Harry Thumann

Harry Thumann
Birth name	Harald Thumann
Born	28 February 1952
Origin	Germany
Died	2001
Genres	Disco, space disco, funk
Occupation(s)	Record producer, sound engineer
Instruments	Keyboards

Harry Thumann (28 February 1952 – 2001) was a German electronic composer, record producer and sound engineer. He designed and built groundbreaking synthesizers and studio equipment from the early 1960s onwards.

Born Harald Thumann in Germany, he started out as a drummer while getting a thorough grounding in audio engineering in German broadcasting. When touring lost appeal, Thumann put his musical and technical experience to work and started his first recording studio in a bedroom at the family home. Thumann participated in the development of the SSL 4000 series of consoles, and took the first one for this studio. Premises for a permanent studio with live-in accommodation were found in Germering near Munich, and Countrylane Studios were born.

Thumann later recognised the potential of MIDI, and used Commodore 64 computers with MIDI cards, controlling a system that evolved into a synthesizer installation including Fairlight II and Moog 3C modular system. This led to a string of albums for Rondò Veneziano, which married both acoustic instruments and synthesizers. Thumann's own second solo album was Andromeda (1982).

Thumann had a run of what he called "dog records", under the 'Wonder Dog'^[1] name, which received some success in Germany and the UK (through E&S Music). The single, "Ruff Mix", peaked at #31 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1982.^[2]

With the introduction of the Yamaha DMP-7 digital mixer, Thumann built a second control room housing several DMP-7s as an integrated digital console system, interfaced with a rebuilt Neve broadcast console. Countrylane moved into audio-visual production, and started producing its own telefilms.

Discography

Albums

• 1979 American Express

1. "American Express" – 7:26
2. "Give A Little Help" – 8:30
3. "Underwater" – 6:05
4. "You Turn Me On" – 4:45
5. "Christine" – 6:30

• 1983 Andromeda^[3]

1. "Andromeda" - 7:48
2. "I'm Happy To Be In The Sun" - 5:30
3. "Out Of Tune" - 2:31
4. "Welcome Back, Jolette" - 4:58
5. "Bitch" - 3:30
6. "Paris 1944" - 3:57
7. "Sphinx" - 5:19
8. "Living On A Farm" - 2:56

Singles

• 1979 "Underwater" - UK #41;^[4] US Hot Dance Club Songs #17^[5]
• 1982 "Andromeda"
• 1982 "Living On A Farm"

Remixes

• 1992 "Break Down The Line" (Extended Version) on Jam Tronik's "Stand By Me" (Dance Mix)

References

1. Wonder Dog discography at Discogs
2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 609. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
3. Discogs: Harry Thumann - Andromeda
4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 559. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
5. Allmusic.com - Billboard Singles

External links

• Harry Thumann discography at Discogs