It has been claimed, mostly by some, that Fabien Mitterrand did kill Klaus Harmony.

Well, it could, of course, be so. But why would he do it? Obvously it is like a Mozart and Salieri thing (God forbid that I should need to say that Klaus is Mozart here!).
Fabien Mitterrand - Essayez Ceci, Il Sent Très Bon (1979)
Tales of their rivalry - or Mitterrand's bitterness - are well document. First Klaus was in the midst of a breakthrough with the first digitally recorded pop album with Ladies Man in 1977. When Mitterrand found this out he sent a man to be an undercover runner in the studio and wipe jam on the recording heads of the tape machine which Jerrick Vander had invented. What a mess, I can tell you! So Klaus had to start again but on analogue tape. The sad thing is that two years on from this Ry Cooder had the same idea but did it the other way round.

This was bad enough (as if it wasn't!) but then in 1980 he stole the master tape of Klaus's Eurovision entry, Sad Funk Lonely. It was a sure fire certainty to win but Klaus, being Klaus, would not fight the fight and let it go instead. Later Amando Ferrari recorded this song at his very emotional birthday concert in Milan and we have a beautiful recording of these on Oeuvre Zwei.

And so it goes on. Klaus never paid back these feelings and could never understand why Fabien Mitterrand was as hostile as these. But one could never account for the creative psyche! He was almost certainly a bad man but we don't think he killed Klaus. For one thing, he wasn't clever enough for it! Also Klaus was much more clever and would have outsmarted him if they had been truly against each other (though not so that he was in the KGB like some are saying - crazy!)

If FM was alive today he could elucidate it all but for that tragic business with the tractor in Norfolk County, UK (he was annoyed by the noise and hijacked it from the farmer before accidentally driving it into the path of a speeding Smart Car.) Terrible but... you know.

We did go to his funeral and, of course, Streef la Belle was there and so was James Last. I counted 57 guns amongst all their bodyguards. They terrify me. Bad men for sure.

Peace,

Jan Sink
 
 

With all this stuff about the Italian released Straldo Em Hitz Klaus Harmony Party Mix going on I got to thinking about Streef la Belle, the 'mastermind' behind SEH.

Now on one hand I should say that I certainly do not like him. On another he is an interesting guy with some interesting ways of being. He was always about the circuit and did have reasons to cross ways with Klaus and me from time to time. One of the main reasons why I am so against this man is the fact that it is true for some while he was the manager of Fabien Mitterrand (the most notable exponent of Le fraterity de Paris de la musique érotique, and Klaus' nemesis).

He (Streef la Belle) came from an ancient showbiz family of troubadours in Switzerland and, many said at the time, had links with the KGB. This led, I must say most foolishly, to the ideas that Klaus was a KGB agent. He did have a Luger but most Germans did at this time. (They were popular design accessories throughout the 1970's).

Because of this many also believe that he is linked with the Russian mafia (he is often seen with James Last for instance) and so many are afraid to go head upon head with this man.

Well I do not like him but I should say that I am not at all afraid. He wants to intimidate my friendly conscience then so be it. But I must keep faith and maintain the funk at always (this was my promise to KH).

So I think I must say no to this party mix. Helmut and myself have put so much of our souls and money into the Oeuvre series. It is our place to keep the flame of Klaus alive and so it will be.

Peace,

Jan Sink

 
 

It is sad to say, I know, but yes it is true. Klaus during his 'lost fornight' was led somewhat astray by unruly characters. I think it was that at the time he was most absorbed in his work and needed relief but it was not light relief to the shame of his friends.

In 1974 after much attention from his art movie music he became friends with James Last and things went downward in spiral from that point upwards. James had a fondness for women and armagnac and was often volatile in moods. He had a gang who followed him about parties in Europe which had the members of Brian Eno and Robert Fripp who were dangerous men to know at this time.

It is a famous story that they were asked to leave a hotel in Vienna after they painted the keys of the grand piano in their suite. But other outrageous behaviour was also happening especially when Peter Gabriel also became involved. One of Brian Eno's favourite games was to drive fast through cities and ignore the roundabouts. Usually they went over them and a time was when Klaus, James Last and Brain Eno took a Fiat hotwired by Robert Fripp and drove it through L'arc de Triomphe at 110kph with Klaus hanging from the window screaming and laughing. Not funny. A street mime artist was almost injured.

But it is rare that these stories are heard as James Last has connections with the mafia and even as I write these recollection I am in mind of my own safety. Now I stop as Pupu is worried.

Peace,

Jan Sink

 
It Gets Worse 03/15/2009
 

Straldo Em Hitz has sent me a sleeve art for the Klaus party compilation which is hideous. They have made Klaus like 'stars on 45' or something like Pete Waterman and his birdy song would make.

Don't they know about Klaus and his numeralogical reference, his love of Bach and Gerry Marsden? Don't they understand his profound influence on Giorgio Moroder, James Last and Herbie Hancock? I think they do not.

I think I must go back to Amsterdam for a cleansing of the mind, as Pupu says. Bit actually she wants to go shopping at the Bluewater without me nagging her about spending our savings.

Maybe there I will see other fronds of Klaus and they will help me to keep the faith.

Peace,

Jan Sink

 

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