# Daniel Vahnke
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{{Short description|Canadian composer (born 1965)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image =
| caption =
| image_size = 185
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_place =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|4|2|mf=y}}
| origin = [Toronto](/source/Toronto), Ontario, Canada
| genre = [Industrial](/source/Industrial_music), [Modern classical](/source/Modern_classical)
| instrument = Vocals, [Sampler](/source/Sampler_(musical_instrument)), Guitar
| occupation = Musician, composer, lyricist
| years_active = 1985–present
| label = Dossier, [Fifth Colvmn](/source/Fifth_Colvmn_Records), [Re-Constriction](/source/Re-Constriction_Records), Vampire Rodents Productions
| past_member_of = [Vampire Rodents](/source/Vampire_Rodents)
[Ether Bunny](/source/Ether_Bunny)
| website = [https://www.facebook.com/VampireRodentsOfficial Official website]
}}
'''Daniel Vahnke''' (born April 2, 1965), sometimes credited as '''Anton Rathausen''', is a Canadian composer and lyricist. He is best known as a co-founding member of [Vampire Rodents](/source/Vampire_Rodents), a band that integrated elements of classical, [ambient](/source/Ambient_music), and [industrial](/source/industrial_music) music into its work. Daniel uses German, [Latin](/source/Latin) and Chinese in his compositions.[Villa, Stefano. [https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.ondarock.it/altrisuoni/vampirerodents.htm&ei=qAdITN63BqCBnAfCm-nKDQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCYQ7gEwAg&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Blue%2BNile%2522%2B%2522daniel%2Bvahnke%2522%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff Vampire Rodents: Science Collage]. Vampire Rodents biography (translated). Retrieved on July 22, 2010.]
==History==
Daniel Vahnke studied [anthropology](/source/anthropology) in Toronto while working on piano pieces based on Chinese character stroke analysis. After the purchase of his first [Roland S-50](/source/Sampler_(musical_instrument)), Daniel became fascinated with Sample Based Composition, considering it a cleaner, safer, and more efficient method of creating music. In 1988, he created Vampire Rodents with his friend Victor Wulf, who had been writing experimental pop music, as a form of entertainment. However, the band soon developed into a creative outlet for Daniel's darkly humorous lyrics as well as some of his anti-human ideals.[[https://themindofmicrowaved.blogspot.com/2007/06/vampire-rodentsether-bunny-interview.html Vampire Rodents/Ether Bunny Interview 2007!]. Daniel Vahnke interview. Retrieved on July 22, 2010.]
His last commercially available project, ''[Papa Woody](/source/Papa_Woody)'', was released in 1996 under the name [Ether Bunny](/source/Ether_Bunny), although it was basically a solo effort. Serving as his personal tribute to the cartoon and jazz music, Vahnke claims to have been more satisfied with his work on ''Papa Woody'' than on any Vampire Rodents album.[Gariboldi, Marco. [http://fabryka.darknation.eu/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=299 Vampire Rodents (Daniel Vahnke) (2009)]. e-mail interview, retrieved on July 22, 2010.] The overall project was described as a SBC and LTG{{clarify|date=June 2023}} approach to [The Blue Nile](/source/The_Blue_Nile_(band)) with string orchestra. Also, a completely instrumental Vampire Rodent album was completed the same year, but like the Alcemia/Obsidian project was shelved indefinitely.
==Personal life==
To give his vocal "characters" an individual identity, he decided to work under the alias Anton Rathausen.[Congdon, Kevin A.; Tar, Jason J. [https://web.archive.org/web/19990221101451/http://www.aracnet.com/%7Ejester/interview/vampire.rodents.interview.html Interview with Daniel Vahnke of the Vampire Rodents]. Retrieved on July 22, 2010.]
Although he rarely watches movies or television, Daniel remains an admirer of cartoons. His favorite films are ''[Life of Brian](/source/Life_of_Brian)'', ''[RocketMan](/source/RocketMan_(1997_film))'', ''[The Incredible Mr. Limpet](/source/The_Incredible_Mr._Limpet)'', ''[Shaun of the Dead](/source/Shaun_of_the_Dead)'', and ''[Incredible Shrinking Man](/source/Incredible_Shrinking_Man)''. However, Daniel has claimed that "Most films are best enjoyed played in reverse with several CD players playing random damaged CD's as an augmented soundtrack."[[https://themindofmicrowaved.blogspot.com/2007/04/vampire-rodentsether-bunny-interview.html 1996 Vampire Rodents/Ether Bunny Interview]. Daniel Vahnke interview. Retrieved on July 22, 2010.] Unlike other artists who use a similar technique, he has been noted for "tweaking and twisting originals to create something new instead of simply relying on a familiar hook for instant recognition."[[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r241892|pure_url=yes}} Etherbunny: Papa Woody]. ''Papa Woody'' review. Retrieved on August 15, 2010.] Although occasionally being listed as [Industrial](/source/Industrial_music), Daniel has stated that it does not define his work, noting that he has paid very little attention to the scene.
Daniel's musical influences range from cartoon music ([Milt Franklyn](/source/Milt_Franklyn), [Carl Stalling](/source/Carl_Stalling)), [impressionist music](/source/impressionist_music) ([Claude Debussy](/source/Claude_Debussy), [Maurice Ravel](/source/Maurice_Ravel)), [avant-garde](/source/avant-garde_music) ([György Ligeti](/source/Gy%C3%B6rgy_Ligeti), [Luigi Nono](/source/Luigi_Nono_(composer)), [Edgard Varèse](/source/Edgard_Var%C3%A8se)), [electronic](/source/Electronic_music) ([Luciano Berio](/source/Luciano_Berio), [Tod Dockstader](/source/Tod_Dockstader), [İlhan Mimaroğlu](/source/%C4%B0lhan_Mimaro%C4%9Flu), [Karlheinz Stockhausen](/source/Karlheinz_Stockhausen)), classical ([Johann Sebastian Bach](/source/Johann_Sebastian_Bach), [Igor Stravinsky](/source/Igor_Stravinsky)), [ambient](/source/Ambient_music) ([Steve Roach](/source/Steve_Roach_(musician))), as well as big band music ([Benny Goodman](/source/Benny_Goodman)).[[http://www.myspace.com/vampirerodents Vampire Rodents' MySpace page]. Ether Bunny description. Retrieved on July 22, 2010.] Vahnke has also spoken about admiring modern rock artists such as [The Young Gods](/source/The_Young_Gods), [Einstürzende Neubauten](/source/Einst%C3%BCrzende_Neubauten), [Tom Waits](/source/Tom_Waits), [Sigur Rós](/source/Sigur_R%C3%B3s), and [The Blue Nile](/source/The_Blue_Nile_(band)).