If I had to mention just 5 out of the most important and influential bands of pure, traditional Heavy Metal, Accept would definitely be one of them. A reoccurring legend, in a somehow different edition, however with a dynamite album that took us all by surprise! Along with the release and promotion of "Blood Of The Nations" and in wait of the highly anticipated Accept gig in Athens on February 13th, Solid Rock had the honor to discuss with riffmaster Wolf Hoffmann for the legendary heavy metal band return...

Interview: Harris Bakopoulos, Lady Evil.

Solid Rock: Hello Wolf! Apart from being an honor for us to do this interview, I admit I was not expecting we’d talk about an ACCEPT album again. So, I guess, the first question is quite typical: under what circumstances did you decide to record a new ACCEPT album with a new singer not known to the mainstream circuit?

Wolf Hoffmann: HI, HARRIS! THANX FOR HAVING ME!  Mark Tornillo came into our life when Peter and I had a jam session in New Jersey at a friends Studio. As we complained how not hot it is without a singer, he has been called to join us for an hour  or so. We were told, he is a singer form they 80's and a huge ACCEPT Fan, who has had ACCEPT songs in his repertoire. We loved the idea. ... Teh man came in, tok off his shirt and started rocking! After 30 sec. Peter and I looked at each other - NO WAY, THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO US! We met us unknown to each other and we parted that day as friends, who had a heck of a session.The idea to revive ACCEPT was born that night and when we asked everybody to come with us - they all said YES!

Solid Rock: Were you anxious during the songwriting period? You know, trying to come up with songs that would justify your decision to have a new album released? Were there times you felt you were choking not having enough or fitting ideas for a song or songpart?

Wolf Hoffmann: To make it easy for you and our fans in GREECE - a journalist  wrote about us: ACCEPT IS LIKE A CAGED ANIMAL, FINALLY SET FREE!  No  one could have said it any better !! MARK woke us up from a 15 year long sleep. We have been electrified like never before.  We have not been calculating or thinking, all we needed to do is let all out! And boy, did we!

Solid Rock: Did Mark participate in the songwriting? Did you have songs ready he had to adjust his voice to, while others had him as a base for the basic melodies/harmonies? Were there any difficulties in this sector, since he’s a brand new member?

Wolf Hoffmann: Peter and I are the song writer - everybody knows that - but in this case we had a very unusual situation - Mark  has been with us during the process  and very helpful when it came to decisions and vocal parts.... HE FIT'S LIKE A GLOVE!

Solid Rock: “Blood Of The Nations” is quite long in duration. Clocking to 65-70 minutes, are you worried many fans may find it to big to swallow?

Wolf Hoffmann: Would something like that even be possible???

Solid Rock: Looking at the album’s quality it’s not hard to say “Blood Of The Nations” is – at least – an excellent release. The feedback from the fans and Media confirms this, as we can read. Were you worried the new album may sound too ‘retro’ for the sounds Metal music is related to these years? Do you care about what other people say, really?

Wolf Hoffmann: first of all we care very much what other people say, but when we wrote the album nothing mattered - nothing. Not even the thought, that it had to be songs who are catering to a special audience. At that point we just opened up and let it out Our focus has been on fun and the one and only situation where  did not have to think ....just play At that point we did not have a record company or any other connections to anybody. In the end we had nearly 40 songs and would have never stopped, we were that happy. But  - luckily ANDY SNEAP CAME INTO OUR LIFE AND STOPPED US.....DRIFTING OFF!

Solid Rock: Being ‘studio’ absent for 14 years – since “Predator” was released – is a long time, really. The name of ACCEPT is written in gold letters in the eternal Heavy Metal book, anyway, but I wonder what younger Metal fans shall think of “Blood Of The Nations”, especially. On the other hand, classic Heavy Metal has this specific charisma of tugging everyone’s heartstrings. Do you see enough young fans in your shows so far? How do they react to the new songs?

Wolf Hoffmann: HELL YEAH! WE SEE YOUNG FAN AND THE REACTION TO THE NEW SONGS IS AWESOME!  You have to understand - no one could foresee what happened to us now. We are on a huge wave and can't believe it ourselves. Everybody who knows me, knows - that I am a perfectionist. I am a pain in the butt, when it comes to be critical. But, I have to say to myself, at the end of the day: I did the best I could. And I guess, that is part of ACCEPT's spirit - we fight to the last breath to better us. ALWAYS. For Mark it was and is quite a challenge and we are lucky, that he got used to it right away. No free lunch with us! We work and we work day and night to give the fans what they deserve: OUR OUTMOST BEST! And I guess we can say today - the fans did not only accept Mark, he won them over BIG TIME!

Solid Rock: I guess it’s quite difficult to compile the setlists for your shows, right? Is this a team decision or you have the final call?

Solid Rock: Did you exclude any songs off a possible setlist due to being risky for Mark singing the originals, really? I would not say so, but you’re the most proper man to answer :)

Wolf Hoffmann: Are you kiddin' me? RISKY FOR MARK?  I suggest you would be so kind and take this answer from your colleagues  from around the world. they answered hat question brilliantly!

Solid Rock:  Who was in charge of the lyrics this time? The album’s title denotes we could think of a concept story. Or not? What would you answer to fans thinking of the lyrics being kinda simplified at times? Is it a matter of spreading a specific message?

Wolf Hoffmann: As you know, Gaby has been our lyricist forever. When she got to know MARK, she decided to let him write his own lyrics - which surprised Mark immensely.  We are very glad we did that. For  the first time  writing lyrics for ACCEPT - he did great.  Taking into account what I told you earlier, you can understand what happened - WE FOCUSSED 110% ON POWER AND DYNAMICS  when BLOOD OF THE NATIONS  evolved and let that be self-explanatory. I guess you can interpret somethings in various ways and we don't have to put to much weight on it. As I say - we are working on our skills diligently and I can assure you, the best is yet to come.... at least that's how we see it!

Solid Rock: To be honest, I was a little bit worried reading that Andy Sneap would be involved in the production of the new album. Knowing he’s building quite ‘modern’ sounds in his productions all this years, I would not want to listen to an ACCEPT album sounding like the newer bands that have been influenced by ACCEPT. Thankfully, Andy did a great job bringing a fresh but not ‘modernized’ sound. Was it easy to work with him, Wolf?

Wolf Hoffmann: Well, since we did not dream to have ACCEPT back nevertheless writing an album - we sure have not been looking for a producer, right? Andy Sneap has been - unknown to us -  life long fan!  And here is the story: Many years ago a friend of mine visited us and offered to create an ACCEPT ARCHIVE - because now we have computers..it is that long ago. We gathered all the ACCEPT things I still had and while doing this, we found a very old Poster. Our friend begged me to autograph it for a friend who is  a young dude who want's to be producer. I did not want to do this, because I lived a different life than and that was all gone....to autograph something. Well, he persuaded me and I wrote, to ANDY SNEAP....THE PRODUCER INEVER WORKED WITH!  Yeah...decades later, Andy Sneap is standing n front of me, saying: if you ever do ACCEPT again - I AM YOUR PRODUCER!   Mark Tornillo sure unlocked us, but Andy SNEAP SET US SINGLE HANDEDLY ON THE RIGHT TRAIN He came as a stranger, knowing more about ACCEPT , than we did and he is part of our life until today - he is my best friend, a brother! And Peter's too ...we are the team from hell, believe me! 

Solid Rock: The new album is already out and – to our delight – a vinyl version is also available. With CD sales diminishing you think old and new fans may (re)invent their passion for vinyl albums again? Metal labels must be thinking the same way and print more and more vinyl copies the last years, I wonder.

Wolf Hoffmann: I guess,  VINYL  is a homage to the past. Everybody loves it and so do we!

Solid Rock: I’m pretty sure enough ACCEPT fans thought of the “Eat The Heat” experiment reading that Udo would not be singing for this comeback ACCEPT release (I do consider “Eat The Heat” to be a different yet equally fine ACCEPT release anyway…), so are you afraid many of them will not even give “Blood Of The Nations” a chance?

Wolf Hoffmann: If you would have asked me that question, before the release and the obvious huge success, I would have answered it differently. The fans gave us a comeback  with - for all of us -  unimaginable enthusiasm. To enter the charts everywhere and in Germany at # 4 - the highest position IN OUR  ENTIRE CAREER!!! -  has still not sunk in with me, to be honest. Peter and I are very close as he is at my side since all  my professional ACCEPT life ,we are joint at the hip, as people say and there is not a day now where we are not talking about what happened in about 12 month from meeting Mark at a jam session to see him - most of all - conquer the hearts and minds of our fans -THAT IS A MIRACLE,  to meet Mark int the first place IS A MIRACLE and to see ANDY SNEAP  walk right into our life - THAT IS A MIRACLE...so for us, we just get proof - that follow your heart and do not calculate, let it all out and go with the flow. We have the greatest team around us, we can do what we want - guess, that's living the dream!

I have to say something her, as you are mentioning EAT THE HEAT! Many people have cried "bloody murder" including our ex-singer and today he covers even songs from EAT THE HEAT AND HE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE !! WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? I guess, we can say, that the quality of the songs has been discovered. People who know ACCEPT, know, that the most difficult part is t live FREE, to not let anything dictate what you are doing. Gaby is a most rebellious part of us, it is her who has been leading us for 30 years and believe me, she has a Lion's Heart.  David Reece is a very talented singer. When we met with him he was not at a point in his life, where he could have lived the life we demanded - so again the decision has been made, that WE WILL NEVER SACRIFICE OUR PRINCIPLES and exactly THAT goes on until today - WE WILL NOT BEND DOWN ....NEVER!  It needs so much more guts to pull through, when the whole word i against you and I am sure, you  know how critical people have been. But here it is - we would have accepted any verdict, but please let us show first, what WE have to offer - AND THEY DID  and they opened their hearts! THANK YOU ALL!

Solid Rock: Nuclear Blast Records has showed – so far – they’re willing to promote “Blood Of The Nations” all the way worldwide. Are you satisfied from their support so far? Are they pulling all the strings in terms of promotion/distribution or you are personally involved in this area, too?

Wolf Hoffmann: NUCLEAR BLAST let us become part of their family.  Success is always team work and this record company is today the perfect match for us. Specially Gaby - who has been the driving force  - as usual - to join Nuclear Blast is in heaven. They know what they are doing and there is much respect on both sides.

Solid Rock: Here is something I have always been wondering about and I believe I’m not the only one: In “Restless & Wild” album (both LP & CD), the last track "Princess of the Dawn" is ending quite rough. Was there a reason for that, was it a mistake of the recordings or something?

Wolf Hoffmann: NEITHER! 

Wolf Hoffmann: We are very excited to come to GREECE! how would you call it, when I am telling you everything - not a surprise, would you? come to the show and see for yourself! We are pumped up and ready to go!

Solid Rock: Greece has a tremendous love for ACCEPT music, if you can recall the two gigs you had given in Athens in the 90s and the latest one in 2005…How do you feel about that and what is your message to the Greek Accept fans?

Wolf Hoffmann: GREEK FANS  ARE HOT... and we told Mark about you guys!  We can say that much - every musician is in heaven, when his fans are there and if they are rocking along.  So far, every show has been a love fest and we are specially moved,because we are in these day and age, closer to them than anytime before! ACCEPT CLASSICS are what it is they want and the new stuff - TEUTONIC TERROR HAS BEEN HUGE - AS THE ABYSS and all we have to do is: DELIVER!  We are presenting us as we are today, with little fanfare: Happy and ready to rock!

Solid Rock: Wolf, thanx a lot for your time. Needless to say, we’re grateful ACCEPT is back on the track with such a killer album!

Wolf Hoffmann: Thank you for talking to me. I hope to see you at the show! Come and say hello and a big THANK YOU TO OUR FANS WHO ARE HOLDING UP THE BANNER FOR ACCEPT!

 

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