Helmut Kollen
March 2, 1950 – May 3, 1977
Member of the 27 Club
Helmut Kollen played bass and sang for the German prog-trio, Triumvirat during the mid-’70s. With a sound akin to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Triumvirat attained modest commercial success which pretty much peaked with the 1975 release of Spartacus, an album that many consider a prog rock essential. After leaving the band after Spartacus, Kollen embarked on a solo career. Sadly that career was cut short on May 3, 1977 when Kollen went into his car to listen to some new tracks he had recorded. With the motor running and the car parked in his garage, Kollen died of carbon monoxide poisoning at age 27.
What You Should Own
Helmut Kollen was born on March 2nd, 1950. He also recorded some music (vocals and guitar) for German group Jail on their album You Can Help Me from 1976, and also including their single Julie. Mr. Kollen had finished a complete solo album which was released in Germany in October, 1977, after his death, called You Won’t See Me, named for the Beatles song he does a cover of.
Helmut Kollen was also video taped when with Triumvirat, and in January of 1975 appeared with Triumvirat on the ABC tv show In Concert, performing music from the Illusions On A Double Dimple album.
Mr.Kollen can also be heard on a couple of bootleg live Triumvirat recordings -1)Live Tour 1974-75, songs from various concerts in America, and 2) Live Chalmette 1974, featuring the complete Illusions On A Double Dimple album recorded in Louisiana in November of 1974.
There exists another live bootleg Triumvirat recording featuring Helmut Koellen out there, which is Illusions On A Double Dimple Live, Palace Theatre, Providence, RI, USA, Oct. 12th, 1974.