... and there was music
I was about 4 when I discovered my cousin’s portable record player. There was blue plastic around the machine and beige plastic around the loudspeaker cover. "One night" by Elvis was the record which lay on the turntable. I was impressed by the electric guitar with its deep, voluminous and steely sound and the unswerving shuffle rhythm. However, the most interesting thing was probably the technical process of putting on a record as this suited my play instinct fine (sliding the pickup arm to the side, a click and the turntable started to turn…)

It was a bit different with my parents’ classical records. Then only music was important. Before going to sleep I imagined my favourite pieces as well as I could (like the lyrics in Lady Madonna: listen to the music playing in my head). I didn’t have a record player next to my bed (I possibly cannot tell you which pieces I dreamt about… it’s a bit embarrassing listening to "Kaiser Walzer" from Johann Strauß at the age of 4, isn’t it?). I clearly remember that getting stuck on the same point again and again was tormenting me. This was too much for my little head and the sandman had an easy job of it (Unfortunately there was no sand in my bed the next morning. Maybe my mother would have been happier then.)

"Der lachende Vagabund" ("the laughing tramp") by Fred Bertelmann made me laugh, even when I was in no mood for laughter. I tried to imagine what this fellow might look like. By the way we didn’t have a TV. I also remember Gerhard Wendland and "Tanze mit mir in den Morgen" ("dance with me into the morning"). When I saw him on TV a lot later (still a child), I found his face really funny. I had imagined a totally different face (that of a neighbour dancing with my mother to that song on New Year’s Eve relishing moving his eyebrows in time to the tango).

Ticket to the Beatles
I listened to everything, everything that I liked! (I didn’t find anything that I didn’t like though!) My cousin got a tape Grundig recorder, TK 24. After the song "Weiße Rosen aus Athen" ("white roses from Athens") there was always "Komm gib mir Deine Ha – ha –ha –hahaha – hand" (German version of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"). I was fascinated by the sound. There were these guitars again, the sharp clapping and those voices sounding like instruments. As soon as the music started to play nobody could disturb me, otherwise I would have been annoyed. So I was destined to spend a couple of years more with Peter Alexander, Vico Toriani, Manuela and music like that, another phase of "Yummi" sound and some enthusiasm for the "Jackson 5" … at that time I became a real fan of the Beatles. However, I did not buy my first guitar because of the Beatles but because a class-mate impressed me with his guitar (not that he played well). This thing made of wood and steel strings made everyone a hero in a circle of people no matter how good the performance itself was. My first guitar was a Framus which I bought from a schoolmate for 20 Marks, today about 10 Euros. The guitar booklet was 5 Euros, the tuning flute… I have forgotten what it cost. The first chords were C, A minor and E major (this beginners’ stage corresponded to a VW beetle shortly after having taken one’s driving test). These chords were of course followed by some more as you can imagine (otherwise this internet page would be nonsense!)…

Hey, I can also write songs
When asked to describe the magical mystery of the FAB FOUR in the 60ies Paul Mc Cartney said… "The thing is we’ re one person in 4 bodies…". I realized that I was just one person in one body and that I couldn’t go on like that if I wanted to make music like the Beatles. The first guitar band was formed, a quartet of boys of course. We copied a lot of songs from the Beatles. Recently I have heard our songs on old tapes. (I guess, a sound studio couldn’t have improved anything). Our first self penned songs were born. I must admit that it was quite difficult to write English lyrics and also to compose the music. If the Beatles had argued in the same way like we did about who is to play what and how, it is a near-miracle that they were so successful. Yeah!

It’s fun and it’s getting serious
Unfortunately, it didn’t get serious. I would have liked it to be, but it only used to get serious every time a letter from a record company arrived which thanked us for sending our demo tape, wished us a good time for our career as musicians. Maybe they were right? Could any expert of a record company hear anything special in our music? (A certain Dick Rowe of the record company DECCA was not able to hear anything special in the music of a demo tape from an English band. He’s supposed to have said, "Go home… you have a nice record shop… the time of guitar bands is over, Mr. Epstein!" – I’m talking about the fab four).

A little bit closer
I began to study audio and visual engineering in Düsseldorf (without degree, it is possible without taking one’s exams). With a musical career at the back of my mind I recorded some of my own songs together with my band in Düsseldorf. (A sound studio would have been happy with that). That was in 1976. We formed a new band with ambitious aims. But then the betrayal of the Beatles happened: as musical Judas I bought all records by Genesis which were available at that time for about 30 pieces of silver and became a confirmed fan. Long compositions, melodies which could not be identified straightaway, rhythms according to which you could calibrate a slide rule (clapping to the music… you must be joking). I sympathized with other bands of long compositions in the 70ies, oh "Yes". We tried to follow in their footsteps with our own songs. Recently, I have listened to some old tapes (a sound studio would have been happy, but no audience would have listened!). Nowadays I wouldn’t be touched by such a betrayal like that, as I know today how it feels to get back to your musical roots. I know what the Beatles mean to me and in what way they are different from other musicians who I like a lot, too (I will have to update my site on that!). I’d like to draw the following comparison: No matter how many beautiful and exciting women he met, he would never forget the deep relationship to that ordinary girl on Haiti. Gauguin was right. We tend to return to the place where our heart feels home. In my case this happened quickly… already ten years later.

The guitar "and the sea"
Beethoven is supposed to have compared a guitar with an orchestra. He probably meant the guitar played in a classical way. But also the so-called accompanying guitar can give you kicks. Just play "Yesterday" on the guitar and sing along. It would be good, however, to find some people to listen to you, otherwise you cannot see how appealing it is (you can of course feel yourself how it affects you). It could also be an easier song, the main thing is that is grooves. If it grooves, everyone will like it, like freshly picked strawberries with cream! And nobody will think that anything is missing, for example something like a synthesizer (nothing against it, I like it!), or special effects, choirs sung twice, a string orchestra… The list of effective trimmings is long, but a good piece of guitar music with a voice does have its effect also "naked" (and when you play a song by Michael Jackson on the guitar and it still sounds good, then you know that he did a good job – sorry Michael, but know you it yourself)

Back to the models
This absolutely applies to the music of the Beatles! This is surely the reason why people love their songs still in this millennium. But good heavens, nothing is following although the gravediggers of business dig up old recordings from studios now and again… but: speaking words of wisdom: Let it be! And Paul McCartney makes his own music which should not be mixed up with that of the Beatles. So there will be no new hit, no "The Beatles – Lost Tapes", no resurrection!

And maybe it’s ok like that so that others can also get their chance.

Back to the mortals
Let’s come back to me again. (Just a moment! I need to wipe a tear from the corner of my eye.)
It was not enough to play my models’ songs on the guitar and sing them. Although the Beatles (and others, too) had sung about all the good and tricky aspects of love between boys and girls, I had my own experience (and not only concerning love of course. There is more to life than love, isn’t it?…). So I had to make my own music. But this was a long and winding road until it felt like home.

Now and today
I don’t come up with any new Beatles songs of course but with my own new songs in Beatles style which have never been heard before: lyrical, rocking, strong and uncompromising (I couldn’t do it any other way!)

Fortunately, I don’t need a record company any more to help my music to be heard by others as the internet offers this great chance.

I surely won’t become rich this way but more and more people will get to know me a bit better – and I’m happy about every fan, everyone who is inspired by my music. There is also a CD with lyrics (in a wonderful booklet). Have fun – that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

I give everything!
"All my lovin’ I will send to you!"

english translation by Suva Schachner - I´m so thankful for that!

 

"Wanted" poster

My way in short
born Mülheim a. d. Ruhr 1956
First school 1963-1966
Städtische Realschule für Jungen 1966-1972
(in the parallel class there was a certain Helge Schneider)
Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium Duisburg 1972-1975 –Abitur
Robert-Schumann-Institut Düsseldorf –1976-1978 Tone-and Motionengineer 4 semester
Allianz-Assurance-Agent 1978-1980
Break 1980-1981
Earning money in different software companies 1981-2001
Deutsche Schauspieler- und Medienakademie Munich 2001 Synchronspeaker
Privat 2001-2003 Private corse for speaker

Hobbies
Sports, (squash, downhill ski and cross-country ski, diving), cooking, foreign languages (English, Italian, French)

My favourite musicians:
Gino Vannelli, Steve Hackett, Al Jarreau, Toto, Stevie Wonder, Beach Boys, Michael McDonald, Yes, Basia , Georg Gershwin, Igor Strawinsky, Peter Tschaikowsky, Sergej Prokofiev, Antonin Dvorak

Favourite music I listen to through the years:
YES-Songs, A trick of the tail (Genesis), Selling England by the pound
(Genesis), Foxtrott (Genesis), Yonder Tree (Gino Vannelli), Defector (Steve Hackett), Bay of Kings (Steve Hackett), Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sunflower (Beach Boys), Pet Sounds (Beach Boys), Romeo & Juliet (Prokofiev), Lake 1+3 (Lake), Venus & Mars (Paul McCartney), Red Rose Speedway (Paul McCartney), Rite of Springs (Strawinsky), Firebird (Strawinsky), Piano Concert No 3 (Prokofiev)

Number of self composed musical pieces is 140

Instruments I play
Guitar, Piano, Harmonica, Drums, Violin (a bit)

Favourite drinks
Water, tea, coffee, milk, coca cola

Favourite food and dishes
oh my, can´t tell them all, but I´m no vegetarian (just why? it´s got its sense if you don´t exaggerate)

Do I believe in Jesus? Yes!

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Peter Notemann