#3 JULY 2024 Kicking things off with the bosses Headbanging with a perm A battle to remember Heavy metal time travel with Blind Guardian Powered bye’re chuffed to be bringing you an- other English edition of The Bullhead. If you love Wacken, you know that the festival boasts some pretty unique (Northern) German quali- ties. That’s why we’ve de- cided to keep phrases like “Landgasthof“, “Acker“ and “Kuhle“ the way they are – after all, they’re part of the festival’s history and charm. If you scan the QR code, you’ll find the previous is- sues of The Bullhead with even more stories about this year’s festival like interviews with Johann Hegg from Amon Amarth, Gene Simmons from Kiss, Peter Tägtgren from Pain and many more. May the “Pommesgab- el“ be for ever in your fa- vour! All translations done by Victoria Schaffrath The most scandalous band shirt in the world A puppy for a Grammy How old metal shirts turn into brand new ones Metal Nights Scorpions return to Wacken Open Air after 12 years Interview with Rudolf Schenker Fo to: Mo nster pi cs/Mo #1 FEB 2024 The morning after Kiss For the first time in Bogotá Three sisters and their family life on tour The power of black shirts Amon Amarth frontman Johan Hegg played his first show at the W:O:A 25 years ago IMPRINT The Bullhead is a product of WOA Festival GmbH, Schenefelder Straße 17, 25596 Wacken, Germany Management board: Thomas Jensen, Holger Hübner / Project coordination: Peter Klapproth / Editor: Andrea Leim Designer: arne__creates / Contributors: Christof Leim, Timon Menge, Susanne Müller / Copy editors: Sascha Gerhards, Christof Leim, Victoria Schaffrath / Translations: Victoria Schaffrath t’s that time of year again: The amps are cranked up and Wacken turns into the epicentre of the metal world for the 33rd time! We welcome fans from all over the world to Schleswig-Hol- stein! There are numerous high- lights this year: First and foremost, Wacken Metal Bat- tle, in which up-and-coming musicians from more than 70 countries are currently competing. A particular- ly nice anniversary is the ten-year collaboration with DKMS, the German database for bone marrow donation. It’s impressive that almost 12,000 Wacken visitors have registered as donors during this time and around 80 of them have donated bone marrow. This cooperation and commitment show how strong and socially commit- ted the metal community is. New arrival strategies have been developed for this year so that nothing detracts from the excitement. I would like to thank all the helpers of the organisational team for their dedication and for mak- ing the world’s biggest heavy metal festival happen year after year. Wacken Open Air is an integral part of Schle- swig-Holstein and I wish all Wacken fans, the bands and the organisers a loud and hard W:O:A 2024! Yours truly Daniel Günther Prime Minister of the State of Schleswig-Holsteinby Andrea Leim he 33rd annual W:O:A has begun. Since Sunday, a small city has been built on the Holy Ground – the epicentre of metal, with its two organisers smack in the middle. Which word do you utter more often in the run-up to the festival: “yes” or “no”? Holger: Right before the start, it’s usually a “no” for me. That’s the point when people come to me with minor details they want to quickly squeeze in. But it doesn’t work that way because the tasks within the team are allocated and planned out in advance. Thomas: I’m generally a big “yes” person and don‘t like to say “no”. (laughs) But Holger’s and my story is basically about making things happen and when it comes to the big issues, the innovations that make our festival better, then we both much prefer “yes”. You work within a large team. But what are the key areas that will always remain a top priority for you? Thomas: Everything concerning the “family”, the fans, the artists – we will always advocate for them. Holger: Exactly. In addition, the operational and creative issues that influence the entire festival will always remain our priorities. This also includes decisions that involve the authorities. Ultimately, we want to and have to be part of that process. That’s how we’ve done it for the last 33 years and that’s not going to change. Made by fans for fans! Is the weather your biggest worry? Thomas: We are in constant communication with meteorologists, but their job has not exactly become easier in recent years, and the forecasts sometimes vary considerably. Holger: The weather is both our best friend and our worst In the run-up to Wacken Open Air, we caught up with its two captains: Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen reveal what the most important changes at the festival look like, how worried they really are about the weather and whether they’re more likely to answer “yes“ or “no“ as the festival approaches. Holger Hübner & Thomas Jensen (L-R) are ready for W:O:A #33 Credits: Pep Bonet, Dirk Jacobsenemy. But it’s just what it is. Good weather, good news. Bad weather, and we have to deal with that too and say “Thank you very mud”. Thomas: “Rain or shine” will always be our motto. But we have invested quite a bit of money into making the infrastructure even more resilient. What are the most important innovations and improvements this year? Holger: Definitely our new traffic concept, which is designed to help get all our guests onto the grounds quickly. This way, they can get the most out of their time at Wacken: Set up their tent, open a can of beer and party with their friends! Thomas: That is by far the most important update and we hope that our fans will support it. Apart from that, we are constantly working on improvements to the entire festival area. Holger: On the campsites, there are a few new features for the benefit of the fans, for example improvements to electricity and sanitation. And the Landgasthof has added a whole new dimension to its schedule. The news that W:O:A investor Superstruct has been taken over by KKR has been making headlines in the metal scene. Will fans see any changes? Holger: The change of investors at Superstruct has absolutely no impact on us, nor on the other festivals that belong to the Superstruct family. Fans have nothing to worry about. We generally view the collaboration with Superstruct as an advantage, particularly in terms of synergies with the other festivals. We are humbled and grateful more than ever to still be able to organise this festival – with the best fans in the world! Thomas: We want to and need to continue to evolve. The dialogue with other festivals helps us to future-proof Wacken Open Air, because we benefit from the expertise of an entire group. After all, W:O:A is not a product for Holger and me, but rather a combination of childhood hobby, passion and vocation. This year, Wacken is celebrating 20 years of Metal Battle, which is now the biggest talent contest of its kind. Was this development something you imagined during its early days? Holger: We never expected Metal Battle to become such a big deal 20 years ago. But of course, we hope that it continues to grow and keep the scene fresh. There are still some countries missing that haven‘t taken part yet. And naturally, we want the winners to really take off. That’s what we’re trying to facilitate. Thomas: I’m so surprised at how Metal Battle has developed. It’s really something. But an anniversary is always a good opportunity to think about where you want to go. And as Holger pointed out, there are still places on the world map where metal doesn’t yet have the status we would like it to have. In that regard, we can still achieve so much more with our community. Plus, Wacken gives the participants a great opportunity to network. Which bands do you really want to catch this year? Thomas: There are definitely some old mates I want to check out: the Scorpions, Mikkey Dee With Friends, but I’d also like to see Opeth and Korn. I always try to catch a few songs here and there as I walk past or check the app to see what’s on and what I might have time to see. There are a lot of acts to choose from this year. Holger: I have made a vow to catch a lot of shows. One of those is Cradle of Filth, who will be back after several years. And of course, Suzi Quatro, who is playing the well-deserved legends slot. On the Welcome To The Jungle stage, I’d love to see Atze Schröder and of course Maschine’s iconic “Late Night Show”. And at the Landgasthof, we’re hosting bands that played the very first W:O:A, namely Ax ’n Sex and Skyline, and Victory are also playing. I’ll definitely be watching Alligatoah with my daughter! What are the last gigs you have managed to see in their entirety? Thomas: I saw the whole Maiden show in Wacken last year and recently saw Judas Priest, Saxon and Uriah Heep with Gösy and other old mates in Hamburg. Awesome billing, awesome show! Holger: If we’re not talking W:O:A, it was Guns N’ Roses at Hyde Park in London in June, as well as Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard at Wembley Stadium. My wife went to see Abba Voyage at the same time. Both were great! The festival bosses with a freshly mounted bullheadOh my, they grow up so fast! During Wacken’s early years, the paths of the festival and Blind Guardian were basically running in parallel – from the underground right to the top. The nerdy speed metal band from Krefeld, Germany, took over the world, while the festival grew and invited the world to the German North. Let’s travel through some heavy times. Metal behemoth: Blind Guardian in 2024 – Frederik Ehmke, André Olbrich, Hansi Kürsch & Marcus Siepen (L-R) Uniform of band shirts and leather jackets: Blind Guardian in the 80s, when they were still an up-and-coming speed metal outfitby Christof Leim lind Guardian and Wacken Open Air: They both made their mark on German and interna- tional metal. Both began in a decade when the genre was struggling. Nevertheless, they persisted – through passion and individual style – and have become cornerstones of our beloved heavy world. Blind Guardian have transported their unique metal maelstrom to W:O:A six times. As early as 1992, the band took to the stage in the “Kuhle“, later the epic four-piece played the ev- er-growing Holy Ground again and again in significant years of their history, rising higher through the ranks and finally headlining the festival. Vocalist Hansi Kürsch and guitarists André Olbrich and Marcus Siepen remember their favourite moments on the „Acker“, tell us why they don‘t want to complain about the nineties, why W:O:A is so special and what they have pre- pared for their show on Friday. 1992: Saxon were Wacken’s first international headliner, you had just taken a big step forward in terms of success and style with “Somewhere Far Beyond“. How did Blind Guardian and W:O:A get along? André Olbrich: Back then, Wacken was still a tiny backwoods festival. Catering consisted of soup and a crate of beer in our backstage room. The stage was still very wobbly, everything looked somewhat improvised. Prior to the event, Hansi said: “The open-air may be small, but the two guys who are organising it are pretty enthusiastic, so this could turn into something!“ Hansi Kürsch: For us, Wacken was still a blank space on the map of the music world. We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and were almost certain that we would be brillant and then never hear about the festival again. Marcus Siepen: I still remember that one side of the PA stopped working midway through our show. That probably wouldn‘t happen today. In the years that followed, we saw an upheaval in heavy music: Many ears turned away from traditional metal and rock towards new sounds, and grunge and extreme metal emerged. Nevertheless, both W:O:A and Blind Guardian continued to grow, in contrast to the rest of the scene. Were you aware of that? Hansi: The scene was struggling somewhat, but we had already distinguished ourselves in 1992. The role-playing, fantasy and literature crowd supported us more strongly than others. André: For me, the metal world was becoming more and more divided into different sub-genres. There was a lot of pigeonholing, and we were also being stereotyped. But we successfully fought back by constantly changing and developing. The grunge movement had the biggest impact, both positive and negative. Since a lot had already been done in metal by the end of the eighties and some bands were just repeating their early albums, I actually found grunge very refreshing. It certainly inspired me to try out other approaches as well. Marcus: While most bands from the eighties complain about the nineties these days, we have no reason to do so – probably because we simply focussed on doing what we wanted to do, which was writing Blind Guardian music and playing it live. We consistently did our thing, and the same is true for A key ingredient for a riff that rocks: facial expressions like the one Marcus Siepen displayed in 1998 A jeans and t-shirt kinda guy: Hansi Kürsch in 1998Wacken: Thomas and Holger had a vision and pursued it consistently. The proof is in their success. André: Back then, W:O:A managed to unite the more traditional metal fans through their strong line-ups. Every band that was releasing good records at the time and had something to say in the scene was presented. In addition, W:O:A was the first to set up logistics that made life easier for the fans before and after the shows and, of course, on the campsites. Word gets around. When “Nightfall In Middle-Earth“ was released in 1998, you were already internationally successful and even a top 10 band in Germany. Wacken also began to look different… Marcus: The difference was huge. By then, Wacken Open Air had a good reputation and an audience of 20,000. It was clear that this festival would go the distance. Hansi: Holger kept asking: “Can you do another show?“ That didn‘t happen for various reasons – until 1998, when Savatage ended the night and we played just before them. Apart from that, many well- known metal bands performed: Gamma Ray, Iced Earth, Stratovarius. I remember being completely blown away by the number of people. It was an incredible crowd for that time and that kind of music. I wasn‘t in the best shape myself, though, because I had been stung by a bee. Apart from that, I remember a very intimate atmosphere, and you can still find that today. From a technical point of view, there were structures in place in 1998 that you couldn‘t find at other events during that time. André: By 1998, Wacken had already grown into one of the most important festivals. During the set, “Bard’s Song“ gave us goosebumps for the first time. Although many bands from different genres were playing, we were able to unite the fans with “Bard’s Song“ – an unforgettable experience for everyone involved at the time. Marcus: I still remember watching Hypocrisy from the side of the stage with my then three-year-old son in my arms. I guess you could call that musical education. (laughs) It wasn’t until 2002 and “A Night At The Opera“ that you officially headlined – you were a true metal behemoth by then. Hansi: That’swhy this was such an important show for us! It was the first time I realised that people were coming from all over the world. I sensed that a lot of them came because of us or became Blind Guardian fans during the show. It was great, like coming home. Regardless of what we experienced afterwards, 2002 was the first time I really felt like we were playing for our own audience. The incredible crowds weren‘t just carrying us through the show, they were living our music. That was mind-blowing. It may not have been our best concert in terms of performance, but for me, it was the most emotionally powerful show with the most intense impressions. Marcus: Back then we had huge backdrops with our dragon logo, which were pulled up in front of the PA towers while our intro was playing. That was quite something! I still have to laugh today when I think about how nervous my technician Jesus was at the time. He hadn‘t done a show of this size before and he was panicking before we went onstage. I had to calm him down and explain to him that this was “just“ a normal gig - there would simply be a few more people than usual… In 2007, you headlined again with “A Twist In The Myth“. Then, in 2011, you brought “At The Edge Of Hansi remembers the band’s 2002 show as especially impactful. Might have something to do with the dragons In the zone: Hansi Kürsch in 2007Time“, an album that charted at No. 2 in your home country. What has stuck with you from these shows? Hansi: In 2011, we worked with pyrotechnics for the first time and, if I’m not mistaken, we incorporated them all into one song. There’sa video of “Mirror Mirror“ and you can see the fear in my eyes when the first explosion goes off. (laughs) Some of those sparks got caught in my hair – I was genuinely worried that I’d end up bald. Marcus: Our pyro technician at the time, Länglich, had explicitly instructed us beforehand and warned us that we were only allowed to stand in very specific places on stage, that we had to keep our mouths open to equalise the pressure during the explosions and so on. We were André: …and that show is my personal favourite because we were at our best as a band. This summer you’re returning and playing the Faster Stage during prime time on Friday. What do you have planned? Hansi: We’re going to incorporate LED walls and have created beautiful illustrations that look quite iconic and have the feel of a backdrop. We don‘t want it to be some flashy stuff, it has to be Blind Guardian-related, atmospheric and a bit more evocative – because we are quite imaginative when it comes to our music and lyrics. Apart from that, there will be a best-of setlist that will please everyone in the crowd. If you want people to have a good time, you give them what they want to hear. really scared – and then all you could hear during the show was just the faintest “pop“. (laughs) A day later, Länglich used the same pyrotechnics at a club show and nobody remembered. He ended up demolishing half the club and we were all on the verge of a heart attack. (laughs) Blind Guardian have played W:O:A six times, most recently in 2016 with “Beyond The Red Mirror“… The age of innocence: Blind Guardian during their early days Credits: Nuclear Blast, W:O:A • Fuel up with snacks, hygiene gear, Energy Drink Typhoon, and festival essentials at the Müller Metal Market on the Farmers Market grounds • 300 festival survival items for metalheads • Grab your pre-ordered gear at the Pick-up Station in the Metal Market • Over 2,000 Heavy Metal Vinyls, turntables, and Gear at Müller‘s Record Pit on the Camping Plaza • Score hand-signed vinyls from legendary Metal icons!Next >