accept

..:: Biography ::..
Location :Germany
Website :http://www.acceptarchive.com/
Genre(s) :Heavy metal

Germany
http://www.acceptarchive.com/
Heavy
Accept was formed in 1971 by vocalist Udo Dirkschneider and guitarist Michael Wagener. During their 25-year history the band has endured lineup changes, infighting, break-ups and health problems to emerge as one of Europe's most enduring and calamitous heavy metal rock acts.

Taking their name from a Chicken Shack album, Dirkschneider and Wagener formed Accept in 1971 and, five years later, added second guitarist Joerg Fischer, drummer Frank Friedrich and bassist Peter Baltes to the lineup. In 1976 Wagener left the group to pursue a career as a record producer; he was replaced by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann for Accept's 1978 self-titled debut album. Three albums followed in quick succession, including 1980's I'm a Rebel, 1981's Breaker and 1982's Restless and Wild. Breaker made the band a household name and a huge success throughout Europe. After they released Balls to the Wall in 1983, the band spent the following year on the road with the Monsters of Rock tour. 1985's Metal Hear was Accept's first conceptual album and the first political statement from a metal group, depicting a futuristic nation populated by people with computerized, metal hearts.
After the release of 1986's Russian Roulette, Dirkschneider and Hoffman had a falling out over the commercial future of the band. Dirkschneider, who wanted to pursue more experimental rock avenues, eventually left to form his own band, Udo. After a brief break-up, the band decided to forge ahead with a new vocalist, the British-born Rob Armitage. Michael Reece, an American, then took Armitage's place to record the group's most commercial effort, Eat the Heat in 1989. While on tour, Stefan Kaufmann replaced Friedrich on drums. A back problem forced him to quit the tour and as a result of this and other problems, the band broke up once again.
In 1996 the original members reunited one last time. The result was Predator, an album produced by former band member Michael Wagener. In 1998 the group released their farewell album, The Final Chapter, which contained live versions of their biggest hits.
The band reunited in October 2004 and were quickly confirmed to play at the German festivals Rock Hard and Wacken Open Air in the summer of 2005.