Today we will tell you about Udo Dirkschneider one of the most powerful, influential, and prolific singers in Metal.
(Photo: Andreas Lawen, Fotandi)
Who is Udu some of you would ask?
Well, Udo Dirkschneider was born on April 6, 1952. He was the lead singer of the German metal band "Accept" - a very important and esteemed band that influenced the Metal scene all over the world, and among those responsible for the development of Speed and Thrash Metal genres.
Although its origin and center of activity in Germany, the band has managed to influence large bands outside of Germany, such as "Metallica", "Annihilator", "Pantera", "Testament", and "Anthrax" and more.
From the early '80s, the band gained much recognition in the metal scene and managed to break out outside Germany with commercial success all over Europe, the USA, and even Japan, where they recorded one of their live albums "Kaizoku-Ban", in 1985.
The band was formed in Germany in 1968, by Udo and the excellent guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, who to this day leads the band, but only managed to release their first album in 1979.
(Photo: Accept-archive.ru)
Beginning in the early 1980s, the band began releasing a series of excellent albums that we were privileged אם purchased in real-time, in stores like "Faz" and "Allegro" in Tel Aviv.
Udo's voice was unique and powerful and contributed quite a bit to the final product of the anthems created by the band. Among the mighty albums, the band released in those years were "Breaker" (1981), "Restless and Wild" (1982), "Balls to the Wall" (1983), and "Metal Heart" (1985), and "Russian Roulette" (1986).
But then a strange thing happens. In 1987, at the height of the band's success, Udo parted ways with "Accept" and decided to embark on a solo career. Accept members not only supported his decision but also helped him write the material for his first solo album "Animal House", which was released in 1987, under the band name "U.D.O.".
The band members will keep in touch with Udo and he will reunite with them along the way, in parallel with his glorious solo career, including a streak of three albums starting with the album "Objection Overruled" released in 1993.
Along with "Accept" Udo released a respectable amount of 10 studio albums, two EPs, and two live albums.
As part of his solo career with the band "U.D.O." The legendary singer has released no less than 18 studio albums and 8 live albums.
In parallel with his activities with the "U.D.O.", Udo Dirkschneider will be part of the band "Dirkschneider", which made shows around the world with materials from the mother band "Accept".
In 2018 Udo released the album "Steelfactory", under the name of "U.D.O.". An excellent Heavy Metal album recommended for listening to. The band members noted that the writing of the material for the album was influenced by the mother band "Accept" and this is very evident in the sound and musical material of the album.
In 2020, Udo and his band released "We Are One", in which he collaborated with the German Army Orchestra, to create a unique and interesting symphonic metal album.
That same year Udo collaborated with two of his "Accept" bandmates, bassist Peter Baltes and guitarist (former drummer) Stefan Kaufmann, who was also a co-writer of the material. The three released the song "Where The Angels Fly" under the band name "Dirkschneider & The Old Gang". Accompanying the trio on drums was Sven Dirkschneider.
In March 2021 "U.D.O." released their fifth live album - "Live in Bulgaria 2020 - Pandemic Survival Show". It was one of the only shows that took place in such magnitude in front of an audience during the Covid-19 lockdowns and the only show that was also recorded and filmed during these times.
On August 27, 2021, "Dirkschneider & The Old Gang" released a mini-album called "Arising".
On April 22, 2022, Udo Dirkschneider will release the album "My Way", in which he performs cover versions of songs that influenced him.
In April 2023, bassist Peter Baltes, Udo's friend from "Accept", joined as a permanent member of the "U.D.O." band. Under the renewed lineup, the band released the album "Touchdown" on August 25, 2023.
Over the years and beyond his activities in the above lineups, Udo has collaborated with quite a few artists. Among the interesting ones: are Eurovision winner "Lordi" on the album The "Arockalypse", "HammerFall", Doro, Aria, "Raven" and more.
In 2019, "U.D.O." performed in Israel for the second time and gave an amazing show at the Havana Club in Tel Aviv. Here is our review of that memorable show: U.D.O. - Havana Club TLV - 17/4/19
For those of you who do not know Udo, we have prepared a playlist to help you get to know him, Click Here: