Recommendations of the Editorial team
In fact, no one has ever asked why in mine Record store there is a piano. But I generally like to answer questions that I haven’t been asked, and one answer to this is: So that Tristan Brusch could play “Born to Die” on this instrument at the first “Villa Hansa Session” – the best song from “Am Beginning”, my personal album of 2025.
After entering the store, Brusch’s manager Tobi immediately takes a photo of Danger Dan’s “Dinkelbrot & Ölsardinen” record, which is decoratively placed on a vinyl strip, next to other animal cover LPs by Ryan Adams, Wilco and Andrew Bird. And in this case too, I’m happy to provide enlightenment without being asked: Danger Dan is Tobi’s brother, also his bandmate in the Antilopen Gang and warmly invited to perform something on my record store piano in Bad Nauheim, Hesse, if the opportunity arises.
Tristan Brusch’s album of the year is…
Which album will Tristan Brusch choose as the best of 2025? “Girl Missing” by Albertine Sarges, he says without hesitation – and follows it up with a charming enthusiasm: “I love Albertine for making such complex and profound music sound so carefree and light! Albertine is really cool – but not in the sense of ‘cool’ or even ‘overcool’, but in the sense of completely superior sovereignty.”
As a collector and dealer, I have an aversion to written record sleeves. The first annoyance of this kind occurred to me around 1994, when I bought the Madness single “Our House” at a flea market and only realized when I got home that someone had written on the back of the cover in blue felt-tip pen “Da my frog! I love that!” had scrawled.
An exception, of course, is requested signatures from cultural workers. Some time ago, Selig singer Jan Plewka visited Villa Hansa for a record signing and had his recommended current record “A Kind of Solo Album” with him. He performed a few of his new songs and gave everyone who wanted a portrait drawn on site.
Give a smile
Two days before, a lady named Bahareh contacted me. She would have loved to be at the signing session, but her severely disabled son was ill at the moment and she couldn’t leave because of that. I was able to fulfill her wish to organize an LP signed by Plewka with a dedication. We can all fulfill Bahareh’s bigger wish, and that’s why it’s here now: “While many people look into a stroller with a smile, they often look away in confusion when it comes to a wheelchair child. My request: Give us a smile!”
A few days later I met Bahareh, her 13-year-old son Kian and her 16-year-old daughter Lina in person when they picked up the signed Plewka plate. I have rarely experienced a family with such a positive, happy, warm-hearted charisma.
Bahareh browses through my record selection, takes a Haim LP from the shelf and explains that her husband Heiko mixed and mastered their debut EP “Forever” in his recording studio Stereoblue in Bad Nauheim’s neighboring town of Friedberg. Heiko is also a concert promoter and is currently traveling for work. “Who has he been on tour with?” I want to know. Heiko’s list of references is impressive: Coldplay, Metallica, Beyoncé, to name just a few.
Since meeting Bahareh, I have once again become aware of what people outside the spotlight achieve every day.