(Credits: Far Out / Klaus Voormann)
Many icons from the 1960s don’t receive the full recognition they deserve. One of the most instrumental figures in the great strides of the 1960s and beyond is Klaus Voormann. A key player in the story of The Beatles, he began his association with the band during their formative years in Hamburg. Voormann would also design the iconic Revolver album cover and was a member of Manfred Mann, living a life of true artistic fulfilment.
A creative renaissance man, Voormann’s influence extends far beyond The Beatles, their solo projects, and Manfred Mann. His presence is woven into the stories of many other acts, marking his significant impact on the music scene. In the studio, he has performed as a session musician on numerous hit titles, famously bolstering Carly Simon’s definitive anthem ‘You’re So Vain’, Lou Reed’s glam rock masterpiece Transformer, and has also featured on records by Badfinger, Leon Russell, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, and Yoko Ono. These prominent names give just a flavour of the scope of Voormann’s back catalogue, with him also designing covers for the likes of Nilsson, the Bee Gees and Wet Wet Wet.
While Voormann has contributed to many classic moments, one of the most timeless is the introduction of ‘You’re So Vain’. The jazzy scramble on his bass fretboard interlocks with the chimes of Carly Simon’s piano, creating a perfect sense of internal trepidation before she bursts into her sharp anthem about a self-absorbed lover.
While the section introducing the hit is fabled and has been vocally mimicked by all who played on the song due to its frenetic character, it’s also been the source of much puzzlement for fans. The storied part is actually rumoured not to have been played on Voorman’s trusty Fender Precision Bass – on which he has conceived many notable moments – but his ‘Vootar’.
“What in God’s name is that?” you might ask. Well, it’s complicated due to a shortage of concrete information. However, during Voormann’s time as the bassist for Manfred Mann, he not only stood out for his technical skills and his natural ability to elevate the band’s sound across different periods, but he also caught the eye with his unusual instrument in their music videos and performances. This distinctive bass has more strings than usual—eight in total—an oversized body and f-holes like those on standard hollowbody six-strings. It can clearly be seen in the videos for their hits ‘Ragamuffin Man’ and ‘Just Like a Woman’.
Designed by Voorman, the ‘Vootar’ has four bass strings along with the top four strings of a guitar, making it an innovative hybrid before dual necks and other funky designs became popular. Notably, it also says Vox on the headstock. The British company allegedly built a one-off for Voorman after he conceived it in 1965, although some have cast doubt on this assertion.
Fans have also dredged up supposed quotes from the German stating that the design was intended to help him in his band Paddy, Klaus & Gibson so he could assist the guitarist with bass and then provide rhythm guitar when their drummer really went for it. Interestingly, both parts of the instrument were routed to different amps to increase its power.
In the Making Of bonus DVD for Voorman’s all-star debut solo album, 2009’s A Sideman’s Journey, which also features the likes of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Yusuf Islam, the former Manfred Mann member piqued interest in his eight-string innovation once again. Yet, this time, it wasn’t the Vox ‘Vootar’. It was a take on the original constructed by German custom builder Stewart Bilcok for Cassandra Elk, a wooden, 1980s-looking oddity that, according to some fans, is actually one of three, with one owned by none other than McCartney.