"Swiss Jimi Hendrix" is dead: musician Walty Anselmo has died

“Swiss Jimi Hendrix” is dead: musician Walty Anselmo has died

Published: Friday, Mar 22nd 2024, 22:00

He was regarded as the "Swiss Jimi Hendrix" and was one of the first rock musicians in Switzerland in the 1960s: Krokodil band member Walty Anselmo has died at the age of 77.

The guitarist and singer died on Friday night, as his band colleague Düde Dürst told the Keystone-SDA news agency on request. He confirmed information from Swiss Radio and Television (SRF).

Together with music pioneers Hardy Hepp and Düde Dürst, Anselmo founded the progressive rock band Krokodil in 1969. They drew primarily on the influential electric guitar virtuoso Jimi Hendrix and became known beyond the country's borders.

Anselmo made music in many styles. Among other things, he played bass on the popular hit "Grüezi wohl, Frau Stirnimaa" by the Minstrels. The song remained at the top of the Swiss charts for ten weeks in 1969.

Born in 1946, Anselmo grew up in Rüschlikon ZH. He bought his first guitar at the age of 14. During his apprenticeship as a retoucher, he formed his first band and played regularly in Zurich nightclubs.

Anselmo was the only Swiss musician to play as the support act at the legendary Rolling Stones concert in Zurich's Hallenstadion in 1967, as well as headlining the two-day monster concert with Jimi Hendrix and others in 1968. Anselmo had the honor of picking up his idol at Zurich Airport.

In 1974, Anselmo gave up his professional career as a musician. From then on, he worked as a printer. Krokodil released around ten albums, most recently in 2020 and 2021, with Anselmo only appearing as a "special guest" for health reasons. Together with his wife, he most recently took care of their bonsai business and lived in Einsiedeln SZ.

©Keystone/SDA

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