Manowar

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This article is about the band. For other uses, see Manowar (disambiguation).



Background information
Origin	Auburn, New York, USA
Genre(s)	Heavy metal
Years active	1980 - present
Label(s)	Magic Circle Music
Website	http://www.manowar.com/
Members
Joey DeMaio Eric Adams Karl Logan Scott Columbus

Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York, which formed in 1980.

1 Biography
2 Current Tour Dates
3 Members
- 3.1 Current members
- 3.2 Former members
4 Discography
5 Quotes
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Biography

Joey DeMaio was working as a bass tech / pyrotechnic for Black Sabbath when he met with guitarist Ross the Boss, playing for a group called Shakin Street, a Black Sabbath support band. They later recruited Eric Adams for vocals and Donny Hamzik for the drums, to create Manowar — a band with an unusual epic sound. Manowar recorded Battle Hymns, their debut album, which featured "Dark Avenger", a slow epic track with narration by Orson Welles. (Welles returned on the Into Glory Ride album and did the narration on another slow track called "Defender." This song was later reworked for the band's Fighting the World album.)

Drummer Scott Columbus joined the band for their second album, Into Glory Ride. Their official biography states that custom stainless steel drum kits had to be built for him because his drumming technique was so "vicious" that it ruined standard kits. [1]

Manowar claims the title of "loudest band in the world", and the Guiness Book of World Records has documented them as the holders of the record for the loudest musical performance, at 129.5 decibels. Custom equipment was built for the band by John "Dawk" Stillwell, which helped achieve the massive sound. [2]

The band is also notable for its ownership of their entire operation. Record recording and distribution, as well as merchandise, are all controlled by the band. Singer Eric Adams has said that the reason for this is that the band has received unfair treatment financially in the past, and also to ensure the highest quality production. [3] The band's label, Magic Circle Music, includes other bands such as Rhapsody of Fire. [4]

Their latest album is Gods of War, for other albums, see the discography.

[edit] Current Tour Dates

After guitarist Karl Logan was injured in a motorcycle accident in January 2007, many of the live tour shows that were announced had been postponed ^[1]. But after Karl Logan's recovery new dates have been announced.

March 14th, 2007 Zlín Czech Republic Sportovní Hala Novesta
March 15th, 2007 Pardubice Czech Republic Čez Aréna
March 16th, 2007 Plzen Czech Republic Hala Lokomotiva
March 22nd, 2007 Berlin Germany Max-Schmeling-Halle
March 23rd, 2007 München Germany Olympiahalle
March 24th, 2007 Frankfurt Germany Festhalle
March 27th, 2007 Dortmund Germany Westfalenhalle
March 28th, 2007 Hamburg Germany Color Line Arena
March 30th, 2007 Nürnberg Germany Arena
March 31st, 2007 Stuttgart Germany Schleyerhalle
April 4th, 2007 Athens Greece Hellenikon Fencing Olympic Complex
April 7th, 2007 Moscow Russia DS Luzhniki

What is notable about the tours is that every fan that has traveled from another country in order to attend any of the Manowar Live Shows will be given a free Manowar Shirt that will not be available for sale anywhere else. In addition, after showing their passport along with the shirt, the fans will also be given another merchandise item for free.

[edit] Members

[edit] Current members

Eric Adams - vocals (since 1980)
Joey DeMaio - bass guitars / guitars / keyboards / classical guitar - (since 1980)
Karl Logan - guitars / keyboards / classical guitar - (since 1994)
Scott Columbus - drums and percussion (1983-1991 and since 1995)

[edit] Former members

Guitars:
- Ross the Boss (1980-1988)
- David Shankle (1989-1993) played for a while in Chicago, IL, before he was chosen from about 150 guitarists to replace Ross The Boss. Eric and Joey met him while recording "Kings Of Metal" in Chicago.
Drums:
- Carl Canedy (formerly of The Rods) (1980)
- Donny Hamzik (1981-1982)
- Rhino (real name Kenny Earl Edwards) (1992-1995)
Roadies:
- Alan Feller (Bloodaxe) (2000-2006) Died on tour due to spleen rupture from exposure of high decibels.
- Dan Head (Headdice) (2004-presnt)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Battle Hymns (1982)
Into Glory Ride (1983)
Hail to England (1984)
Sign of the Hammer (1984)
Fighting the World (1987)
Kings of Metal (1988)
The Triumph of Steel (1992)
Louder Than Hell (1996)
Hell on Wheels (Live, 1997)
Hell on Stage (Live, 1999)
Warriors of the World (2002)
Gods of War (2007)

[edit] Compilations

Manowar Kills (1992)
The Hell of Steel: Best of Manowar (1994)
Anthology (1997)
The Kingdom of Steel (1998)
Steel Warriors (1998)

[edit] Singles/EPs

"Defender" (1983)
"All Men Play On Ten" (1984)
"Blow Your Speakers" (1987)
"Herz Aus Stahl" (1988)
"Metal Warriors" (1992)
"Defender" (1994)
"Return of the Warlord" (1996)
"Courage" (1996)
"Courage Live" (1996)
"Number 1" (1996)
"Live in Spain" (1998)
"Live in Portugal" (1998)
"Live in France" (1998)
"Live in Germany" (1998)
"Warriors of the World United" (2002)
"Warriors of the World United Part 2" (2002)
"An American Trilogy/The Fight for Freedom" (2002)
"Dawn of Battle" (2003)
"King of Kings" (included in "Hell on Earth Part IV") (2005)
"The Sons of Odin" (First EP) (2006)

[edit] VHS/DVDs

Secrets of Steel (VHS) (1993)
Hell on Earth Part I (DVD) (2001)
Fire and Blood (DVD) (2002)
Warriors of the World United (Mini DVD/CD) (2002)
Hell on Earth Part III (DVD) (2003)
Hell on Earth Part IV (DVD) (2005)
The Day the Earth Shook - The Absolute Power (DVD) (2006)

[edit] Quotes

"It's a shame that future musicians growing up now are being influenced by trash; it's really upsetting. You are basically formed by what your influences are and if you've got losers for influences, you're going to have a hard time overcoming that." -Eric Adams in an interview conducted in 1988
"I believe in the fans, I believe in metal more than anybody you've ever met. And you've known me a long time. I've never pissed on you even though you constantly do it to me. And I don't stab the fan in the back. And another thing, I'm prepared to die for metal. Are you?" -Joey DeMaio during a 2006 interview with the Rock Hard magazine.
"If you're not into Metal - you are not my friend!" -Joey DeMaio
"Each day, you wake up and get out of bed knowing that there is shit waiting for you. Each day is a struggle, a battle and you must prepare for these battles, these wars. You have to be prepared. That is where the spirit of MANOWAR comes in. It is for everybody, both men and women, who have the fighting spirit. You either fight to win or your throw up your hands and admit that you are fucked." -Joey DeMaio
"Heavy Metal will never die!" -Joey DeMaio during the Monsters of Rock in Brazil (1998). Recorded on the DVD Fire and Blood.
"I'm sorry, I don't listen to country music." -Joey DeMaio when asked what he thought about Metallica. One possible reason that DeMaio may have shown his dislike for Metallica was that in 1999 there was a Gods of Metal fest, and Manowar played Nessun Dorma for their Italian fans; Metallica had played the night before, and James Hetfield was not happy with the song Manowar decided to play.^{[verification needed]}
"This is what we do. And if you like it, good. If not, go fuck yourself." -Joey DeMaio
"We play Metal pure, you know. We don't play radio bullshit. We don't suck ass." -Joey DeMaio
"We just live the part of Metal, you know. We are here to rock, drink and fuck. And that's it. The power is in the music." -Joey DeMaio
"Somebody who never compromised their music and their integrity. And never screwed their fans. Somebody who always delivered Metal, and melted people's faces at maximum power." -Joey DeMaio on how he would like to be remembered.
"I know that a lot of people are against us. But they can get fucked and eat shit and die. Manowar are here to show everybody else that Metal will live on." -Joey DeMaio
"We care about our bands, the quality of music and the metal fans more than anyone else!" -Joey DeMaio in the Magic Circle Music website.
"We have the greatest fans in the world," attests drummer Scott Columbus . "For a long time, our fans have stood by us. They've given everything to the belief that together we are the defenders of the heavy metal faith. That's why we've been able to keep playing our brand of music. That's why we haven't wimped out or bowed to commercialism. Our fans are at the core of everything we do. That's the way it's been done from the beginning."