Walter Seyffer founded the group Nine Days' Wonder as early as 1966. Four years later the line-up was: Walter Seyffer (lead vocals, drums, percussion), John Earle (sax, flute, guitar, vocals, from Ireland), Rolf Henning (guitar, piano), Karl Mutschlechner (bass, from Austria!) and Martin Roscoe (drums, from the UK). They recorded their first album NINE DAYS• WONDER in the Dierks Studio, January 1971 with the Hauke & Dierks team.
This was a fine example of more bizarre German progressive rock, clearly inspired by King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Soft Machine, Traffic, Family and Deep Purple. They presented long, complex suites of heavy progressive riffing, jazz fusion, large amounts of free improvisation, neck-breaking shifts of tempo and general insanity on tracks like, "Morning Spirit" and "Stomach's Choise" A fine achievement, if a little difficult to get into.
The original German issue of the album came in a green foam-rubber cover designed by Walter Seyffer. lt surely qualifies for the top ten list of the craziest sleeve designs ever made! John Earle's talented sax and flute work was particularly notable. When the original Nine Days' Wonder disbanded in 1972, he went to England and joined Gnidrolog (you can hear him on the classic album Lody Lake). Martin Roscoe drummed for a while in 2066 & Then. Seyffer joined Michael Bundt's band Medusa. In December 1972 this band suddenly turned out to be the new Nine Days' Wonder: Seyffer (vocals, percussion), Bundt (bass), Hans Frauenschuh (guitar), Freddie Münster (sax, keyboards) and Karl-Heinz Weiler (drums).
In July 1973 they recorded WE NEVER LOST CONTROL, which, understandably, was totally different to the 1971 album: a ,straighter' progressive rock album comparable to other Hauke productions like Epsilon, Nektar or Message. In 1974, Nine Days' Wonder went through further changes, ended up as a quartet at last, consisting of Seyffer, Bundt, Rolf Henning (guitar, bass) and Sidhatta Gautama (drums). They recorded ONLY THE DANCERS in September 1974 in England with the guests Dave Jackson (sax, flute, from Van den Graaf Generator) and Steve Robinson (keyboards, ex-2066 & Then). This was much more a straight rock song oriented album, with tuneful and sophisticated compositions.
krautrock-musikzirkus
Tracks
1. Fermillion (Walter Seyffer, John Earle, Rolf Henning, Karl Mutschlechner, Martin Roscoe) - 15:48
2. Moss Had Come (Walter Seyffer, John Earle, Rolf Henning, Karl Mutschlechner, Martin Roscoe) - 3:27
3. Apple Tree (Walter Seyffer, John Earle, Rolf Henning, Karl Mutschlechner, Martin Roscoe) - 6:45
4. Drag Dilemma (Walter Seyffer, John Earle, Rolf Henning, Karl Mutschlechner, Martin Roscoe) - 12:47
5. Long Distance Line (Walter Seyffer) - 5:21
6. Only The Dancers (Walter Seyffer) - 3:01
7. It's Not My Fault (Rolf Henning, Walter Seyffer) - 4:34
8. Frustration (Walter Seyffer) - 2:52
9. Hovercraft Queen (Michael Bundt, Walter Seyffer) - 3:40
10.Time Is Due (Walter Seyffer) - 5:40
11.The Way I'm Living (Walter Seyffer) - 5:41
12.Moment (Michael Bundt, Walter Seyffer) - 8:01
Tracks 1-4 from "Nine Days' Wonder" LP 1971
Tracks 5-12 from "Only The Dancers" LP 1974
Nine Days' Wonder
1971
*Walter Seyffer - Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Effects
*John Earle - Vocals, Tenor, Soprano Saxophones, Flute, Guitar
*Rolf Henning - Guitar, Piano
*Karl Mutschlechner - Bass
*Martin Roscoe - Drums
With
*Martin Lil - Viola
1974
*Rolf Henning - Guitars
*Michael Bundt - Bass
*Siddartha Gautama - Drums
*Steve Robinson - Keyboards
*Walter Seyffer - Vocals
With
*David Jackson - Wind
*Steve Robinson - Keyboards