band members l to r: Rock N' Rolf-vocals/lead & rhythm guitar, Thilo Hermann-lead guitar, Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski-bass, Angelo Sasso-drums Studio (not shown), Chris Efthimiadis-drums live (not shown)

BIO

Bio Taken from the Official Running Wild Website

Running Wild never followed any musical trends. Their music impresses by raw untamed and natural born strength combined with inexorable, uncompromising and merciless power. Dominating rhythms, refrains like hymns, electrifying guitarriffs and a salient singing are more signs of that power quartett coming from Hamburg (GER). You won't find any squiggle or at least a ballad on any Running Wild record being produced till now. Running Wild can be proud of many fans being melted together by the band's honest music and their suitable attitude. Becoming authentic was a result of the straight use of real instruments instead of experimenting with synthesizers or playbacks. Within their lyrics Running Wild comment on war, suppression and the struggle for money. Furthermore they engage in the purposes of the so called outsiders in our society.

In 1976 a new school band called Granite Heart is established in Hamburg (GER) under the command of Rolf Kasparek alias Rock'n'Rolf. Granite Heart consists of: Rock'n'Rolf (leadvocals, guitar), Uwe Bendig (guitar), Michael Hoffmann (drums) and Jörg Schwarz (bass), who was replaced by Carsten David (bass) shortly after.

Around 1979 the band is renamed into Running Wild and in 1981 they releases their first demo-tape with the following line-up: Rock'n'Rolf (leadvocals, guitar), Uwe Bendig (guitar), Matthias Kaufmann (bass) and Hasche (drums).

Running Wild astonishes their hometown Hamburg (GER) with heavy speed metal and a flashy leather image, so that finally the songs Iron Heads and Bones to Ashes are published on the Death Metal-compilation by NOISE in 1984. Under the same label their debut album Gates to Purgatory is published the same year, which is sold not less than 20.000 units in the first three months. The record climbs the german metal-charts and with the 12" maxi Victim of States Power there is a nice little metal goodie thrown onto the market. The legendary - although it is the second line-up – is read as the following: Rock'n'Rolf (leadvocals, guitar), Preacher (guitar, vocals), Stephan (bass) and Hasche (drums).

Since their second release Branded and Exiled in 1985 Running Wild is one of the most popular metal acts in Germany. In this year the band is named in one breath with Scorpions and Accept. After their second release the band is giving gigs with Sinner in German halls. Guitarman Preacher is replaced by Majk Moti. Meanwhile the typical Running Wild style is found. One year later the sensational news are spread fast: for at least the first time as an independent band Running Wild is up to tour with the American "superstars" Mötley Crüe on their Theatre of Pain - tour.

In 1987 Under Jolly Roger is published when Running Wild launches their individual bizarre pirate image and hoist the Jolly Roger for the first time. In this year another change in the line-up is made. Drummer Hasche and bassman Stephan are leaving the ship. They are replaced by Stefan Schwarzmann and Jens Becker. In the wake of their first European-tour they sail up to Budapest (H) where they are playing a famous gig in front of 5000 fans. The material taken from that tour is released as the live album Ready for Boarding a year after. International critics are throughout the line positive. Furthermore this record is used to draw the final line under their management so far.

At the end of 1988 their fourth studio album is released. Port Royal is sold over 50000 times. In the meantime the band can look upon a wide basis of fans and they represent a steady mark in Heavy Metal. Nevertheless Stefan Schwarzmann leaves the band in direction of U.D.O. and gives the sticks into the hands of Iain Finlay. In 1989 the new studio album Death or Glory is published which holds itself several weeks in the European selling charts. A short time after the maxi-single Bad to the Bone is placed into the shops.

The Death or Glory - tour 1990 is an outstanding success nearby all concerts are sold out. Parallel to the tour the mini-LP Wild Animal shows up. The steady carussell in Running Wild's line-up turns again. Iain Finlay leaves the pirates and Jörg Michael appears as a temporary drummer. As new members of the band drum-roadie AC and axeman Axel Morgan, replacing Majk Moti, are confirmed.

In 1991 Rock'n'Rolf and his crewmen strike once again and releases first the maxi-single Little Big Horn (No. 34 in the single charts) then the album Blazon Stone and shortly after the "Best Of"-compilation The first Years of Piracy. A successful tour with Raven and Crossroads underlines the momentary status of Running Wild.

The next studio album Pile of Skulls is released 1992 and deals lyrically with corruption and disguise and spots the new bassman Thomas Smuszynski for the first time. Also on board is the returner Stefan Schwarzmann. As a single from that album Lead or Gold is released. The next year the Pile of Skulls - tour is rolling in which the band shines with a monumental stage and devastating pyro-technics.

1994 first the single The Privateer and then the album Black Hand Inn are released. On that record the new wizard on the guitar Thilo Hermann (Ex-Risk) is presented. Jörg Michael instead is now a steady member in that crew.

The Summer Metal Meetings 1995 are becoming a brilliant success under the flag of Running Wild and bands like Rage and Grave Digger. In the end of October another cannon-blow is fired with the new album Masquerade. That new album once again shows the German Metal where the gold is lying.

On the relating tour 1996 the band celebrates its 20th year of sailing the wild seas of Metal and takes a deserving rest after. After a creative rest with the same line-up and with a fresh blow in the sails The Rivalry, for the first time released under the custody of GUN, is released in early 1998. This record is more compact and more melodic than ever. It lives by the rough voice of Rolf Kasparek and the nearly unbelievable guitar power being played by Kasparek and Hermann. With The Rivalry Running Wild once again rises the flag of true Heavy Metal and stands for that untouched Heavy Rock. Unfortunately Jörg Michael leaves the band in spring even before the The Rivalry - promotion tour to concentrate on his work with Stratovarius. As a replacement Chris Efthimiadis (Ex-Rage) has to fill up that hole for the tour, on which he really shows his knowledge throughout that pirate material.

In 1999 NOISE releases remastered versions of Death or Glory, Blazon Stone, Pile of Skulls, Black Hand Inn and Masquerade. Each album contains bonustracks.

At the beginning of 2000 Victory, the eleventh studio album of the institution from Hamburg (GER), is published. Running Wild head Rolf Kasparek aka Rock'n'Rolf would like to see the last two albums Masquerade, The Rivalry and the new longplayer Victory as a trilogy made out of three loose concept albums. The reason why they are loose concept albums is that there is a leitmotif running through each of them, but the songs of all three longplayers can definitely stand on their own feet. It is about the battle between light and darkness. Masquerade marked the beginning of this trilogy, the subject matter of The Rivalry was the argument, and Victory marks the end: the decisive battle. With the title song, the trilogy finds its climax and its end.

DISCOGRAPHY

	GATES TO PURGATORY 1984 Noise Track list: 1. Victim of States Power 2. Black Demon 3. Preacher 4. Soldiers of Hell 5. Diabolic Force 6. Adrian S.O.S. 7. Genghis Khan 8. Prisoners of our Time 9. Walpurgis Night [CD bonus] 10. Satan [CD bonus]
	VICTIM OF STATES POWER Single 1984 Noise Track list: 1. Victim of States Power 2. Walpurgis Night 3. Satan
	BRANDED AND EXILED 1985 Noise Track list: 1. Branded and Exiled 2. Gods of the Iron 3. Realm of Shades 4. Mordor 5. Fight the Oppression 6. Evil Spirit 7. Marching to die 8. Chains and Leather
	UNDER JOLLY ROGER 1987 Noise Track list: 1. Under Jolly Roger 2. Beggar's Night 3. Diamonds of the Black Chest 4.War in the Gutter 5. Raise your Fist 6. Land of Ice 7. Raw Ride 8. Merciless Game
	READY FOR BOARDING 1988 Noise Track list: 1. Hymn of Long John Silver 2. Under Jolly Roger 3. Genghis Kahn 4. Raise your Fist 5. Purgatory 6. Mordor 7. Diabolic Force 8. Raw Ride 9. Adrian S.O.S. 10. Prisoner of our Time
	PORT ROYAL 1988 Noise Track list: 1. Intro 2. Port Royal 3. Raging Fire 4. Into the Arena 5. Uaschitschun 6. Final Gates 7. Conquistadores 8. Blown to Kingdom Come 9. Warchild 10. Mutiny 11. Calico Jack
	DEATH OR GLORY 1989 Noise Track list: 1. Riding the Storm 2. Renegade 3. Evilution 4. Running Blood 4. Highland Glory (The eternal Fight) 5. Marooned 6. Bad to the Bone 7. Tortuga Bay 8. Death or Glory 9. The Battle of Waterloo 10. March on 11. Wild Animal [bonus] 12. Tear down the Walls [bonus] 13. Störtebeker [bonus] 14. Chains and Leather [new recording- bonus] Notes: Reissued in 1999 with bonus tracks
	BAD TO THE BONE Single 1989 Noise Track list: 1. Bad to the Bone 2. The Battle of Waterloo 3. March on
	WILD ANIMAL 1990 Noise Track list: 1. Wild Animal 2. Chains and Leather [new recording] 3. Tear down the Walls 4. Störtebeker
	LITTLE BIG HORN Single 1991 Noise Track list: 1. Little Big Horn 2. Billy the Kid 3. Genocide
	BLAZON STONE 1991 Noise Track list: 1. Blazon Stone 2. Lonewolf 3. Slavery 4. Fire & Ice 5. Little Big Horn 6. Over the Rainbow 7. White Masque 8. Rolling Wheels 9. Bloody Red Rose 10. Straight to Hell 11. Heads or Tails 12. Billy the Kid [bonus] 13. Genocide [bonus] Notes: Reissued in 1999 with bonus tracks
	THE FIRST YEARS OF PIRACY 1991 Noise Track list: 1. Under Jolly Roger 2. Branded and Exiled 3. Soldiers of Hell 4. Raise your Fist 5. Walpurgis Night 6. Fight the Oppression 7. Marching to die 8. Raw Ride 9. Diamonds of the Black Chest 10. Prisoner of our Time
	PILE OF SKULLS 1992 Noise Track list: 1. Chamber of Lies 2. Whirlwind 3. Sinister Eyes 4. Black Wings of Death 5. Fistful of Dynamite 6. Roaring Thunder 7. Pile of Skulls 8. Lead or Gold 9. White Buffalo 10. Jennings' Revenge 11. Treasure Island 12. Beggars' Night [new recording-bonus] 13. Hanged, Drawn and Quartered [bonus] 14. Win or be Drowned [bonus] 15. Uaschitschun'92 [bonus] Notes: Reissued in 1999 with bonus tracks
	LEAD OR GOLD Single 1992 Noise Track list: 1. Lead or Gold 2. Hanged, Drawn and Quartered 3. Win or be Drowned
	THE PRIVATEER Single 1994 Noise Track list: 1. The Privateer 2. Dancing on a Minefield 3. Poisoned Blood
	BLACK HAND INN 1994 Noise Track list: 1. The Curse 2. Black Hand Inn 3. Mr. Deadhead 4. Soulless 5. The Privateer 6. Fight the Fire of Hate 7. The Phantom of Black Hand Hill 8. Freewind Rider 9. Powder & Iron 10. Dragonmen 11. Genesis (The Making and the Fall of Man) 12. Dancing on a Minefield [bonus] 12. Poisoned Blood [bonus] Notes: Reissued in 1999 with bonus tracks
	MASQUERADE 1995 Noise Track list: 1. The Contract / The Crypts of Hades 2. Masquerade 3. Demonized 4. Black Soul 5. Lions of the Sea 6. Rebel at Heart 7. Wheel of Doom 8. MetalHead 9. Soleil Royal 10. Men in Black 11. Underworld 12. Iron Heads [bonus] 12. Bones to Ashes [bonus] Notes: Reissued in 1999 with bonus tracks
	THE RIVALRY 1998 Gun Track list: 1. March of the final Battle (The End of all Evil) 2. The Rivalry 3. Kiss of Death 4. Firebreather 5. Return of the Dragon 6. Resurrection 7. Ballad of William Kidd 8. Agents of Black 9. Fire & Thunder 10. The Poison 11. Adventure Galley 12. Man on the Moon 13. War & Peace
	REVOLUTION Single 2000 Gun Track list: 1. Revolution
	VICTORY 2000 Gun Track list: 1. Fall of Dorkas 2.When Time runs out 3. Timeriders 4. Into the Fire 5. Revolution 6. The final Waltz 7. Tsar 8. The Hussar 9. The Guardian 10. Return of the Gods 11. Silent Killer 12. Victory

Misc. Running Wild Releases

	Demo 1981 Track list: 1. Hallow the Hell 2. War Child 3. King of the Midnight Fire Notes: No picture available
	Heavy Metal Like a Hammer Blow 1984 Track list: 1. Intro 2. Hallow the Hell 3. War Child 4. Adrian S.O.S. 5. Chains and Leather 6. Genghis Khan [live] 7. Soldiers of Hell [live]
	The Story of Jolly Roger 1998 Track list: Riding the Storm, Under Jolly Roger, Blazon Stone, Sinister Eyes, Purgatory [live], Bones to Ashes, Branded & Exiled, Uaschitschun, Genghis Khan, Soulless, Lions of the Seas, Bad to the Bone, Conquistadores, Chains and Leather [new recording], Prisoner of our Time Notes: Japanese only best of package
	SINISTER EYES 1992 Unreleased single