'I apologise to people of Durness' says porn star
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Philipp Tanzer (aka Logan McCree).
THE German former pornographic film star who, as revealed in last week’s NT, is planning moving to north Sutherland to open a hairdressing salon and massage parlour, says that he wishes to apologise to the people of Durness.
An article in a Sunday newspaper headlined “German porn star plans to buy hideaway – but faces stiff opposition” quoted various people in Durness, including local Highland councillor George Farlow, as saying the move was inappropriate.
But it was later revealed they had been asked if they approved of gay porn being filmed in the village.
Now, in an exclusive interview with the NT, Philipp Tanzer (whose film name is Logan McCree) says he is sorry that so much bad publicity has been focussed on Durness and he outlines his plans for moving to the village.
And while telling us about his background, he also reveals that, at the age of 16, his mother was shot dead by her second husband while Philipp was on the phone to her.
Mr Tanzer (33) is hoping to build a house/salon in Balnakeil Craft Village, subject to planning permission.
He tell us that he was born in the south of Germany to a wealthy family – his father was a dentist.
“When I was 10, my mother left the family and decided to live with a man named Dirk, a spy and weapon dealer from South Africa. The next couple of years she lived in Switzerland and South Africa, until she was shot by her second husband, when I was 16.
“She had planned to come back to Germany and Dirk, who had lost everything in his life, saw no other way to set an end to his life and the life of my mother. Unfortunately my brother and I were on the phone with her when she was killed.”
He says at about the same time he started training as a hairdresser and was “dreaming of becoming a make-up artist.”
He then undertook National Service, although he was a pacifist. “The reason I chose the army (rather than civilian service) was because “at that age I had already very strong moral standards. I didn’t really drink, I didn’t smoke, I had a strong belief (Christian), I was vegetarian, and did yoga.
“However, I also looked pretty weird. I guess you could say I looked like a mix between Marilyn Manson and Prince. So the second reason for me to go to the military was actually to see if I would survive without them managing to ‘break’ me.
“To my big surprise it was one of the best experiences of my life. I was respected for being a good soldier, for working hard, even for speaking my mind and after two months I became a trainer and teacher for the new soldiers. In the evenings I worked as a hairdresser in the barracks.”
Later, after his national service, he continued working as a hairdresser and a bar tender and later a DJ.
Philipp did not talk about his pornographic films to us but on his website he publicises his gay movies.
He decided to move to Scotland after his first visit seven years ago.
“It was exactly how I expected it to be. It was almost as if I had come home. Ever since then I knew that I would move there one day. I came back six times.
“In Durness I had finally found the right place for me to move to. In March this year, I returned with the plan to find a small cottage I could buy and renovate, but instead I found the plot of land in Balnakeil.
“Right now my neighbour (an architect) and I are working on my ideas how the house should look like. I am not sure if I am going to start building (if I get the permission) this year or next year. Right now I am earning good money in Dresden as a massage therapist.
“I’m planning on opening a hairdresser and massage studio in my house. I have decided to offer only the classical Swedish massage.
“The hairdresser salon is going to be a friendly, light room ... not too big. People can make an appointment with me and I am not working 9 to 5. People can get a haircut or massage in the early morning or evening. That’s quite important for people that work all day and would not find the time to get a haircut.
“I also have a car and if some clients cannot come to my place, I would drive to their places.
“I want to move to Durness, because I want to stay there and hopefully raise a family in the not too far future. It’s a good place to raise a child, I think. I am glad that I grew up in a village surrounded by nature and woods and I wouldn’t want to raise a child in a city.”
