Happy birthday, "greatest composer since ever"

Thought I'd wish the man a happy birthday, basically because I woke up this morning, saw it was 7 February and my first thought was not "in 2005, I started working in a callcentre - in 2007, I had a breakdown because I was still working there, and handed in my resignation two days later". My first thought was "7 February? That means something. OHH, I remember now! It's Dieter Bohlen's birthday!"

So here ya go, big guy. Happy 58th birthday, Dieter! Biggest composer "since ever" in Germany. :)

[Source: Weidungs Welt! and what a blast from the past that is. ♥]

Sunday Matinée: Travel Diary 7-8 January 2001

The concluding part of my Koblenz adventure. Correction: My FIRST Koblenz adventure. I've had two! Hopefully, I'll have more in the future as well, as I'd love to go there as a normal tourist and not just go to attend the annual Fanclubparty. We shall see. Meanwhile, here's how this one ended:

~ * ~

Sunday/Monday, 7/8 January 2001:
KOBLENZ - STENUNGSUND

How to top yesterday? Of course impossible. Nadinè and Stefanie were the first of us to check out, and then, after a while of us two singing, talking and packing, Rita left too. I called Christian Geller, as I had been asked (I called at 11am), but I only got to talk to his answering machine. I left a message and waited outside the Jugendherberge's reception. When the clock had passed 12:00, I decided to leave Festung Ehrenbreitstein and walk to the bus. I figured that if he wasn't going to show up, then I would at least not going to miss the train at around 2pm if I made it into town myself.

Walking down that mountain was such a pain in the a**! Next time I will bring only ONE bag! I sent an SMS from the bus (which I had to run to get to in the end. I will NOT to that again with that kind of packing!), saying I was on the way to the Haubtbahnhof - just in case he had got my message and was on the way to the JH at that moment. I waited outside the Hbf for a while, no sign of anyone familiar. I still don't know why I didn't get to see the studios. Well, it will give me something to look forward to for next time I'm there, I guess!

Sunday Matinée: Travel Diary 6 January 2001, part 2

So, there was a fanclubparty where fans of Thomas Anders and Modern Talking got to mingle, and then of course, my night wasn't quite finished ...

~ * ~

Saturday, 6 January 2001: THE D DAY (the TA day, the MT day)
PART 2 - THE DINNER AT FAUSTUS

Guido and the others collected the merchandising in boxes, and we went out to Guido's Mercedes. I was told to sit in the front (the back seat and boot were full of boxes), and I sat there, waiting for them to get ready. I looked at the CDs I was holding (they were lying in the seat, so I had to move them in order to sit down, so I held them in my hand): some Modern Talking albums, some Thomas Anders solo, and some others. I remembered a little promise I had made to Franzi, so I quickly sent her a message, and had it sent and erased just when Guido sat down. Then we drove off towards Eltzerhofstrasse.

It was a little surprising, because everyone who had mentioned Guido Karp has said that he is such a complete egocentric a**hole, but he turned out to be a really great guy. I like him. Others might not, but I do. The fans truly DON'T understand him (we did some talking in the car on the way to Altstadt).

Thomas Anders und Modern Talking - Hits & Raritäten

Music album review: Thomas Anders und Modern Talking Hits & Raritäten (2011)

I was actually looking for something else when I stumbled across this on Amazon.de the other week. A CD box with three discs for a little under €10, but what would it contain? I only got as far as skimming through the tracklisting of disc one before pre-ordering it while uttering little delighted squees. If you're a fan of Thomas Anders OR Dieter Bohlen (or, specifically, both of them together) and have ANY sense at all, you should be doing the same.

Basically, the three discs are about three different eras. Disc one is Thomas Anders pre-Modern Talking. Second one is Modern Talking, third Thomas Anders solo. I'm not going to talk about the discs in order, but rather in the order of interest, starting with the least interesting one and working my way up, because that's how I roll!

Thomas Anders rules September, and here's why!

Ahh, we're spoiled for choice all of a sudden! 2011 is apparently the year to really be a Thomas Anders fan. :) First, the release of album Two by Anders | Fahrenkrog back in June, then Hits & Raritäten came out on 9 September (review to follow soon), followed by the long-awaited release of Strong outside Russia on the 18th. Granted, "only" as an MP3 album, but I don't care. Main thing is that it's finally available. Which is really ironic, because only today, I received the Oriflame edition, recently ordered from someone on eBay as it was the cheapest place to get it. And then, I turn on my computer and find out that HEY, GUESS WHAT? D'oh.

Went straight to Amazon.de, and got a message about geographical restrictions. Was about to have a hissy fit until I remembered to check Amazon.co.uk and there it was - and as it's on the UK site, it means my gift certificate balance is available = free stuff!! Actually, I was looking for the tracklisting for Strong in order to start drafting the review, when I ended up comparing the releases and then stumbled across the MP3 edition. As it turns out, I shouldn't have bothered with the one I got because it's MISSING TRACKS. Goshdamnit.

What would make you go off Richard Armitage?

As in, what would be a dealbreaker for you? What would turn you off?

There are a number of things that make us love this poor lad so much, so that every time he says something, we keel over, swooning uncontrollably and declaring how much we love him and what a wonderful man he is. Every new (or old) interview I read, there's always something that makes me sigh like a little infatuated fangirl and just making it one step closer to writing "Richard" on a piece of paper and encircling it "Richard" with a heart.

So, the question inevitably comes: What could he possibly say or do to make the infatuation end, the admiration fizzle out?

From what I've been able to figure out about myself, it would have to be something pretty darn drastic.

(More bearded goodness here!)

Getting a beard totally failed. It just made him even more smouldering. Oh so manly, oh so gorgeous, be still our hearts! So no, facial hair is not a dealbreaker. More like a Beard of Manly Awesomeness, giving a +5 bonus to all Fascinate Fangirls rolls, to put it in roleplaying terms.

As an animal lover, to find out that he's an animal hater would be sad. Why would he hate animals? If he didn't like animals ... well, I'd put him with all the other people who say they don't like animals - i.e. the "you're weird" category. Sorry if you're one of these people who don't happen to share my passion for cats, dogs, rabbits and all manner of other wonderful furry or feathery creatures ... but I can't help it, I genuinely think you're weird. Phobias, I sympathise with (being a terrible arachnophobe myself), and not having the time to have a pet or not wanting the hassle, fair enough. But not liking them? No, that's just too bizarre.

How can this not make you go "aaaaaaw"?

Anyway.

I'd be most upset if he turned out to actually hate animals and be cruel to them. But I really don't think that's something he would do. He doesn't seem the type, he's too considerate and kind and empathic, and he comes from a country full of animal lovers too, so no. That's out - thank gods!

If he started sleeping around with everyone, that would not be a good thing. Most celebrities seem to do this, being unable to keep a stable relationship, so that's no way to go. Would I stop enjoying the things he's acting in? Probably not. (As a fan, I've put up with Dieter Bohlen being a womanising git for years and I still love his music.)

If he was gay? It would be sad. But I'd get over it and still enjoy his acting, and his voice and everything else.

If he turned out to have a view of women akin to that of a book I reviewed last week, then ... yeah, that would turn me right off. And make me seriously question his sanity.

So in short, for Richard Armitage to lose some of that high regard I hold him in, he would have to be a cruel, woman-hating sadist. Somehow, I have severe difficulties imagining him to be one of those, as he really doesn't seem the type. (Thank goodness!) Might just have to live with him being a wonderful person all around.

How about you? What would make the Armitage ardency fizzle out for you?