Marty Brem
Encyclopedia
Martin Brem also known by his stage name Marty Brem, is an Austrian-born former singer, record executive and entrepreneur
currently active in Berlin
. He is known to wider audiences for his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest
, representing Austria in 1980 as a member of the band Blue Danube
and as a soloist in 1981, singing "Wenn Du Da Bist
" amidst somewhat unusual choreography performed by female dancers in an equally unusual selection of costumes.
After Brem's Eurovision exploits, he undertook various musical ventures, which included new wave
and punk
music. Brem also became a music journalist, and joined Philip Morris
as a marketing consultant 1988, only to return to the music industry in 1992 as marketing director for Phonogram/Universal
. In 1995 Brem became Vice President International Marketing for Sony Music Entertainment Europe
in London
, and in 1997 he took helm at Columbia Records
in Berlin.
Brem's wife Ursula died in 2001, leaving him with two sons, at that time 9 and 11 year old. Inspired by his wife's hobby of collecting kimono
s and a massive collection thereof, he started Sai So, a fashion boutique offering various parts of apparel, as well as other items, made of vintage kimono fabric. He now also heads the Berlin office of the German portal utopia.de.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
currently active in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He is known to wider audiences for his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, representing Austria in 1980 as a member of the band Blue Danube
Blue Danube (band)
Blue Danube was an Austrian band that has represented their country in Eurovision Song Contest 1980. The group has sung the entry Du bist musik , which told us about famous musicians and types of musics. The band was the first to participate and ended in 8th place with 64 points...
and as a soloist in 1981, singing "Wenn Du Da Bist
Wenn Du Da Bist
"Wenn du da bist" was the Austrian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, performed in German by Marty Brem...
" amidst somewhat unusual choreography performed by female dancers in an equally unusual selection of costumes.
After Brem's Eurovision exploits, he undertook various musical ventures, which included new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
music. Brem also became a music journalist, and joined Philip Morris
Altria Group
Altria Group, Inc. is based in Henrico County, Virginia, and is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton, Inc., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. It is one of the world's largest tobacco corporations...
as a marketing consultant 1988, only to return to the music industry in 1992 as marketing director for Phonogram/Universal
Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
. In 1995 Brem became Vice President International Marketing for Sony Music Entertainment Europe
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and in 1997 he took helm at Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in Berlin.
Brem's wife Ursula died in 2001, leaving him with two sons, at that time 9 and 11 year old. Inspired by his wife's hobby of collecting kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
s and a massive collection thereof, he started Sai So, a fashion boutique offering various parts of apparel, as well as other items, made of vintage kimono fabric. He now also heads the Berlin office of the German portal utopia.de.