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Born on 10 December 1966, I started playing guitar at the age of twelve. In 1996 I enrolled at the Music Academy in Remscheid. Apart from jazz guitarist Michael Borner, I was taught by several teachers, including Michael Sagmeister, Peter Wölpl and Wayne Krantz. I finished my studies with top grades. I was also taught by the Frankfurt-based Jazz-Fusion guitarist Mathias Löffler, about whom I once commented: "Although he was trying to win me over to jazz, I still love rock music, but I also admire Robben Ford, whom I discovered through Mathias. This guy is a genius at phrasing."
A sound sample of my first solo-demo CD was published in issue 06/99 of Soundcheck magazine, and in September 1999 I was awarded the German Rock Prize in the category Best Instrumentalist. I was also the best german participant at the Finale of the European Guitar Festival in Lausanne, Switzerland in November 2000, where my CD was selected out of 200 entries.
My first solo-album "NO MORE OBSCURITY" was released in November the same year on the Finnish Label LION MUSIC. Guest musicians were drummer Anders Johansson (Yngwie Malmsteen, Hammerfall) and vocalist Lance King (Balance of Power). The album features instrumentals along with vocal tracks in best hard rock style. From 2000 to 2002 I've also been a member of the heavy metal band VANIZE. Udo Dirkschneider's brother Peter was the singer.
In May 2001 I founded my new project/band EMPIRE.
The debut album HYPNOTICA was released in October 2001 by Lion Music and features musicians like bassist Neil Murray (Ex-Whitesnake, Ex-Brian May), singer Lance King (Balance of Power), singer Mark Boals (Malmsteen), keyboard player Don Airey (Ex-Rainbow, Ex-Ozzy, Ex-Gary Moore) and drummer Anders Johansson (Ex-Malmsteen, Hammerfall).
The CD has been released worldwide and was licensed to Russia and Japan via KING RECORDS.
The second EMPIRE Cd TRADING SOULS was released with a slightly different line up in 2003. This time I was able to work with one of the finest singers around.
Tony Martin (Ex Black Sabbath) - Vocals; Neil Murray - Bass; Don Airey - Keyboards; Gerald Kloos - Drums and Anders Johansson guest on drums.
HYPNOTICA and TRADING SOULS were both mixed by Stefan Kaufmann (Accept).
In 2005 I started working on the third EMPIRE album called "RAVEN RIDE" again with Tony Martin, Neil Murray and a new drummer Andre Hilgers (Axxis).
Released in 2006 by METAL HEAVEN and licensed in Japan and Russia again.
I have been playing guitar for MAJESTY for about three years from 2003 to 2006 with two album releases called "REIGN IN GLORY" and "HELLFORCES" (which entered the german album charts) both on MASSACRE RECORDS and a Live Album/DVD. We were touring all over Europe and played lots of shows supporting Bands like Iced Earth, Alice Cooper, U.D.O, Kingdome Come, Queensryche, Children of Bodom, Testament, Sebastian Bach, Ufo, Doro, Candlemass, Evergrey etc.
Since 2004 I'm working also with another Band called RAZORBACK. We've released two albums "ANIMAL ANGER" and "CRIMINAL JUSTICE" so far with Massacre Records and signed a new deal with METAL HEAVEN. We will release a third album in 2007. On board we have Swedens killer singer Stefan Berggren (M3 Classic Whitesnake).
Beside all that I'm also playing guitar for Tony Martin. He asked me to join him on their last Russian Tour (Nov 2006) were we played e.g. the Olympic Ice Hall in Moscow in front of 8000 people.
On board is also Geoff Nicholls, the keyboard player from Black Sabbath. On this Tour we played with Bands like Glenn Hughes, Nazareth, Bonnie Tyler, Ken Hensley etc. It's been a real pleasure working with this Band and they asked me to join them so I'm looking forward to work and go on tour with Tony Martin in 2007 again.
In 2003 I already started to build my own studio and I'm working more and more as a producer/mixer these days. Lots of Bands have done their stuff here in EMPIRE STUDIOS and I delivered work for labels like MASSACRE RECODS, METAL HEAVEN, DISNEY RECORDS, EMI, STF RECORDS etc.
