Walter Wegmüller
Biography
In the pantheon of cosmic rock oddities, few figures loom as mysteriously as Walter Wegmüller, the Swiss-Romani artist who somehow convinced a bunch of German krautrock legends to soundtrack his mystical journey through the Tarot deck. Born in 1937 in Bern, Switzerland, to a family of Romani descent, Wegmüller's path to musical immortality was anything but conventional – he wasn't even primarily a musician.
Wegmüller spent his early years absorbing the rich oral traditions of his Romani heritage while navigating the complexities of Swiss society. By the 1960s, he had established himself as a visual artist and writer, but it was his deep fascination with esoteric spirituality and the occult that would ultimately lead him to create one of the most unique albums in rock history. His Romani background infused his worldview with a mystical sensibility that perfectly aligned with the countercultural zeitgeist of the early 1970s.
The story of how Wegmüller ended up collaborating with some of Germany's most innovative musicians reads like a fever dream. Through a series of chance encounters in the underground art scene, he connected with Klaus Schulze, the electronic pioneer who had just left Tangerine Dream, and Manuel Göttsching of Ash Ra Tempel. Somehow, this soft-spoken artist convinced these titans of krautrock to help him realize his ambitious vision: a double album that would musically interpret the 22 cards of the Tarot's Major Arcana.
Released in 1973 on Cosmic Couriers, "Tarot" stands as Wegmüller's masterpiece and his primary claim to musical fame. The album features an all-star cast of German underground musicians, including Schulze on synthesizers, Göttsching on guitar, Hartmut Enke on bass, and Harald Grosskopf on drums – essentially a supergroup of krautrock royalty backing Wegmüller's spoken-word narrations and occasional vocals. Each track corresponds to a Tarot card, from "The Fool" to "The World," creating a sonic journey through archetypal imagery and mystical symbolism.
What makes "Tarot" so compelling isn't just its stellar musicianship – though the interplay between Schulze's cosmic synthesizer washes and Göttsching's hypnotic guitar work is genuinely transcendent – but Wegmüller's unique approach to the material. His heavily accented English narration, part shamanic incantation and part philosophical musing, transforms what could have been a pretentious concept album into something genuinely otherworldly. The album perfectly captures the early '70s fascination with Eastern spirituality, psychedelic consciousness expansion, and ancient wisdom traditions.
The album's influence has grown exponentially over the decades, becoming a holy grail for collectors of krautrock, psychedelic music, and occult-themed recordings. Original pressings command astronomical prices, and the album has been reissued multiple times, each rerelease introducing new generations to Wegmüller's singular vision. Musicians ranging from ambient pioneers to black metal artists have cited "Tarot" as an influence, drawn to its seamless blend of spiritual seeking and sonic innovation.
Despite the album's cult status, Wegmüller remained largely outside the music industry. He continued his work as a visual artist and writer, occasionally surfacing for interviews about the "Tarot" sessions but generally maintaining an air of mystery that only enhanced the album's mystique. His Romani heritage and spiritual practices kept him connected to traditions far older than rock and roll, lending authenticity to work that might otherwise seem like hippie posturing.
The cultural impact of "Tarot" extends beyond music into the realms of art, spirituality, and counterculture studies. It represents a unique moment when ancient wisdom traditions intersected with cutting-edge electronic music, creating something that transcends both. The album has been featured in documentaries about krautrock and the German underground scene, cementing Wegmüller's place in music history despite his status as an outsider.
Walter Wegmüller passed away in 2020, leaving behind a modest but profoundly influential body of work. While he may have only made one major musical statement, "Tarot" ensures his legacy as a visionary who proved that the most powerful art often comes from the most unexpected sources. In an era of manufactured mysticism and commodified spirituality, Wegmüller's authentic voice continues to resonate, reminding us
