Biography
Among musicians linked closely to the Beatles, including producer George Martin, organist Billy Preston, and the members of Badfinger, Klaus Voormann's name invariably drew attention. Its distinctly German quality contributed to this notice, yet the breadth of his engagements with the group set him apart even more. These ties began earlier than those of the other figures listed, encompassing the Beatles as a unit along with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr during their solo work immediately after the band's breakup.
Voormann entered the world in Berlin, Germany, during spring 1942. He reached adulthood surrounded by the beat boom sweeping Europe, where both art and music captured his interest. His initial encounter with the group occurred before their final lineup took shape. As part of Hamburg's bohemian and beat community, he became romantically involved with photographer Astrid Kirchherr, who later left him for Stu Sutcliffe, the Beatles' bassist during their first two trips to the city. Some classical guitar training equipped Voormann to enter the local music scene, then dominated by Liverpool bands. In 1964 he replaced Lewis Collins on bass—an instrument he had never played before—in the Liverpool group the Eyes and traveled back with them to Liverpool. Though promising, the Eyes disbanded at the start of 1965. From the remnants, Voormann, drummer Gibson Kemp, and lead guitarist Paddy Chambers formed the trio Paddy, Klaus & Gibson, which soon entered the orbit of Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
Epstein's promotional attempts brought Paddy, Klaus & Gibson no substantial success. Nevertheless, the connection to Epstein, together with Voormann's enduring friendship with the Beatles, secured him an unexpected and prominent platform for his artistic talents: in 1966 he created the distinctive cover for the Revolver album. That same year he also demonstrated his growing prowess on bass by taking Jack Bruce's place—one of England's two or three leading bassists at the time—in Manfred Mann. Voormann remained with the band nearly three years, performing on hits such as "Ha Ha Said the Clown" and "The Mighty Quinn," the latter a number-one single in Britain and a Top Ten hit in America during early 1968. He also designed the cover for the Bee Gees' Idea album that year. When Manfred Mann disbanded in summer 1969, Voormann gained freedom to explore other projects.
He contributed bass to John Lennon's single "Cold Turkey" and joined the impromptu band Lennon assembled for the 1969 Toronto concert later released as Live Peace in Toronto, Lennon's first official live album. Voormann soon became a regular in the Plastic Ono Band, frequently forming the rhythm section with Ringo Starr on Lennon's recordings. George Harrison further affirmed his abilities by employing him on All Things Must Pass, one of the most acclaimed post-Beatles releases by any former member. Voormann appeared on additional major post-Beatles albums, including Lennon's Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, the Richard Perry-produced Ringo by Starr (where he played bass in Paul McCartney's notable absence), and the core band for The Concert for Bangladesh, later issued across album, concert film, laserdisc, CD, and DVD formats.
Earlier, Voormann had recorded on Leon Russell's self-titled 1970 album. After his initial year working with Lennon, Harrison, and others, his session career expanded rapidly. During 1971 he appeared on releases by Gary Wright, Howlin' Wolf, Jim Price, and Harry Nilsson while continuing work with Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Harrison. In 1972 he added albums by Bobby Keys, Carly Simon (No Secrets), Lou Reed (Transformer), Peter Frampton (Wind of Change), and the Electric Sandwich to prior commitments with Wright and Nilsson (Son of Schmilsson). He occasionally revisited visual art, as on the Spooky Tooth album You Broke My Heart, So I Busted Your Jaw, and collaborated with Jerry Lee Lewis, Chi Coltrane, Lon & Derrek Van Eaton, and Nicky Hopkins (The Tin Man Was a Dreamer). Throughout the 1970s he played on records by Simon, Nilsson, Harrison, Lennon, and Starr while adding credits with Martha Reeves, Art Garfunkel, the Cate Brothers, Keith Moon, Loudon Wainwright III, Van Dyke Parks, Geoff Muldaur, Donovan, Randy Newman, Nicolette Larson, and Long John Baldry.
Session activity diminished in the 1980s as Voormann focused more on art, though he produced the German group Trio, whose "Da Da Da" became a major hit, and portrayed Von Schnitzel in Robert Altman's 1980 film Popeye. He had previously appeared as a musician in the 1974 movie Son of Dracula, which starred Nilsson and Starr. In the 1990s he renewed ties to the Beatles' catalog by designing the cover for The Beatles Anthology CD, video, laserdisc, and DVD releases. In 2009 he issued the solo album A Sideman's Journey, featuring guest appearances by Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Dr. John, Bonnie Bramlett, Jim Keltner, Van Dyke Parks, Albert Lee, Don Nix, and others.
Voormann entered the world in Berlin, Germany, during spring 1942. He reached adulthood surrounded by the beat boom sweeping Europe, where both art and music captured his interest. His initial encounter with the group occurred before their final lineup took shape. As part of Hamburg's bohemian and beat community, he became romantically involved with photographer Astrid Kirchherr, who later left him for Stu Sutcliffe, the Beatles' bassist during their first two trips to the city. Some classical guitar training equipped Voormann to enter the local music scene, then dominated by Liverpool bands. In 1964 he replaced Lewis Collins on bass—an instrument he had never played before—in the Liverpool group the Eyes and traveled back with them to Liverpool. Though promising, the Eyes disbanded at the start of 1965. From the remnants, Voormann, drummer Gibson Kemp, and lead guitarist Paddy Chambers formed the trio Paddy, Klaus & Gibson, which soon entered the orbit of Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
Epstein's promotional attempts brought Paddy, Klaus & Gibson no substantial success. Nevertheless, the connection to Epstein, together with Voormann's enduring friendship with the Beatles, secured him an unexpected and prominent platform for his artistic talents: in 1966 he created the distinctive cover for the Revolver album. That same year he also demonstrated his growing prowess on bass by taking Jack Bruce's place—one of England's two or three leading bassists at the time—in Manfred Mann. Voormann remained with the band nearly three years, performing on hits such as "Ha Ha Said the Clown" and "The Mighty Quinn," the latter a number-one single in Britain and a Top Ten hit in America during early 1968. He also designed the cover for the Bee Gees' Idea album that year. When Manfred Mann disbanded in summer 1969, Voormann gained freedom to explore other projects.
He contributed bass to John Lennon's single "Cold Turkey" and joined the impromptu band Lennon assembled for the 1969 Toronto concert later released as Live Peace in Toronto, Lennon's first official live album. Voormann soon became a regular in the Plastic Ono Band, frequently forming the rhythm section with Ringo Starr on Lennon's recordings. George Harrison further affirmed his abilities by employing him on All Things Must Pass, one of the most acclaimed post-Beatles releases by any former member. Voormann appeared on additional major post-Beatles albums, including Lennon's Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, the Richard Perry-produced Ringo by Starr (where he played bass in Paul McCartney's notable absence), and the core band for The Concert for Bangladesh, later issued across album, concert film, laserdisc, CD, and DVD formats.
Earlier, Voormann had recorded on Leon Russell's self-titled 1970 album. After his initial year working with Lennon, Harrison, and others, his session career expanded rapidly. During 1971 he appeared on releases by Gary Wright, Howlin' Wolf, Jim Price, and Harry Nilsson while continuing work with Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Harrison. In 1972 he added albums by Bobby Keys, Carly Simon (No Secrets), Lou Reed (Transformer), Peter Frampton (Wind of Change), and the Electric Sandwich to prior commitments with Wright and Nilsson (Son of Schmilsson). He occasionally revisited visual art, as on the Spooky Tooth album You Broke My Heart, So I Busted Your Jaw, and collaborated with Jerry Lee Lewis, Chi Coltrane, Lon & Derrek Van Eaton, and Nicky Hopkins (The Tin Man Was a Dreamer). Throughout the 1970s he played on records by Simon, Nilsson, Harrison, Lennon, and Starr while adding credits with Martha Reeves, Art Garfunkel, the Cate Brothers, Keith Moon, Loudon Wainwright III, Van Dyke Parks, Geoff Muldaur, Donovan, Randy Newman, Nicolette Larson, and Long John Baldry.
Session activity diminished in the 1980s as Voormann focused more on art, though he produced the German group Trio, whose "Da Da Da" became a major hit, and portrayed Von Schnitzel in Robert Altman's 1980 film Popeye. He had previously appeared as a musician in the 1974 movie Son of Dracula, which starred Nilsson and Starr. In the 1990s he renewed ties to the Beatles' catalog by designing the cover for The Beatles Anthology CD, video, laserdisc, and DVD releases. In 2009 he issued the solo album A Sideman's Journey, featuring guest appearances by Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Joe Walsh, Dr. John, Bonnie Bramlett, Jim Keltner, Van Dyke Parks, Albert Lee, Don Nix, and others.
Singles
