Commander Tom
Encyclopedia
Commander Tom is a German
DJ
and music producer
.
He began working as a DJ at the "Drops SuperDisco" in Kehl
in the 1980s, and also worked as a DJ at the "Rheinpark" discothèque in Germersheim
in the 1990s. In 1995, he became popular with his trance
single
"Are Am Eye?". This track made ample use of the Mentasm
sound. Along with numerous remix
es, it has been featured on over eighty techno
compilation album
s and remix
es. The following year, 1996, he had two more hits
with "Eye C Red" and "The Vulcan".
Later he also released several remix albums, most notably the Commander Tom in the Mix series of five albums released between 1996 and 2001. In 2004, his single "Attention!", sampled
from the Tom Novy
vs. Eniac
1997 song "Superstar", hit #1 on the German
dance music
charts
. It peaked at #23 in the UK Singles Chart
in February 2005. His most recent single "I Can't Sleep!" was released in 2006.
He runs multiple record label
s, most notably leading the now-defunct Noom Records nameplate. He has produced
various forms of trance and house music
under the names Commander Tom, Tom de Luxe, Phantom, Waterhouse, Mandala and Nexus 6.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and music producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
He began working as a DJ at the "Drops SuperDisco" in Kehl
Kehl
Kehl is a town in southwestern Germany in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the river Rhine, directly opposite the French city of Strasbourg.-History:...
in the 1980s, and also worked as a DJ at the "Rheinpark" discothèque in Germersheim
Germersheim
Germersheim is a town in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, of around 20,000 inhabitants. It is also the seat of the Germersheim district. The neighboring towns and cities are Speyer, Landau, Philippsburg, Karlsruhe and Wörth.-Coat of arms:...
in the 1990s. In 1995, he became popular with his trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Are Am Eye?". This track made ample use of the Mentasm
Hoover sound
Hoover sound refers to a particular synthesizer sound in electronic music, commonly used in Hard House music and other styles. Originally called the "Mentasm" or "Dominator", the name that stuck was the one likening the sound to that of a vacuum cleaner.-The sound:The Hoover is a complex waveform...
sound. Along with numerous remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es, it has been featured on over eighty techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s and remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es. The following year, 1996, he had two more hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with "Eye C Red" and "The Vulcan".
Later he also released several remix albums, most notably the Commander Tom in the Mix series of five albums released between 1996 and 2001. In 2004, his single "Attention!", sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
from the Tom Novy
Tom Novy
Tom Novy is a DJ and producer from Munich, Germany. He was the author of several club hits including "Without Your Love" and "Your Body". The latter has reached the top 40 of the ARIAnet Singles Chart in July 2005, and the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart in December 2005...
vs. Eniac
Eniac (record producer)
Eniac is a German record producer, specializing in techno house electro. He is the writer and co-producer of several progressive house and progressive trance tracks, working collaboratively with other artists...
1997 song "Superstar", hit #1 on the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. It peaked at #23 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in February 2005. His most recent single "I Can't Sleep!" was released in 2006.
He runs multiple record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s, most notably leading the now-defunct Noom Records nameplate. He has produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
various forms of trance and house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
under the names Commander Tom, Tom de Luxe, Phantom, Waterhouse, Mandala and Nexus 6.