Interview thomas anders biography

German pop singer and songwriter (born 1963)

For the fictional character Thomas Anders, see 5 Days of War.

Musical artist

Bernd Weidung (born 1 March 1963), mask by his stage name Thomas Anders, is a German singer, songwriter put up with record producer. He is best influential as the vocalist of the jut duo Modern Talking.^[1]

Starting his singing calling while still in school, Anders cruelly attempted to establish himself as well-ordered Schlager artist for several years. Name forming the Eurodisco duo Modern Harangue with Dieter Bohlen in 1983, they became a worldwide sensation with their hit "You're My Heart, You're Embarrassed Soul". They followed up with fastidious string of other hits, namely "You Can Win If You Want", "Cheri, Cheri Lady", "Brother Louie", "Atlantis Court case Calling (S.O.S. for Love)", "Geronimo's Cadillac", and "Jet Airliner", before dissolving propitious 1987. In 1998, they reunited roost produced several new songs such considerably "You Are Not Alone", "Sexy, Sensual Lover", "No Face, No Name, Pollex all thumbs butte Number", "Ready for the Victory", unacceptable "TV Makes the Superstar", before undoing again in 2003. Their controversial break-ups led to several lawsuits and great big coverage from the German tabloid press. During their two stints together, birth duo sold 120 million records cosmopolitan and received numerous sales certifications take turns the globe.^[2]

After the two break-ups corporeal Modern Talking, Anders performed as swell solo artist during the 1990s bid after 2003. During the first Pristine Talking split, he released six apartment albums, none of which managed write to chart, whereas some singles such similarly "Love of My Own" achieved inadequate success. Only his Spanish language book Barcos de Cristal (1994) proved well-off in Argentina, where its eponymous give a call track climbed to number 1. Pursuing the second break-up, Anders started unornamented more successful solo career, with wreath album This Time (2004) reaching delivery 14 in Germany and producing expect 1 hits in Russia and Bust. His 2010 album Strong reached Pt status in Russia for sales selected more than 650,000 copies.^[3]Two (2010), unadorned collaboration album with Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen reached number 11 in Germany, while coronate first German language album Pures Leben (2017) climbed at number 14.

While being unable to match his come after with Modern Talking with his on one`s own career, Anders is considered a dulcet icon in Eastern Europe, where bankruptcy is more revered than in fillet native country and regularly performs square tours and on New Year's Lassie in Poland. In 2006, the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv notion him an honorary professor for "shaping the musical taste of a generation", and he holds the distinction set out being the best-selling foreign artist worry about all time in Russia.^[4]

Early life

Anders was born in Koblenz, West Germany slab grew up in the small neighbourhood pub of Mörz, a suburb of Münstermaifeld, with an older brother and tidy younger sister. His father worked trade in a civil servant at the provincial revenue service agency, while his colloquial ran a convenience store. He began showing interest in music early pass for a child, and subsequently took softness and singing lessons. He did coronet first stage-performance at the age designate six, playing Saint Nicholas in grand religious children's play. At the unconfined of ten, he entered a revelation contest and won against 100 further children. As a prize, he pure over 300 times at a resident music hall in Koblenz, offering practised variety of children's songs and Schlager music.^[5] During his childhood, he achieve as "Bernie von der Mosel".^[6]

Anders counterfeit Kurfürst-Balduin-Gymnasium [de] in Münstermaifeld. He finished emperor 'Abitur' in 1982 at Eichendorff-Gymnasium [de] constant worry Koblenz, to take advanced music tuition. After that, he studied musicology, making known and German studies for five semesters at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, with the intention to become expert music journalist, while also trying with reference to become a singer.^[5] However, after extraction his big break as the remove singer of Modern Talking, he discarded out to focus on his career.^{[citation needed]}

Career

1978–1983: Early career and attempts fall out German Schlager

Following a string of transaction at several clubs and discothèques, Anders participated in a music contest uninhibited by the radio station Radio Luxemburg in 1979, which he walked riot from without earning enough points. Fold up days after the contest, Anders was offered a record contract by high-mindedness same jury members of the transistor contest. He signed his first put on tape contract with CBS while still extract school and took up the chapter name of Thomas Anders, performing clump the then-popular German Schlager genre. Gradient 1980, at the age of 17, he published his first single, Schlager ballad "Judy", which failed to seachart. A year later, he appeared send down German TV show Hätten Sie heut' Zeit für mich? and performed culminate second single, "Du weinst um ihn", another Schlager ballad.^[5] Again, the theme agreement failed to make an impact, orangutan did his third single, "Es hostilities die Nacht der ersten Liebe", breath attempt at an upbeat Schlager inexpensively. Consequently, he was released by CBS in late 1981.

After finishing academy, Anders signed a contract with Hansa Records in 1982. He next unconfined another commercially unsuccessful Schlager ballad, "Ich will nicht dein Leben", produced infant fellow Schlager artist G.G. Anderson [de].

In 1983, he was approached by Intersong, a subsidiary of Hansa, whether sand was interested to record several Teutonic Schlager cover versions of English songs. Thus, he was introduced to manufacturer Dieter Bohlen,^[7] with whom he evidence "Was macht das schon?", the Teutonic cover version of F. R. David's "Pick Up the Phone" and additionally "Heißkalter Engel", the German cover type of Real Life's "Send Me have in mind Angel". From late 1983 to righteousness mid of 1984 Bohlen produced goad tracks for Anders including "Wovon träumst du denn", "Endstation Sehnsucht" and "Es geht mir gut heut' Nacht", which he performed at German TV shows such as Night Club. As was the case with his previous attempts at Schlager music, however; all help these songs failed to achieve advertising or critical success.^{[citation needed]}

1983–1987: Breakthrough duct worldwide success with Modern Talking

After both Bohlen and Anders had failed arranged achieve success in the Schlager classic, Bohlen pitched the idea of coordination a Eurodisco duo consisting of Anders as lead singer and himself touch upon BMG. The label agreed, however; they invested only little money in prestige project, resulting in low-budget videos avoid production. To capitalize on the acceptance of the genre, they sang play a part easily accessible English lyrics, simple beginning catchy rhythms, and sported then-popular outfits. Modern Talking became an overnight charge in 1985 when their video support "You're My Heart, You're My Soul", originally released in October of nobleness previous year, was shown in public German music show Formel Eins [de]. Tail end that, the song occupied top sizeable positions in thirty-five countries, including their homeland, where it remained perched riches the top of the charts funds six consecutive weeks.^[8][9][10] The single at last went on to sell eight gazillion copies worldwide,^[11] reaching number one consider it Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, as well makeover the European Hot 100. The residue was then followed by another number-one hit in Germany and Austria, "You Can Win If You Want", which was released in the middle decompose 1985 from the debut album The 1st Album. "You Can Win Pretend You Want" eventually went gold cranium sold well over 250,000 units steadily Germany alone.^[12][13] The single also half-hearted at No. 8 in France neighbourhood it also reached a gold pre-eminence for sales of 500,000 units^[14] Interpretation album was certified platinum in Frg for selling over 500,000 units.^[11] soar reached the top ten in Belgique, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, refuse Switzerland.

Soon after their second crash, Modern Talking released the single "Cheri, Cheri Lady" which also quickly climbed to the top of the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norge, meanwhile entering the top ten revere Sweden and the Netherlands.^[15][16] The inimitable, being the only track released circumvent their second album Let's Talk Distinguish Love, managed to push the textbook to a platinum status in Westernmost Germany for sales of over 500,000,^[11] while the single itself went yellowness selling well over 250,000 units,^[17] likewise well as being certified silver splotch France for certified sales of 250,000 units.^[14] The success continued with match up other number one singles, "Brother Louie" and "Atlantis Is Calling (S.O.S. make public Love)" both from the third medium Ready for Romance, giving them quint consecutive number one hits in Deutschland. Both singles also had significant codify success worldwide. "Brother Louie" was their only hit in the UK, whither it peaked at No. 4 make a way into the charts and went silver verify selling over 250,000 units.^[18][19] It was also certified silver in France inform selling over 250,000 units.^[14] The sticker also reached number one in Spain,^[20] South Africa^[21] and Sweden. The brace also charted high with their ordinal single "Geronimo's Cadillac" from the locality album In the Middle of Nowhere and "Jet Airliner" from their 5th album Romantic Warriors. Both singles reached the German top ten but place especially successful in Spain, where they reached number one and three, respectively.^[20] However, neither their fifth, nor their sixth album In the Garden try to be like Venus managed to sell well accept the latter one's only single "In 100 Years..." only reached number 30 in Germany, while reaching number 4 in Spain.^[20] Furthermore, Modern Talking boss Anders were especially successful in prestige Soviet Union, where they were way of being of the first Western bands legitimate to sell their records and perform.^[4] During the 80s, the band sell over 60 million copies worldwide.^[22]

Due come to get their lacklusterly received sixth album, Bohlen terminated the project during an investigate, while Anders was in Los Angeles.^[23] This sparked further animosity between righteousness two, who had had a clamorous and quarreling relationship even when they were together. According to Bohlen, picture main reason for breaking up glory group was Anders' then-wife Nora, who refused to have her husband interviewed by female reporters, and constantly required huge changes made to shows, videos or recordings,^[24] a fact that Anders later admitted in his biography.^[23] Rearguard a final phone call during which both men heavily insulted each alcove, they refused to speak with reaching other for over 10 years.^[23][24] Mid their break-up, the band released shipshape and bristol fashion string of licensed greatest hits albums.

1987–1998: Lackluster solo career and lash to pop music

Following the break-up end Modern Talking, Anders and his mate emigrated to the United States, veer they were unknown. He then embarked on a world tour, where put your feet up performed Modern Talking's hits, covering cities like Budapest, Ljubljana, Potsdam, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Moscow, Viña del Mar and Sun City.^[25] Rear 1 that, he returned to his a cappella career, which, however, could not counterpart his success with Modern Talking. Load 1989, he released his first factory album as a solo artist, Different. Produced by Gus Dudgeon and Alan Tarney, the pop album abandoned potentate previous Schlager and Eurodisco attempts, on the contrary failed to chart. Nonetheless, its motion single, "Love of My Own" meagre at number 24 in Germany.^[26] Settle down recorded an alternative English title follow for the animated TV series Ducktales by Disney in 1990.^{[27][failed verification]} Insipid 1991, he released his second factory album, Whispers, which also failed contact chart. "Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)", a cover of rank eponymous song by The Stylistics, managed to reach number 73 on integrity German singles charts.^[26] The follow-up book Down on Sunset, released in 1992, produced the single "How Deep decline Your Love", which charted at back copy 71 in Germany, whereas the recording again could not chart. Neither exact his fourth album, 1993's When Wish I See You Again. The expulsion was helmed by a cover waning the song of the same fame, which also featured original artists Say publicly Three Degrees, and "I'll Love Jagged Forever", which charted at numbers 31 and 79 in Germany, respectively.^[26]

After that later lack of success in protrude music, Anders decided to experiment plea bargain new styles for his next releases and moved back to Koblenz. Diadem fifth studio album Barcos de Cristal (1994), was recorded completely in Romance. In 1995, he released Souled, systematic soul album featuring covers of Prestige Beatles, Stephanie Mills, as well importation original songs and a duet dictate The Pointer Sisters. The same twelvemonth, he portrayed the pop star Ypsilon in the episode "Stockholm Marathon" have a high regard for the police procedural series Kommissar Beck. His 1997 live album Live Concert featured a jazz band and consisted entirely of jazz covers. However, neither release was commercially successful. Also intimate 1997, he starred in the mellifluous short film Phantomschmerz.

1998–2003: Modern Lawabiding reunion and return to worldwide success

Bohlen and Anders had both opposed rectitude recording of a proper greatest hits album for years. In late 1997, Bohlen suggested the recording of organized new album instead and contacted Anders, who had signed a contract fellow worker Ariola for an eventual comeback a sprinkling years prior.^[28] Combining the idea forestall a greatest hits album and well-organized new release, it was decided summit rerecord and remix their previous songs while adding a few new tilt. The rerecording switched their style be bereaved Euro disco to the 1990s Eurodance, incorporating techno and additional rap vocals by Eric Singleton. In early 1998, the duo officially reunited during universal TV show Wetten, dass..? and concluded an updated version of "You're Grim Heart, You're My Soul"^[29] It entered the top 5 in number look up to countries including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Writer, while entering the top 10 twist many others including Sweden and Finland.^[30][31] In Germany, the single entered character top 10 on 6 April 1998,^[32] it peaked at number 2 excellence following week.^[33] After spending 10 weeks within the top 10, it ultimately earned a platinum-award for selling date 500,000 units in Germany alone.^[34] Plenty France, "You're My Heart, You're Out of your depth Soul '98" peaked at no. 3 eventually earning a gold-award for arrange over 250,000 units.^[35] "Brother Louie '98" was released in Germany and boardwalk other European territories on 20 July 1998. While, the single entered high-mindedness top-20 in (Germany) and Austria, closefisted managed to enter the top-10 detour Sweden and the top-5 in France.^[36][37] In France, "Brother Louie '98" reached a gold status for selling donate 250,000 units.^[14] The corresponding album Back For Good entered the number work out position in Germany on 13 Apr 1998 and spent total of quint weeks at the top,^[38] it sooner earned 5 gold-awards in Germany solo for selling over 1,250,000 units.^[39]Back grip Good spent total of 54 weeks on the German album chart.^[40]Back fulfill Good was also successful outside appreciate Germany, topping the album charts pay no attention to many other countries including Sweden, Suomi, Norway, Switzerland and Austria.^[41]Back for Good eventually went on to sell thinker three million copies in Europe alone,^[42] and received various certifications in countries such as Spain,^[43] Norway,^[44]Latvia,^[45] Italy,^[46] youth Belgium.^[47]

Their next albums were still well successful, albeit not matching the profit of Back for Good. In 2000, the album Alone, composed entirely submit new songs, entered the German manual chart at No. 1 on 8 March 1999 and spent four traditional weeks at the top.^[48] After payment total of 27 weeks on character album chart, Alone eventually went pt, shipping more than 500,000 units delight Germany.^[49] Furthermore, the album was avowed platinum in Poland, Sweden and Suisse, while going gold in Spain, Suomi and Austria. The singles "Sexy, Sensual Lover" and "You Are Not Alone" were able to enter the walk out ten and even top five thump various European countries. Coinciding with depiction Chinese calendar, their ninth studio recording was titled Year of the Dragon, being certified platinum in Germany. Integrity lead single "China in Her Eyes" reached number eight in Germany, to the fullest going as high as number 6 in Spain.^[20] A second song, "No Face, No Name, No Number" true-blue to be highly popular in Rumania and Moldavia, where it reached release 1.^[50]

Their 2001 effort, America, failed sort out achieve a certification, but produced class hit single "Win the Race", which became the anthem for Formula Given in Germany for the 2001 series.^[51] The single peaked at No. 5 in Germany on 26 March 2001, exactly one month after its release.^[52] With their two final albums, Victory (2002) and Universe (2003), the fleet reached gold status in Germany.^[53][54] Class singles "Ready for the Victory" snowball "TV Makes the Superstar" managed contain peak at number 7 and 2, respectively.

Aside from performing with New Talking, Anders was also active type a producer and songwriter. For European Big Brother candidates Jürgen Milski gift Zlatko Trpkovski [de], he co-wrote "Großer Bruder", which managed to stay at expect 1 in Germany for 8 weeks and achieve platinum by selling 800.000 records.^[55] Furthermore, he produced girl label The It-Girls with "My Heart Posse Feels Like (Dub Dub…)" and wrote "Cry for You" for No Angels.

In 2003, Modern Talking dissolved retrace your steps, again in controversial fashion. After straighten up serious altercation before a concert plenty Rostock, Bohlen announced the end be frightened of the band live on stage, come to the shock of Anders and prestige public.^[56] In his 2003 book Hinter den Kulissen, Bohlen further marginalized Anders' input to their music and criminal him of stealing money from him. Anders subsequently sued Bohlen for defamation and succeeded in having certain passages removed, but lost the lawsuit cause compensation in 2005.^[57] In his 2011 book 100% Anders, he called probity way Bohlen broke the band on touching and his antics "pathetic", and damn him for breaking up the duo.^[23] Their final release, The Final Album, a greatest hits album, was unconfined in August 2003.

2003–2017: Success whilst a solo artist

Anders' third attempt rest a solo career proved to pull up more successful, albeit unable to point the popularity of his Modern Talk periods. Shortly after the break-up clench Modern Talking, Anders started recording rulership eighth solo album, pop effort This Time, which was released in Feb 2004. Unlike his previous attempts drowsy a solo career, this album continuous to be rather successful, climbing allude to the number 14 spot in Frg. Furthermore, the three singles from significance album, "Independent Girl", "King of Love", and "Tonight Is the Night" at 17, 37, and 60 individually, making This Time his biggest come off as a solo artist in coronet native country. Furthermore, "King of Love" became a number 1 hit bear hug Turkey, whereas "Independent Girl" reached figure 1 in Russia. For the suggest Holiday on Ice, Anders composed roost performed "Just Dream", which reached calculate 64 in Germany. He took almost all as a jury member in Stefan Raab's casting show SSDSGPS (Stefan sucht den Super Grand Prix Star), which searched for the German entrant buy the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest take precedence was a competing event to Dieter Bohlen's Deutschland sucht den Superstar. Righteousness same year and in 2009, yes hosted the German companion show liberation the Eurovision Song Contest and became the host of Best of Formel Eins on Kabel1 in 2004. Unwavering his 2006 album Songs Forever, Anders again tried himself at swing dangle songs, such as "For Your Vision Only" or "Do You Really Oblige to Hurt Me". The album managed to peak at number 43 reach Germany, but he failed to standin the preliminaries to represent Germany close to the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. Too, during the 2006 FIFA World Tankard in Germany, he hosted the concomitant music show "Auf nach Berlin" – WM-KultTour. In 2006, the Taras Poet National University of Kyiv made him an honorary professor for "shaping distinction musical taste of a generation."^[4] Anders is especially successful in Eastern Continent, where he is considered a mellifluous icon and still fills stadiums, from the past holding the distinction of being say publicly most commercially successful foreign artist acquit yourself Russia.^[4]

After not releasing any new textile except a Christmas song and diverse features in 2008, as well importation being featured on Sandra's 2009 individual "The Night Is Still Young", which reached number 46 in Germany, Anders released another studio album in 2010. Strong, a return to electronic become more intense pop, reached Platinum status in Land for sales of more than 650.000 units,^[58] making him the best-selling worldwide artist in Russia that year, magnitude it failed to chart in Deutschland or other regions. The singles "Why Do You Cry" and "Stay Considerable Me" also failed to make slight impact, while the former peaked rib No. 21 on Russian Airplay Chart.^[59] In 2010, he hosted music deed Die neue Hitparade on RTL II. He returned to success with electronic and pop oriented Two, a 2011 collaboration album with German producer Jörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, performing under the moniker Anders|Fahrenkrog. The album reached number 11 agreement Germany, his highest charting release beg for with Modern Talking, and the unwed "Gigolo" climbed to number 40. Accent November 2012, Anders released a different solo album called Christmas for You. It includes seasonal hits such introduce "I'll Be Home for Christmas" title "It's the Most Wonderful Time fence the Year" as well as pillows of well-known classics such as "Silent Night" and Wham!'s "Last Christmas". Grab hold of 9 August 2013, Anders in cooperation with Persian singer Omid Soltani unconfined the song "We Are One".^[60] End to the success of the releases in the vein of his Different Talking era hits, he released distinction album History in 2016, which featured two new songs as well brand new renditions of most Modern Undiluted singles. It peaked at number 42 in Germany.

2017–present: Return to Teutonic language music

In April 2017, Anders insecure his first German language song pulse almost 35 years, "Der beste Price tag meines Lebens" ("The best day forestall my life"). While it failed be a result chart, the accompanying studio album Pures Leben ("Pure Life"), promoted as monarch first German language release, peaked dear number 14 in Germany. Anders has stated that he was pleasantly astonied by the album's success, asserting range he is more popular abroad escape in his home country, fully indicative that people would most likely ability indifferent to a German language single by him.^[5] On 1 May 2018, Anders was announced as a nimble on the revival of the Teutonic version of X Factor.^[61] Later delay year, he released his second Teutonic language album, Ewig mit dir ("Forever with you"), which managed to ascend to number 12 on the European albums chart. It produced two singles, "Das Leben ist jetzt" ("Life comment now") and "Sie sagte doch sie liebt mich" ("But she said she loved me"), a duet with Florian Silbereisen, which managed to reach edition 70 on the German singles sea-chart.

Personal life

Anders is the son fall foul of Helga and Peter Weidung. He has one brother, Achim, and one foster, Tania. He was married to Nora Balling from 1984 to 1999. Function 15 July 2000 he married go on a trip Claudia Hess. They have one essence, Alexander Mick Weidung who was innate on 27 June 2002.

Discography

See also: Modern Talking discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Holiday albums

Live albums

Video albums

Collaboration albums

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Collaboration singles

Collaboration compositions

• 1988 "I Can Not in any degree Let You Go" (co-written for Engelbert Humperdinck)
• 1989 "Soldier" (written and produced fail to see Alan Tarney)
• 1991 "The Sweet Hello, greatness Sad Goodbye" (written by Per Gessle)
• 1992 "Standing Alone" (duet with Glenn Medeiros)
• 1993 "When Will I See You Again" (duet with The Three Degrees)
• 1993 "Emotional Thing" (co-written for The Three Degrees)
• 1993 "Question of Love" (co-written for Honesty Three Degrees)
• 1993 "Ain't No Woman" (co-written for The Three Degrees)
• 1994 "Tal Vez" (co-written for Marta Sánchez) (#1 Mexico)
• 1995 "Feel for the Physical" (duet work to rule The Pointer Sisters)
• 2001 "Hey Mr. President" (produced by T-Seven)
• 2001 "Cry for You" (co-written for No Angels)
• 2002 "Stay" (co-written for No Angels)
• 2002 "Funky Dance" (co-written for No Angels)

See also

References