Blind Guardian

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Background information
Origin	Krefeld, Germany
Genre(s)	Power metal Speed Metal
Years active	1984 - Present
Label(s)	No Remorse Records Virgin Century Media Nuclear Blast
Website	Official Homepage
Members
Hansi Kürsch André Olbrich Marcus Siepen Frederik Ehmke
Former members
Thomas "Thomen" Stauch Markus Dörk Christof Theissen Hans-Peter Frey

Blind Guardian is a German power metal band which formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, Germany. Before calling themselves Blind Guardian, the band released two demos under the name Lucifer's Heritage in 1985 and 1986.

From the beginning, Blind Guardian has been inspired by the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien and other fantasy authors, like Michael Moorcock, as well as traditional legends and epics. Over the years, a running theme has developed associating the band members with traveling bards.

Contents 1 Bio 2 Musical Style 3 Side Projects 4 Line-up 4.1 Band members 4.2 Former members 4.3 Guest musicians 5 Discography 5.1 Studio Albums 5.2 Live Albums 5.3 Compilation Albums 5.4 Singles 6 Notes 7 External links

[edit] Bio

Blind Guardian was formed in 1984 as Lucifer's Heritage. They released two demos entitled Symphonies of Doom (1985) and Battalions of Fear (1986). Their first studio album, Battalions of Fear, was released in 1988. The band's first tour took place shortly after its release. At this point the band had between 150 and 300 fans at their shows.

In contrast, when the international chart-topper Somewhere Far Beyond was released, Blind Guardian achieved comparatively great success. For the first time, the band played in Japan to a crowd of 4000 fans.

[edit] Musical Style

Blind Guardian's first two albums, Battalions of Fear and Follow the Blind, were more in the style of speed metal than their following works. Beginning with their third album Tales from the Twilight World, Blind Guardian gradually turned to a more sophisticated sound, including vast use of choirs and sometimes orchestral arrangements.

Blind Guardian's music features the staccato guitars and double bass drumming characteristic of power metal, as well as the use of overdubs to create a dense, "epic" sound. This technique, especially notable in the guitar and vocal tracks, creates the impression of a vast army of musicians playing in unison and singing in harmony.

[edit] Side Projects

Together with Jon Schaffer (the leader and founder of Iced Earth) Kürsch is the lead singer of a side project called Demons & Wizards.

Hansi has been working on and off for 8 years on an orchestral project writing music about The Lord of the Rings (negotiations failed to be included on the famous The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as the soundtrack). The album will be released in 2008, and although it will not be a power metal album (meaning that there won't be any drums or electric guitars and bass), it will be published under the name of Blind Guardian because it matches the theme of the band's lyrics, according to Hansi.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Line-up

[edit] Band members

• Hansi Kürsch — Vocals (1984–), Bass (1985–1995)
• André Olbrich — Lead Guitar (1984–)
• Marcus Siepen — Rhythm Guitar (1987–)
• Frederik Ehmke — Drums (2005–)

[edit] Former members

• Thomas "Thomen" Stauch — Drums (1984 – 2005)^[1]
• Markus Dörk - Rhythm & Lead Guitar (Lucifer's Heritage) (1984–1986)
• Andre Speciale - Rhythm & Lead Guitar (1992–1995)
• Christof Theissen — Lead & Rhythm Guitar (Lucifer's Heritage) (1986–1987)
• Hans-Peter Frey — Drums (Lucifers Heritage) (1985–1987)

[edit] Guest musicians

• Oliver Holzwarth — Bass (touring/studio) (1997–)^[2]
• Mathias Wiesner — Keyboards (studio) (1989–)
• Michael Schüren — Keyboards (live) & Grand Piano (studio) (1998–)
• Kai Hansen — Vocals & Guitar Solos (1989–1992)^[3]
• Rolf Köhler, Thomas Hackmann — backing vocals (1989–)
• Olaf Senkbeil, Billy King — backing vocals (1990–)

[edit] Discography

Main article: Blind Guardian discography

[edit] Studio Albums

• Battalions of Fear (1988)
• Follow the Blind (1989)
• Tales from the Twilight World (1990)
• Somewhere Far Beyond (1992)
• Imaginations from the Other Side (1995)
• Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)
• A Night at the Opera (2002)
• A Twist in the Myth (2006)
• Untitled Symphonic Project (2008)

[edit] Live Albums

• Tokyo Tales (1993)
• Live (2003)

[edit] Compilation Albums

• The Forgotten Tales (1996)

[edit] Singles

• A Past and Future Secret (1995)
• Mr. Sandman (1996)
• Mirror Mirror (1998)
• And then there was Silence (2001)
• The Bard's Song (In the Forest) (2003)
• Fly (2006)

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Blind Guardian is relatively unique in that until April of 2005 (a twenty year period), the band's original line-up had not changed. However, due to differing musical preference, in April their long time drummer Thomen Stauch left the band to continue his work in Savage Circus, the band he formed to perform more straight-forward music like older Blind Guardian.
2. ^ In 1997, Hansi decided that a different bassist would allow for more complex parts, and allow himself to further his vocal technique both live and in the studio. Oliver Holzwarth was hired as a bassist for the album and for the tour. He is not a full member of the band, because Hansi may decide to play bass again, and has said he does not have the heart to put Oliver in the position that he may be fired.
3. ^ On Blind Guardian's second and third studio albums, Kai Hansen, formerly of Helloween, and currently in Gamma Ray, performed guest vocals on a few songs and a guest guitar solo.

[edit] External links

• Blind Guardian Official Homepage
• Blind Guardian at Myspace
• Blind Guardian at MusicBrainz

Blind Guardian
Hansi Kürsch | André Olbrich | Marcus Siepen | Frederik Ehmke
Thomas "Thomen" Stauch | Markus Dörk | Christoph Theissen | Hans-Peter Frey
Discography
Demo albums as Lucifer's Heritage: Symphonies of Doom | Battalions of Fear
Studio albums: Battalions of Fear | Follow the Blind | Tales from the Twilight World | Somewhere Far Beyond | Imaginations from the Other Side | Nightfall in Middle-Earth | A Night at the Opera | A Twist in the Myth
Live albums: Tokyo Tales | Live
Compilations: The Forgotten Tales
Singles: "A Past and Future Secret" | "Bright Eyes" | "Mr. Sandman" | "Mirror Mirror" | "And Then There Was Silence" | "The Bard's Song (In the Forest)" | "Fly" | "Another Stranger Me"
Videography
Videos: Imaginations Through the Looking Glass
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