Axel Rudi Pell, the heavy metal band from Germany. Formed in 1988 and has been going since.
In 1998 the band had a big line-up change introducing new singer, drummer and keyboardist - and in my opinion the band has not been stronger then they are now.

Johnny Gioeli has to be one of my favorite singers, I love his voice - it fits so perfectly into the band who usually play more ballad kind of stuff. The backbone of their albums arent exceptionally fast stuff but it is thoroughly enjoyable stuff indeed.

They dont play a lot of live shows, or not from what I can see - but I am lucky enough to be able to watch them play at the end of this month and I am very excited indeed as they are probably one of my favorite bands now. I will make sure I get my albums signed too!

So anyone else who likes this band or has anything else to say about the band, pop a comment by and let us know what you think. Favorite albums, that sort of stuff..

I have to say, my favorite album is probably the album from a couple of years ago, 'Kings And Queens'
every song on that album is quite remarkable I think and is well worth listening to indeed!

Anyone who does not know this band but loves real heavy metal - they are well worth looking into!!

i'm seeing them later this month, only have their newest album, Mystica, awesome in my opinion,

Baz, any chance you could send me a couple of songs they'll most probably play live by email?

yeh, thats a good album - i dont think it is as good as some previous albums though

there is four songs on here
http://www.myspace.com/axelrudipell

i could send you some stuff from their latest live album 'Knight Live' but it would take a while to send. there is one track that is 27 minutes on it! hahaha. nearly every other track is around 10 minutes too
all good stuff though
tell me which email address you want me to send the stuff to and ill get 'round to it eventually

i see them at the end of the month too and i am so excited!!

also you might like to look at my new desktop! i scanned my 'Kings And Queens' album and cut down the picture a bit and used it as my desktop.
here it is:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPDT.jpg

I like Axel Rudi Pell a lot. It's a shame I didn't get to see them ot Graspop last year, I was there the day they played, but since I didn't really knew them that well back then, and my friends had to get something from the camping, I missed their whole show. Wouldn't miss it again if I had the chance! I haven't heard a lot of CD's by them. I heard the Oceans of Time and Shadowzone. Oceans of Time is probably my favourite song by them. I also like the ballads Could anyone recommend me some other albums or songs?

Well, Oceans of Time is also my favourite. I suggest you to pick up the 1992 album Eternal Prisoner. I like every song on it (just like quite possibly all of his/their stuff). Or Magic from 97. But essentially you cannot go wrong with Axel Rudi Pell. He has never released any Risk or St. Anger. The albums are consistently good or great. I have listened to all of them and I like them.

yes, he is very consistent - you cant really go wrong
my recommendation is 'Kings And Queens' then from 2004 - every song on that album is fantastic i think

Damn hard to find some ARP Forum )
I'm from Romania and I like this band so freekin much !!I like all the albums, but the ones with Johnny singing are better than the old ones (not that Jeff's voice is not good or so but I think that Johnny's voice fits 100 % to Axel's kind of music). I cant say what's my favourite album or song....it's just like my other favourite band, Scorpions...I can't decide. I like Mystica as mouch as I like all the other albums, I thin it's a great album.For this days...I mean look at today's music...to come up with an album like this..It's just fantastic.Johnny sings with souch a passion, u can hear the passion in his voice. 100 % profesionals making best quality music...

yes i agree - it is refreshing to hear Axel Rudi Pell still doing what is right when the commercial seems to rule over all now
and yeh, Johnny's voice does fit perfectly to the music - not many singers fit into the band they join as perfectly as he has - i think he's done something rather good indeed. he is the perfect man for the job and im glad he's still there

their show at Bloodstock was one of the best performances i have ever seen in my life!
i was stood there mesmerized, i absolutley loved it!
i got some stuff as well. have a looky at this

Axel Rudi Pell setlist
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/LJ/AxelRudiPellsetlist.jpg

Axel Rudi Pell plectrum
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/LJ/ARPA.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/LJ/ARPB.jpg

I think the gauy is Awesome, his music is beautiful, but many people want to compare him with malmsteen or others like that style, this guy make beautiful music and it's all that matters, greates ballads!!!!!I relly enjoy forever angel in acoustic version!!!

yeh, Axel isnt as much of a technical player as Yngwie Malmsteen is, but i definatly prefer Axel Rudi Pell's playing
it has emotion, and i think his song writing is so good as well
anything he comes up with i just love. he is one of my all time favorite guitarists

ive not heard the acoustic version of 'Forever Angel' - i have all 11 of his albums and even his DVD, but i havent got any of the 'Ballads' compilation albums
i might just get them one day anyway though - but i hadnt baught them because i own all of his albums, so there is only one of two bonus' on each compilation i wouldnt know

i do have just as an odd track his cover of 'Temple Of The King' which i really like. especially as he played it live when i saw them. but thats all for the extras of the compilations i have

(i wish some more people would come in this thread - i guess it just shows how much of an 'unsung hero' he is)

EDIT:

Here come some comments from Axel regarding the 2006 tour:
"We would like to thank all the fans who attended our shows at the first part of the MYSTICA Tour ! All german venues were sold out as well as the belgium show. We had over 1100 people enjoying the show at the Z7 in Pratteln (Switzerland) and our first trip to the UK playing at the Bloodstock festival was really cool. Apart from a terrible flu spreading around the tourbus, we had so much fun playing live. I was the only guy who didn't get the flu during the tour, but directly after. Also I have to apologize for myself not moving that much at the show in Nürnberg, but I had a terrible pain in my left shoulder probably coming from the main comfort of the sleeping bunk in the tourbus. Anyway... enough whining... this tour was the best we ever played so far with the shows in Ludwigsburg, Pratteln, Hamburg, Derby and the second Bochum show beeing my personal highlights. Also we would like to thank our support band Vengeance for doing a great job!

At the moment my concert agency Continental Concerts and I are working on some Festival dates next summer and on the second leg of the MYSTICA tour, which might take place at the end of January / beginning of February. Watch this space very soon for the confirmed dates! " Cheers, Axel

i got my Axel Rudi Pell stuff through the post yesterday - woo!
here is my stuff

shirt:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPShirt2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPShirt1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPShirt2-1.jpg

mug:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPMug2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPMug.jpg

plectrum:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPPlectrum1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/ARPPlectrum2.jpg

and i signed car i got for free!
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/Baz_Anderson/Misc/AxelRudiPellcard.jpg

EDIT:

heres MS's first Axel Rudi Pell review
http://www.metalstorm.ee/forum/topic.php?topic_id=3858
go have a look and let me know what you think. thanks

"We had over 1100 people enjoying the show at the Z7 in Pratteln (Switzerland)"
guess who was one of those people? :

and Baz that card you got for free is awesome
i wanted to buy that shirt too at the show, but they were sold out...



by the way each time i listen to the Haunted Castle Serenade i like it more
by now it's my alltime favourite guitar solo

yeh, i was going to get a shirt after Bloodstock but they had to pack up and go early because they had a ferry to catch early in the morning because they had a show in Germany the next day

if you know album 'Magic' or even if you dont - haha - go and look at my review

k, i will

new tour dates!!!
wooooooooo!! they are coming back here!!
it will be another long journey down to London, but i dont care about that so much if i am going to see Axel Rudi Pell!
looks like they will be the second band after Emperor that i go down for (if i dont go back before this show)

I like it!!!He plays from ballads across hard rock to power metal!!!Nice...

I like Axel Rudi Pell, he's my guitar hero....his music is perfect for me, I'm a die-hard fan of him......does anyone know what's that "illness" that keeps him in the hospital ??

yeh - he is probably my favorite guitarist too
i dont know what the illness is but i am interested to find out
i just hope he is ok!!!!

i hope so too

Man, I cant live without his music...this music drives me crazy (in a good way ). I think he's a genious musician. And I also apreciate his loialty to this kind of music...and last but not least he has a group of great people around him.Take for example Joey. His voice blends perfect with Axel's music (something that even Axel addmited)...so, all my wishes for his recovery, I pray for him.

I have the Knight Treasures DVD but I am not that impressed with their music(trust me I am hard to impress).

i think the 'Knights Live' DVD is great..
they are really different live to how they are on the albums - they are free to do as they please live so there is a lot of solos and improvisation, etc. it makes it really interesting
stuff like sticking 'Casbah' and 'Eternal Prisoner' together or 'Masquerade Ball' and 'Casbah'..

The DVD is absolutely great, it's a masterpiece...I ain't easy to impress but this guys did it...as Baz told before, it's nice to watch it after you know the studio tracks and see how they improvise...The DVD is excelent.Right now I'm listening to The Temple of the King (Raibow cover) by Axel...man it's great. He plays guitar with souch a feeling that drives me crazy...You can feel his solo parts...they take me away from this world for a while (with my mind)...I want to see these guys live damn it !!!

I'm kind of a new fan; Mystica is the only album I've heard and I'd really like to hear more. I can see the draw of this band and do enjoy most of this album but for me (sorry Baz) I can't stand the singer! His voice gets really annoying after a short time for me (especially the song Valley of Sin, ugh). I'd like to give Axel another chance though and try one of their older albums before making up my mind

haha - when i read a review for Bloodstock festival in a magazine, the person criticized Johnny's vocals. he made a comparison to sonic the hedgehog or something.. i cant quite remember but it really annoyed me.

i think he really fits the band - but if you dont like him, the four albums from 'Magic' backwards have Jeff Scott Soto singing and i think he is great too
the first two albums have Charlie Huhn and Rob Rock and they are great too

the very first album is very straight forward but its one of my favorites - that album is probably my favorite album from 1989. i recommend it to everyone

Axel had a breakdown because of a virus or so, he's gonna be home for a few weeks as he said (check out www.axel-rudi-pell.de)..but I'm so glad he's OK....and I think Johnny's voice is great...it fits to this music more that Jeff's voice did....Jeff is also very good but Johnny seems to be the perfect singer for Axel's music...And he's very good live (you should listen to The Masquerade Ball and The Clown is Dead from the DVD)

oh well thats good news then!!
'serious illness' reads 'possible death' to me.. hahahaha - so i am glad he is going to be fine!!

yeh! Johnny is amazing - even live, it was fantastic.
i was standing there right at the front row in the middle with Johnny standing in front of me on the stage singing 'Masquerade Ball' - it sent shivers down my spine. he sings perfectly live - i cant wait for them to come back around in the autumn for their second visit to this island

so you were there at the concert they put on the DVD ??

I think that Axel is great guitarist and I like his style but I can't listen his albums for a very long time, he is more interesting then Yngwie Malmsteen but I am just not into this kind of music, I would surely go to see his show if I ever get a chance. It is good feeling to her such a maestro in concert, really relaxing. I haven't watch that DVD but I will try to find it.