TJ interview on air tonight

The interview for Vanessa Monaghan's "Culture Cafe" Show is on air tonight between 8p.m - 9p.m. on DCU FM.

Dublin South FM's "One World" show pre-recorded

Thomas "TJ" Janak met DSFM's Harry O'Raheely to talk about German music. The show will be aired on August 27th 2010 at 3.30p.m. GMT and will feature music from TJ's new album as well as some great tunes that include Kraftwerk's "The Robots" and "Wind Of Change" by the Scorpions - one not to be missed

TJ on "One World" hosted by Harry O'Rahilly

Radio alert: Once more TJ will talk about his upbringing in Germany and his musical influences and more on the radio. This time on DSFM's "One World" - show will go out on August 27th - time tbc

More kind words

A-Z Show host Zuza Reda said on facebook: "I am listening to the cd you gave us yesterday and love it" and TJ's own son and his girlfriend (both 18) rang in a couple of days ago to say how much they like the CD.

Maybe it is about time to try my luck with bigger recording companies once we've moved to the UK - we'll see!

Farbenwald's first ever live performance ...

happened on DSFM's A-Z show, which is due to be aired on Sunday, August 15th 2010 at 2p.m. GMT.

Thomas and Micki performed an acoustic version of "Wer?"

"Underneath the perfect sky" - the opening track of TJ's latest album as well as the Farbenwald Song "Wolkenstadt" were also featured on the show.

TJ and Mickhi Marbh on the "A-Z show"

2007

TJ and Micki are progressively known as FARBENWALD and the two musicians who collaborated on numerous songs since 2003 will be talking about living in Ireland, music and more on DSFM's "A-Z Show" (on air date tbc).

Listeners can look forward to an unrehearsed accoustic version of TJ-penned song "Wer?"

TJ on E-Wave

TJ's interview with "E-Wave" host George Mulcahy turned out to be very interesting as it touched on song writing and the music industry as such. You can listen back to it HERE

"Well-Paced", "Melodic", "Good Job" - latest review

The latest review is in: See original post HERE

I better get this out of the way. Yes, TJ is German. Yes he makes electronic music. Yes he looks like a drummer in a metal band. No, he doesn’t sound like Kraftwerk.
TJ has been living in Ireland since 2000 and ‘Love letters from Cyberspace’ is his 12th album. It seems that TJ is influenced by 80′s electronic acts and has a definite euro feel to it but there’s nothing wrong with that.

The tracks are musically melodic and well produced for the genre. Overall the lyrics seems quite confessional and a little sad even. As the album title suggests ‘Love Letters from Cyberspace’ these seem like unwritten letters to a (ex) lover. Interesting concept.

The lyrics don’t take away from the music though, TJ good a good job but I’d love to hear what female vocals, an octave higher would sound like. The album veers towards the trance side of electronica at times and could quite easily go into soundtrack mode.
Its a good well paced album. Key Tracks: The melodic poppy ‘You’ve Come This Far’ and the pleaful of ‘Please Love Me’ and reminiscent ‘Nothing’.

http://www.tj-music.com/

This was written for MusicReviewUnsigned

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Das gleich vornweg: Ja, TJ ist Deutscher. Ja, er macht elektronische Musik. Ja, er sieht aus wie ein Schlagzeuger in einer Metal Band. Nein, er klingt nicht wie Kraftwerk. Seit 2000 lebt TJ in Irland und “Love Letters From Cyberspace” ist sein 12. Album. Es scheint als waere TJ von den elektronischen Kuenstlern der 80er beeinflusst ist und er hat ein definitves Euro Pop Feeling aber das ist nicht weiter schlimm.

Die Lieder sind melodisch und fuer das Genre gut produziert. Insgesamt sind die Texte recht Zugestehend und sogar ein wenig traurig. Wie der Album Name schon sagt: “Love Letters From Cyberspace”, diese sind wie ungeschriebene Liebesbriefe an einen Ex – Liebhaber. Interesantes Konzept.

Die Texte nehmen der Musik jedoch nichts weg. TJ leistet gute Arbeit aber ich wuerde gerne hoeren wie eine 1-Oktave-Hoehere Frauenstimme zur Musik klingt. Das Album bewegt sich stellenweise in die Trance Richtung der elektronischen Musik und koennte schnell in die Film Musik Richtung umschlagen. Es ist ein gutes, gemuetliches Album Anspieltipps: Das melodisch poppige “You’ve come this far”, das sehnliche “Please love me” und das evokative “Nothing”.

Vanessa Monaghan

3-Parter on YouTube

2010 marks TJ's 30th anniversary as a songwriter. At the tender age of 13, back in 1980, he wrote his first ever song and the rest is history as they say.

To honour and highlight his work over the last 30 years a three-part-series has been uploaded onto YOUTUBE.

Latest Review: Ex-Digital Dreams vocalist Franca Ludwig on "Love Letters ..."

Picture: "Digital Dreams - Konzert gegen Armut" 1996 / "Concert against Poverty" in 1996

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TJ and the original Digital Dreams vocalist Franca Ludwig (born PETTRICH) remained friends over the years and Franca and her kids visited TJ in Ireland earlier this year.

That's what she had to say about the CD:

" mir gefällt die cd so wie sie ist sehr gut. die melodien sind so typisch thomas, eine mischung von allem aber insgesammt doch sehr ruhig und wie ich finde wirkt sie traurig, aber angenehm traurig, klingt komisch oder?

mein favorit ("Nothing") bleibt bestehen, aber alle anderen lieder sind auch sehr schön zu hören. die melos gefallen mir alle total gut, ein lied ich weiß gerade nicht wie es heißt die cd ist im auto ist etwas strange auch typisch für dich. also fazit: gutes werk gute melodien schöne (angenehm traurige;0) ) texte, ruhig. HAST DU FEIN GEMACHT TOMMILEIN!!! "

Translation:

I like the CD just the way it is very much. The melodies are typically TJ, a mixture of everything but all in all very quiet and I think the CD sounds sad, but in a nice way, if that makes sense?

My favourite ("Nothing") remains but all other tracks are quite nice to listen to as well. I particularly like the melodies. One song, the name escapes me now, the CD is in the car, sounds a bit strange, which is typically TJ as well.

In all: Good CD, good melodies, sad (but pleasantly sad) lyrics, quiet. WELL DONE, TOM.

- Thanks to Franca for the review

TJ on NEAR 90 FM - again

After TJ's appearance on Near90FM's "Club Cheol" on July 20th, he will again be featured on the station.

On Friday, July 30th 2010, 9p.m. GMT (UK and IE time) TJ will be a guest on "E-Wave", hosted and produced by George Mulcahy (pictured).

You can listen locally on 90.3fm or globally via the mighty internet

TJ interviewed for "Culture Cafe"

DCU FM's Vanessa Monaghan interviewed TJ about his latest release "Love Letters From Cyberspace", his 3-decade-spanning career, veganism, animals and more ... soon to be aired and (possible) printed online!!

WATCH THIS SPACE


Vanessa Monaghan interviewed TJ @ The Exchequer Hotel, Dublin on July 19th 2010

TJ on "Culture Cafe"

TJ will be interviewed by Vanessa Monaghan for her "Culture Cafe" show. The interview will be pre-recorded next Monday and an on air date will have to be confirmed.

Watch this space

TJ on "Club Cheol" on July 20th 2010, 4.30p.m. GMT

Radio host and DJ Aoife NicCanna will be talking to Thomas "TJ" Janak on Near90FM's "Club Cheol".

TJ has been a guest of Aoife's a number of times and he is looking forward to meeting up with her again.

First reviews are in

While Thomas's sister says that his voice isn't as strong sounding as on previous releases, his long-term musical collaborator and friend Thomas Racz gives it a B Minus and likes all songs apart from the second and the third and especially loves "What's going on?".

Another friend of TJ's, Peggy Holzwig, who knows all releases from 2000 onwards plus attended most TJ gigs in Ireland says:

"13 wonderfully relaxing, easy listening, honest songs on this album. I love every beat. You are getting better with every album! I really like the cover image. I know you for so long and it's so lovely to finally see you both there ;)"*

* - meaning TJ and his girlfriend

Listen to the album on the official website or on our myspace page and leave your comments!

Official Website Updated

The official website has been updated and also includes some full-length songs from the new album for you to listen to.

Pritpal Kohli on art

took up art when i was 12 and started secondary school..i had a fab teacher..

retook art after a two year break as an a level(missed out gcse)..and then stopped till about 6 years ago when i found a fantastic teacher..who taught me how to paint about a year ago..and i am still learning:))

The making of "Love Letters From Cyberspace"

Moving away from Dublin to the more rural Ballymore Eustace in 2008 had an effect on the songwriting and, of course, on the cover of the production.

Both "Love Letters ..." as well as the predecessor "Painted Dreams" have a very natural feel to them both acoustically as well as optically. Natural colours and soft, quiet topics graze the covers of the aforementioned albums and soft synth sounds reflect the mood captured optically.

Initially I'd planned to call the album "Akiko", Japanese for "Autumn Child" and I wanted to use manga drawings of little school girls but none of the artists I had approached replied to my requests of using their artwork.

After the song "Crossroads" was finished and mastered I felt that would be a great title for an album, especially since 2010 marks my 30th anniversary as a musician but the ideas I had for the cover couldn't be done due to budget constrains.

After seeing PK's drawing of a couple sitting outside and enjoying being together it immediately resonated with the songs I had composed for the new album and PK was very happy to letting me use her artwork.

"Love Letters ..." is the quietest and perhaps most romantic album of mine in years.

The 2009 release "TJ - Painted Dreams"

Discography

(in descending order)

TJ - Painted Dreams (2009)

Digital Dreams - Best Of (2008)

TJ - Sensitivity (The very best of) (2005)

TJ - Eternity (2002)

TJ - Midnight Dreamer (2000)

TJ - Darker Than Black (1999)

TJ - Pure Love (1997)

Digital Dreams - Vesicula (1996)

Digital Dreams - Hitech Systems (1994)

Exzess - Technological Age (1992)

Digital Dreams - German Groove (1990)