Please blame the following sales pitch and disclaimer on WER, The Artist Also Known As Kitchen (TAAKAK). I just mentioned that I'm connected with a music magazine, mentioned the name of it in http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/music/1 , and next thing I knew, TAAKAK created this topic with a link to a not-yet existing website (http://www.superstar-online.com/). So, let me grab this chance while supplies last... **************************************************** S U P E R S T A R is a music magazine published in Germany since January 1996. It was conceived by music enthusiasts with rather diverse tastes. SUPERSTAR is published quarterly and sold nationwide at trainstations' and airports' newsagents; also at most newsagents in Berlin (other regions to follow soon). We mainly cover music scenes missed by big magazines, emerging bands and musicians who play their excellent if neglected stuff in tiny clubs. Those are the real heroes, not guys on heavy rotation on tv music channels. People who really care about their art, who take lots of hard times and forsake many nice, cozy things to be able to tour or scra enough dough together for another single. SUPERSTAR is best when artists liberate page space, and write about what's on their mind, about other bands they like (or don't), about records they love since ages and why, about anything. Also always nice features that give you a completely different outlook on some topic (at least it always workes with me, make me go Whoa! I didn't know that!, etc.). SUPERSTAR also does portraits of tiny and obscure (but fabulous) labels. All other stuff that somehow is interesting might also get coverage. One of our nicest issues was the San Francisco-one; some people even used it as travel guide to nice places, clubs and the best record stores in SF. MUSICAL STYLES that are important to our contributors: Acid Jazz, Ambient, Avantgarde, Beat, Blues, Country, Easy Listening, Electronic Music, Funk, Garage-something, Glam Rock, Jazz, Krautrock, Noise, Pop, Post-Rock, Progressive, Punk, R 'n' B (old school), Rock 'n' Roll, Rockin' Blues, Ska, Songwriter, Soul, Surf, Tango, Trance, Trash, Underground-whatever, Weltmusik. SUPERSTAR contains lots of reviews of excellent records from the finest labels. It doesn't matter if the release is an obscure vinyl-single limited to 500 pcs., or a big label-thing with accompanying marketing blitz - if it's good, it's in there (if it's bad, sometimes too). HOW do I fit in there? The previous publishers started other projects and handed this over to people, who all worked for the mag for quite a while. That turn of events made me publisher/editor, brought lots of work and (hopefully) a bright future for our magazine. PLEASE direct all inquiries about SUPERSTAR to me, I'll be more than happy to answer all questions (especially about how to get SUPERSTAR, etc.!). Yes, we send mags overseas, and yes, we sell to record stores and mail order businesses, too. Contact me if you are interested. WEBSITE: Unfortunately, we can't do everything at the same time, so - while getting #12 together, getting organization restructured and saving the world, etc. - we neglected our website. Yes, we've got the domain; no, we didn't do a thing on that site. Yet. ****************************************************

Uh, did I say "Thanks!" to Wer? No, I didn't. I forgot, so here goes: "Thanks for opening this topic, Wer, I hope you'll like it (and subscribe to SUPERSTAR)!" ;=}

you're welcome... (and if you're really thankful, send more people our way and make this one damned busy conference!!!)

What an exciting project to be in on.

Autumn, you are perfectly right - and I didn't tell you half of it (yet)! We have a weekly radio show called "superstar rotation" in Frankfurt on Radio X (FM 97,1) (check them out on http://www.radiox.de ). superstar rotation airs live every Sunday 19:00 - 21:00 h (7-9 p.m.). Hosts are people from the superstar galaxy and guests. Often, these guests are e.g. members of bands who play somewhere in Frankfurt later that evening (so we get a sneak preview... and so do our listeners!). On March 28th we will have a very special show hosted by yours truly and other company from superstar High Command. We will play the music that has to do with the articles in #12 (out March 18th) - music from bands we wrote about, styles mentioned, related stuff, music we reviewed. In short, make you hear what you read about: Hank's favorite of the issue, a song by a guy who used to work in the town I grew up in and during that time lived in where superstar is published now, Granfaloon Bus, tango from Finland, rockin' blues, Bobby Conn (!!), music from Berlin labels Flittchen Records and Monika Enterprise, and lots more.

Maybe we can get some of this on Capzeyez, see the topic in the austin or music conferences. Can we get a video to show them?

Terry, mail me on how to do this, and I'll see if we can do that. Sound only be ok? Well, let me know, I'm very curious... This is from #12 (out March 18th for those who didn't know yet!). Hank McCoy is our contributing songwriter southern singer with a cooking knack, and I love his column. This one is for all folks who are down with the flu or the like (you'll know if you're meant...). Oh, sorry, it's somewhat german (Hank is from somewhere USA - was that Ohio?); please address translation requests to Stacey Vura. This is what he wrote: Notes from the Kitchen Hank McCoy Liebe Esserin und Lieber Esser! Ich bin krank, sehr, sehr krank. Mein Knopf ist mit Schleim gef�llt, ich huste bis ich fast keine Lungen mehr haben und bin so ja, einfach fertig da� ich die ganzen Tag schlafen k�nnte. Was kann ich dann machen? Ich mu� sowieso mit dem Kleiner hin und her, stehe fr�h auf, und ja, doch irgend etwas in der K�che kochen. Ich hab� kein Lust, hab� kein Energie, so was essen wir heute abend? Fischst�bchen, nat�rlich. Die sind immer von Kinder geliebt, gut mit die Handen wenn die Gabel fehlt aus (und so liebe ich die auch), schmecken wie, ja wie schmecken Fischst�bchen �berhaupt? Ein bi�chen knusprig, ein bi�chen fischig, aber mehr der erst als der zweite. Als Kind hab� ich solche Sachen immer mit Ketchup gegessen, und bis jetzt tu� ich das genauso. Ja, mu� ich sagen, als Kind war Fischst�bchen einer von meine Lieblings Essen. Ich finde die heute ein bi�chen langweilig, wie so viele die Sachen die Mann als Kind gro�e Liebe hatte. Zum Beispiel, hab� ich immer als Kind TV Serien �Flipper� toll gefunden. Ich hab� diese Serien sp�ter gesehen und es war total doof! Immer dasselbe Geschichte, immer dasselbe Folgen. Total Schei�e! Als Kind hatte ich auch meine Lieblings Lied, und ich habe das neulich f�r Sam gefunden, aber in diesem Fall war alle meine Erinerungen richtig. Dieses Lied ist �I Wanna Be Like You� von Robert und Richard Sherman und war von Louis Prima und Schauspieler Phil Harris gesungen. Der Band war Louis Prima�s Band �The Witnesses�. Dieses ist ein phantastisches Lied mit viel Energie, ein starker Rhythmus, gesungen mit ein guter Spontanit�t; es ist ein bi�chen witzig, bi�chen lustig, aber auch sehr mysterios. Und heute finde ich das Lied sowieso gut. Ich k�nnte es jeden Tag h�ren. (Aber Fischst�bchen kann ich nur einmal, h�chstens zweimal im Jahr essen.) Louis Prima war in die 50�s und 60�s ganz bekannt als Las Vegas Showman. Sein Musik war nicht Jazz, aber etwas musikalisch im Vergleichen mit �exotic cocktails,� aber �berhaupt kein �easy listening�. Was heist das, weiss ich nicht, und was f�r Fisch benutzen die Fischst�bchen zu machen? Weiss ich auch nicht. St�bfisch? (Und ja, dieses Lied kommt aus der Disney Studios als Teil von der soundtrack von �The Jungle Book,� und mu� ich sagen, da� ich bin kein gro�en Fan von Disney. Ich finde die ein bi�chen wie die McDonalds von Culture. Sie machen �alles f�r alle� und so gibt�s f�r mich ganz selten etwas, das besonders ist.) Dieses Lied hat diesen wundersch�nen Beat. Da gibt�s einen Rhythmus, das viel st�rker gemacht ist mit viele Schlagzeuger. Ja, ein bi�chen wie Talking Heads als Steve Scales dabei war. Und auf diesen Rhythmus steht ein cool Jazz Combo, ein dixieland Combo, und am Ende die hilarious scat Duett von Prima and Harris. Ich glaube, in dieses Lied hab� ich den Schl�ssel von meine Geschmack gefunden. Alles, da� ich wichtig in Musik brauche, ist hier in diesem Lied. Naja, was hat es mit Fischst�bchen zu tun? (Und diese Frage glaub� ich ist hier erstmal in dieser Zeitschrift gefragt, oder?) Ja, kann ich auch sagen, da� in Fischst�bchen finde ich alles, da� f�r Essen wichtig ist: Knusprigheit, Mann kannt die mit die H�nden essen, und einfach zu braten. Ja, nat�rlich soll Essen ein bi�chen voller Geschmack haben, oder nicht ein bi�chen aber viel mehr, und sonst? Okay, sind Fischst�bchen nicht die Beispiel, die am besten ist, aber meine Meinung ist klar. Der Tatsache ist, da� in der letzte Zeit hab� ich nicht viel gekocht wegen Krankheit, aber mu� ich sowieso etwas schreiben und ich bin schon sp�t. So, Fischst�bchen und �I Wanna Be Like You.�

He's sick... very, very sick. His head is full of... snot???? I'm still working on it! Actually thanks ALexander, I'm gonna keep trying to translate and perhaps the practice shall shiny up my German!

(I'm dizzy from all the strange links... I believe I arrived from collecting... or was it paraspring???) *smile*

Must have been collecting, never been to paraspring. Yes, Hank meant snot, but said slime instead. Notice that his syntax is often the english syntax. Hank's column is one of the features I love best about superstar, and recently he started going from his native english to german, but it's still very english flavored (at least that's obvious for native german speakers).

and helpful for the non-natives!

I'm happy somebody appreciates my job... Anyway, about the radio stuff mentioned above? We right now think about touring radiostations with that show (Hamburg, Berlin, N�rnberg, M�nchen). And we'll have a #12-release party in Frankfurt on March 26th! It'll be good to see some contributors again after the while it has been...

Can you mail us a video tape or point us to some mpegs?

I see if somebody brings a video-thingus along. About the radio show: How would we do this?

Well, we live off of videtapes for our live webcast. If you can send us a videotape we'll play it on our website and get a copy to the capzeyez folks, who have the most popular music show in Austin (at least the one voted so by the Chronicle).

OK, Terry, I see what I can do for the party (but I wonder how attractive it is watching people at a past-party, drinking, smoking and talking to each other, if you can't even understand the lingo...). How about the superstar rotation radio show? Surely you don't want me to film a radio for two hours? How about audio tape or DAT (if the station's equipment works again...). If you use our stuff in any compromising or uncompromising way, I'd love to get copy in return, so we can join the fun. Whaddaya say - deal?

Deal, send a video of some kind! That would rock. Send to Paul Terry Walhus 9011 Quail Creek Dr Austin, TX 78758

gotta make sure it is in American format...

Arrrgh, why can't you people for once do something like everybody else? OK, so I'll mail to Tennessee to have it copied over from PAL (which is a perfectly nice format) to NTSC (which is what you want). And Tennessee wil be so kind to send it to you. What about our radio show? Would cassettes be ok? Maybe I could get DAT, too, if things ain't still broken. Say?

It all has to be VHS, maybe you could send a VHS with just audio and some still pics?

I see what we can rig up. Anyway, today we get #12 from the printers! Boy-oh, am I excited! Ok, I know every piece in there, having edited it all over and checking stuff thousand times, but nevertheless - it's always a big thrill to hold a fresh copy of the new issue in one's hands!

can i get it at the airport?? I have a leg from Frankfurt to Berlin... textual plane candy!

Sorry, it's at the airport newsagents only as of March 18th (release date). I think you pass through earlier, don't you? Hey, do you guys have delay in Franfurt? Mail me what date/time you pass through, maybe we can rig something via your Airline or have somebody to a proper delivery... How is the Hank McCoy-translation coming along? ;=}

land in Frankfurt around 9 am on Sunday March 14... I think our delay is about an hour??? Perhaps we land at 8:30am??? Accckkkk!!! Where'd I put those tickets?

Hey, beam us in from a Cyber Cafe Stace!

woo woo!

Stacey, that time doesn't look to good for me, plus it's to late to snail-mail it to the airlines desk. We got 3 options: Somebody is all crazy and gets there (mail me specs for that scenario, but might not happen - 9 am, middle of the night!!!), our distribution branch mails it to you in Berlin, or you hafta wait till Thursday, 18th, by then it ought to be at any selfrespecting newsstand in Berlin.

Are you and Stacey going to meet up, Alexander?

Well, I botched it, Terry. :=[ I had the chance to actually drag my sorry carcass over to the airport (bucket in hand, for those who've lately checked the record collecting topic...), and there were a zillion obstacles I couldn't overcome (including things to do for the mag, gotta move fast these days).

Done!

Thanks, Terry! It looks great in the Media conference, doesn't it?

Yeppers, it looks awesome.

*one big happy smile*

World, I want you to know that as of today, superstar #12 is on sale! Contents: Short essay by David Thompson on Necessary Silence (or rather, its lack) Hank McCoy's Notes from the Kitchen BIG feature on Granfaloon Bus from San Francisco (have already contributed to superstar #6 - when they and the band Fuck interviewed each other - and #8, when their target were the Mommyheads), and Souled American2 from Chicago and Susan James (!!!), also from SF, who's performance last monday as opener on the GB's tourstop in Frankfurt I've missed!! AGAIN something like this happens to me! But I got to meet Miles, though (see page 14). Regular column "Ohne Dolby" features Schwermut Forest from Munich, presenting a mixtape readers can win by presenting us with their own mixtape!! "Prisoners of Earth" is the title of the piece on tango from Finland, writen by Stefan Meier, the very person who compiled an excellent CD on this subject called "Tule Tanssimaan - Finnischer Tango" for munich-based label Trikont ( http://www.trikont.de for gernam website ). My personal recommendation for your mind: read this article, or get Stacey and Wolf to translate it (I can supply file...), for your ears and heart: hear this stuff! End of perfectly justified hype.- Blumfeld from Hamburg put out a record people either loved or hated (for being a banal, e.g.) - we got two opinions on them. Sleater-Kinney, female US rock trio. They got a new CD "THe Hot Rock", and we get 'em in the mag. Article on how people in the DDR/German Democratic Republik, who were into western underground or avantgarde music got their stuff... while national security was havening BOTH eyes on them! 2 Labelportraits: Flittchen Records and Monika Enterprise are Berlin labels, who have a lot in common - they are both fairly new, run by female musicians and put out Berlin-acts. But they do serve different musical tastes... (There is common ground, and they cooperate, too.) BIG article on Rockin' Blues! Thomas Meinecke from Munich band FSK in an interview. Sonny Vincent interviews Captain Sensible (The Damned, etc.), and the good Captain books Flight 666! Everlast was the guys name in the House of Pain, now he calls himself Whitey Ford and has them blues. AND! Everybody loves his 1998 release "Rise Up!" (Produced by Jim O'Rourke), praised his concerts, and all the good stuff - BUT WE GOT A ARTICLE FROM HIM! That's right - Bobby Conn from Chicago reveals details about your existence, the Armageddon and his part in all that!!! DON'T SAY I DIDN'T TELL YOU! Then we have loads of record reviews, rock, electronic, jazz, reissues, progressive, blues, punk, post-rock, country - you name it, it's in there. ************************************************************* superstar #12 costs DM 6,-- (~ USD 4,--), subscriptions start at DM 22,-- (~ USD 14,--) for four issues (automatic renewal) and a goody, and go up to DM 40,-- cash (~ USD 24,--) for next four issues (no automatic renewal), a goody plus three backissues. (Any orders kindly direct at Alexander_Schuth@yahoo.com - they will be forwarded to distribution staff immediately. Thank you.)

Full Tour dates for Finnish Tango band Lasse Santagangas Ensemble in concert topic! http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/music/53.17 Heavily recommended events Germany and Switzerland!

superstar will visit Hamburg in the next few days; there'll be a very special appearance by yours truly + company on radio FSK on Friday, 2nd of April, between 17-19:00 (5-7 pm Central European Daylight Saving Time).

Where's the tape?

Ahem, right. I knew this question would arise one day. Video didn't work; how about Audio cassettes? I now got two shows to offer, last friday's special appearance at FSK radio in Hamburg was great fun (Grrrrrreeeeetings to hosts Manuel and Ekki! FSK rulez da wavez in Hamburg!!!).

gettem in da mail, daddy-o!

Working on it...

... never got around to... At least I bought the blank tapes two weeks ago. So much is happenin' here - #13 is being readied. Most part is already off to our great layout-staff, rest will follow within few days. I'm editing like crazy, and hustling like hell - gotta get these last articles up, sell some more ads, organize some promotion, etc. We're about to revitalize the dormant superstar club rotation, our DJing-branch who ROCK THE HOUSE any way you'd like - soul, indie, rock, house. Also, we prepare an evening at the world's biggest music exposition, the PopKomm in Cologne. superstar will host an evening in the club UNDERGOUND on Thursday, August 19th. Line-up: Silverbullit, The Monochords, Mardi Gras bb., DM Bob & The Deficits, plus another act. Preview to #13: cover: Fela Kuti, Nigeria (1938-1997) - Hank McCoy writes about the best American record (or even music), and the best German food. - To Rococo Rot, interesting electronics-meet-bass-band, quite mellow (bass player from Kreidler!). - Dusty Springfield - Olifr M. Guz, best known as GUZ (from Die Aeronauten) continues his column. - Ohne Dolby: presents a mix tape by Monostars from Munich. - label portrait: popular african music (pam) is a label in Frankfurt. The owner talks about his label and the general sub-saharan music scene. Extremely great! - Aus der Schatztruhe: And then he writes about one of his favorite records, something from the "treasure vaults" - early 70ies piece by Fela Kuti. Fela was one of the most impressive live-performers I've ever seen, and is an extremely fascinating person. The Black President of Afro Beat! - label portrait: Right Tempo (Italy) - started reissuing italian 70ies cop-movie soundtracks. Now well established and renowned. - Internet art from Russia. - Belgrad radio B92 - banned for 10th anniversary! - and more - and all the records you need for summer - and those you ought to skip! (For more information and ordering details, contact the publishers at superstar-online@gmx.net )

and for an even bigger taste of issue #13, see http://www.spring.net/~aschuth/

Ok, you can't really see too much on that picture, but it shows Fela Kuti (see Music conferences African Music topic...). Wanna see more covers? Perhaps all covers? Check our distributors website at http://www.vvmg.de/149.htm , where all covers are in full splendor and large size! We're already working on the next issue, getting interviews together, finding the really interesting stories, getting things to work... We right now organize another of our infamous "meet your superstar"-events, this one will take place in Cologne on August 19th. Meet me then at the Underground, where we'll have some truly great bands playing! Last year, the house was hot till 5 a.m. Stay posted for further transmissions. Further events in preparation to take place in September in Berlin and Frankfurt.

and when are the Austin shows scheduled?

As soon as we get our, say, twothousandth US subscriber...

logical

Alexander sent me here and here I am. Will have more to say when I have found someone to translate the German I saw going by. Reading now - post in as soon as I am through. Thanks, and Hello!

I am impressed! And, as a former college coed who ran copy in the middle of the night from the editors to the printers, I hope all of your operation is in-house. Don't think I will attempt that German considering the source and content. Now, to the important stuff...when do we get to see / hear the Teutonic Tones of our Alexander? I feared as I read that I had missed my big chance, but I see he is still prevaricating and telling us nonsense...*sigh* Your fans await!

Fans! Who cares for FANS - gimme READERS! And while you're at that, make it PAYIN' readers... Subscription, anyone? Radio X, where superstar rotation, the mag's weekly show is aired (Sundays, 19:00 - 21:00 h CET), is considering webcasting. Stay tuned, I'll let you know as soon as something happens. (P.S.: superstar actually has fans, especially in certain record labels, which help us a lot.)

Please, I must have missed the answer to this question, but since I do not read German, is there an English language edition of SUPERSTAR? (I was talking about fans of Alexander..!)

"Fans of Alexander" - huh, even worse - do you have any idea how much these glossy-printed autographs cost? Don't get people started up on this! This is strictly a non-personality-cult operation. superstar is a team sport! No, sorry to disappoint you, no English edition. But we run English-written articles in English if the author doesn't force us to translate it or the subject demands it. We're not yet distributed anywhere in the US at the moment either. Subscription only (first-time subscribers get a bonus - a shirt or CD, always good stuff). Some very popular German music mailorder shops carry superstar (Normal, Unrock, Flight 13), so people who order there might want to include a copy... Now, why would e.g. US-Americans order from German mailorder places? Because there are a great deal of US-bands that are REALLY good and that have a record-deal in Germany ONLY. That's right, there is really nice stuff by US-acts that has never been released in the States. (Pat Thomas of Innerstate Rec./San Francisco - I mentioned that label before - is working on releasing some great records by Bay Area artists that up to now were only available in Germany, so something is happening here...)

Ah....but still no Beethoven, huh?! Never subscribed to something I could not read, but there is the possibility of a first time...!

No Beethoven, no Wagner. But Rocko Schamoni, Merricks, Fink, Guz, Bobby Conn, Nikki Sudden on Epic Soundtracks, Barbara Manning, Innerstate label, The Experimental Pop Band, Sportfreunde Stiller, Euro Boys, Rinocerose, music producer Daniel Rey, vinyl prices, book reviews, pt.2 of our bone-chilling foto-story,... (at least that's some of what's scheduled to happen in next issue). No Top-40. Good, interesting music from real people. Written by folks who care.

don't know any of them but the free T-shirt has me intrigued...

Alexander, you know me too well. You know of my weak spot for people who care - even if they are not Beethoven or Brahms - or Wagner or live in Bayreuth.

...plus it would do your German good, Stacey! Negotiate in the contract, don't forget it! He has to shower you with goodies, it's the law!

I'm still alive, but extremely busy. Just wanted to report back - next issue is on the way, lotsa hard work till then. Our event during the PopKomm expo in Cologne was very successful, and another is being prepared for Berlin in September. But first, gotta finish that #14 here... Tremendous chaos here... Oops, everybody's waiting for me! Gotta run! Talk to you soon! Bye!

...bye... (come back soon)

(will do, Stace!)

Thanks for checking in, Alexander. I know this does not matter much that I worry about you with your goddess also concerned, but there it is. I was much relieved that you report that you are well and busy.

Thank you, Marcia! Yes, the event in Cologne, current production and preparing the next event (September in Berlin!) needs much attention, so I haven't been able to stop by much.- superstar 3/99 (= #14) will have some english language content. Besides the reviews from the usual suspects (e.g. Pat Thomas), we have a piece by Barbara Manning on her going to New Zealand to record there... And of course the wonderful essay by Nikki Sudden on his late brother Epic Soundtracks, with fotos from the personal archive of Nikki. superstar will commemorate Epic on the cover of that issue, too, in a shot showing the brothers together.

Guess I am going to have to subscribe. Your website does take plastic in $US, does it not? Please post it again for us - the URL... Danke!

Ok, as for the last post - sorry, no plastic accepted at this point in time. #15 - aka 4/99 - hits the news stands Dec. 16th. Stories: Quarks meet Stereo Total (Two of the most interesting current Berlin bands in an exclusive double date) Juan Burgos-Portfolio (magnificient collages by artist from Montevideo/Uruguay - to see is to be in awe!) In New Zealand - Barbara Manning (of San Francisco songwriter fame, writes about recording in New Zealand - now BTW touring + recording in Germany) Sparks (Yes, we have an in-depth interview with the Mael-brothers.) Brian Welsh from Ether Frolics & Jason Molina of Songs:Ohia about songwriting and the Chicago scene. Hank's Cooking Corner - Sticking It To The Man (Our man in country tells you who has told the man, and how to make Gumbo. Grand!) Guz: Froschregen (Live from the Rock'n'Roll-live of Guz... Of armchairs and smelling socks...) Ohne Dolby: Doc Wenz & Rev Krug, Mardi Gras.bb (The brass massacre's mix tape!) Rock Steady! (current Ska-releases) Book reviews 22 Pistepirkko (the Finnish band on the movie soundtrack they did) Alex Gopher (Parisian techno music for living rooms) DepthCharge /DC Recording Terranova (Berlin HipHop) Swing Special (The current players in the German neo-swing-thing.) Country Cologne: Hank McCoy on a new scene, feat. Peta Devlin, Franz Dobler, Little Opry... Aus der Schatztruhe: Raz Ohara about Michael Jackson's Thriller Ming (Surrealist Belgian chanson-electronique-duo), The Folk Implosion, Das Weeth Experience, Station 17, Decktronics Labelportrait: Virtual Volume - Onlinelabel from Hamburg + loads of record reviews, plus vinyl-7'' reviews.

Excellent news, Alexander. That is a seriously inclusive table of contents. How many writers do you have working with you - or do you do most of the writing? Little wonder, in any case, that we have not heard from you very much lately! I hope you can get some time to yourself over the holidays for celebrating and just plain being cool and edgy or funky and laid back...whichever...!

Gonna party with the team at our home-base bar tonight... No, I cut out of writing lately, there's too much work running the joint already.

You are depriving your readership of the most valuable commodity - your skill and eloquence. I cannot read you in German, but your English is incredible, so the mother-tongue talent must be astounding. Sorry to hear that but understand completely! Party well and be careful where you crash - that it is figurative and not literally!

You gotta write man, why don't you try doing it early in the morning like Earnest Hemingway did. You're down, Alexander, but not down for the count. You can get up and win the next round!

Thanks for cheering me on. No, there's a serious time-problem - see, somebody has got to make sure everbody in the mag looks great, and that person is me. I'm actually more productive as editor the as writer, and then somebody has to act as publisher, too. I'm perfectly happy with that; I'm a team player, not a solo-dancer. When my team wins, I win. Perhaps I one day get a valuable player award for a zillion assists, and uncounted rebounds. Perhaps not. But if we make the Cup, how could I be unhappy? And, yeah, the next round... As a soccer trainer legend has said, the next game is always the hardest. 1/2000 will see a hike in ad prices (+ $$$!), but also increase of copies printed by 50% (- $$$$...). We go after more readers, hitting certain distribution areas where we should get good sales, but are underrepresented now. Also, my ad-exchange attempts and subscription drives start to bring in some results. We have achieved much, now it's time this translates into revenue. Next year will be make-or-bre k. Let's put it this way: All pieces are on the board now. Let's wait and see how the game unfolds.

This all sounds very familiar to anyone who has been around the publishing business. You have to spend money to make money and increase your visibility. I amdire you tremendously for taking SUPERSTAR up a notch and only good things are wished for you in this endeavor. I want it to be a success! I am still awaiting the English edition. BTW, doess your photograph appear anywhere in the magazine? Ever? Please keep us posted - this fan of yours is most eager to know of the successes and little setbacks you might encounter. Good Luck *Hugs*

...that is... I admire you....