The Klaus Wunderlich Appreciation Society
Blackpool born Dorothy Timperley writes to Telefunken to gain more information about Klaus Wunderlich recordings. The letter was forwarded to Klaus Wunderlich who in turn sent it to Peter Barnett, the then Imports Manager for Selecta Records, the UK distributors for Telefunken. In 1976 Peter contacts Dorothy and asks if she would agree to become the Secretary and run an Appreciation Society: Klaus abhorred the epithet FAN CLUB, and hated the use of it.
Prior to this, Dorothy & Klaus meet for the first time at an Edinburgh store where Klaus was appearing at a record signing appearance and she presented him with a drawing she’d done, copied from the cover of the famous URALTEDELSCHNULZENSYNTHESIZERGAGS release. Proving that he also had a sense of humour, he later sent Dorothy a personal souvenir photo of the occasion. A year later Dorothy & Selecta records jointly hosted the first ever meeting of the Klaus Wunderlich Appreciation Society [KWAS] at the Penta Hotel, London.
The first four colour photos below, taken by members, are the only ones known to exist. Klaus returned to the UK again in 1978 and this time the venue was the John Lewis Store in Manchester for a publicity and record signing session.
Klaus returned to the UK again in 1978 and this time it was the John Lewis Store in Manchester for a publicity and record signing session. Secretary Dorothy Timperley was there in order to drum up more support for the KWAS. Wonder if the fan, having got her copy of the Hits Again album autographed, is still a fan today? Anyone know who she is? BBC Broadcaster Alan Ashton got to meet Klaus for the very first time. For employment and family reasons Dorothy Timperley reluctantly found it impossible to continue with her role, and so in 1979 John & Shirley Mutton, supportive members since the early days, took over the running of the KWAS until Klaus disbanded it in 1995. This a copy of the letter he sent to all the Members:
Dear Members,
My message in this letter which I give you today is not very pleasant, and I am very unhappy that I must tell you the following:
Since 10-15 years I have noticed that the sales of my records are more and more decreasing ... and the people from the record company told me always that it becomes more difficult from year to year to sell records with electronic organ! - But now the situation is considerably worse! In the record shops you cannot find any record of mine - East West Records has deleted all my products now (and my contract has also finished!) So I am unemployed and have no chance to find another record company in the moment which will distribute any record with electronic organ. The whole music market is controlled by people which like only rock music. So I have no choice to produce new records for my fans (I would have ideas for the next 20 ones!)....the market is closed for Wunderlich products in the moment...and it seems that it will not change in the next years. So I have told Mr Mutton that there is no point in continuing. With other words: We must close the KLAUS WUNDERLICH APPRECIATION SOCIETY. Many thanks to John Mutton!. He has done a lot of work for me... and many thanks also to you! I hope I have given you some pleasure with my music in the past! But now I have no chance to produce records. May be that I can do some other work… or (when it must be) I get retired.
To all members, my best wishes for the further future. Klaus Wunderlich.
In 1981, on a private holiday, Klaus came to the BBC Radio Manchester Studios with John Mutton and gave a full interview to Alan Ashton for his weekly organ programme PEDAL, PERCUSSION & PIPES, later changed to ORGANISED KEYBOARDS.
Prior to this, Dorothy & Klaus meet for the first time at an Edinburgh store where Klaus was appearing at a record signing appearance and she presented him with a drawing she’d done, copied from the cover of the famous URALTEDELSCHNULZENSYNTHESIZERGAGS release. Proving that he also had a sense of humour, he later sent Dorothy a personal souvenir photo of the occasion. A year later Dorothy & Selecta records jointly hosted the first ever meeting of the Klaus Wunderlich Appreciation Society [KWAS] at the Penta Hotel, London.
The first four colour photos below, taken by members, are the only ones known to exist. Klaus returned to the UK again in 1978 and this time the venue was the John Lewis Store in Manchester for a publicity and record signing session.
Klaus returned to the UK again in 1978 and this time it was the John Lewis Store in Manchester for a publicity and record signing session. Secretary Dorothy Timperley was there in order to drum up more support for the KWAS. Wonder if the fan, having got her copy of the Hits Again album autographed, is still a fan today? Anyone know who she is? BBC Broadcaster Alan Ashton got to meet Klaus for the very first time. For employment and family reasons Dorothy Timperley reluctantly found it impossible to continue with her role, and so in 1979 John & Shirley Mutton, supportive members since the early days, took over the running of the KWAS until Klaus disbanded it in 1995. This a copy of the letter he sent to all the Members:
Dear Members,
My message in this letter which I give you today is not very pleasant, and I am very unhappy that I must tell you the following:
Since 10-15 years I have noticed that the sales of my records are more and more decreasing ... and the people from the record company told me always that it becomes more difficult from year to year to sell records with electronic organ! - But now the situation is considerably worse! In the record shops you cannot find any record of mine - East West Records has deleted all my products now (and my contract has also finished!) So I am unemployed and have no chance to find another record company in the moment which will distribute any record with electronic organ. The whole music market is controlled by people which like only rock music. So I have no choice to produce new records for my fans (I would have ideas for the next 20 ones!)....the market is closed for Wunderlich products in the moment...and it seems that it will not change in the next years. So I have told Mr Mutton that there is no point in continuing. With other words: We must close the KLAUS WUNDERLICH APPRECIATION SOCIETY. Many thanks to John Mutton!. He has done a lot of work for me... and many thanks also to you! I hope I have given you some pleasure with my music in the past! But now I have no chance to produce records. May be that I can do some other work… or (when it must be) I get retired.
To all members, my best wishes for the further future. Klaus Wunderlich.
In 1981, on a private holiday, Klaus came to the BBC Radio Manchester Studios with John Mutton and gave a full interview to Alan Ashton for his weekly organ programme PEDAL, PERCUSSION & PIPES, later changed to ORGANISED KEYBOARDS.
