Andi Deris
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| Andi Deris | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Andreas Deris | |
| Born | August 18, 1964 (age 43) Karlsruhe, Germany |
|
| Genre(s) | Power Metal, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal | |
| Years active | 1979–present | |
| Label(s) | Nuclear Blast | |
| Associated acts |
Pink Cream 69, Helloween | |
Andreas "Andi" Deris (born Andreas Deris on August 18, 1964 in Karlsruhe, Germany) is the vocalist for power metal band Helloween, has an active solo career, as well as his own recording studio in Tenerife.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] First Bands (1979 - 1987)
Andi started to sing in his first band called Paranoid when he was 15. Two years later they changed the band's name to Nameless. In Nameless Deris stayed along with his school friend, drummer Ralph Maison, who also played on both Andi's solo albums. Later, approximately at the age of 19, they created a band called Kymera, with which he made an album, No Mercy. However, Ralph went to the college and had no time for the band. The place on drums was taken by Costa Zaphiriou.
[edit] Pink Cream 69 (1987-1993)
In 1987, when Andi was 22, they formed the band Pink Cream 69, with original lineup as: Dennis Ward, Kosta Zafiriou, Alfred Koffler and Andi Deris. They became popular enough to get some deals from different record companies. They chose to sign the contract to CBS (Sony Music nowadays). Pink Cream toured in Europe, America and Japan and recorded 3 albums with Andi Deris on vocal duties.
[edit] Helloween and solo career (1993-present)
In 1993 Helloween had suffered lineup changes. Deris replaced former vocalist Michael Kiske, and ex-Gamma Ray drummer Uli Kusch replaced Ingo Schwichtenberg on drums. Helloween recorded Master of the Rings with their new lineup which revived the band; after the unsuccessful Chameleon. The Time of the Oath in 1996 had further lifted up the sales, which concluded with a big world tour and a concert DVD along with double-CD live album, High Live, set from 3 concerts in Spain and Italy. While the band took a big break, Andi went on to recording his first solo album Come in from the Rain. Andreas has left the traditional Helloween sound to experiment with new styles. Andi Deris sang and played guitar, other members include: Peter Idera (guitar), Ralph Maison (drums and back-vocals) and Gisbert Royder (bass).
In 1998, Helloween recorded a very heavy album Better Than Raw, when Andi used some new vocal techniques, from fast paced high-pitched screaming in Push and Revelation (that was later used in The Dark Ride's "Deliver Us From Temtation", "Escalation 666" and "Mr. Torture") to deep, low vocals on A Handful of Pain and Time. Andi commented in an interview, that the best thing in making album was resting after the sessions at the beach, as he always, from the start of "Pink Cream 69" wanted to record the album on "Bahamas, somewhere". He did it on the Canary Islands, where he currently lives. (in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, where also Helloween guitarist Michael Weikath resides).
1999 came by and Helloween released a cover album Metal Jukebox, and Andi's second solo album, Done by Mirrors was released in Japan... Although in the other parts of the world it had to be released only in 2000 due to record company conflicts. Don Pupillo took the place as lead guitarist this time, although Andi also played some guitar parts. The Dark Ride appeared with Andi using even more different vocal styles, notice his open shouting in "Immortal", frequently used in some tracks screaming and growls in "Mirror, Mirror". As to all this is complemented with his near-operatic singing, used in most songs, most notably the title one. The world tour also came up.
After the "Dark Ride" group changed the guitarist and switched three drummers - two for studio and one for tour. Album Rabbit Don't Come Easy following the band's first tour in the U.S. since 1989 came by. And in the stylistic questions there was taken a step back - all the downtuning and the dark themes were gone in favor of more "happy" style, as Deris said in the interview, while on vocal side, the vocals are someplace more complicated, than were before... In "Liar" he is almost growling, in "Don't Stop Being Crazy"'s low-pitched parts he is slow and heavy. In other songs the operatic, although "happy-metalish" style is preferred nearly everywhere, with exeption of "Listen to the Flies" and "Back against the wall", which are "dark".
In 2005, Keeper the Legacy was released, with Andi on the peak of his vocal abilities. First single and video was Deris's song "Mrs. God". First time in Helloween history there was a duet, with Ritchie Blackmore's Candice Night, the song titled "Light the Universe". It was the second single and the second video for the album. A live double DVD video with documentary and live double CD was released in February 2007.
[edit] Singing Style
Compared to his predecessor, Deris had a more restrained style of singing, using slightly abrupt style and not focusing on singing at the highest possible pitch. His replacement of Kiske attracted some criticism, but generally fans have had a positive reception to Deris' differing style which in some areas resembles that of Kai Hansen. Deris' voice is also considered ideal for the band's more slower numbers.
[edit] Discography
[edit] With Pink Cream 69
[edit] With Helloween
- 1994 Master of the Rings
- 1996 The Time Of The Oath
- 1998 Better Than Raw
- 1999 Metal Jukebox
- 2001 The Dark Ride
- 2003 Rabbit Don't Come Easy
- 2006 Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy
[edit] Solo Albums
[edit] Solo Singles
[edit] External links
| Helloween | ||
| Andi Deris | Michael Weikath | Sascha Gerstner | Markus Grosskopf | Daniel Löble | ||
| Kai Hansen - Michael Kiske - Ingo Schwichtenberg - Roland Grapow - Uli Kusch - Mark Cross - Stefan Schwarzmann | ||
| Discography | ||
|---|---|---|
| Studio albums: Helloween | Walls of Jericho | Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1 | Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2 | Pink Bubbles Go Ape | Chameleon | Master of the Rings | The Time of the Oath | Better Than Raw | Metal Jukebox | The Dark Ride | Rabbit Don't Come Easy | Keeper of the Seven Keys – The Legacy |
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| Live albums: I Want Out Live | Keepers Live | Live in the UK | High Live | Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy World Tour 2005/2006 | ||
| Compilations: Pumpkin Tracks | The Best, The Rest, The Rare | Karaoke Album vol. 1 | Metal Jukebox | Treasure Chest | ||
| Singles: "Judas" | "Future World" | "Dr. Stein" | "I Want Out" | "Windmill" | "If I Could Fly" | "Just a Little Sign" | "Mrs. God" | "Light the Universe" | ||
| Related articles | ||
| Gamma Ray | Masterplan | ||
