452) Bruno — “Wander Boy”/“Wonder Boy”
I talk about Bruno! Well, I talk about Bruno Kretchmar and his delightful and winsome UK ‘66 A-side (one of his two singles). Teabiscuit calls “Wander Boy” (“Wonder Boy” in some printings) “midtempo [pop psych], a nice dreamy folky pop dancer with a hypnotic edge, the fuzzy sounding brass bits hard to tell what instrument that is, could even be a Kazoo?” (http://www.45cat.com/record/r5450). And Dustin E’s liner notes to The Piccadilly Sunshine: A Compendium of Rare Pop Curios from the British Psychedelic Era (Volumes 11-20) comp series say that Bruno had “a quintessentially English delivery and focus”, his two singles “confirm[ing] his talent for observational and provocative writing.” On the other hand, the usually spot-on Vernon Joynson says “[t]his guy’s two easy listening pop 45s are of no lasting significance.” (Tapestry of Delights Revisited)
The song didn’t catch on. It might have if there was more kazoo! In any event, Bruno ended up as president of Chrysalis Records. Talk about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly!
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Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
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Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations😊 
Bruno’s father and mine met when interned in the Isle of Man during WWII. His mother, Joyce, proudly gave my mother a copy of Wonder Boy and later, another 45, “Window in my Room”. Years later, I met Bruno, fleetingly, at her apartment in south London. I suspect that one of my sisters still has both 45s!
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Wow!
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