Visiting Meilen ZH: Matter sets the tone

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Thomas Matter leans toward his dog Whiskey, says, “Now let’s sing one together,” and begins to cry. The Appenzell Mountain Dog looks at him for a moment – ​​and joins in. “That’s their ritual,” says Marion Matter (48) laughing. “Every time he comes home.”

Thomas Matter (57) has a musical streak. He used to play the piano, but the SVP Councilor and entrepreneur doesn’t have time for that these days. Instead he goes as DJ Tommy. He recently produced the election campaign song “Das isch d’SVP” for his party. A pop song with accompanying video clip.

While he stands behind the mixing desk as a DJ, federal councilor Albert Rösti, party chairman Marco Chiesa and national councilor Magdalena Martullo-Blocher, among others, dance in a dark bar to lines such as ‘Once upon a time, once upon a time. No step to the left and two steps to the right.

The video was blocked just one day after publication. The music company Sony intervened. The chorus is copied from “We Are Family” by the band Sister Sledge. “That’s a maximum of three or four identical notes,” says Matter. “There are thousands of other songs that are similar. I think that only happened because the music industry is so left-wing.” The woman agrees: “I also think it was politically motivated.”

Welcome to the SVP

The Matters are sitting on the couch at home in Meilen. He lit a cigarette in the room. The couple built the house on the mountain 13 years ago. Even on the Gold Coast, the Mediterranean-style villa with tower stands out; the ‘Balance Sheet’ estimates the trained banker’s fortune at 150 to 200 million francs. He founded two banks and owns the Matter Group. Thomas and Marion Matter live here with their 15-year-old daughter.

He has three adult daughters from his first marriage. Marion Matter was elected as a member of the canton council for the SVP in February. “It was a big surprise for me,” she says. “I knew it would work,” he says. “I haven’t had a hot meal since,” he adds jokingly. SVP humor.

DJ Tommy released a campaign song in 2015. “Welcome to SVP”, a cover version of DJ Antoine’s “Welcome to St. Tropez”. At the time with the permission of the musician, who, like Matter, comes from Sissach BL. The song has more than a million views. After the 2015 elections, political scientist Claude Longchamp said the party had appealed to new voters.

That’s exactly where Matter wanted to start. “Politics does not always have to be serious and firm. We can laugh at ourselves and we can have fun. I didn’t expect such a media outrage.”

“We are family”

An article about Matter in the online magazine ‘Republik’ from April states that ‘We Are Family’ was the ringtone of his mobile phone at the time. “Yes, that’s right. But I keep changing my ringtone. Maybe that’s why I had the melody in my ears. But I wasn’t aware of that.” And then the composer of ‘We Are Family’, Nile Rodgers, also spoke. His song is about inclusivity and diversity at all levels. He condemns the use of his song by the SVP and all those who do not adhere to these values.

“At least the media forgot that they wanted to keep quiet about our song,” Matter says, laughing. “More than 6,500 articles were published about it in the first two weeks.” He puts out his cigarette. “I almost hate to say it out loud, but we achieved our goal – even if unintentionally.”

He sets the tone

It is not the first time that Thomas Matter has attracted attention with provocations. In his weekly YouTube series ‘In the swamps of Bern’, the politician regularly makes things happen – against climate activists, against the media, against colleagues. For example, he described a left-wing politician as a ‘Michelin’ man. “From my point of view, it is clear that we must do everything we can to ensure that the SVP gains ground and that we can break the centre-left parliament in Bern,” he says. “All substances are allowed, as long as they are legal.”

Matter is not solely responsible for the sound of the SVP. As a member of the party leadership, he fights with his SRG initiative to ensure that radio and television rates are reduced from 335 to 200 francs, and as co-initiator of the sustainability initiative, he fights to ensure that Switzerland does not grow beyond ten million inhabitants.

The current SVP song with lines like “Hocker, steeper and no longer me! Hey, that’s the SVP!” is now back online – with a modified melody in the chorus. From September, DJ Tommy will play together with fellow DJ Alfred Heer in various bars in Zurich – the joy of music has not disappeared.

Source:Blick