BIOGRAPHY
|
STEELER emerged during a particularly golden period
in the history of German heavy metal powered by the international success of SCORPIONS and ACCEPT
along with the emergency of younger acts such as WARLOCK. Formed in Bochum STEELER had originally
used the name SINNER but changed it to avoid contraversions with Stuttgart-based one. The band
was put together by guitarist Axel Rudi Pell and bassist Volker Krawczak.
|
The duo recruited FALLEN ANGEL guitarist Thomas Eder
and drummer Siggi Wiesemöller. The fledging group recorded its first demo during 1982 utilizing
the serivces of vocalist Karl Holthaus from local band NEMO (who was also known for fronting
a group called GLADIATOR).
|
| STEELER took the demos to SCORPIONS producer Dieter
Dierks who chose not to persue his original interest in the band. That's when the tape fell into
the hands of ACCEPT who were having problems with Udo Dirkschneider at the time and were covertly
auditioning replacements. ACCEPT auditioned Hothaus but happened to settle their differences with
Udo without the press getting wind of the original problem.
|
Having received a fair amount of interest from demo
track "Call Her Princess" being aired on Tony Jasper's Rock show on the British Forces
Broadcasting Service (BFBS) radio station STEELER recruited a permanent singer in Eder's former
FALLEN ANGEL bandmate Peter Burtz and hooked with the newly formed Earthshaker label owned by
Axel Thubeauville for a two record deal releasing the thunderous self-titled debut in 1984.
|
The album recorded in mere 11 (!) days with new
drummer Jan Yildiral sold a respective 9,000 copies although a proposed tour with WARLOCK turned
into a disaster due to problems with WARLOCK's manager and pretty jealousy between the two groups.
|
The band's second album "Rulin' The Earth"
took about 15 days and was laid down at Horus Sound Studio in Hannover (which later saw the
recording of legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" by Hamburg-originated HELLOWEEN).
The album sold 18,000 copies and the group proceeded to play every venue they could to promote
themselves and get greater recognition.
|
With the Eathshaker deal now over (the label went
bankrupt a year later and was transformed into Shark Records) STEELER signed to SPV/Steam Hammer
although legal problems with Earthshker would persist for some time afterward especially
concerning the payment of roalties (the band never (!) got paid for its first two records).
Having begun working on demo tapes of songs for the proposed third album the band parted company
with bass axeman Volker. Under pressure from the U.S. party it was decided that the
unfortunate bassist, a portly chap, did not particularly fit into the scheme of things and the
band felt it had no choice but to replace him. Krawczak would refuse to speak with his former
colleagues for a good three years afterwards!
|
Volker's place was taken by French bassist Herve
Rossi who previously played with ANTHRACITE and a friend of drummer Yildiral. Whilst Rossi
certainly fitted STEELER's concept on the image front it was quickly discovered that he was rather
lacking in any prowess as a musician. Rossi may have been hired for looking like MOTLEY CRUE
bassist Nikki Sixx but he didn't play a note on the third album, 1986's "Strike Back",
a guesting Tommy Newton from VICTORY doing the honours.
|
The album was produced by ELOY's Frank Bornemann
although Axel claims that the majority of the work was carried out by Czech-born engineer Jan
Nemec. Ex-SCORPIONS guitarist Uli Jon Roth happened to record in the same Horus Sound Studio
and Axel took the opportunity of inviting him to play on "Night After Night" that
appeared in this version on the compilation album entitled "The Power Of Metal Hammer".
|
Having dispatched Rossi back to France STEELER
recruited ex-AXE VICTIMS rhythm guitarist Roland Hag as the band's new bass player and hit the
road managing to add some shows in Holland and Switzerland to regular German gigs.
|
"Strike Back" benefitting from better
material, improved musicianship and a polished production picked up sales of 33,000 copies
throughout Germany and set the mood for recording the fourth effort "Undercover Animal".
|
Despite touring Germany with British legends SAXON
"Undercover Animal" only wound up selling 21,000 copies and it would be during the
writing of songs for the planned fifth album that Axel decided to leave the group disappointed
in the band's more pop-chorus-oriented direction officially departing on November 11, 1988.
|
STEELER opted to continue without Pell hiring a
guitarist from the Frankfurt area known as Vice and firing Yildiral who went to join reformed
Darxon in 1990. New STEELER recorded a one-track demo and played a comeback show at Bochum's
Zeche club videotaping it as well but failed and split three or four months down the line.
|
Whereas Axel chose to pursue what turned out to be
a very successful solo career teaming up with Volker once again (!) his former bandmates have
engaged themselves in other careers. At one time Peter Burtz was an editor of German metal
magazine "Metal Hammer" before taking the opportunity to work in upper echelons of
the EMI record label and later writing songs for "Die Gerd Show". Drummer Yildiral runs a travel agency while guitarist Thomas Eder is
working for a local radio station reporting on events in local courts.
|
(Reworked from "The Ultimate Hard Rock Guide"
written by editors of German magazine "Heavy, Oder Was!?").
|