Farewell with out regrets – Muricas News

Peter City has flown earlier than. There are nonetheless a couple of days till the ultimate of the Eurovision Music Contest. However he's already standing within the enviornment in Liverpool, the place all the things is lit, flashing and sounding, watching artists who might be his granddaughters rehearsing and making ready for his personal remaining efficiency.

He got here to say goodbye. Liverpool is maybe the final official journey of his lengthy skilled life. He has been working as a music journalist for radio and tv for 50 years and has been commenting on the ESC for greater than 1 / 4 of a century. Yet another time, that’s it. City stops – fully voluntarily.

A lot of the artists whose performances he has accompanied over the previous many years have been forgotten. However City leaves as a residing legend.

Once I instructed mates concerning the supply, they mentioned: You possibly can’t try this.

Peter City about his beginnings on the ESC

He adopted the competitors stay on tv 25 instances. The contrasts may hardly be larger: Right here is the present that wishes to draw consideration, the place wind machines present scorching air and shrill performances present matters of dialog. Since Peter City. An aged gentleman with grey hair, a tutor sort, did his doctorate with a textual content concerning the “poetry of rock”. How did it go so effectively for thus lengthy? That with the ESC and Peter City?

“It was solely supposed as a one-time look,” says City in an interview with the Tagesspiegel. Again then, on Might 3, 1997 in Dublin. The yr earlier than, Germany was not represented within the remaining for the primary time, the present was solely broadcast within the third program. The NDR was in search of a brand new commentator and located one in-house.

“Once I instructed mates concerning the supply, they mentioned: You possibly can’t try this,” recollects the 75-year-old. As a result of he was truly recognized within the music scene for his excellent information of pop and rock, for his severe and loving involvement with music.

He has been a radio presenter because the Nineteen Seventies. Reveals like “Music for Younger Folks” had cult standing. “Folks nonetheless come to me and say that that was their precise music lesson,” says City proudly.

His aptitude for younger expertise is known and he is aware of all of them. He attended Jimi Hendrix’s first look in Europe, interviewed David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell, and is mates with Udo Lindenberg.

After which got here the ESC, the place in 1997 a sure Bianca Shomburg represented Germany with a track by Ralph Siegel. “I did it as a result of I discovered the aggressive nature of the game attention-grabbing,” says the self-confessed soccer fan.

“It appealed to me to touch upon an occasion the place you don’t know what is going to come out on the finish, what drama, what shock will occur.” After which he simply “appreciated it very, very a lot”.

For those who discuss to Peter City about music, one factor strikes you: the person is aware of no boundaries. He doesn’t stick to at least one style, one fashion, one period. He's neither Schlager uncle nor previous rocker. “I’m not one to say that all the things was higher prior to now. I feel this angle, which a lot of my contemporaries even have, is totally improper.” He needs to find, clarify, encourage.

The nation’s music trainer

His strictly Catholic dad and mom would have appreciated that. They wished the boy from Quakenbrück to grow to be a trainer. At this time, Peter City is the nation’s music trainer.

That is in all probability one of many secrets and techniques of his ESC success. City is aware of what he’s doing. As a spectator you discover that there's no person right here who's lurking for the following punch line or the following stumble – and if it does occur, he reacts humorously.

Above all, he himself is pleased about attending to know new music and new artists. Maybe it is going to calm a few of these on the tv with a final, little responsible conscience: if Peter City is there, the ESC can’t be trash in any respect.

He's handing over a track contest that's larger, higher recognized and extra different than when it premiered in 1997. Additionally his benefit? He would by no means say that. “However possibly I managed to maintain or enhance the eye to the ESC even within the years when Germany didn’t achieve this effectively.”

He is aware of very effectively that there are viewers who solely tune in due to him. And due to his refined mockery. Even when not each spell was successful. In 1998 he ambiguously described the contribution of the Maltese Chiara as a “spherical efficiency”. “I wouldn’t try this anymore right this moment.”

He'll now go into his small speaker’s sales space up beneath the roof of the corridor one final time. A problem because of a number of unsuccessful hip operations. Has he ready a farewell greeting? “No, not but. Ultimately, with all the push and cheering, there in all probability gained’t be time.” He hesitates for a second. “However I’ll consider one thing.”