Thomas Anders Fan-party (January 09, 1999)
Text:  Aliona (by Lucky Star)
Published with magazine kind permission

Thomas Anders Fanclub Party 1998

The doors of "Extra" club were opened again for those who repeated the name "Thomas Anders" much oftener than others. This year we had a farewell party of Thomas. He gave us his promise to keep on paying attention to us and to hold the MT-parties. Anyway, this year the party was opened for the old Fan club members only, who had special TA-cards. Unfortunately, around 40 people, who didn’t have such cards, were left behind the doors. Anyway, the hall was crowded enough.

After passing all guard lines I settled in a cozy cinema hall "Extra." Everything was nice enough, except the standing checkroom. There were soft sofas in the hall and a big stage full of instruments with a soft black leather sofa on it.

I paid all membership fees and looked at the Fan Association products. Surprisingly, there was no selling of MT-trifles. I was attracted by a stylish table clocks with a thoughtful Thomas’ picture instead of numbers. He was sitting with his hand supporting a chin and with lowered gaze. White draperies completed such a mysterious and melancholic sight. Thomas’ appearance embodied the inevitability of the time course. Have been fallen in such a mood, I’ve bought this work of art. But in order not to disappear completely in the midst of mystery and philosophy, I’ve bought a cup with a spiteful face of Mr. Anders.

Thomas shocked everyone with his funny hairstyle one more time: it was an amusing cocky crew-cut in front and almost nothing on the temples and occiput! His new appearance was totally approved and named as a "pine-apple" or a "wet sparrow." Anyway, Thomas looked much younger! He flirted with the audience by a Guido’s telephone, which Guido set to the microphone. Everyone just roared with laughter while hearing well-known voice:

Thomas: I already approach!

Carp: You know, here’ such a huge covering force, Bernie! There’re forty guests without membership cards! They’re not allowed to enter and now they have just occupied all exits! We do not admit those who don’t have cards!

Thomas: But you’ll let me come in, isn’t it? Well, I don’t have a card…

Carp: Why on Earth should we do it?

Thomas: Ha! (proudly) I am Thomas Anders!

Fifteen minutes later the phone called again. Guido set it to the microphone.

Thomas (with a naughty voice): I’m here!

An awful wail shaked the hall! The audience just broke down with laughter!

Carp: Come on, where are you?

Thomas: No-o, I’m doing my hairstyle!

Guido (grunting in his fist): When I heard it last time, you came WITHOUT any hairstyle!

Thomas: My hairstyle is for fans, not for you!

The new hairstyle of our first-rate handsome man was forgotten completely after his appearance. Anyway, even if Thomas would appear before the audience wearing a striped pajama and with green hair, no one of his old fans would pay much attention to it.

After the first exciting moments Thomas started to answer the questions from the hall and from the Internet. These questions were not much original:

- When Thomas will come to our country?

- Will he work together with "Pet Shop Boys"?

- We cannot hear your high voice in new MT-songs!

Anyway, witty fellow Thomas managed to answer even the most boring questions in a way to make us feel like participating the humor party!

Someone asked a very stupid question:

- Thomas, what do you think about Verona?

Anders shrugged his shoulders significantly:

- Verona? No, I don’t know this city!

Irrefragable answer!

One guy asked if Thomas could drive a bike. Thomas looked at the audience making a face like they wanted to put him on a bike immediately!

- Who is going to use a bike having a gig? – Thomas implored.

Then Thomas demonstrated his language skills. French-speaking fans wanted him to say something in their native language. Being confused a bit, Thomas murmured something with a special "pronounce." According to the puffing, the French guests were satisfied. The same thing has happened with Spanish, too. From the release day of "Barcos de Cristal" our poor German is treated with the only question: Do you really speak Spanish? No one pays any attention to his sincere "No!"

This time Thomas changed his tactics:

- Yes! Easily! – he said. - Señor? Por favor! Con leche! Hossa. Viva España!

I can tell a lot about this part of the party. Anyway, no words can express the naughty sparkles in his eyes while he’s joking or the expressive gestures of his hands, legs and even head! He made all fans die of laughing and finally decided to spare them.

Then the guitarist and the keyboard-player appeared on the stage. Their jokes witnessed about their friendly relationship with Anders. They quarreled a bit, and our "European nightingale" started to sing a capella. He sang two incredibly beautiful Christmas songs.

After the final chords and the total delight of audience Thomas turned from the unreachable musical colossus to the lovely and hospitable master of the party. It was a time for lottery. All participants bought colored paper tickets and were waiting for the results. There were almost no chances to win. As prizes we had "We take a Chance" singles and… personal Thomas’ clothes! Jumpers, trousers, belts, shirts and even a souvenir pair of shoes from "The 1st Album" of MT!

Claudia helped Thomas to do it. She took an ice-pail and took out the tickets, declaring the numbers. However, in spite of innocent appearance, she took 3 years to adapt to Thomas’ environment and allowed herself quite daring jokes! You need an example? Here you are! However, I ask the moral zealots to omit next passage.

A Hungarian girl won one of the prizes. She could speak German a little bit worse than, for example, Herr Schiller. And, of course, she couldn’t grasp the slang words. And it really killed her!

She came running up to the stage with a great joy and gave Thomas her winner’s ticket. And she declared at loud:

- Thomas, I won your sweater!

Everything would be OK, if she would not mix conformable words: "sweter" ("a sweater") and "scwere," that means "a tail," or "a penis"… So, you can imagine the girl’s phrase:

- Thomas, I won your penis!

You should have seen a tactful Thomas’ face! He didn’t want to point at the foreigner because of her poor language. And you should have heard his diving from the pent-up laughter voice:

- Well, you’re lucky, of course!

Everyone sniggered vilely, but it was not the end! And who do you think initiated that? Our modest Claudia! She looked at the Hungarian girl with her turquoise eyes and asked her tenderly:

- What did you win? A penis? That’s a pity! I liked it, too!

It was really strange, why the ceiling of "Extra" did survive and didn’t crush! Maybe, it was truly well-done! Thomas didn’t expect such a declaration and fell on the sofa dying from laughter! I didn’t hear such laughter before! But Claudia stayed cool!

Poor Hungarian girl! She grasped her sweater and disappeared, looking back and trying to understand at least anything…

So, that was a party!

Then Thomas started to sing again. He demonstrated the masterly and deep performance of Sinatra and Ritchie’s songs, and – "I will follow you." Frankly speaking, these 5 lyrical songs were worthy of 1 year waiting…

Then deeply moved fans brought their gifts. There were many wine bottles and flowers and two very outstanding souvenirs. An old lady brought something decorated by the artificial flowers, ducks and Cupids and the portraits of Thomas and Dieter. It was pretty nice, but… it looked like a funeral wreath! Thomas smiled, thanked and… hesitated. The next gift was a huge board with Thomas’ picture and harrowing dates: "1988-1998" (a year of birth and the "death" of Thomas’ fan club). Poor Thomas grew completely pale! However, he was consoled immediately by a bottle of an expensive French wine and by the flowers.

Settled down, Thomas started an auction. He demonstrated his clothes. It was quite a number of the black classic jackets. He sold at least ten of them! And poor "sweters" also… Their appearance caused laughter among the audience and a cunning smile on Thomas’ swarthy face.

Shirts. Belts. CD ("We take a chance"). Slides. Jackets. Vests. Jeans.

Guido Carp presided over an auction. He played the main role in this action. Thomas tried on everything and held a humoristic show. A belt from MT-86 (we could see it in the clip "Geronimo’s Cadillac") was too small for Thomas’ waist! At first he was confused after the spiteful snickers, but then he turned the belt over his neck, pretending to wear a tie or a slip-knot. A diligent owner will never throw away anything!

He also was a good advertiser. While Guido was trying to sell a grey jacket, Thomas demonstrated its merit: he twisted it and turned inside out. It doesn’t crumple! Hurrah!

No doubt, that our graceful and rhythmical Bernd could easily be a great model! He walked elegantly, pussyfooted, with a jacket on a shoulder. He played complicated pa and took a breath of annoyance: Oh, you want to sell that, too? I could wear it myself!

One guy expressed some doubts, if the sweater was truly his own, because it seemed to be too big. Thomas was puffed up, took a cocky look at the guy and put the sweater on, saying: I’m big, too!

He really grieved for nothing! We know very well, that our "little Bernie," as Guido calls him, is truly a VERY BIG… singer!

The main part of the party came to end. Three hours flied by like one instant! And now I’d like to apply to those who helped me to make a gift to Thomas. I suggested taking part in the project "A gift to Thomas" on the pages of the magazine "Lucky Star". Thank you those who replied and wrote a few words for he who brings us joy during more than 10 years!

It was an album decorated by the drawings, poems, photo collages and printed on the computer. It was named "Your Russia".

While Thomas was sitting on the steps of the stairs and turned over the pages, I told him in brief the story of its appearance and its geography. Thomas was nodding his head and giggling, looking through the funny drawings and collages. One of these collages demonstrated Thomas’ dancing Russian folk dance, another – Thomas and Claudia standing near the pretty Russian village hut…

- YOU MADE IT ESPECIALLY FOR ME? – he lifted up his eyes. In my fright I dropped a pen. Thomas rushed to lift it up for me, and we almost met head-on!

- Of course, it’s for you! – I assured such a mistrustful being.

A little bit smug smile sparkled on Thomas’ face. "Hmm!" – he declared. And suddenly he smiled like a child and grasped my hand impulsively.

- Gracias! Gracias! – he shake my hand being deeply moved. I looked at him perplexedly. Do I look like a Spanish girl? Thomas realized it immediately.

- Oh, mein Gott! – cried he out. - Spasibo! Spasibo!

His Russian was much more appropriate! Our "polyglot" just mixed two languages out of the fullness of his heart! So, my dear participants of the project, please take from Thomas his sincere hand shaking, happy smile and his gratitude in two languages, and a promise to devote a whole evening to reading and studying of "Your Russia"!