Today, August 21, 2010, is the fifth anniversary of the death of Bob Moog. In honor of the date, the Bob Moog Foundation has published some wonderful pictures of Moog and some memories from people that were influenced by him, including Tangerine Dream’s Christopher Franke (above).

Here’s the Archive’s story about this photo:

In combing through the archives for rarely seen photos to share on this very special day, we came across this one, below, of Christopher Franke, pioneering synthesist for Tangerine Dream. Christopher sent this photo, with a small hand-written note, to Bob in the early 1970s and Bob had kept it neatly in his files. The photo speaks for itself, so we don’t need to elaborate on its significance too much. We do know that Bob considered himself a toolmaker, designing highly crafted, innovative, intuitive instruments for musicians. He took great joy in working with musicians, for they were the open spirits creating and communicating through the language of music.

Bob must have been touched to receive Christopher’s note of gratitude, which serves as a tribute that Bob had succeeded in his goal to provide musicians with tools with which to expand their creativity.

It’s a great story – and Franke is just one of thousands that were similarly touched by Moog.

Without Bob Moog – there would be no Synthtopia – so we have to echo Christopher Franke and say “Thank you very much, Bob Moog!”

Got a thank you of your own for Bob Moog?

If so, let us know below – and you can remember him by checking out The Bob Moog Foundation, an organization to carrying on his memory and work.