Udo Dirkschneider was the figurehead and co-founder of the German power metal band Accept that put power and speed metal on the map in Germany in the mid-70s. Nicknamed ‘the little general’, vocalist Udo & Co enjoyed a string of successes throughout the 70s and 80s. Eventually strained relationships between the band members took their toll and Udo struck out on his own with his project U.D.O. In the nineties (’92-’97) Udo returned for a second stint as Accept frontman but since then he has steered a solitary course. Over the years he continued to put out new music but naturally the fans also keep clamouring for the old Accept hits and that gave him the idea to hit the road under the moniker Dirkschneider. In 2015 his son Sven Dirkschneider took over stick duties and the following year the father-son tandem treated the GMM crowd to a greatest hits fest: timeless tracks like ‘Fast as a Shark’, ‘Metal Heart’ and ‘Princess of the Dawn’ are etched in our collective memories. Meanwhile Udo has reached the ripe old age of 71 but make no mistake: the man is still a vocal powerhouse and will slam your balls to the wall! #GMM23
