NOTP Fanpage

Interview with Dirk Hohmeyer – NOTP Germany

Our colleague of the German fan site, Stephan, had a nice conversation with Dirk Hohmeyer who organizes the Proms shows in Germany since 1995.

Dirk Hohmeyer is known by many as the organizer of the German tour, but nothing more than that. However, be aware of his big influence on NOTP. In the ’70s, Dirk was a roady and road manager of the band Birth Control (listen to them); since he was young, he was working with music.
	His friend Udo Lange was contacted in the beginning of the ’80s by the British record company Virgin of Richard Branson to start a German division; that’s how Virgin Schalplatten GmbH was founded where Dirk became no.2; his responsibilities were promotion and sales. Dirk also guided the artists in the studio and during the recording of the video clip, managed the sound system (OMD) and kept many friends (like Mike Oldfield) and excellent contact. Because Germany is an important market in Europe, Dirk came in contact with many international artists in the ’80s and ’90s. Being extrovert and lovable, his contribution and knowledge of languages provided him with a very strong address book and good connections. After that, he lead a new record label MAMA and tour organization MAMA Concerts in Munich, both focused on the young talent.
The first German tour in Dortmund in 1994 was, from an organizational point of view, problematic; Jan Vereecke contacted Dirk Hohmeyer to start the German tour of NOTP. Both Jans and Dirk founded P.S.E. Germany GmbH in Feldkirchen near Munich; since then, Dirk is almost only working for the Night of the Proms. And with success! Nowadays, half of the fall shows are brought in Germany; Dirk is responsible for the complete organization. To attract artists or their managers to the NOTP, personal contact is of vital essence; the part of Dirk is a large contribution. For example, read below how his contacts were with Boy George.
	When talking about Dirk, you can’t forget to mention his wife, Karen Kassulat. Karen is geographer and studied in France and England. She’s mainly working with the relation between educational theory, projects for kids and music. Besides that, she wrote some listening games for kids, produced some CDs and even recorded one with her own songs (Immer wieder neu) with some NOTP musicians. She’s Dirk right hand within the organization and keeps a personal blog.

In 2008, a very interesting interview was published in Musikmarkt (in German) with Dirk Hohmeyer. Now, he tells about the time at Virgin with Boy George and gives his opinion about the possibility of the different artists on the wish-lists of many fans (e.g. Annie Lennox, The Hooters, Holly Johnson,…); furthermore he also tells us about the new DVD/Blu-ray and gives a tip about the Top Act for Germany at the end!

Stephan: Nearly a year ago, the whole show for 2009 was announced already. But today (May 2010), only Boy George and Charlie Siem are announced yet. How are things going?

Dirk: Last year, we announced artist in May because of some conditions coming together. Per Gessle had during his tour just one day off between London and Amsterdam and it was quite chaotic to get everything done in time, of course with Marie and our own organization. On top of that, the headliner for the three countries was the same. We were very pleased that everything was ready at 05.05 at 17:05.

This year, every country has more or less its own program. Boy George was booked may years ago; because the reunion of Culture Club for 2011 was announced shortly before us, we forced our announcement. We were surprised by the reaction of the media and wanted to jump on board.

Are you already working on the B-Act (before the break) or are you first looking to see which possibilities are available?
The headliner for Germany is already booked, but based on the contractual limitations; the announcement will only follow later on. This act will only perform in Germany. For the artists before the break, contacts are being made.

In the direction of rock, or more party?
Definitely rock. That way, every style is represented.

Can you imagine Barry Hay (Golden Earring) for Germany?

Not at this moment, no.

So, without John Miles, there will be 5 artists on stage. Will you still announce other artists in September?
We’ll announce a Special Guest in September; but it’s a total new one. We’ll then present an act were no one know anything about at this moment, Google away. It’s something new! We’re convinced that it will enjoy our audience; because we’re talking about a special component to the show.

With Boy George you took a legend from the ’80s. Will he be able to bring the more than 30 shows in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands with the same passion?



I can tell you 2 things about Boy George. Before my life at the Proms, I worked many years for Virgin. In 1982, we signed Culture Club. Three weeks ago, I was at Boy’s place with Karen (NOTP Management) and laughed to tears when he confronted me with some stories from the past.

I was the one who provided the guys from Culture Club their first passports which enabled them to perform on the German television for the show called Musikladen in Bremen. It was the first time in their lives that they took a plane. Boy George told me I was the first man in his life who ever took him to diner; that was in the Wienerwald in Bremen. It made such an impression to him that he remembers it all very well today. My relation to Culture Club is a very old one.

If you would have told me then that Boy George ever would become a junkie, I would never believed it. He was such strongly against alcohol and drugs that the members of the Crew walked around with mouth spray after smoking a joint fearing to get kicked out. He strongly removed important people who he saw doing it. When I asked him how it could come that far, he told me: “imagine that you’re 24-25 years old, and that you accomplished everything where you could dream of your whole year long; if you don’t have any dreams anymore and come into the wrong environment, things like that can happen”. But Boy is fit now! No doubt his time in jail moved a lot inside him. With everything you get in jail for food, you get saturated and don’t make any fuss.

He made a wonderful impression, he’s charmy and cheerful. Take a look on Youtube to the recent interviews. He has power and is eloquent. Karen and I have formed a nice ‘red wire’ with him; he will not only perform in Germany on the shows but also at some Proms-VIP organizations as DJ.

How was the contact initiated?
Jan Vereecke (founder of the Proms in Belgium) brought the idea some years ago to contact Boy George; but at that time he mainly lived in the US and positioned himself as DJ. Suddenly Jan had a feeling a reunion of Culture Club was possible. That was the time when also the Police came back together. Even when people don’t like each other anymore – ‘Money makes the world go round’ – they can still find each other again. The Police was one example, and also Spandau Ballet: until some years ago, they fought in court about several differences about licenses; and now suddenly they’re friends again and can go together again even back stage. In contradiction you have the Police. They could handle the old tensions and form something out of that. That is what made the new album of Spandau Ballet that good. The same goes for the Eagles: they formed a new team even though they could not stand each other. And suddenly everything works!

That’s why we thought, if Boy George comes back together with Culture Club, it would mean `big business´; and we wouldn’t be able to have Boy George anymore. And honestly, our concept only speaks to Boy George. So we were very visionary and I made contact through my old connections to Tony Gordon (Management Boy George). He immediately knew who I was and we embraced in London.

George was planned for last year. But his judicial assistant and judge crossed his name of our list. George had to wear an anklet with GPS, fully supported with the motto `Big Brother is watching you´.


Charleroi
The show for Charleroi 2010 is already done. It is often a try-out for something during the fall and winter show. Were there some things you liked, specially the Italian singers from DIV4S?



The four DIV4S made us very enthusiastic! They don’t only look good, they can also sing very well. The problem there was that they weren’t available this year because they had some obligations with Andrea Bocelli during our shows. So we told them: “Go tell Bocelli that you have us, and he will immediately say o.k., go ahead”. He knows very well what the Proms in 1995 meant for him. But they didn’t have the courage. But we immediately told them that we would still be interested for next year and that we would like to talk again then.

Now, Charlie Siem will be the classical artist. After David Garrett (2002), Roby Lakatos (2007) and Aleksey Igudesman (2009) for the 4th time a violin is placed in the center. Doesn’t it make the show dull, like many skeptics are mentioning in the forum. Any response to that?
If you see what has become of David Garrett, discovered by us, we’re very proud to be able to offer an important jump board for big careers. For Charlie, our expectations are the same. He’s a very nice guy and an excellent virtuoso. On top of that, the violin offers a lot of possibilities to the repertoire so we won’t start to repeat ourselves. Also Charlie is asked a lot, so if we can have him we’ll take him.

Sharleen Spiteri was listed as top act in Charleroi. Has she left a better human impression since 2006? Is she an option for Germany?



Unfortunately, she’s quite a difficult person. With all due respect for her but for the tour in Germany she doesn’t look like a option. No doubt she has a nice repertoire, full of quality, but there’s a human component missing. I have to be able to sleep at night and not fear every moment what could happen if one of her needs wasn’t fulfilled, because there is too much wind around the hotel, or because the winter is too hard, or because it rains…

How did you like the Disco Medley with Liv, Hille and Marjolein during the Proms? Will we see the background singers from the Proms back during the Fall/Winter?



Very well! But the problem remains the same: all that we want to do and can do, have to be brought together in a list. Then you realize that the last public transport at night already leaves at 23:15. So it’s on the list but I don’t think that we have to fill up some gaps this year. We have very good ideas regarding classical music. There will also be a change in repertoire between Germany and the other countries. Experience learns us that the German audience is more demanding.

In Antwerp, they often work with gadgets like Airsteams, fireworks, confetti boosters or a Catwalk in the audience. Does Germany wants to enjoy this as well?
Is it necessary? If we can bring it smoothly then it’s OK, but we’re bringing so much fireworks in stage that it will have to do. You can’t believe how much stress these things bring, starting from the controlling organizations like TÜV and the necessary licenses. Last year we didn’t even know on Wednesday if we would have a full house between Thursday and Sunday in Munich. We also don’t want to argue about security; that’s above everything and has top priority for us!

On our fan page we have a new column called `Interaktiv´ where the names of artists are gathered during six weeks that are wished on stage. I will list 7 strongly wished artists and ask you for a short realistically Proms-Check:

Holly Johnson – Annie Lennox – Peter Cetera – David Lee Roth – The Hooters – Pet Shop Boys



All seven artist on the list are options to dream of who I would book immediately. Annie Lennox won’t come to the Proms. About ten years ago the management came to Rotterdam. Both ladies were moved by the show and cried. But they said: “Wow, but Annie won’t do this. For all, she’s a real Diva and can not stand any stars next to her”. Besides that, it were to many shows and that was it. But still it remains a dream option and I will try everything I can; but if she can stand other names in the same font on the program from the start on, who will also get the ovation of the audience, we have to exclude her.

Holly Johnson, Peter Cetera, David Lee Roth, and the Pet Shop Boys are of course all wonderful options with whom we speak as well. The Hooters were already prepared to come to the Proms but we have to take a lot of things into account: The Hooters would take the timeslot of Boy George. Furthermore, it’s difficult to travel with a complete band. Last year Roxette was present as a whole band; including our orchestra it will give two bands. Adding a third will give to much technical difficulties to take care of. In Belgium it’s a bit easier. There, we were able to let both TOTO and INXS perform live. There we have a stage with two entry points but it can’t be transported. And in Germany we have to travel 450 Km each night to set up the stage somewhere else.

And the option to book Peter Cetera?
Honestly, I’m not that far. He’s more an artist that has a high demand in Germany; his repertoire is quite calm. His own tours are often very expensive and take place in rather exclusive places. He makes a lot of money and I can’t interest him financially. And if he could perform with an orchestra, he would. He’s on my list as well and I have to check that contact to see if there is a spark.

With David Lee Roth (Ex-singer of Van Halen) there are better contacts…
Indeed, I had contact with him, a legendary diner in Los Angeles; but that was many years ago. He’s from the same caliber as boy George but for sure we’re not planning him for this year.

The Pet Shop Boys would be a dream of a Top Act?
For sure, a headliner. But if the boys don’t feel like it and the agent know it, then I have to keep waiting until they start to like it.

A new DVD is announced for 2010…
For that we’ve also talked in Charleroi with our friend Philippe Le Clef. We’re working on the Track list and since the last years are recorded in HD, we can also think about a Blue-Ray. But the market for Blue-ray is not as far as in Germany. Fur sure I want to have a Blue-Ray. So DVD volume 4 and Blue-Ray volume 1.

Finally: can you enlighten something for the top act in Germany for 2010?



A legend. For me he’s no doubt the best singer on the earth. For a lot of people he’ll be a total surprise. I’m realizing a personal dream for which I worked very hard the last 10 years. I don’t want to bring down the artists on the list, but I’m rather firm when I comes to things like that. Like e.g. Meat Loaf, Shaggy and Huey Lewis. I seem to behave like kind of a stalker. Now, another dream is realized.


Thanks for the interview and good luck with the plans for the future.