Pretty Maids

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Pretty Maids are a Danish heavy metal band from Horsens, Denmark. Formed in 1981 by Ronnie Atkins and Ken Hammer, their sound can be defined as something between Europe and Running Wild.

Over the years, Pretty Maids have sold hundreds of thousands of records, but have never broken through in a major way, except in Japan during the 1990s. They have supported well known bands as Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, and Saxon, and were also featured at the 1987 German version of Monsters of Rock, where Metallica headlined along with Deep Purple.

Pretty Maids are currently still active, and their latest album, Wake Up To The Real World, was released through Frontiers Records on November 10, 2006. The band have been touring their primary markets of Denmark, Sweden, and Germany every year since the release of the latest record.

Biography

1980s

Pretty Maids were formed in 1981 by friends Ken Hammer and Ronnie Atkins in Horsens, Denmark. They were initially a cover band, but soon started writing their own material and a self-financed demo resulted in a deal with the English record label Bullet Records.

In 1983, the band released their debut self-titled EP, and further recognition was fuelled by great reaction to their UK tour the same year. Inevitably the band outgrew their label, and in 1984 signed to CBS Records, who re-released their self titled EP.

In 1984, the band released their debut studio album, Red, Hot and Heavy, which was a success. More acclaim was followed with their second stuido album, Future World, released in 1987. It was recorded in New York with renowned producer Eddie Kramer. The album is considered to define the band's definite sound, with typically aggressive rockers alongside more commercial, melodic moments.

1990s

The 1990 Follow up Jump The Gun, was produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, offered more of the same catchy riffs. The record label had put in all efforts to break the charts worldwide with this record, but it never took off, except in Japan. Whether it was lack of hits, marketing or they were simply another victim of grunge music is unknown, but the record didn't live up to expectations. The band more or less broke up after the lack of success with this record, leaving only founding members Ron Atkins and Ken Hammer.

They would not quit, however, so they recruited drummer Michael Fast and bass player Kenn Jackson, and went on to record Sin-Decade in 1992 with famed Metallica producer Flemming Rasmussen at the buttons. The album produced the hit single Please Don't Leave Me - a John Sykes/Phil Lynott cover which opened the band up to an even wider audience.

The band did very well in Japan in the first half of the 90s and founded large fanbase over there. The Asian audience has a special craving for Pretty Maids' ballads and more soft repertoire.

In 1995 however, the band really surprised the fans and critics by releasing the storming Scream. This was an altogether heavier and guitar-lead approach which gained numerous plaudits and saw the band release their first live album, Screamin' Live.

The follow up Spooked, released in 1997, was regarded by many as an instant classic, maintaining the energy and heaviness of Scream whilst still capturing the quintessential melody that is Pretty Maids.

1999's Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing, whilst certainly having an overdone album title, also produced one of the songs of the year with Hell On High Heels, an absolute monster of commercial, hard driving rock.

2000s

In 2000 the Danish heavy rockers released the album Carpe Diem. A touch more melodic than their previous offerings - a fact that hasn't gone down too well with certain factions of their fan-base, but this is still a classic album which has all the Pretty Maids trademarks in abundance.

In 2002 Pretty Maids released the album Planet Panic which was a trip back to the heavier sides of their catalogue.

In 2003 their management company Rock On went bankrupt due to some very unwise business moves in September 2002. This left Pretty Maids in a very bad financial situation and also left them with a lot of legal problems as well as lot of business and copyright mess.

Lead guitarist Ken Hammer was struck by a heart attack on December 6 2003. He has since recovered completely and has been on stage numerous times since the incident.

As of July 2005 the drummer since 1991, Michael Fast, decided to leave before the recording of Wake Up To The Real World - an album that was originally intended to be released in 2005, but the initial recordings was postponed to the summer of 2006. In April 2006, new drummer Allan Tschicaja (Royal Hunt, Kingdome Come) was announced as Michael Fast's replacement. In 2006, Morten Sandager (Mercenary) joined Pretty Maids, playing the keyboards.

Influences and Legacy

Pretty Maids have on various occasions mentioned Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Kiss, Slade, and Queen as some of their influences.

Over the years, they have recorded cover songs from many of these influences, including their most famous hit to date: A 1992 cover of John Sykes' ballad Please Don't Leave Me.

In 1998, Swedish power metal band Hammerfall released their Legacy of Kings album, which features a cover of Pretty Maids' song "Back to Back" from their debut album Red, Hot and Heavy.

Band members

Current line up

• Ronnie Atkins (Paul Christensen) - lead vocals (1981 - present)
• Ken Hammer (Kenneth Hansen) - guitar (1981 - present)
• Kenn Jackson (Kenn Lund Jacobsen) - bass (1991 - present)
• Allan Tschicaja - drums (2006 - present)
• Morten Sandager - keyboards (2006 - present)

Former members

• John Darrow (Johnny Møller) - bass (1981 - 1984)
• Phil More (Henrik Andersen) - drums (1981 - 1990)
• Alan Owen (Allan Nielsen) - keyboards (1981 - 1990 Still plays the keyboards on most records)
• Pete Collins (Jan Piete) - guitar (1982 - 1986)
• Rick Hanson (Kim Hansen) - guitar (1983 - 1984)
• Allan Delong (Allan Jensen) - bass (1984 - 1990)
• Ricky Marx (Henrik Mark) - guitar (1988 - 1991)
• Michael Fast - drums (1991 - 2005)
• Dominic Gale - keyboards (1992, 1995, 1998, 1999) The Shout

Temporary members - mostly live support

• Benny Petersen - guitar (1984) Mercyful Fate, White Lion
• Angel Schleifer (Chris Gerhard) - guitar (1987) Bonfire
• Henrik Hilsson - keyboards (1993)
• Jan Møller - keyboards (1997, 2001 - 2004)
• Jørgen Thorup - keyboards (2000) Shu-Bi-Dua
• René Shades (René Sehic) - guitar (2004) Mike Tramp
• Jacob Troutner - keyboards (2004)

Guests on records

• Billy Cross - guitar (1984)
• Phil Hart (Knud Lindhardt) - background vocals (1987 - present)
• Graham Bonnet - background vocals (1987) Rainbow
• Ian Paice - drums (1990) Deep Purple
• Roger Glover - bass (1990) Deep Purple
• Freddy George Jensen - harp (1990)
• Ian Gillan - vocals (1992) Deep Purple
• Ivan Pedersen - background vocals (1992 - 1995)

Discography

Studio albums

• Red Hot and Heavy (1984)
• Future World (1987)
• Jump The Gun (1990, released as Lethal Heroes in America)
• Sin-Decade (1992)
• Stripped (1993, acoustic album)
• Scream (1994, not released in Europe until 1995)
• Spooked (1997)
• Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing (1999)
• Carpe Diem (2000)
• Planet Panic (2002)
• Wake Up to the Real World (2006)

EPs

• Pretty Maids (1983, Bullet Records)
• Pretty Maids (1984, re-released on CBS)
• In Santa's Claws (1990, Christmas release)
• Offside (1992, acoustic EP)
• Massacre Classix Shape Edition (1999, limited edition logo-shaped disc)

Live albums

• Screamin' Live (1995, live compilation)
• Alive At Least (2003, live compilation)

Compilation albums

• The Best Of: Back To Back (1998)
• First Cuts and Then Some (1999, compilation of early and rare material)

References

External links

• Official website
• Comprehensive German fansite and fanclub
• Japanese fanclub
• Complete discography with pictures and small bio
• Pretty Maids at Allmusic