Running Wild "Dancing On A Minefield"

http://wolfgangsclassicmetalblogsite.blogspot.com/

Track taken from 1994's "Black Hand Inn"

Running Wild is one from a wave of German Heavy metal bands to emerge in the early/mid 1980s (along with Helloween, Rage, Blind Guardian, Grave Digger, etc). The music they play is compilation of heavy, power and speed metal. The band has carved its niche in the metal world as the first "pirate metal" band, a theme which took off with the release of Under Jolly Roger in 1987 (thus abandoning the paganic imagery of their earlier work). The band is still active today. In 1976 a new school band called Granite Heart was established in Hamburg, Germany under the command of Rolf Kasparek alias Rock'n'Rolf. Granite Heart consisted of: Rock'n'Rolf (lead vocals, guitar), Uwe Bendig (guitar), Michael Hoffmann (drums) and Jörg Schwarz (bass), who was replaced by Carsten David (bass) shortly after. Around 1979 the band was renamed as Running Wild and in 1983 they released their first demo-tape with the following line-up: Rock'n'Rolf (lead vocals, guitar), Uwe Bendig (guitar), Matthias Kaufmann (bass) and Hasche (drums). Running Wild astonished their hometown Hamburg, Germany with heavy speed Metal and a flashy leather image, so that finally the songs Iron Heads and Bones to Ashes were published on the Death Metal compilation by NOISE in 1984. Under the same label their debut album Gates to Purgatory was released in the same year and sold not less than 20.000 units in the first three months. The record climbed the german metal-charts and with the 12" maxi Victim of States Power there was a nice little metal goodie thrown onto the market. The legendary(although the second) line-up - read as Rock'n'Rolf (lead vocals, guitar), Preacher (guitar, vocals), Stephan (bass) and Hasche (drums). From the release of their second album Branded and Exiled in 1985 Running Wild was one of the most popular metal acts in Germany. In that year the band was spoken about in the same breath as the Scorpions and Accept. After their second release the band did gigs with Sinner in German venues. Guitarman Preacher was subsequently replaced by Majk Moti. Meanwhile the typical Running Wild style was found. One year later sensational news spread fast: for the first time an independent band, Running Wild, was to tour with the American "superstars" Motley Crue on their Theatre of Pain - tour. In 1987 Under Jolly Roger was released when Running Wild launched their individual bizarre pirate image and hoisted the Jolly Roger for the first time. In this year another change in the line-up was made. Drummer Hasche and bassman Stephan were leaving the ship. They were replaced by Stefan Schwarzmann and Jens Becker. In the wake of their first European tour they sailed up to Budapest where they played a famous gig in front of 5.000 fans. The material taken from that tour was released as the live album Ready for Boarding a year after. International critics were unanimously positive. Furthermore this record was used to draw the final line under their management so far. At the end of 1988 their fourth studio album was released. Port Royal sold over 50.000 times. At that time the band could look upon a wide fanbase and presented a steady influence in Heavy Metal. Nevertheless Stefan Schwarzmann left the band for U.D.O. and put the sticks in the hands of Iain Finlay. In 1989 the new studio album Death or Glory was released which spent several weeks in the European charts. A short time after the maxi-single Bad to the Bone entered the shops. The Death or Glory tour 1990 was an outstanding success with nearly all concerts sold out. Parallel to the tour the mini-LP Wild Animal showed up. The steady carousel in Running Wild's line-up turned again. Iain Finlay left the pirates and Jorg Michael appeared as a temporary drummer. As new members of the band drum-roadie AC and axeman Axel Morgan replacing Majk Moti were confirmed. In 1991 Rock'n'Rolf and his crewmen struck once again and released first the maxi-single Little Big Horn (No. 34 in the single charts) then the album Blazon Stone and shortly after the "Best Of" compilation The first Years of Piracy. A successful tour with Raven and Crossroads underlined the status of Running Wild at that time. The next studio album Pile of Skulls was released in 1992 and dealt lyrically with corruption and disguise and sported the new bassman Thomas Smuszynski for the first time. Also on board was the returner Stefan Schwarzmann. A single from that album Lead or Gold was released. The following year the Pile of Skulls tour was rolling in which the band shone with a monumental stage and devastating pyro-technics.

DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimers apply. I encourage viewers to buy the original content, both the music and the photos, from the owners.

THIS IS A FAN-TRIBUTE ONLY! I am in no way affiliated with the band or the photographers.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Running
• Wild
• Heavy
• Metal

[okechukvu]

From which album is this track? I hadn't find it on the Black hand Inn...?

[WolfgangVonPoserkila]

oh man, it's a bonus track...I don't think it's on certain versions.

[d14mitev]

I don`t think that Running Wild steal something from Iron Maiden - their styles are totally different... And RUNNING WILD RULESSSS

[headingout2highway]

fucking great!! black hand inn is their best album!! hail to to rock n' rolf!!!

[paul44miles]

Sounds a lot like 2 minutes to midnight. But that's all right i still love this song. Running Wild is a great Band.

[willycaolho]

Flash Rockin' Man is Dancing On A Minefield at 2 Minutes to Midnight !!!

[rattstation]

the best running wild song ever CLASIC it makes me fever everytime I hear it ..., We are all dancing on minefield

[crazeyboii678]

@RussMario totally agree not everything can b complkeatly original

[RussMario]

and 2 minutes to midnight riff was taken from Divlje jagode( wild strawberies)- an Yugoslovenian band... all is well in ripping and war if they make it unique again ;-)

[Reddomina666]

THIS IS A FUCKING GREAT GERMAN BAND!!!!!!! LOVE IT.^^

[HeavyMetalFinland]

@drums4woodstock

true the beginning sounds a bit like 2 minutes to midninght

[skullandbonespirates]

If you like Pirate Metal check the "Skull & Bones" new demo track on my channel !!

[StopMotionHeadBanger]

gosh it was the 90's and these guys still kicked ass!

[huilnik]

kick ass song