Michael Weikath | |
|---|---|
 Weikath performing in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Ingo Joachim Weikath |
| Also known as | Weiki |
| Born | 7 August 1962 Hamburg, West Germany |
| Genres | |
| Occupations | Guitarist |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Member of | Helloween |
| Formerly of | Powerfool |
Michael Ingo Joachim "Weiki" Weikath (born 7 August 1962) is a German musician, best known as a founding member and one of the guitarists of pioneering power metal band Helloween.
Weikath was born in Hamburg and was musical from a very early age. As a four to five-year-old, he would lie in the grass, looking at the sky, and come up with melodies in his head. He began taking a serious interest in music in 1971 [1] and spent much of his time as a child at the tube stereo set of his parents, listening to all the stations available at the time. The first album he owned was 1962–1966 by The Beatles.
In 1974, Weikath started playing the guitar and later on began rehearsing with his friends. He formed his first band, Powerfool, in 1978. Prior to forming Helloween, he worked for a record mail order company. In 1982, he served heavy social duty as an alternative to military service. The main bands that have had an influence on him are The Beatles, Deep Purple, Scorpions, UFO, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, the Sex Pistols, and Wishbone Ash. [2] The guitarists that influenced him when he started playing were Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, and Eddie Van Halen. [3]
Weikath is one of the founding members of Helloween, along with Kai Hansen (vocals/guitar), Markus Grosskopf (bass), and Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums). He had been one of only two original members still active in the band, the other being Markus Grosskopf, until Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske rejoined in 2016. Weikath integrated the first Helloween line up in 1982. By 1984, the band had signed a deal with Noise Records and recorded two songs for a Noise compilation record called Death Metal . On that album, he was responsible for the song "Oernst of Life." [4]
In a 1998 interview with Weikath, Chaotic Critiques webzine pointed out the occasional spiritual themes and uplifting melodies on songs such as "Hey Lord!" and asked if the band was somewhat spiritual. Weikath replied that all the band, except Uli Kusch, were Christian. Weikath stated that he himself is Catholic. [5] Today, he resides in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. [6]
Like fellow Helloween guitarist Sascha Gerstner, Weikath is using a DigiTech GSP1101 preamp with a Marshall JVM410H amplifier for live performances.
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. It is said that the band is one of the most influential European heavy metal bands of the 1980s. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weikath and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. By the time Hansen left Helloween in 1989 to form Gamma Ray, the band had evolved into a five-piece, with Michael Kiske taking over as lead vocalist. Schwichtenberg and Kiske both parted ways with Helloween in 1993; Schwichtenberg died two years later as the result of suicide. Between then and 2016, there had been numerous line-up changes, leaving Grosskopf and Weikath as the only remaining original members. As a septet, their current lineup includes four-fifths of the Keeper of the Seven Keys: Parts I and II-era (1987–1988) lineup, featuring three additional members, vocalist Andi Deris, guitarist Sascha Gerstner and drummer Daniel Löble.
The Dark Ride is the ninth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 2000. The album's style was quite different from Better Than Raw as it had a much darker sound, drop-tuned guitars, and gruffer vocals. The album was produced by Roy Z and Charlie Bauerfeind. It is the last studio album to feature Master of the Rings-era lineup with the dismissal of guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch after completion of the supporting tour for the album. They went on to form the band Masterplan.
Kai Michael Hansen is a German musician who is the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray. He is also one of the co-founders of another power metal band Helloween, which he was a part of from 1983 to 1989 and rejoined in 2016. He is a prominent figure in power metal and has sold millions of albums worldwide. He is regarded as "the godfather of power metal", having founded two seminal bands in the genre. In 2011, he joined the band Unisonic featuring former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske. Hansen and Kiske reunited with Helloween in 2017 for a world tour with all current members, celebrating the 30-year anniversary of release of the albums Keeper of the Seven Keys Parts I and II.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II is the third studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1988. The album sold well, and success bloomed all over Europe, Asia, and even the United States. The album went gold in Germany and reached No. 108 in the US.
Chameleon is the fifth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1993. It is their most musically adventurous release, but also their least commercially successful, and is their last studio album to feature singer Michael Kiske until 2021's self-titled album, as well as their last with original drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. It was Schwichtenberg's last album to be recorded during his lifetime. This was also the last album on EMI Records.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy is the eleventh studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 2005. It is the first album with new and current drummer Dani Löble and a continuation of their 1987 and 1988 albums Keeper of the Seven Keys, Parts I and II. The album is a double CD with nearly 80 minutes playing time and comes in a digipack with 6 flaps. It was produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and features Blackmore's Night singer Candice Night on the track "Light The Universe". The album's opening track, “The King for a 1000 Years” is, to date, the longest song released by the band.
Live in the U.K. is the first live album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1989. It was released in Japan as Keepers Live. In the United States, it was released as I Want Out – Live without the track "Rise and Fall", and with a shorter edit of the introduction.
Master of the Rings is the sixth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1994. It is the first to feature new members Andi Deris and Uli Kusch.
Markus Grosskopf is a German musician best known as the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the power metal band Helloween.
Treasure Chest is a box set by German power metal band Helloween.
"Future World" is a song and a single made by German power metal band Helloween, from the album Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I. It is performed frequently by Helloween and Gamma Ray at their concerts.
"Dr. Stein" is a song by German power metal band Helloween. Taken from the 1988 album Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II, the song remains one of the band's most popular songs, and is played live at virtually every Helloween concert. The lyrics are based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
"Just a Little Sign" is a song and single by German power metal band Helloween from their album Rabbit Don't Come Easy. It is about a depressed man going to a night club, intending to enjoy the music. He then unexpectedly falls in love with a woman there but is too afraid to tell her. Though this story sounds sad, the band delivers it in a humorous way.
"Kids of the Century" is a song and single by German power metal band Helloween taken from the album Pink Bubbles Go Ape. This is the first Helloween single with Roland Grapow playing guitars, replacing Kai Hansen.
"When the Sinner" is a song and a single by German power metal band Helloween from the album Chameleon.
"I Don't Wanna Cry No More" is a song and single by German power metal band Helloween from the album Chameleon. This song was dedicated to Roland Grapow's brother Rainer.
Mr Ego (Take Me Down) is the second EP by German power metal band Helloween. It contains the song of the same name, taken from the album Master of the Rings. The EP is "dedicated" to then-former Helloween singer Michael Kiske.
"Perfect Gentleman" is a song and single by German power metal band Helloween, taken from the album Master of the Rings.
"The Time of the Oath" is a song and a single by German power metal band Helloween from the album also named The Time of the Oath.
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