Johnny Winter upsets German fans

MIKE BURN

Quote:
Johnny Winter terminates German tour !

Press release

We at Fabulous German Entertainment GmbH of Lübeck/Germany were assigned to handle a German tour of the US Blues / Rock guitarist Johnny Winter, scheduled for the period of 30.June to 18.July 2003.

Following the first completely sold-out concert in Leipzig, the musician together with his entourage covertly left the city in the middle of the night, thus provoking the cancellation of the tour, which was to continue the next day with a likewise sold-out show in Ulm. However, on the Internet homepage of the musician, as well as in official press releases issued by the US-management we were held responsible for the cancellation of the tour.

With regard to the cancellation of the German tour of US-musician Johnny Winter, Fabulous German Entertainment GmbH wishes to clarify the following:

All contractual demands on the part of management of Johnny Winter were met in detail (incl. pre-payments, catering, tour bus outfit etc.).

The musician has received all advance payments as stipulated in the contract. Also the payment of balance for the upcoming shows in Germany was remunerated duly on Monday, 30.June 2003.

The contract signed between Johnny Winter and Fabulous German Entertainment GmbH only commenced on Monday, 30.June, 2003 with the concert at the club "Anker" in Leipzig. We had no part in possible predicaments that occurred earlier during Mr. Winter´s performances in Switzerland and Austria.

The bus transfer was executed in a very well equipped nightliner bus of Coach Service GmbH, a company that takes pride in its experienced and unimpeachable drivers and which is one of the market leaders in Europe.

Backline support and service was professionally handled by Backline & More GmbH, Mr. Hans Ostendorf - also this being a company with an excellent reputation throughout Europe.

Accommodation in Leipzig was booked at the Westin Hotel Leipzig, one of the most exclusive addresses in the city.

Moreover it is a fact that neither we, nor the bus driver were addressed with any complaints or requests. Also according to the Australian support-act Gwyn Ashton, friend of both the bass player of the Johnny Winter Band and members of the Johnny Winter crew, everyone spoke out positively about the event in Leipzig. Against this background it is simply incomprehensible and irreproducible why Johnny Winter resp. his management has cancelled all further concerts of the German tour.

Mr. Günter Schubert of Anker e.V. also confirmed that the event in Leipzig went smoothly, that no problems were apparent at any time and that the health and welfare of the musician and his band was provided for at best by extra personnel efforts.

The allegation of Mr. Winter´s manager Teddy Slatus that they had done everything possible not to disappoint the Johnny Winter fans is entirely incorrect.

As a matter of fact, the management addressed us with the request for a new bus with additional optional equipment. After several days of hard work we were able to meet this request. However, as this is peak season for the entertainment business and despite of Europe wide inquiries we were only able to provide such a bus at earliest from 03.July, 2003. On Sunday 29.June, 2003, the musician´s agent Mr. Bruce Houghten of Skyline Music, in writing confirmed this as being acceptable. The end of the tour was scheduled for 20.July, 2003. This means that the new bus would have been available during the entire tour. Addressing the management we agreed to cover for the additional costs of approx. 3.000,-- EUR. We did so knowing that we were not bound by contract to do so and despite of the fact that the US-management since 16.June, 2003 was in possession of a fax with the floor plan of the bus originally designated for the tour transport, as well as a list of all equipment and the communication details of the coach company.

Fabulous German Entertainment GmbH sets value on the fact that both the bus company and we as the promoter did abide to the contract with all the additional equipment that was agreed upon. Moreover, after receiving our fax from 16.June, 2003, the US-management did have every opportunity to discuss additional special requests by contacting either the bus company or us. Health and welfare of the musicians were not endangered at any time.

We have filed a complaint at the office of Lübeck´s police commissioner for white-collar crime and the investigation is underway!!

Tickets can be reimbursed at the respective ticket agencies. We are very sorry that Johnny Winter´s German tour was cancelled in such a mysterious way, but all our efforts fell on the deaf ears of the US-manager Teddy Slatus and actually peaked in an eruption of cursing, which only documents the non-professional business conduct of this man. We have secured a relevant audio recording.

At no time during the preparation of the tour was our work effort criticized or dressed down by the US-management. Accordingly we simply cannot understand the nightly departure from Leipzig for an unknown destination using an unknown bus.

In order to safeguard our interests we will file a lawsuit in the United States.

In regard to this the Hamburg-based attorney Jens Michow affirmed: "According to our knowledge the US-management did not have a termination reason. Such a tour cancellation is entirely incomprehensible." A view that also was confirmed by Mr. Schlegel of the police commissioner´s office in Lübeck.

Fabulous German Entertainment GmbH

Am Flugplatz 4, Gebäude 19

D - 23560 Lübeck

Phn: +49 (0) 451 / 5824 91 40

Fax: +49 (0) 451 / 5824 91 44

www.german-concerts.de

droolymutt

Very strange stuff indeed.

I wonder what the real reason for cancelling was....

MIKE BURN

Whatever it was (according to the German promoter I personally spoke to the BUS and missing gimmicks, like extended bar and satellite TV)... THIS is the important sentence:

Quote:
The musician has received all advance payments as stipulated in the contract. Also the payment of balance for the upcoming shows in Germany was remunerated duly on Monday, 30.June 2003.

MIKE BURN · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject: Johnny Winter upsets German fans

Quote:
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE JULY 1st 2003

For immediate release:

After three successful European appearances last week, Johnny Winter cancels German leg of tour after repeated contractual violations by the promoter.

Rock/Blues guitar master Johnny Winter's first full European tour in many years began on Friday June 27th with a triumphant appearance at The Piazza Blues Festival in Bellinzona, Switzerland for promoter Bibo Verda. It was followed by a highly anticipated and well attanded outdoor show Saturday June 28th in Vienna, Austria for promoter Heinz Krassnitzer of Thom & Wolf GmbH.

But after a sold out show in Leipzig, Germany Johnny Winter was forced to cancel the German leg of his tour. "There were repeated flagrant violations of both the letter and spirit of our contract with German promoter Dirk Stolzenberg of Fabulous German Entertainment, GMBH," stated longtime Winter manager Teddy Slatus of Slatus Management. "We did our best to solve these repeated problems so that we would not dissapoint Johnny's fans, but when it became apparent that the promoter was endangerring the health and welfare of the band; we were forced to declare him in breach of contract."

Slatus and Johnny Winter's agent Bruce Houghton of Skyline Music refused to comment further due to possible legal action. "It is our sincere hope that the promoter will do the right thing and refund the tickets, but he has proven that his actions are beyond our control," concludes Slatus. More European dates are planned and Winter will be releasing his first studio CD in more that 6 years on Virgin Records early in 2004.

MIKE

droolymutt

Somehow, the promoter seems believable to me, but I guess the real truth will only come out in court......

MIKE BURN

Meanwhile, Johnny Winter has been included on a overall boycott list of German promoters and won't be booked anymore.

Two concert-halls in Germany may need to cease business,

because they refunded the tickets for 10,000 fans and paid Winter and all equipment in advance too.

LarreeMP3 · Joined: 12 Apr 2002 Posts: 1935

No Mike. THIS is the important sentence...

"We did our best to solve these repeated problems so that we would not dissapoint Johnny's fans, <b>but when it became apparent that the promoter was endangerring the health and welfare of the band</b>; we were forced to declare him in breach of contract."

That sums it all up.

Edited by: MyMP3BoardDotCom at: 7/15/03 5:08 pm

bbchris

Larree - I will edit any posts in future that you make requesting "UNDERBLURB" changes - there is one at the top of the page that is tacked there.

Other threads here are for discussion. THank you.

Steve Iannetti · GweiLo Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Posts: 697

Johnny Winter is who inspired me to pick up a guitar and learn to play.

Then I moved on to Frank Zappa.

I guess that's why I didn't end up a " Blues Guitarist ".

Steve Iannetti

size="1"> mp3.com :

Artistlaunch : 1Sound : My IX Page : href="http://www.zizzors.com">Official Web Site
href="http://www.carwreckrecords.com">Car Wreck Records :
>FreeAudioPlayer : MP3 Australia : CDbaby

questionnaire · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 640

Sorry to be a grouch, but I saw him in the 1970s. Thought he was a bit over-rated.

Even if he had a genuine grouch with the promoters, he shouldn't have sloped off in the middle of the night without warning or explanation. If indeed that is what he did, I'm sure the legal case will be tipped against him.

Steve H

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

He and his bro Edgar - wildest albino musical dudes ever!

bbchris

Never heard of him! :fg

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

"Never heard of him!"

================

Now I feel even older than usual!! hahahaha!

I dunno that Johnny ever had a top 40 hit. His brother Edgar did in '74 or '75 with "Frankenstein", a fusion jazz-rock instrumental - here's a midi of it: www.aaaa.demon.nl/e/frankens.mid

They're both albinos, white hair, red eyes, etc.

Johnny was one of my guitar heros, too, hahaha!

bbchris

Oh that midi file is awful.... whoops!! Sorry Ron!

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

hahaha, Chris! you're right - it's not a very good file. But it wasn't my midi, I just quickly found it on the web!

I don't know that Johnny or Edgar have had much more than a cult following since the 70s. Otherwise they're pretty much "whatever happened to....??", lol.