Name: Thorsten Ortmann

Hometown: Hamm, Germany

Instrument: Drums / Backing Vocals

Favourite Simple Minds songs: She's a River / Let There be Love / Hypnotised / Waterfront / Ghostdancing / Alive and Kicking

Favourite Depeche Mode songs: People are People / Master and Servant / Personal Jesus / A Question of Time

Favourite U2 songs: Where the Streets Have No Name / Beautiful Day / Sunday Bloody Sunday / Pride (in the Name of Love)

Musical Influences: Simple Minds / The Mission / Depeche Mode / Mel Gaynor

Interests: Music / Travelling / Tennis / Ali G

Ambtions: To rock!!

Contact: t_ortmann@web.de

Profile:

Thorsten learnt to play the drums back in the 80s, having heard Bodo Schopf (drummer of the Austrian artist Falco) during a drum clinic.

Fascinated by the sound of the instrument, Thorsten taught himself to play drums by playing along to hundreds of various records - mainly Simple Minds!

His first band was called 'Tangram' - a German rock / pop band.

After reading an article on the internet, Thorsten joined Sample Minds.

After years of creating his own music, Thorsten has also played in several cover bands during the recent years.

Thorsten is a seasoned musician and has played in many local German bands. Personal highlights include the participation in a festival TV broadcast along with OMD, Bros, Alison Moyet, Marillion.

Thorsten plays DW drums, ddrums and Zildjian sticks and cymbals!