Modern Talking

Thomas Anders                     

Two men presented a song at the beginning of 1985 in the German tv-music show "Formel 1" and tv-boulevard-magazine "Tele-illustrierte". One of them had black and long hair, the other had fair hair and smiled. They sang "You're my heart, you're my soul"and didn't foresee at this time that thay would get so masses of Golden and Platinum Records which could only be carried by a forklift truck.But who is tghe person with the black hair? Thomas Anders - his real name is Bernd Weidung - was born at 1.3.63 in Münstermaifeld. His older brother is called Achim an he has a younger sister. His Father has a job in the financial adminis- tration, the mother had a small grocery. Thomas began to help in this shop as he was 7 years old. One time a customer asked him about his favourite job. Thomas answered that he wants zu become a famous singer. Music was his special interest and it didn't take a long time until he got lessons in playing piano. His teacher nowadays says: "It was a pleasure to teach Thomas. He was always endeavoured to do his best."

In a competition for young singers Thomas won the first price. He was engaged in the "Moseltanspalast" where he 300 times sang songs for chldren an German pop- songs.Finally he went to grammer school in Münstermaifeld. But he changed to a grammer school in Koblenz because at this school it was possible to learn more about music.

1980 was an important year. The producer Daniel David of CBS asked Thomas wether he was interested in recording. On the next day the recording started in a studio in Frankfurt. But it didn't become a success.

Thomas presented the song "Du weinst um ihn"1981 in the tv-show "H?tten Sie heut' Zeit für mich". This song was also produced by David Daniel.

After solving the grammer school, 1983 was the year of the most important call. A record comapany in Hamburg - Intersong - asked him if he wants to sing the German version of "Pick up the phone". Thomas agreed because the well known Dieter Bohlen should be the producer. Dieter Bohlen produced with Thomas songs like "Was macht das schon, "Wovon tr?umst du" und "Endstation Sehnsucht".                           

In summer 1984 Dieter suggested to sing "You're my heart, you're my soul". Thomas confirmed. But it lasted until January that the song become a success.

Thomas and his girlfriend Nora got married 7/27/85 in the Herz-Jesu-Church in     Koblenz. Many reporters and 2000 fans are guests. The consequence was that Thomas didn't understand the important question.

After Modern Talking had changed to "Modern Silence" und splittet up in autumn 87, Thomas went to Los Angeles to produce his own CDs. Hier albums were no com- mercial success but a way for him to learn about composing and producing. But he was

frustrated about the way how he was treated. The managers in the music business declined his cds because of the fact that he was Thomas Anders of Modern Talking.

He lives in Koblenz again since 94. In the same year he talked with Dieter Bohlen afters seven years. In 1997 Dieter asked him if he would take an interest in a come- back of Modern Talking. Thomas was interested and they made the album "Back For Good", which is the most successfull CD from Modern talking at all. In the tv-show "Wetten, da?...?" at 28.2.98 they reunited and played a medley of their greatest hits. Nowadays their is a division of labour between Dieter and Thomas. Thomas is re-    sponsible for the fan club and wrote some songs for "alone". Dieter is the major com- poser and producer and keeps contact zu tv and newspapers.
Thomas and  Nora split up in Juni 1998 and lives with his gilrfriend Claudia in Koblenz. On 15.07.2000 he maried in the old Stromburg near Koblenz his girlfriend Claudia Hess. In summer 2002 Thomas Anders will become a father. His wife Claudia will get a son in July.


Dieter Bohlen  

Dieter was born 7.2.54 in Oldenburg. As a school-child he lived with a mind of one's own. For example he liked scratching on his navel instead of listen to the teacher in the musical lesson. Later he was engaged in a com- munistic party. At this time, he hoisted up a red flag on top of his parents' house.In contrast to that Dieter's political opinion today is moderate (not on the left or right site). His father ist a bulding contractor an he asked Dieter after the solved study of eco- nomics wether he would like to lead the father's company. But Dieter prefered to be a musician. Since he was 12 years old he ist writing songs. His first one was "Viele Bomben fallen". At this time he learned to play guitar.

As a student he became a member of different groups like "Aorta" an "Mayfair". He composed nearly 200 songs for "Mayfair". On the other hand he send many letters of application to record companies. One time he had success: Intersong in Hamburg gave him a job as a producer and composer. At Intersong Dieter worked for Roland Kaiser, Bernd Clüver, Katja Ebstein und Bernhard Brink. But he wasn't satisfied. He believed, that his record company would give him only the singers who no other wants to produce.

Dieter married his long standing girlfriend Erika 1983. Their children are Marc, Marvin and Marielin.

But the decisive event happened in October 1984:"Modern Talking" became into being. Dieter had beend the producer of Thomas Anders since 1982. In 1982 an 1983 Thomas sang German popsongs and Dieter was enthusiastic about Thomas' voice. The first song was the Ger man version of the French song "Pick Up The Phone". This phrase is part of Erics Rap in "You Are Not Alone". But the German version was no success. The next song was "Wavon tr?umst du denn"and was sold 30.000 times. After two years of cooperation Dieter asked Thomas after a recording if he could sing a new song. There would be only one problem - the text was English and not German. Dieter says nowadays: "I ha only one song composed. This was You'r My heart your my soul. We tried it out. That lasted about 2 or 3 hours. We didn't imagine that the song would become such a success."(German television 1998). First Dieter didn't want to show his record company this new song. But his boss wanted to hear what was on the tape. Dieter answered that the tape is bad. Bad the boss an the collegues insisted on listen to the tape. Then Dieter started the tape and "You're my heart your're my soul"sounded. After the playing the song the boss said: "Dieter, that's it!".

But the singl  was no success until january 85. Noone took notice of it. In january Modern Talking presented the song in the German tv-show "Formel Eins". After this the song became popular (Dieter's wisdom is: "You can win if you want - anything is possible"). On January, 25 the song appeared in the German charts the first time. It became "number one" in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Austria, Portugal an Switzerland. "Unfortunately" the song reached only the second place in Spain and South Africa. Dieter an Thomas got masses of Golden and Platin records. The other greatest hits were "You can win if you want", "Cheri, Cheri Lady", "Brother Louie" (this song was dedicated to Dieters's coproducer Louis Rodriguez) and "Atlantis Is Calling".

Modern Talking travelled around the world. The result was that they had not much time to relax. In addition Dieter was not happy with the sharing out of the common job. He criticized Thomas for his - from Dieter's point of view - low ambition. Another problem was that Dieter didn't accept the influence of Nora - the wife of Thomas - on Modern Talking. Dieter nowadays criticezes that he and Thomas haven't discussed the problems with the result that Modern Talking became "Modern Silence". In this crisis Louis Rodriguez - whose influence on the sound made the music of Modern Talking characteristic. Modern Talking splitted up in autumn 1987 (Dieter said on tv in 1998: I had stomachache an an gastric ulcer. I thought: Modern Talking is over now."). Dieter doesn't hasitate and founded "Blue System". All cds reached different chartlist in many countries. Striking was the overwhelming success in Eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine.

In the 80's Dieter produced also Nino de Angelo, C. C. Catch, Chris Norman and Bonnie Tyler. In some songs of Blue SystemNadja Abdel Farrag - Dieter's girlfriend since 1989 - was a background singer, for example in "Romeo and Juliet".

Dieter Bohlen met Verona Feldbusch in spring 96 in a luxerious disco in Hamburg. They married in May 1996 in Las Vegas. He said on tv 1998 that he wanted to cancel it ten minutes later. But the employee wasn't present any more. The marriage was a catastrophe and they divorced a year later. Today Verona Feldbusch ist well known in Germany and appears in many tv-shows. Nowadays also Dieter profit in some way from the marriage because the people think of him whenever Verona Feldbusch is on tv or in the newspapers.

Since the divorce Dieter Bohlen lives with Nadja in Hamburg. Nadja takes part in some concerts of Modern Talking. But she wants to go her own way. For example she plans a tv-show and a film.

The comeback began in March 98 in the German tv-show "Wetten da?...?". Modern Talking presented a medley of their greatest hits. Dieter said: "We had`nt contact for 7 years. But we talked sometimes in the last 4 years. An last year, 1997, the tv-channel ZDF asked me if we want to start a comeback."

Dieter and Louis Rodriguez relocated the studio from Hamburg to Mallorca in summer 1999. Dieter said that the 9th Album will be produced at this place.

In 2001 Dieter split up with his girl-friend Nadja after 12 years. Now he`s living together with his new girl-friend "Estefania", who he meet in the backstage-area of a tv-gig.