| Instrument: | Vocals |
| Date of Birth: | Apr 06, 1952 |
| Place of Birth: | Wuppertal, Germany |
| more Information: | My first glance at the world was on April the 6.th of 1952, exactly at 1.pm, in the beautiful town called Wuppertal. As the years were passing by, at the age of 12, I received as a gift from my parents the Beatles record "I'm Down", From then on I was obsessed with music. Then the Rolling Stones came into my life, and from that momment on the Beatles were only wimps. I got my first portable Recordplayer for Christmas. All my teachers hated me, because I took it always with me to school, my schoolmate was the world famous producer Michael Wagener and together with him I started my music carrier. At this time I was not interested in using my voice I was more into keyboards, and so my parents made me a gift at the age of 14. Of course a keyboard! At the same time Michael got his first electric guitar and the radio of his parents becames the amplifier. Of course they didn't liked it! From this time on the route was marked. Michael was working hard on the guitar and I was trying to play the keyboards propper. More and more I got into singing, and the result was, that I liked it more then playing . I created the first Band BAND X, when I was sixteen. We played 3 years in Clubs and in the year 1971 Michael and I changed the name of this Band. From this time on we were ACCEPT. At the same time Michael faced himself with the fact that he was not a good guitarplayer, and he changed to studio work. It needed 4 years to find the right Line up which gets the break through under the name ACCEPT. On a competition in Düsseldorf we reached the third place, and we got our first record deal. 1978 was the year of our first Album called "Accept", and at this time our music was a revolution. In the end of 1979 the second album was out under the title "I`m A Rebel", it was a work of research for a style. In 1980 with the release of "Breaker" the music scene was shocked by the sound of this album, surprised with this kind of agressive music from Germany, and this was also a breakthrough for the band all over Europe, and also it was the first time that we did a big headline tour in Germany and the european tour with JUDAS PRIEST, and so we decided this would be our profession. With the next album "Restless And Wild" for the first time America was interested in us, but in our opinion it was to early. During this time together with Michael Wagner I made a production company, called "DOUBLE TROUBLE" and produced bands like RAVEN, FAITHFULL BREATH, STREET FIGHTER etc. At this time there were rumors that I would quit ACCEPT, but it was not true. Then in 1983 with the release of "Balls To The Wall" we had world wide success and than the time for America was right. ............ the rest of my carrier, fans know it ! Udo.... |
| Instrument: | Guitar |
| Date of Birth: | Dec 31, 1983 |
| more Information: | Andrey Smirnov is a well known rock musician from Russia, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter and founder of the Russian modern metal band EVERLOST. He is also the session guitarist of PAUL DI’ANNO, BLAZE BAYLEY (ex-IRON MAIDEN) and Tim “Ripper” Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST). Born 31 December,1983. At the age of 12 he took an interest in rock music. Having played in many school bands, at the age of 15 Andrey formed his own one called DETONATOR, now known as EVERLOST. As a part of this band he has already recorded 5 albums: Bitterness of the Triumph (2004), Noise Factory (2006), Eclectica (2009), Put Nepokornyh (The Way of Defiant, 2011), V (2015). From February, 2004 to May, 2007, Andrey had played in the Moscow located power-metal band Shadow Host, recorded an album called “Curse of the Angeleye” (released in 2005) and also performed a lot of concerts, including gigs where Shadow Host was a supporting act for Gamma Ray, Nightwish, Grave Digger, Edguy, Stratovarius and other famous bands. Since middle of 2008 Andrey Smirnov is guitarist of the legendary metal-band MASTER (8 albums of this act had reached gold status in Russia alone), and he also cooperates with the famous Russian rock-poetess Margarita Pushkina (“Dynasty of Initiates”, “Gloominess Neutralizer” projects). Andrey took part in the recording of the latest album of MASTER, which is called “VIII”. As a guest musician Andrey took part in studio recordings and gigs of russian bands such as EPIDEMIA, OLVY, TANTAL etc. In early 2010 he accepts an offer to be a member of the accompany stuff of famous singer Paul Di’Anno (ex-IRON MAIDEN). The result of this collaboration was a tour through Russia and Ukraine, devoted to the thirtieth anniversary of IRON MAIDEN’s same-titeled album. A few years later Andrey started to work with another ex-IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley. The next tour, already with both of them, took place in the end of February and in early November 2012 (which included Ukraine, Slovakia and the Czech Republic). The last ride across Russia with Paul and Blaze took place in May 2014. From the middle of 2010 Andrey became the member of legendary rock-band ZEMLYANE. More than 30 years this band has being held in respect by milliones people of the former USSR. In 2012 Andrey finished the recordings of his solo album “Adrenaline”. Some famous Russian musicians from the bands ARIA, MASTER, GALAXY participated and assisted this record. The album got great feedback and fortify Andrey’s position in the music industry. In early 2013 Andrey was announced as a new guitarist of legendary German metal band U.D.O.! This fact became a real sensation in the world of Russian musical business. It was the first time in the history of Russian heavy metal music when a Russian guitarist becomes a part of world famous music brand. In March of 2013 Andrey presented two new releases. One of them is the U.D.O. album “Steelhammer” which became the debut work of the famous Russian musician as part of his new band. The album received a lot of positive reviews from all over the world. The second CD was a new Andrey’s solo album «Тонкая грань» (“The Thin Line”) which includes songs with guest singers and instrumental compositions. Since 2013 did Andrey, as a part of U.D.O., a few world tours including huge European rock festivals such as Wacken, Graspop, Sweden Rock, Masters of Rock, etc.. In April 2014 Andrey took part together with Udo Dirkschneider, Max Cavalera, Zakk Wylde, Joey Belladonna in the “Metal All Stars” project. In the beginning of 2015 the second studio album “Decadent” with U.D.O. was released and this was Andrey’s debut as a composer for U.D.O.. The list of U.D.O. live releases with Andrey’s playing was complemented by two DVD’s (“Live from Moscow” and “Navy Metal Night”). Last of them “Navy Metal Night” was done with the German military orchestra and became one of the most special moments in the history of the band. Andrey Smirnov plays: ESP guitars, ERG guitars, ARB pickups, LANEY amplifiers, AMT Electronics amplifiers and pedals. |
| Instrument: | Drum |
| Date of Birth: | Dec 08, 1993 |
| Place of Birth: | Köln, Germany |
| more Information: | Sven Dirkschneider is the youngest member of U.D.O. and son of mastermind Udo Dirkschneider. From the beginning on Sven is in touch with his father ´s job and runs around backstage at his shows. His father ´s world consisting of tour busses, lots of event techniques and travelling has been normal to him since he can think. And he feels at a very early stage that this could be his world as well. Since he is 5 years old Sven has been playing drums already. After his school graduation he starts studying for media designer and event technician. Whenever he can and is on vacation he travels with his father and starts helping out as a drum tec at U.D.O. shows. As soon as he finishes his study Sven becomes a full time drum tec for U.D.O.. With DAMAGED he also has his own band that he plays drums with since he is 16. In 2012 he even supports U.D.O. with them. Also for British legends SAXON Sven starts working as a drum tec and replaces Nigel Glockler beginning of 2015 as a show drummer as Nigel hast o recover from a surgery. Now Sven is a fix member in U.D.O. |
| Instrument: | Guitar |
| Date of Birth: | Mar, 1992 |
| Place of Birth: | Krefeld, Germany |
| more Information: | Fabian Dee Dammers, born in ‘92, is a professional guitarist, based in Germany. He started playing guitar at the age of 13 due to the influence of bands such as Kiss, Motley Crue and Mr. Big. He performed on stages all around the globe with bands and artists from different genres, such as pop singer and tv/cinema star Nini Tsiklauri, dark-rock band “Hell Boulevard” or YouTube star “Cookiebreed“. Dee played the guitar for UK classic rock band “The Treatment” in 2014/2015 and toured with bands such as Aerosmith, Scorpions or Alter Bridge and performed at major festivals, such as Soundwave (AU), Rock am Ring (GER) or Download (UK). In 2015, Dee founded his own pop/metal project, called “Dirty D’Sire”, who reached the Spotify viral charts and hit more than one million listeners in the first year. While touring with Dirty D’Sire, Dee prepared for the audition with U.D.O., a chapter in his career yet to be told. Dee is also workin‘ on an instrumental guitar record at the moment. Fabian Dee Dammers plays: Ibanez guitars, ENGL amps, DiMarzio pickups, S.I.T. strings, Richter straps, InTune picks and likes to wear Pottrocka. |
| Instrument: | Bass |
| Date of Birth: | Jan 07 |
| Place of Birth: | Slovenia |
| more Information: | Tilen Hudrap is a bassist, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, backing vocalist, originating from a small southern Central European country Slovenia with a population of less than 2 million. Born at the end of the 80's, when Slovenia was still an important part of a federation that actually doesn't exist anymore (SFR Yugoslavia), Tilen took an interest in music at a very young age, more than 25 years ago. Playing different instruments throughout his childhood years and participating in all kinds of musical oufits like classical orchestras et cetera already by the age of ten, he took an interest in rock music at an early age as well, through his dad's vinyl albums by Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy. He bought his first bass at the age of 12 and entirely self-taught himself to play during long, sleepless nights, alongside his favorite (especially "live") albums and formed his first band shortly thereafter, only a few months after he started playing. An afficionado of all musical genres (and all metal subgenres), Tilen developed a vast knowledge of different kinds of music at an early age. He played his first international festival show at a young age of 15!, where he already shared the stage with groundbreaking acts like Destruction, Dissection etc. Fast forward many years, after hundreds and hundreds of shows played in 37 countries all over the world, countless world tours and many prestigious festivals (f.e. 70 000 Tons of Metal, Sweden Rock, BYH, Hellfest, Alcatraz and many, many more) Tilen reigns as the only full time professional international metal musician from the ex-Yugoslavia area. Having joined the US heavy metal legends VICIOUS RUMORS as the first ever European musician in the history of the band (as a permanent member) set a new standard and later, after recording a studio album, a live album and a DVD with the legends from the bay area and having worked with world-famous producers like Juan Urteaga (Machine Head, Exodus, Testament, Heathen...) he played with pioneering thrash metal titans TESTAMENT, where he started his collaboration with the founder & main-songwriter of the band, Eric Peterson. Tilen appeared on Eric's solo project with the Canadian artist Leah (with artwork by Jan "Örkki" Yrlund (Manowar) and appeared as a guest on the newest release of Eric Peterson's side project, Dragonlord. He joined German thrash metal legends PARADOX and recorded the album "Pangea", for which Paradox worked with the renowned artist Claudio Bergamin (Judas Priest, Halford...). Death metal legends PESTILENCE utilized Tilen's playing a few years later, he joined the band as a permanent member and recorded the highly-acclaimed album "Hadeon", mastered by Dan Swäno (Opeth, Bloodbath, Ghost...) and appeared on the accompanying world tour that followed the release of the album and brought the band to tens of countries all over the world. Being recognized as one of the main go-to metal bass players in the world, Tilen received a call from the U.D.O / Dirkschneider camp in 2018 and joins the band for the "Steelfactory World Tour" which starts in Russia in October with all other countries and continents to follow in 2019! Tilen Hudrap uses and plays: Spector bass guitars, EMG pickups, Darkglass Electronics overdrives, Straptight Straplocks, Dunlop strings, Ampeg amplification. |
