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List of Accept band members

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Three line-ups of Accept performing in 2013, 2017, and 2022.

Accept is a German heavy metal band from Solingen. Formed in 1976, the group originally featured lead guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, bassist Peter Baltes, lead vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, drummer Frank Friedrich and rhythm guitarist Gerhard Wahl. The band's current lineup includes Hoffmann, lead vocalist Mark Tornillo (since 2009), rhythm guitarist Uwe Lulis, drummer Christopher Williams (both since 2015), bassist Martin Motnik and rhythm guitarist Philip Shouse (both since 2019).

History

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1976–1994

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Accept evolved from an earlier group called Band X, with the first lineup including Wolf Hoffmann, Peter Baltes, Udo Dirkschneider, Frank Friedrich and Gerhard Wahl.[1] Wahl was replaced by Jörg Fischer in 1978.[2] After the recording of the group's self-titled debut album, Friedrich left Accept and was replaced by Stefan Kaufmann.[2] Fischer left suddenly after a tour in 1982.[2] He was replaced briefly by Jan Koemmet,[3] followed by Herman Frank shortly before the release of Restless and Wild.[4] Fischer returned to replace Frank shortly after the release of Balls to the Wall.[2]

In 1987, Dirkschneider was fired from Accept and subsequently pursued a solo career under the moniker U.D.O.[5] He was replaced by a succession of temporary vocalists, before the band settled on David Reece and released Eat the Heat in 1989.[6] Fischer left again before the recording of the album.[2] Jim Stacey joined on rhythm guitar for the album's promotional tour, which also saw Ken Mary take over from Kaufmann after the regular drummer suffered a back injury.[2] Accept subsequently decided to disband, after increasing differences with Reece and Kaufmann's injury.[2] By 1992, the band had returned with a lineup of Dirkschneider, Hoffmann, Baltes and Kaufmann, releasing Objection Overruled the next year.[7] Kaufmann was forced to leave again after the release of Death Row, with Stefan Schwarzmann taking his place.[8]

Since 1994

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After the Death Row touring cycle, Schwarzmann was replaced by Michael Cartellone, who performed on 1996's Predator.[9] The group disbanded for a second time in 1997.[2] In 2005, Accept returned for a short run of shows in Europe and Japan, with Dirkschneider, Hoffmann and Baltes joined by Frank and Schwarzmann.[10] The tour ended in August, after which Hoffmann claimed that Dirkschneider was preventing a longer reunion for the band.[11] Members returned to other projects until 2009, when a new lineup of Accept was unveiled with vocalist Mark Tornillo in place of Dirkschneider.[12] The group's lineup remained stable until 2014, when Frank and Schwarzmann were fired.[13] Their places were taken in April 2015 by Uwe Lulis and Christopher Williams, respectively.[14] Baltes quit the band in November 2018.[15]

For tour dates in early 2019, Baltes was replaced by Danny Silvestri, who had previously played with the group in 2017.[16] In April, the band brought in Martin Motnik as their new full-time bassist.[17] On 1 November, the band announced that Philip Shouse, previously a touring member, had joined them as their third guitarist, thus making them a sextet.[18]

Members

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Current

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Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Accept - Wacken Open Air 2017 19.jpg
Wolf Hoffmann
  • 1976–1989
  • 1992–1997
  • 2005

  • 2009–present
  • lead guitar
  • backing vocals
all Accept releases
Accept - Wacken Open Air 2017 13.jpg
Mark Tornillo 2009–present lead vocals all Accept releases from Blood of the Nations (2010) onwards
Accept - Wacken Open Air 2017 25.jpg
Uwe Lulis 2015–present
  • rhythm guitar
  • backing vocals
all Accept releases from Restless and Live (2017) onwards
Accept Rockharz 2022 28.jpg
Christopher Williams drums
Accept - Elbriot 2022 47.jpg
Martin Motnik 2019–present
  • bass
  • backing vocals
all Accept releases from Too Mean to Die (2021) onwards
Accept - Elbriot 2022 08.jpg
Philip Shouse guitar

Former

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Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Accept - Wacken Open Air 2017 27.jpg
Peter Baltes
  • 1976–1989
  • 1992–1997
  • 2005
  • 2009–2018
  • bass
  • backing and occasional lead vocals
all Accept releases to Symphonic Terror: Live at Wacken 2017 (2018)
U.D.O. with Bundeswehr Musikkorps - Wacken Open Air 2015-0596.jpg
Udo Dirkschneider
  • 1976–1987
  • 1992–1997
  • 2005
lead vocals all Accept releases from Accept (1979) to All Areas: Worldwide (1997), except Eat the Heat (1989)
Frank Friedrich 1976–1979 drums Accept (1979)
Gerhard Wahl 1976–1978 rhythm guitar none
Jörg Fischer
  • 1978–1982
  • 1984–1988
  • rhythm guitar
  • backing vocals
all Accept releases from Accept (1979) to Staying a Life (1990), except Balls to the Wall (1983) and Eat the Heat (1989)
Dirkschneider - Wacken Open Air 2018-1837.jpg
Stefan Kaufmann
  • 1979–1989
  • 1992–1994
  • drums
  • backing vocals
Jan Koemmet 1982 rhythm guitar none
Herman Frank – Wacken Open Air 2014 04.jpg
Herman Frank
  • 1982–1984
  • 2005
  • 2009–2014
Michael White 1987 lead vocals none
Rob Armitage 1987–1988
David Reece 1988–1989 Eat the Heat (1989)
Jim Stacey 1989 rhythm guitar none
Stefan Schwarzmann – Wacken Open Air 2014 02.jpg
Stefan Schwarzmann
  • 1994–1995
  • 2005
  • 2009–2014
drums
  • Death Row (1994) – two tracks only
  • all Accept releases from All Areas: Worldwide (1997) to Blind Rage (2014)
Michael Cartellone.jpg
Michael Cartellone 1995–1997 Predator (1996)

Touring

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Image Name Years active Instruments Details
Ken Mary
  • 1989
drums Mary was hired to finish the Eat the Heat tour due to Stefan Kauffmann's health problems.
Danny Silvestri
  • 2017
  • 2019
bass Silvestri substituted for Baltes at Wacken Open Air 2017, and rejoined after his departure in late 2018.[16]
Ava-Rebekah Rahman 2019–present violin Rahman joined the touring lineup of Accept for the Symphonic Terror tour starting in April 2019.[17]
Whitesnake San Antonio 2015 3.jpg
Joel Hoekstra 2024 guitar Hoekstra is temporarily filling in for Shouse.[19]

Timeline

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Lineups

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Period Members Releases
1976–1978 none
1978 – early 1979
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Frank Friedrich – drums
  • Jörg Fischer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Early 1979 – early 1982
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Jörg Fischer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
Early – mid-1982
  • Wolf Hoffmann – guitars, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
Mid-1982
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • Jan Koemmet – rhythm guitar
none
Late 1982 – early 1984
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • Herman Frank – rhythm guitar
Early 1984 – mid-1987
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • Jörg Fischer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
1987
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • Jörg Fischer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Michael White – lead vocals
none
1987–1988
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • Jörg Fischer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Rob Armitage – lead vocals
1988
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • Jörg Fischer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • David Reece – lead vocals
1988–1989
  • Wolf Hoffmann – guitars, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • David Reece – lead vocals
1989
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
  • David Reece – lead vocals
  • Jim Stacey – rhythm guitar
none
1989
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • David Reece – lead vocals
  • Jim Stacey – rhythm guitar
  • Ken Mary – drums
Band inactive 1989–1992
1992–1994
  • Wolf Hoffmann – guitars, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Stefan Kaufmann – drums, backing vocals
1994–1995
  • Wolf Hoffmann – guitars, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Stefan Schwarzmann – drums
1995–1997
  • Wolf Hoffmann – guitars, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Michael Cartellone – drums
Band inactive 1997–2005
2005
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Udo Dirkschneider – lead vocals
  • Herman Frank – rhythm guitar
  • Stefan Schwarzmann – drums
none
Band inactive 2005–2009
May 2009 – December 2014
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Herman Frank – rhythm guitar
  • Stefan Schwarzmann – drums
  • Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
April 2015 – November 2018
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Baltes – bass, backing vocals
  • Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
  • Uwe Lulis – rhythm guitar
  • Christopher Williams – drums
November 2018 – April 2019
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
  • Uwe Lulis – rhythm guitar
  • Christopher Williams – drums
none
April – November 2019
  • Wolf Hoffmann – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
  • Uwe Lulis – rhythm guitar
  • Christopher Williams – drums
  • Martin Motnik – bass, backing vocals
November 2019 – present
  • Wolf Hoffman – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
  • Uwe Lulis – rhythm guitar
  • Christopher Williams – drums
  • Martin Motnik – bass, backing vocals
  • Philip Shouse – rhythm guitar

References

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  1. ^ Woodcheke, Diane (23 March 2016). "Accept's Breaker 35 Years Later". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Accept: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Accept Interview". Metallian. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Former Accept Guitarist Herman Frank Releases 'Sinners' Solo Song". Blabbermouth.net. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Udo Dirkschneider: 'I Never Left Accept, They Fired Me'". Blabbermouth.net. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  6. ^ Jeffries, Vincent. "Eat the Heat - Accept: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  7. ^ Anderson, Jason. "Objection Overruled - Accept: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann Leaving Accept". Vintage Vinyl News. 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  9. ^ Anderson, Jason. "Predator - Accept: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Drummer Stefan Schwarzmann To Rejoin Accept For Summer Festival Appearances". Blabbermouth.net. 1 March 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Wolf Hoffmann Says Udo Dirkschneider Is Standing In The Way Of Future Accept Plans". Blabbermouth.net. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Accept Recruits Ex-TT Quick Singer To Replace Udo Dirkschneider". Blabbermouth.net. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Accept Parts Ways With Guitarist Herman Frank, Drummer Stefan Schwarzmann". Blabbermouth.net. 28 December 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  14. ^ "Accept Announces New Guitarist, Drummer". Blabbermouth.net. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Accept's Founding Bassist Peter Baltes Quits". Blabbermouth.net. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Accept Performs With Stand-In Bassist Danny Silvestri During 70000 Tons Of Metal Cruise (Video)". Blabbermouth.net. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Accept Recruits Bassist Martin Motnik". Blabbermouth.net. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Accepts Expands Lineup With Addition Of Third Guitarist, Philip Shouse". Blabbermouth.net. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  19. ^ "JOEL HOEKSTRA Performs With ACCEPT For The First Time In São Paulo; Video". bravewords.com. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
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