MICHAEL WINKLER AKA “THE GLITTERKING”
Whether you are a rock n roll star, or a wannabe, you are headed in the right direction if you purchase your bling wear from Michael!
Michael runs the gamut for everything that is Rock N Roll, in the way of clothing, boots, microphones, accessories and more! The sky is the limit!
Musicians such as Germany’s own Matthias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker from The Scorpions , count on Michaels creative genius for just the right touch in creating a one of a kind statement with their instruments!
Here is some more detailed info on Michael:
All That Glitters
If you are looking for "bling" then your search is over. Rock n Roll artist Michael Winkler or “Michael The GlitterKing” as his clients and fans know him as; truly is a one-of-a-kind glitter artist, he can add sparkle to anyone, anywhere and to anything.
Michael Winkler, the “TheGlitterking” began his career as a coating designer, coating and polishing cars, guitars, concert pianos as well as furnishings. In 2005 his love for glitter led him to produce a glitter-reflection-coating, enabling him to glitter just about anything like ech year. Michael's work has taken him all the over world, London, Paris, Dubai, Tokyo,New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Bangkok, Moscow, Marbella as well as Cannes & Monaco which is his second home.
Based in Berlin, his list of prestigious clients around the world include Events around F1 Racing, The Cannes Film Festival, Oscar Award in Los Angeles, millionaire's shows like in Dubai or Bangkok, Music fairs like the American Namm Show or the Frankfurt Music Fair and 6-7stars hotels such as The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi or Burj Al Arab in Dubai are testament to his dedication and passion in delivering something unique. His eye catchers, like a fully bling'ed Mercedes McLaren, are known in the the world of magazines.
Since 2010, Michael is very active in the music industry; he is the man behind the creative promo artworks or special art campaigns for projects of members of mega bands like the Scorpions, Motörhead and many more.
Lots of known music-stars signed his artworks. For some of them he works also as interior artist in their private houses like for Rudolf Schenker of The Scorpions.
From time to time he exhibit his “Rock music Artworks” in the VIP areas so one exhibition was placed at a concert of The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who toured with an own music project.
Michael's love of rock music combined with the fact that he was in a Rock band from an early age led him to start his ‘Arts For Music’ side of the business, he developed a very glossy high-tech coating like “nano-glass “ which he puts on microphones, drumsticks, keyboards and lots of other music instruments. Many bands have commissioned him to make one off items such as guitars and signed glitter merchandise.
The ‘crème de la crème’ of Michael’s music designs is a set of drumsticks with a glass tip, including a real diamond. As you can imagine these have been well received within the rock world.
Forever searching for new ideas in which he can use glitter, in 2013 in Berlin Michael launched his “Lady Glitter Show”,a stage show where he glitters a beautiful young lady by using glitter cannons. This has garnered much interest in the glitzy, showbiz world of Las Vegas.
Michael love to compose & sing songs and so in 2012 he published his Glitterking-Song called “ Sunny Days” which is available in Itunes & Amazon.
Currently working on his new Rock song named "Back in Town", he split 50 seconds from that, using it as a new GlitterKing Trailer song.
The GlitterKing as Guest Artist “Michael The Glitterking” in the Film “Rock n Roll Over”. The movie features a number of cameos by well known personalities from the world of film and music, including James Kottak ( The Scorpions ) Phil Campbell ( Motörhead ) Calico Cooper ( Actress / Alice Cooper )
In this movie you can see a 68`Ford Mustang, fully blinged by Michael, The GlitterKing. A major TV Channel documented the “Making of a Bling Ford Mustang” for a TV Series called Rocking Berlin” Part 3 and Part 4. The GlitterKing Mustang was also involved in a campaign of the “german american friendship days in Berlin” powered by Berlins biggest Rock Radio Station “Star FM” followed by a 4 days bling shirt campaign over Berlin with this radio station.
When asked the question, what would be your dream glitter project? He will tell you: “I would love to glitter a space rocket” this proves there really is no limit to the “GlitterKing’s”artsy imagination.
Let’s get into more detail by asking Michael some questions about his work!
MICHAEL THE GLITTERKING
THE WORLD OF AN INTERNATIONAL ARTIST
SNM: How would you describe your art in 10 words?
MGK: I create artwork for people who like to rock!
SNM: When you think of the designer profession, you generally see a sexy elegant guy, not a crazy rock n’ roller. What’s the story behind you and you picking up this career?
MGK: Once a Rocker – always a Rocker. I don’t have anything to do with fashion designers and those “know-it-all” people. I’ve got nothing in common with their lifestyle, I don’t agree with it and I don’t like it. It’s just full of plastics and wannabees. If you take take a look behind the scenes, you see their true colours. And yes...some of them are gay but I´m definitely a ladies man, hehe. I live my life cruising around the world and I love it.
SNM: Using glitter was big back in 70’s. Don’t you think using this nowadays in such big amount is a bit old-fashioned and passe?
MGK: I don’t just use glitter, I use all sorts of materials from metal shavings, glass, chrome components and so many other cool materials from the metal Industry …. I mix of all of the components - including metal accessories, special made chrome buttons etc.
So it’s a different design cocktail than what was was around in the 70`s 80`s. I also use a range of products such as glue and high gloss paints made by a variety of industries such as the motor industry or even the aerospace market e.g.
SNM: What can you do with your glitter paints?
MGK: I learned as a color designer, where I have a certificate in. I started with varnishing & polishing guitars, microphones, drum sticks, keyboards, concert pianos, cars, awards ..but then expanded to designing things like Show Clothes and unique merchandise pieces. This was all done in an artistic way, using my own self-produced 2-components glitter-reflection-paints. They can be used on almost any object or surface and are super strong and long lasting.
As an option I can also produce removable glitter-coatings for things such as cars maybe for a promotion campaign or on decoration objects for an event. These are not for sale, but just for me to do my art.
I’ve shown pieces of my work at the NammShow and Frankfurt Musicfair , that was in the beginning, since then, it has been a crazy ride all over the world!
SNM: What happened when you decided to get into the Rock N’ Roll business?
MGK:I was a singer & composer of a Rockband back in the 90`s, so I know how the business works. If you’re not in it, you’re out.I was playing Rock Music from the age of 13 as a Drummer and composer...later on as a singer.
From my early years, I grew up with Rockbands and on the professional side of show business. Of course, I also met multi platinum acts from other fields of music such as POP and partied with all of them....In London-NYC-L.A. and of course in Germany.
SNM: I saw a very lavish Rock n Roll Jacket that you’ve created. It’s on the official Motörhead page and got over 12.000 likes and shared over 850 times in the first 3 days. Is this also a unique artwork made for a special reason?
MGK: Ahhh....I worked over 50 hours on that Jacket. Yes, I did that one for the promotion of the new Motörhead Game. The Game is published by Rock Science and supported by the Guitarist Phil Campbell. I also transformed a Motörhead HeadPhone into a piece of Art and also 3 Motörheadphone bling shirts which are signed and used for the promotion. ( and for my private Rock Art collection!).
SNM: London Rock City is written on your heavy made art leather jacket and London calling on your lavish art pants. Why London?
MGK: London is home to the international music business. There are lots of new styles created there and it`s also a melting pot for creativity in this field. From time to time I go there, just to go out with people from the music scene and do art projects.
I plan to bring some of my small art shows to some of the music clubs, which is going to be wild, but I’ll have to keep you posted on that.
SNM: Do you make clothes/equipments by request or you rather sell the stuff that is ready-made and why?
MGK: I`m an artist so I only work on request and every piece is made by my own hands. At first, I just made it for myself...but people liked it and they started to order similar clothes e.g. But as you know, I paint everything from music instruments, cars, yacht interiors, furnitures, and many more objects. I can build a full blown Rock n Roll Castle. I often have customers give me their jackets, pants, musical instruments etc.....and I do my thing.
SNM: Another cool thing I saw of yours is a Bomber Headphone by Motörhead phone covered with stars & glitter, signed by the Band. How is it possible to order this special GlitterKing edition.
MGK: Easy. All you have to do is send a request to glitterking.com or to Motörheadphone.com. I have a signed one, but it’s not for sale. It´s for my Rock n Roll Art Exhibitions.
SNM: How do you get customers for those kind of art jobs?
MGK: Customers call me because they’ve seen me in magazine articles, TV reports, or they heard me in Radio Interviews. But facebook is my best plattform – secondary is Linkedin & Twitter.
SNM: What is the weirdest order you’ve received?
MGK: It was from Tokyo. A customer wanted me to bling two 1.50meter high Penise-sculptures which were on both sides of the entrance to his house. So I did.
SNM: Which of your items are you most proud of?
MGK: My signed Items for my own Rock n Roll-Art collection, which I want to exhibit in London in 2 years time. ( Signed drumsticks, leatherbelts, Shirts Jackets,microphones and many more. Also a kind of guestbook where stars wrote me nice sentences from stars such as Scorpions, Motörhead, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi and many more.
SNM: Have you ever exhibited your art in galleries? I saw photos that you did exhibitions at events, such as in the VIP Area of Charlie Watts Solo concert ( Rolling Stones ) for example.
MGK: I exhibited my Rock nRoll Arts at Industry events for companies such as Mercedes Benz and various others. But also I did an exhibition in the VIP Area for Charlie Watts, when he played with his own Band ( Rolling Stones ).
Galleries? No, I don't like them. I’ve got nothing to do with the Art or Design Scene....as I said....I live my own life and that`s more to find the Rock n Roll Circu
SNM: Who are your usual customers?
MGK: Most of my customers come from the Entertainment Industry like Rockstars, Popstars, Producer, Actors and Film Makers. They buy clothes, my interior art designs or I do design coatings on their music instruments and even cars.
SNM: Are your items something that average person can afford for or are they available only for rock stars and celebrities?
MGK: You don’t have to be a millionaire......but, everything is customized, so I personally work around 40 – 80 hours on a leather jacket which can cost up to 6000 Euros and more. But some people just want to have a small star or just their name on their Jacket, so that costs more around 100 - 300 Euros.
SNM: Except for being designer, you create and perform music. Did you become a designer because you couldn’t make it as a musician ?
MGK: No.....I started painting/designing at the same time as I started music. For me, the both belong together. From the beginning. My Slogan is: No music – no Art! To work, I need to listen to the music and when I go onstage to perform a Song I need to have my Rock-Art-clothes on me. It is like a movie where I live! “Music & Art – That`s what I´m living for”
SNM: Who are you as a musician, what do you play and who do you play with?
MGK: I wrote 20 new Songs in the last 5 years....I will record them when I have a little more time. Being the Artworker “Glitterking” is a 24 hours a day 7 days a week job, I didn’t know before I started. I started bringing out my own Song every 1.5 years up to 2 years. My compositions are based on guitars and vocals at a same time, but you’ll see me just singing public without a guitar in my hand. In the Studio I also play the drums. Some of the places I have been onstage are Special Events such as the International Cannes Filmfestival for example, at the Cote D`Azur, that was great to perform there. Loads of Stars attended and I was singing & dancing in my GlitterKing-Coat.
SNM: Is performing a part of commercial drive for your art?
MGK: No....it`s my way of life. It is definitely “ME” as an “Multi Artist”. As I mentioned I live my life like i’m in a movie. It’s my “own” Film. It all belongs together, one cannot exist without the other... my art, my Music, my photoshoots, my travellings....everything comes automatically from my “feelings”
SNM: Which was your coolest performance to date?
MGK: It was at the Frankfurt MusicFair. I did an Art & Music Live Show, where I transformed a Kork M3 Keyboard into a work of art in 30 Minutes while at the sam time, a Rockband (with former members of Whitesnake and Foreigner”) were playing their Rock n Roll songs on the same stage.
SNM: It seems you’re connected with The Scorpions. You worked privately doing interior Art Design for Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs and also stage wear and special collector bling drumsticks for the drummer James Kottak. What do you do for them and how long you’ve been working together?
MGK: I’ve known them since 80`s....I was very young and grew up in their hometown in Hannover. My mother is from there and my father is from Berlin; so later on I went to Berlin. In the 90`s I started working privately in Rudolf Schenkers house, for example doing art on some of his furniture. There was always something to do at his place. I also did commercial Arts for Mj Guitars of Matthias Jabs, such as the outside logo. For James Kottak, I designed the collector bling drumsticks & his bling shirt which he wears in every drumsolo since the last 3 years. But also accessories such as a bling CD’s, bling drumskin’s and all sorts. I remember a very big Radio special called “4 hours of Scorpions”. I was the interviewer for that show. Michael The GlitterKing interviewed the Scorpions....I loved that.
SNM: You also made a pair of bling art drumsticks and a bling shirt for Herman Rarebell, who is the Ex Scorpions longtime Drummer - whilst he was drumming for the last Japan Tour of Michael Schenker?
MGK: That`s right.... I designed a pair of art drumsticks called “Tokyo Stixx” for Herman Rarebell for the Japan tour with the Michael Schenker Group, which we gave away in a raffle. Herman also wore a bling shirt that I made for him whilst playing the drums. He wears this for his own projects like Acoustic Fever” together with Bobby Kimball of Toto.
SNM: How did you meet Rick Derringer, Ringo Starr & the Band?
MGK: Ringo Starr...The Beatles...yeahhh.....I got a message from the wife of Rick Derringer, who was also the guitarist for the last Ringo Starr world tour. Jenda is a fan of mine so she arranged the meeting between me and the band. The meeting was till late into the night and we sat for around 5 hours in the bar. We talked in detail about my art and I got the job to create a lavish stage bling leatherjacket for the lead guitarist and I also sold different drumsticks, artshirts etc. that evening. Ringo got a golden high gloss bling drumstick.
SNM: You also played in a movie called Rock N’ Roll Over together with some Rockstars. How did that happen?
MGK: James Kottak and I spent a week in Cannes for the International Film Fest and the producers of Rock n Roll Over were there. J.K. already finished his scenes for the movie so asked them if they need an Artist in it. The offered me to play myself as a Rock n Roll Artist...Phil Campbell of Motörhead, Calico Cooper and others are also in the film. The producers are still looking for a worldwide film distributor...
SNM: How did you like being an actor? Would you do it again?
MGK: I´m not born to be an actor...I always play in guest roles as that’s what I am – Michael The Artist “GlitterKing”. But I`m very good in this role because it is authentic and it is 100% myself.
SNM: You`re working on a film documentation called “The world of an international artist” soon. What’s it about?
MGK: In this film documentary, you can see me working and living in Berlin, ext. London. We recorded a lot and will go on filming more cool scenes in Paris, Moscow or NYC within the next year. There are 3 parts, also one part is at our house next to Monaco at the Cote D´Azur, where I live as a secondary address.
SNM: I saw that the Trans Siberian Orchestra allowed you to create an artwork, fully signed by them. I also saw you and Chris Caffery in a PR photo on facebook. So, whats the story?
MGK: Well, TSO ( Trans Siberian Orchestra ) spent 10 Million dollars in the last few years for good causes in the USA and so I asked them if I could create an artwork to help a charity in Germany. I was invited to meet the whole Orchestra in Berlin and Hannover and they all signed my Artwork.
SNM: You fully blinged a Ford Mustang in Berlin?
MGK: Sure, I call those cars Blingcars or GlitterCars and the paints are removable from the surface of the car without leaving a trace. They are a cool advertising eyecatcher for promo campaigns in the entertainment industry. The Mustang was made for a promotional campaign over in Berlin, for a TV Report on the movie Rock n Roll over and of course used also for my photoshoots
SNM: You created a diamond drumstick?
MGK: One of my highlights was when I produced a drumstick with a glass tip, where there was a fake diamond in it. We used that stick for a promo campaign in the USA „ Win the diamond drumstick.
SNM: Two times a week your fans can catch you on skype....you call it „Skype with Michael The GlitterKing“? How does it work?
MGK: Ohhhh yes...I run also run a facebook page which called
„Skype with Michael The GlitterKing“.
You just need to send me request for an appointment and we can meet on video skype later on.
That means me, my fans and potential customers can talk about art & design in the music business...and the video discussion is directly from of my showroom.
SNM: Michael, you blinged a Pizza and a Cake and they were edible?
MGK: Yes....I blinged a cake, live in a bakery for a european TV show. I used special german products… They are on the food list of the European Union, which means, these glitter products are food grade and therefore can be used in this process. Let me say in 4 words: You can eat them. Same as what I did with an oversized Pizza which I created live in the main streets of Berlin as Art event in front of a Pizza Restaurant.
That was soooo cooool...
SNM: You worked your art in Dubai at two of the most expensive hotels in the world. How did that come about?
MGK: Yeah...Emirates Palace....I got a phone call and they asked me to work some of my artistic design events in Dubai, so I was creating eye catchers for several events there.
I´m sure you know the pics of the white snow bar, I created with white glitter and white crystals.
I remember the beginning, when the son of a sheik from Dubai phoned me. I thought it was a joke. I told him don’t waste my time. A week later the Embassy of the Arab Emirates invited me there and he was really there....hahaha. But he understood why I hadn’t trusted him in the beginning. So anyway, I started working in Duabi & Abu Dhabi. That was back in 2006.
SNM: Do you have a dream project that you would like to glitter?
MGK: A Space Rocket!!!
SNM: If someone wants to book you either for an event or a private glitter session….how do they get hold of you?
MGK: Send request to my facebook account or to my website – simple!
SNM: In March 2016 you created an ArtDesign guitar for Matthias Jabs of the Scorpions?
MGK: This ArtGuitar is more an advertising sign, built for the music store of the Scorpions guitarist Matthias Jabs. It says "open 24 hours on mjguitars.de"...it is placed in the shop windows of his music store mjguitars.de. So when the store is closed, you look at the guitar and you realize that it is open 24 hours in internet....and believe me...you will find the guitar...a blingee shiny eyecatcher!
SNM: Scorpions guitarist, Matthias Jabs, designs every year a shirt for his guitar store "MJ Guitars.de" but those shirts are also available in a fully blinged version, also as paintings under Glas as glitter- pictures. Is it you behind?
MGK: Yes...you can order the glam version of those shirts direct at his guitar store MJ Guitars...or you email me. With the beginning of december 2016, those designs are also available as pictures in a glas frame as wall decor... that looks very cool
SNM: Herman Rarebell formed a new Band called Rock Wolves and they released their debut video-song called Rock For The Nation in September 2016. Next to your golden high gloss design bling drumsticks, you were seen in this video and you shot a lot of photos during the video recordings and the video release show in Germany. You have also talents in shooting photos?
MGK: I love taking photos and from time to time musicians asked me if I can could come over to their concert, video shoots or promo affairs to photograph them. Also I did that for Herman Rarebell and his new Band Rock Wolves.
SNM: You created a chrome microphone, also stage clothes etc. for a big german act called Nena, who is known also internationally?
MGK: Yes....Nena! She had a lot of Hits, sold over 40 million recods and is still big in Europe, specially in Germany, Switzerland & Austria. One year ago, before she starts the tour I did some pair of bling shoes, stage-jackets, & shirts for her... and redesigned her microphone from black into silver metal with chrome buttons. We sat in her house and worked on all those beautiful things together.
SNM: You lent Kim Wilde 2 of your own redesigned microphones?
MGK: Kim Wilde used two of my own design microphones in two of her video clips of the album "Snapshots". That means, from time to time I lend known musicians some of my artworks if they need those things maybe for a video production.
SNM: In Dez. 2016 you met Mikkey Dee and he asked you to create his new stage shirt for the Scorpions shows.
MGK: Yes, Mikkey loves the hand painted bling designs on shirts. I finished 4 pieces in May 2017...for the Tour 2017
SNM: Awesome Michael! You are a very talented and gifted man!
You can find Michael’s work at:
http://www.glitterking.com/
Or on his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelTheGlitterking/
