Running Wild

Running Wild
Running Wild
Background information
Origin	Hamburg, Germany
Genres	Heavy metal, power metal, speed metal
Years active	1976—2009
Labels	Gun
Website	Official website
Members
Rolf Kasparek Peter Jordan Jan S. Eckert Matthias Liebetruth
Former members
See: Former members

Running Wild were a very popular and influential German heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Hamburg. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s. The band has carved its niche in the metal world as the first "pirate metal" band, a theme which took off with the release of Under Jolly Roger in 1987 (thus abandoning the Satanic imagery of their earlier work). Although the earlier releases contained Satanic themes and imagery, the guitar player of the band was then Preacher (aka Gerald Warnecke) who is now a vicar in Cologne.^[1]

On April 17, 2009 Rolf announced that Running Wild had split-up. Their last show was at Wacken Open Air on July 30, 2009. It was recorded for CD and DVD release.

Members

Current members

• Rolf Kasparek - Vocals, guitars (1976-2009)
• Peter Jordan - Guitar (2004-2009)
• Jan S. Eckert - Bass (2009)
• Matthias Liebetruth - Drums (2002-2009)

Former members

Guitar

• Uwe Bendig (1976-84)
• Gerald Warnecke (1984-85)
• Majk Moti (1985-90)
• Axel Kohlmorgen (X-Wild) (1990-93)
• Thilo Hermann (ex-Grave Digger, ex-Holy Moses, ex-Faithful Breath, ex-Risk) (1994-01)
• Bernd Aufermann (Angel Dust) (2002-04)

Bass

• Jörg Schwarz (1976)
• Carsten David (1976-79)
• Matthias Kaufmann (1980-83)
• Stephan Boris (1984-87)
• Jens Becker (Grave Digger, X-Wild) (1987-92)
• Thomas Smuszynski (ex-U.D.O., ex-Darxon) (1992-02)
• Peter Pichl - Bass (2002-2009)

Drums

• Michael Hoffmann (1976-82)
• Wolfgang Hagemann (1982-87)
• Stefan Schwarzmann (Accept, ex-Helloween, Paradox, ex-X-Wild, ex-U.D.O., ex-Voice) (1987-88, 1992-93)
• Ian Finlay (ex-Justice, ex-Demon Pact) (1988-90)
• Jörg Michael (Stratovarius, ex-Saxon, Unleashed Power, ex-Axel Rudi Pell, ex-Avenger, ex-Rage, ex-Grave Digger, ex-Mekong Delta, ex-Tom Angelripper, ex-Headhunter) (1990, 1994-98)
• Rudiger Dreffein (1990-92)
• Christos Efthimiadis (1998-00)
• Angelo Sasso (2000-02)

Discography

Studio albums

• Gates to Purgatory (1984)
• Branded and Exiled (1985)
• Under Jolly Roger (1987)
• Port Royal (1988)
• Death or Glory (1989)
• Blazon Stone (1991)
• Pile of Skulls (1992)
• Black Hand Inn (1994)
• Masquerade (1995)
• The Rivalry (1998)
• Victory (2000)
• The Brotherhood (2002)
• Rogues en Vogue (2005)

Live albums

• Ready for Boarding (1988)
• Live (2002)

Compilation albums

• The First Years of Piracy (1991)
• The Story of Jolly Roger (1998)
• 20 Years in History (2003)
• Best of Adrian (2006)

Singles and EPs

• "Victim of States Power" (1984)
• "Bad to the Bone" (1989)
• "Wild Animal" (1990)
• "Little Big Horn" (1991)
• "Lead or Gold" (1992)
• "The Privateer" (1994)

Split releases

• Death Metal (1984)

Tribute albums

• The Revivalry - A Tribute to Running Wild (2005)
• Rough Diamonds - A Tribute to Running Wild (2005) (available as a free download on the official website)
• ReUnation - A Tribute to Running Wild (2009) - to be released on November 13, 2009

References

External links

• Official website
• Running Wild at MySpace
• ReUnation at MySpace
• Unofficial website in spanish