Moondog

Moondog (Louis Hardin aka, 1916 - 1999) was a blind artist who created compositions, poems and plays and wrote theoretical and philosophical treatises. An icon of the counterculture, he influenced many composers and musicians worldwide. Moondog became famous in New York around 1950, when he constantly performed on the corner of 6th Avenue and 54th Street as a street musician, wearing a Viking helmet and spear, selling his poetry and compositions. He thus became acquainted with artists of the Beat Generation such as Allen Ginsberg. Philip Glass and Steve Reich consider him the founder of minimal music. In 1974 he performed together with Kraftwerk in a concert in Frankfurt.