Karina - Verlangen

Elsworth Tewkesbury had lived the dream, and still had a promising future in popular music.   Until he met Karina . . . 

Tewkesbury, of course, was a founding member of and bassist for scruffy mid-'60s London popsters The Whiffles.  Growing tired of the scene (and his overbearing musical partner, Winston Silverhammer), he started looking for something a little more serious.   As everyone knows, this led to TRD (Tewkesbury, Riordan & Davis)--the progressive rock trio that burst out of the gate with 1969's "Turpedo" (featuring the Top 10 UK single "Corn Devil No. 14").  1971's "Elbow Macaroni Angiogram" was an even greater success.   But something was nagging at Tewkesbury, and soon the band was on hiatus.

On holiday in Munich in the spring of 1973, Tewkesbury literally ran into local Karina Mueller in Maxvorstadt.   After untangling their bicycles, the pair retired to a nearby bierstube where Karina--who had never heard of Tewkesbury, The Whiffles or TRD--told Tewkesbury her life story.  From Stuttgart, she was the middle daughter in a family of wealthy industrialists (her mother held the patent on a common toothpaste dispenser system).  She had attended university but never settled on a particular path.  Her current avocation was photography (primarily children's birthday parties and cat shows).  Karina confided to Tewkesbury that she had taught herself to play rudimentary keyboards--although it was unclear what type of music she was into.  It didn't matter--Tewkesbury was smitten.

Within weeks, Karina had moved in with Tewkesbury at his East Midlands estate.  They married almost immediately.  (Tewkesbury's recent current wife was remarkably indifferent and agreed to an annulment after receiving an assignment of his royalties from The Whiffles catalog.)  

Allegedly, Tewkesbury never left Karina's side (including during their communal bathing, which is typically a lonely business).  No one is really sure how the idea of forming a band together evolved, but in March 1974 the duo (supplemented by seven other musicians, most of whom later refused to be identified) went on a nine-month tour of England, Scotland and Portugal--culminating in their oddly highly-collectible live album Verlangen (German:  Desire).  To this day, Tewkesbury seems confused about why they decided to name the band after his new wife when she only played one-fingered keyboard, rarely sang (fortunately) and never wrote a song.  The album's forays into jazz fusion, power pop, sludge, and classic Nashville--in addition to the pure prog opener "Bird Wink"--were definitely an acquired taste.  Too acquired, apparently; Karina (the band) only made the one self-produced album before shutting down the project.

Believing that he had given everything he had to the world of music, Tewkesbury followed another passion and became a highly sought after freelance crop circle designer.  For her part, Karina decided to stick with the music, ultimately mastering two-fingered "chords."  She had one hit single, 1984's German-language crossover "76 Posaunen."  The couple currently reside in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. 

Original album artwork here.

"Bird Wink" (from Verlangen) here.