PumpKings
Masterplan is a German power metal band founded by guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch upon leaving Helloween in 2001. History During Helloween's tour of their album ''The Dark Ride'' in 2001, members Roland Grapow and Uli Kusch (who had been in the band since 1989 and 1994, respectively) decided to form a side project. As the other Helloween members felt the two were more focused on their side project than Helloween at the time, both were later fired from the band. The name "Masterplan" was born out of the idea that they would be master musicians with the future in their hands, starting the newest power metal band of the new millennium. To fill out their line-up, Roland subsequently invited Children of Bodom keyboardist Janne Wirman. For vocals, Russell Allen was invited but he had to decline, being busy with his main band Symphony X. A second invitation was made for former Helloween singer Michael Kiske, who also rejected the proposal, claiming that he wanted to kee ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Roland Grapow
Roland Grapow (born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg) is a German guitarist and music producer. He is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, with which he played for twelve years, after replacing founding member Kai Hansen. He subsequently created the power metal band Masterplan in 2001, which is still active today. Life and career Early years Grapow started playing guitar at age 12. His father bought him a guitar and had him take lessons, but Grapow couldn't stand the theory part and his teacher told his father that the boy didn't have any talent for guitar playing. Helloween Prior to joining Helloween, Grapow was a member of the heavy metal band Rampage. He joined the band in roughly 1979, and played on two of their studio albums: ''Victim of Rock'' in 1980 and ''Love Lights Up the Night'' in 1982. He left Rampage around 1983. He was then fairly inactive musically, and made a living as a car mechanic until Michael Weikath called him to offer him a position in He ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jari Kainulainen
Jari "Jartsi" Kainulainen (born 29 April 1970) is a Finnish bass guitarist. He is best known as the former bassist of the power metal band Stratovarius from 1993 to 2005. He is currently the bassist of Masterplan, having joined 2012. After his period in Stratovarius he founded his own band called Mess. Between 2002 and 2006, Kainulainen played bass with Kotipelto, a Finnish power metal band formed by Timo Kotipelto, singer of Stratovarius. In 2007, he joined the Swedish progressive power metal band Evergrey. In 2010, Jari Kainulainen created the power metal supergroup Symfonia along with Andre Matos, Timo Tolkki, Mikko Härkin and Uli Kusch. He joined Masterplan in 2012. In 2013, he created the melodic power metal band Shadowquest. Kainulainen plays Ibanez six-string basses and uses Ampeg amplifiers. He is influenced by Geezer Butler, Billy Sheehan, Cliff Burton, and Steve Harris. Discography Masterplan *'' Novum Initium'' (2013) *''Keep Your Dream Alive'' (2015) * ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a Heavy metal music, heavy metal music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all styles and subgenres of hard rock and heavy metal music, metal are represented and hosted. It is now one of the largest heavy metal festivals in the world and one of the largest open-air festivals in Germany. Between 2011 and 2018, the number of attendees was around 85,000, 75,000 of whom were paying visitors. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no 2020 and 2021 editions of Wacken Open Air. History Background The idea for Wacken Open Air was conceived in 1989 when Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner visited a restaurant together. Both lived in Wacken and were friends, Jensen played the electric bass with Rock music, rock cover band Skyline. From its beginnings until 1992, the band was composed of Ines Jeske from Vaale (vocals), Tho ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Michael Kiske
Michael Kiske (born 24 January 1968) is a German singer who is the co-lead vocalist for the power metal band Helloween. Kiske has also released four solo albums, two albums with the hard rock band Unisonic (band), Unisonic, has participated on various metal and rock related projects such as Avantasia, Place Vendome (band), Place Vendome and Kiske/Somerville, and has performed with numerous bands as a guest vocalist. Biography Early life Prior to joining Helloween, Kiske sang with the German band Ill Prophecy at the age of 17. The band recorded a demo, but it was never released commercially. Personal life According to Kiske "Usually I do a lot of reading, I like to watch American Sitcoms, I like Comedy, I like Science Fiction movies. When it comes to books I'm reading a lot of serious stuff. Maybe this is the balancing. When you read serious stuff, you also need to have fun that brings you down." "I'm very sensitive and I take betrayal very, very heavy. I don't wanna sou ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Axel Rudi Pell
Axel Rudi Pell (born 27 June 1960) is a German hard rock guitarist. Career Pell commenced his musical career with Steeler (German band), Steeler (1984–88) before leaving in 1988 for a solo career. During this time, he has played with such drummers as Jörg Michael and Mike Terrana, and singers Charlie Huhn, Johnny Gioeli of Hardline (band), Hardline, Jeff Scott Soto, and Rob Rock. Gioeli remains the longest surviving vocalist of the band, having joined the group since 1998 on the album ''Oceans of Time'', Gioeli's first musical appearance since the 1992 Hardline album ''Double Eclipse''. Pell often says his music is about a Knight in shining armour going on various adventures. Each album continues one new quest after the other, and songs are told as separate stories. Pell's main influence in guitar work has been Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple. SPV Records released a live DVD on 25 February 2008, titled ''Live over Europe'', which includes the full performance from the Ro ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Metalium
Metalium is a power metal band from Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany, who released eight albums from 1999 to 2011 before disbanding. The band was reactivated in 2023 by founding members Henning Basse and Matthias Lange. Their style of music is that of the traditional power metal sound which was pioneered by bands such as Helloween and Blind Guardian. History The band was formed by bassist Lars Ratz (ex-Viva, Zed Yago, Velvet Viper), vocalist Henning Basse (ex- Burgeon Street, Brainstorm (German band), Brainstorm) and newcomer guitarist Matthias Lange. The German musicians got acquainted with drummer Mike Terrana and Savatage guitarist Chris Caffery through Ratz's own management company during a European tour of the two Americans. The five musicians worked together on a single concept album project with a science fiction/fantasy storyline and speed metal style, to be released before the new millennium. The story is about Michael, a heavy metal music, metal fan, who drinks a magi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rage (German Band)
Rage is a German Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in 1984 by Peter "Peavy" Wagner. They were part of the Music of Germany#Heavy metal, German heavy/speed/power metal scene that emerged in the early to mid-1980s and are considered part of the scene's "big four" alongside Grave Digger (band), Grave Digger, Helloween, and Running Wild (band), Running Wild. Rage was formed in 1984 under the name Avenger. After releasing their debut album ''Prayers of Steel'' and the ''Depraved to Black'' EP in 1985, the band changed their name to Rage due to the existence of another band in England with the same name. Over the years, 17 musicians have been part of Rage, with the most successful lineup emerging during the period now known as the Refuge years, featuring Manni Schmidt and Chris Efthimiadis. The second notable lineup included Mike Terrana and Victor Smolski. Throughout their career, Rage has established themselves as a notably successful band and pioneers of the power metal s ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Artension
Artension is a North American neoclassical progressive metal band, founded in 1993 by keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij. The band split up after recording seven albums from 1996 to 2004, but reformed in 2016 with the intention of releasing an eighth album. History It was sometime in 1992 or 1993 when Vitalij Kuprij, who was studying classical music in Switzerland at that time, met Roger Staffelbach, a Swiss guitarist who was also studying at the Jazz School in Lucerne. They soon founded their band "Atlantis Rising", which played several instrumental gigs in Switzerland. After having recorded some demos, they got in touch with Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records, who showed great interest in the band but suggested to add some vocal lines to their songs. Vitalij had already known stunning drummer Mike Terrana from one of Yngwie Malmsteen's tours. His friend, bassist Kevin Chown, also joined the band and enriched their sound with solid experience and great musicianship, and Artension was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Riot (band)
Riot V, formerly known as Riot, is an American heavy metal band formed in New York City whose origins began in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale. Achieving peak success and popularity during the early 1980s, the band has continued a long-running successful career. Riot's sound initially started out as straightforward heavy metal, but since their 1988 release '' Thundersteel'', their musical style has shifted a little towards power metal. In 2013, surviving members of Riot re-formed the band to Riot V, after the death of founder, guitarist, primary songwriter and leader Mark Reale. The group uses a baby seal face as a logo on its album covers. History Early years (1975–1983) Riot was formed in 1975 in New York City, when Kon-Tiki guitarist Mark Reale and drummer Peter Bitelli recruited bassist Phil Feit and vocalist Guy Speranza. The line up recorded a four-track demo, which they hoped would be included in a proposed compilation of new rock bands. While waiting for the project t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aeronautics (album)
''Aeronautics'' is the second album by the German power metal band Masterplan. It's the first album to feature playing and songwriting by members Axel Mackenrott (keyboards) and Iron Savior bassist Jan S. Eckert, who both joined the band shortly after the recordings of the debut album. The song ''After This War'' is a re-written version of Iron Savior song ''After The War'', which is on the album '' Dark Assault'' and was written by Jan S. Eckert and Piet Sielck. Track listing All songs were written by Masterplan, except where noted. Line-up * Jørn Lande – vocals * Roland Grapow – guitar * Jan S. Eckert – bass * Axel Mackenrott – keyboards * Uli Kusch – drums Credits * Produced by Andy Sneap and Masterplan * Recorded by Andy Sneap and Roland Grapow Roland Grapow (born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg) is a German guitarist and music producer. He is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, with which he played for twelve years, after repla ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informally known as "commissioners") corresponding to two thirds of the number of Member state of the European Union, member states, unless the European Council, acting unanimously, decides to alter this number. The current number of commissioners is 27, including the president. It includes an administrative body of about 32,000 European civil servants. The commission is divided into departments known as Directorate-General, Directorates-General (DGs) that can be likened to departments or Ministry (government department), ministries each headed by a director-general who is responsible to a commissioner. Currently, there is one member per European Union member state, member state, but members are bound by their oath of office to represent the genera ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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European Border Breakers Award
The Music Moves Europe Award, also known as the MME Award, is an annual prize recognizing the success of ten emerging artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year. The prize was known as the European Border Breakers Award (EBBA) until 2019, and the Music Moves Europe Talent Award (MMETA) until 2022. Organization The EBBA Awards were launched by the European Commission and are a European Union award., Talktoeu.ie. Retrieved 19 September 2011 Since 2009, the awards are organised by Eurosonic Noorderslag and the award is presented at the Eurosonic Noorderslag festival. Partners *European Broadcasting Union (EBU)"EBBA Awards" , ''Eurosonic-noorderslag.nl''. Retrieved 19 September 2011 *The European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP), ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |