “Mass for Solo Piano” performed at Carnegie Hall in the early 1960s. In 1982, he collaborated with Def Jam’s Russell Simmons on the hip-hop track “Party Machine” ,blending electronic music with emerging hip-hop sounds.

Bruce Haack passed away on September 26, 1988, in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

For those who wonder if there ever was a Kraftwerk link, no there wasn’t. And actually Bruce Haack’s pioneering use of the vocoder in his 1970 album “The Electric Lucifer” predates Kraftwerk’s similar explorations in their 1974 album “Autobahn“.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor

Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

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