Spiegel Online is just reporting that the head of the German Americas Cup Team Uwe Sasse was fired this morning. The name Uwe Saße is connected with a painful experience I had about 10 years ago. I used to be a snowboard pro of the early days, traveling and writing for magazines across Europe. 1995 was my peak year in terms of writing and publications. I have been writing for almost every large magazine in Germany and some foreign ones. A Swiss magazine sent me to an event in France which was organized by Uwe Sasse. The first European (Vision) Boardercross. It was a new form of a contest, but the company Vision organized many travel companies and did a good job in promoting the event forehand. The event itself was a disaster. Nothing worked out and a few thousand kids were left in chaos and personal misery.

Shortly after I got back I wrote my articles about this fuck-up and it was hard to stay objective, but I did. I know that negative stories don’t sell well and so I tried to find some positive things and mix it with objective views of the event and let the reader decide himself. A few weeks later, my articles have long been written and gone into press already, I am invited to some party of Germany’s SNOW magazine. I met a few nice press people, some riders and the usual business crowd. While going to get another round of drinks for my rider buddies, I noticed a guy, who was talking about this Vision event to other people at the bar. He told them what a great success that event was and how well everything went. I tried to ignore him, so I went back to my friends and chatted with others. Half an hour later I came back and this guy was still talking about the “Great Vision Boarder Cross”. Probably I should have been quiet, but I am a natural warrior and with 24 years of age, you are not experienced enough in life to know, when it’s better to shut up. I have asked myself many times after this, how I would react now. Probably the same way. I also asked myself, how my life would have turned out, if I would have not done that. Anyways, I politely asked the guy, who was so full of himself, if he wants to hear my opinion about it. He had a glare in his eyes and said yes, not expecting that I’d say something bad about it and hoping I would support his self-glory.

So I calmly told them about it. I told them all. About the kids I saw, which were waiting outside of some event circus tents in the poring rain for hours, trying to catch a few tunes of their stars (Beck for example), because they couldn’t afford to go inside. Meanwhile the tents were empty inside. Only riders and press were there, because they had free entry. In Germany the kids were told everything would be included into the price. EVERYTHING. But some bad calculation/organization led Sasses crew to make a literally last minute change and charge entry fees of about 20 €/per event. That is a lot of money for someone, who was sent by his parents with maybe 50€ of pocket money for 4 days, because the package was sold as ALL INCLUSIVE. Besides, Apartments were overfilled and people had to sleep on couches, although they’ve paid for beds. It was raining and local supermarkets, pubs and restaurants were too expensive for most of them. They could just stay at home all day, playing cards, waiting for the long 4 days to pass. Because of the rain, there was next to no snowboarding. I remember (even today) the frustrated faces of these kids that were cheated on so badly. I remember the locals, that told me, that this event came over them like a plague without any warning and that they just wanted everybody to leave again. I remembered all of that and this is what I said to Uwe Sasse and his listeners, which were from the ZDF (national TV) as it turned out much later.

A few days later I am getting upset phone calls from the chief –editors of all magazines I wrote for and even one I never wrote for called me and told me that my behavior was bad and I’d never get a job from them. From one moment to another I have lost my 2nd job and I was just lucky I had my government job at the federal police to help me survive financially. What has happened? The guy at the bar was Uwe Sasse, owner of Vision Street Wear Europe, later US 40 and later holder of a few other positions until he got the manager of Germany’s America’s Cup Team. Sasse called all editors after the party and told them I’d asked him to pay me a bribe or I’d write bad about his event, which of course was a lie. Sasse being one of the largest advertisers put pressure on them and the magazines had no other choice (if they believed him or not) than letting me go. Sadly, most of the editors didn’t even have the guts to tell me for years what the real reason for firing me has been. Only one broke the silence more than a year later and told me the truth.

I guess, you know how I am feeling about Uwe Sasse ever since these days. I could write so much more about him. About Vision Street Wear or the US40 brand, or that he was sentenced to 1 year jail because of a bankruptcy, but I think you get the picture, what kind of a person that is and I am just happy he once again got what he deserves. Hoping he will fail over and over again with his rude tactics and behaviors. Karma is like a boomerang Mr. Sasse. What comes around goes around and the Internet is a powerful tool to research ones past mistakes.

Did I learn anything out of this? I guess I am more careful with what I say and write, but I still believe honesty rules! I managed my life after this fall. Got up, cleaned myself and walked on with the head up, because I know, I have a clean concious. For a while I was hoping I’ll meet Sasse again. Maybe me being in a better position, so I can kick his ass, but now I think he is just bad karma and life will punish him anyway. I don’t even want to be close to people like him. I moved on. Went to the US, came back to Europe. Established myself in the new media business. Oh, I just hope he is not reading this now and sending my clients another round of threads and I’ll loose them. Oh well, in that case I will be on the ground again, as so many times before. Get up, clean myself and move on with a clean vest. Honesty rules and bad karma brings you down. I have survived many more crisis after this and probably much more are waiting for me, but at least I ALWAYS ended things in a clean way, keeping my Karma good.

Just received this invite from my friend Martin Ruffert in Berlin. If you think Golf, uaghh, sport for yuppies, think twice and go check it out. This is different. Believe me. Especially the Red Bull Final 5.

With my recommendations:

Bowler Cup 2005 Final 16.10.2005 - Prenden (near Berlin)

Sehr geehrte Ladies und Gentlemen,

zu unserem Jubiläum möchten wir uns ganz besonders bei allen Bowler Cup 2004 / Tour 2005 Teilnehmern bedanken und laden Sie hiermit herzlich zum Bowler Cup 2005, dem Finale der Tour am Sonntag, den 16.10.05 in den Golfclub Prenden ein. Hier werden Sie um 10:00 Uhr morgens in schottischer Athmosphäre von einem Dudelsackspieler empfangen und erhalten wie gewohnt beim Einschreiben Ihr Tee Präsent. Dieses Turnier wird um 11:00 mit einem Kanonenstart beginnen und entscheidet dann nicht nur den neuen Bowler Cup Gewinner, sondern auch den Tour Gesamtsieger (siehe Tour Rangliste), sowie den neuen “Golf Berlin Mitte” Vereinsmeister.

Selbstverständlich werden wir auch wieder die Sonderwertung “Red Bull Final 5″ auf den jeweils letzten fünf Löchern vornehmen. Die Siegerehrung wird wie gewohnt gegen ca. 20:00 Uhr im Münz Salon in der Münzstr. 23 in 10178 Berlin Mitte stattfinden. Wir hoffen mit Ihnen so zahlreich und unterhaltsam wie bisher, gemeinsam den Saisonabschluss einzuleiten. Auf der anhängenden Tour Rangliste können Sie sich einen Eindruck, über Ihre persönlichen Chancen auf einen Toursieg, verschaffen. Um die Bowler Saison Revue passieren zu lassen, können Sie sich dann noch einige Impressionen der bisherigen Bowler Turniere Caddie- und Martini Cup, auf unserer website www.bowlertour.de anschauen.

Im letzten Jahr war dieses Turnier recht schnell ausgebucht, daher würden wir uns in diesem Jahr, auch in Ihrem Interesse über eine baldige Rückmeldung freuen.

Bis dahin schönes Spiel,

Ihr BOWLER Team

Greg Oreck aka Thugfucker in Moscow (@ Mashorel)

Moscow is always surprising me. A few months ago I got an email from Andreas Reihse from Cologne. He is known not only for his Krautrock with Kreidler, but also for his DJing. I did an interview with him a few years ago and we stayed in touch via email ever since. Andreas was spinning at Okno, a nice club, but it has been empty that night, even on a the appearance of such a known DJ. I spotted some music critics between the 10 to 20 people that were listening to him, but that was all. Its a pitty and I wonder how the promoters get the money to fly in these guys and pay them.

Sonia, Greg and InI

It wasn’t the same last Saturday at Mashorel, when I went to see my New York buddy Greg Oreck. The place is usually a Café (close to Pavletskaya station) but Diamond Promotions made a party there. It’s a nice big space with a terrace, but its missing the … hm … I don’t know… flair?. Well, it’s not a FIRST or LETO, where a world class DJ like Greg Oreck aka Thugfucker should spin. But he is down to earth and enjoyed spinning in a new city and environment, even though the soundsystem simply sucked (my opinion, not Greg’s as everything in this article and blog is my personal opinion). As a world citizen he has seen various venues in Miami, Paris, Milan, Istanbul and elsewhere and is not a Prima Donna if it comes to the place. Moscow was just another stop on his journey, although he liked it and wants to come back to do a few more gigs. Next time hopefully in some real club, where he belongs to.

Mashorel was only half full with a mix of (rich) kids, Armenians and the bridge & tunnel.

Mashorel: Da crowd

Even if that sounds negative, the evening was fun. Its amazing how much a venue can gain from a DJ. If you have a good one, he can sense the mood of the crowd and adjust (I wouldn’t be able to do that, just playing what I like, but I guess that’s why I suck as a DJ, besides of my bad techniques ;-). A world class DJ like Greg Oreck can turn even a simple café into a stylish lounge and give it a metropolitan flavor. But the fame last’s shortly; it vanishes with the DJ.

Greg plays a different style since I last heard him, or it was just that he wanted to please the Moscow crowd? He worked out a 3 hour set, nicely mixed some new dance flavors with house and even some breakbeats and older tunes. That’s what the Moscow crowd needs to get off their ass. Throw in the occasional “Bum Bum” or an old song they know and they are jumping on the dancefloor and move like crazy. Greg is sending me a download link to some of his mixes so you can check it out yourself. Will post it here in a few days. Have a nice flight back to Paris. Hope to see you back in Moscow soon and hope you like it here.

About a week ago I received a mail from Joey in the US. He has read my “prostitution” article and was wondering what I think about his story. After sending him my opinion, he asked me to post the story along with some photos, so you can give your opinion and get warned, in case it is fraud (which I believe). Feel free to post you comments. Joey will come by and check once in a while.

Here is Joey’s story:

“I know of a woman from Russia, from Oshkar-Ola, whom various letters were exchanged via email process. The method used was questionable granting that, according to her, she has been casted off by her own mother, lived with her grandma. She urged me that she wanted to come to America, send her $450 for her passport and US visa as a tourist.
I did send her the $50 and the $450.

Then a reply came so fast that when she withdraw the money from Western Union, 2 young guys grap her bag containing the money, and according to her, she is presently in the hospital for a bump head.

In spite of this, I told her that if she really wanted to come to America, I might as well get her from Moscow.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? I have various photos sent by her. I wanted to post this but I cannot find a browser to attached the photos for your scrutiny if whether this woman belongs to the caption as stated in this article.
Please help me.

Thank you…

Joey”

From another letter of Joey:

“… BY THE WAY, I MENTIONED TO YOU FROM THIS WOMAN WAS THAT THE MONEY I SENT TO HER AS SHE WAS SUGGESTING WAS FOR PAYMENT OF THE HER DEAL WITH SOMEBODY TO SECURE HER PASSPORT AND A TOURIST VISA FROM OUR US EMBASSY IN MOSCOW. AS I TOLD YOU, UPON RECEIPT OF THAT MONEY FROM WESTERN UNION RUSSIA, SHE SENT ME A LETTER THAT TWO RUSSIAN YOUNG BOYS GRAB HER BAG AND STOLE THE MONEY, LEAVING HER A LUMP ON HER HEAD WHICH SHE DESCRIBED AS “BRAIN CONTUSSION.”

“THEN LATELY, SHE TOLD ME THAT HER GRANDMOTHER IS IN THE HOSPITAL, IN FACT, SHE SENT AN ATTACHED PICTURE OF AN OLD WOMAN LAYING DOWN IN BED SUPPOSED TO BE OPERATED ON HER HEART. SHE ASK ME IF I CAN HELP SENDING HER USD $1700.00. I TOLD HER THAT IF I DO, SHE WILL HAVE ANOTHER LUMP IN THE HEAD. JUST TO AMUSE HER, I TOLD HER TO TELL ME OF HER ADDRESS SO THAT I CAN BRING THE MONEY MYSELF AND HELP HER GRANDMA IN THE HOSPITAL. SHE DID NOT ANSWER FOR A FEW DAYS.

FINALLY, SHE ANSWERED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET BACK TO ME BECAUSE HER GRANDMA DIED AND SHE WAS AT THE FUNERAL. LASTLY, SHE TOLD ME THAT I DO NOT NEED TO WRITE HER LETTERS ANYMORE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK CHRIS? …”

These are the photos Joey has sent me. Wonder who took the photos. Obviously she had enough money to go to a Thailand (or elsewhere in Asia) vacation:

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Those were the good old days before 9/11. Pierre had some party invite for a roof party downtown. Mary Claire and I ventured down there to check it out. Pierre was there with his dog. Someone partied in the 5th floor of some apartment building and on the roof. We didn’t know who, but we got the invite from a friend of a friend of a friend.

Photo: Mark Labitzky

That’s how it worked in NYC. You just bring a six pack of beer and you are cool and welcomed to join the party. There was a BBQ, a salad buffet and plenty of drinks in buckets with ice water. A typical NYC summer night. From the roof you could see the World Trade Center and some other buildings nearby. The guy near me lights a joint and passed it on. Downstairs they had some turntables and DJ Latino and Greg Oreck were spinning there.

Soon, someone had the idea to move the turntables up on the roof. The fun lasted about 30 min until the first cops arrived on the scene. NYPD and FDNY came to send us all back down into a small 5th floor apartment. The party is over, the shouted, but it was just over on the roof. A real Manhattan partygoer is not scared by the NYPD. Just flip the joint into some corner when you spot the cops and be cool. I think that night we partied until early morning (as always) and went home at sunrise and all with the sound track of Latino and Greg Oreck.

Yes, those were the days. It all ended with 9/11. I actually made one of the first good parties after 9/11 at the end of October 01 in our old office loft. We decided to move to a smaller loft, but not without throwing a large party. And yes, it became a huge party with more than 400 visitors. The last people left at 5 AM and I cleaned up until 11 AM. Right after returned the sound system to the store and handed over the key to the landlord of a completly trashed La Guardia loft. Nobody cared much (Thank God).

Anyways, I remember the beginning of the night. Where people just came in and our conference room slowly transformed into a smoking lounge. NYPD paid us a short visit, but wasn’t able to get into the building. So they left again, after shouting up to our windows that we either should turn down the music or close the windows, but we couldn’t understand what they were saying, he he, because of Latino and Greg playing their house tunes and pumping up the volume. The DJ’s have brought some singer from LA, which had a great voice and free styled to their tunes. What a night! People were dancing and getting out of control. Later Latino handed over the turntables to DJ Takeya, who played some very cool Drum n Bass. No, not the tough stuff, but the jazzy and melodic tunes. Takeya is back in Tokyo now and plays with guys like LTJ Bukem and Makoto in Tokyo’s “The Room”. Only the DJ spinning after Takeya sucked badly. Some Long Island kid, who was placed by our sponsors and played the cheapest mainstream crap. The only good thing about it was, that he made people go home, although it was way to early. I had to kick him out after 1 hour at around 3 AM, because most of the people have left and I didn’t want the close circle of friends to leave as well.

We made the first good and warm (hot!) party after 9/11, I was told by many visitors after and I am proud we could put it together so nicely. Thanks to Pierre for his help! And of course to Latino, Greg and Takeya and everybody else. It turned out to be a farewell party for many of us as well, although we didn’t know that at this point. Some stayed another 9 months, others left right after it and now we are spread all over the planet to New York, San Diego, Paris, Milan, Rome, Virginia, Tokyo, Tel Aviv, Moscow and many other places.

One of them was Greg Oreck. His buddy and DJ partner Latino left back to Milan (well a small town 1h away from it) and Greg decided to go to Paris where he lives and produces Music ever since. The man travels a lot and his music becomes better and better, while he is getting famous. I have visited him in his nice apartment when I have been in Paris about 1 ½ years ago. We have chatted a bit and he showed me his recording equipment. Greg was just invited by some new Moscow promoters and he will be in town next weekend. So if you are in Moscow and you don’t know what to do, check out his gigs on Friday and Saturday. I guarantee you some fun and good tunes.

Here are the details:

Fri Sept 23rd @ SYNTEK 10 PM Адрес: м. Маяковская, 2-я Брестская, д. 6, вход с 1-ой Брестской
Curious, never heard of SYNTEK. And Diamond Promotions has its kickoff night that night. Lets see who else they bring into town.

Sat Sep 24th @ Mashorel 10 PM адрес: Павелецкая, Ул. Зацепа, д. 19/2
Hm, another club I don’t know yet. I will review them and the party and write about it after ;-) For all of you “Going Out, Party, Nightlive In Moscow” visitors.

Photo: clubnewsparis.com