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Protector - Biography


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1986-

Biography

1986
In the summer of 1986 drummer/vocalist Michael Hasse, who had just left Wolfsburgs first Speed Metal-band "Death Attack", and guitarist Hansi Müller decided to form a Thrash Metal-band, and to name it "Protector". They teamed up with bassplayer Michael Schnabel, started writing songs and rehearsing them at Michaels parents little summer-house in a village outside of Wolfsburg. In november '86 they went into the "White Line Studio" in nearby Braunschweig, where they recorded a demo that contained the two songs "Protector of Death" and "Apocalyptic Revolution".
1987
In the beginning of 1987 Ede Belichmeier replaced Michael Schnabel on bass, and some weeks later vocalist Martin Missy joined the band. Just a few months after that Protector got in contact with "Atom H", a new-formed record-company, that had been started by Jürgen Engler, who, in the beginning of the 80's, had been (and later again would be) a member of the band "Die Krupps". In May the band recorded a 6-track rehearsal named "Kain and Abel" -except for the title-track it contained "Misanthrope", "Protector of Death", "Agoraphobia", "The Mercenary" and "Apocalyptic Revolution"- in their rehearsalroom, mainly so that the people at Atom H could get an idea of what the new songs would sound like, but it was also possible for fans to buy the tape. In the end of june / beginning of july Protector entered the "White Line Studio" again, this time to record their first vinyl "Misanthropy", a 6-track-Mini-LP, that hit the stores in early fall that year. On the 12th of september Protector played their first gig in Eupen/Belgium together with "Assassin", and only one week later they played their first gig in Germany (Braunschweig) together with "Sodom", for whom Michael Hasse, some years earlier, had been doing the fan-club. Gigs with among others "Messiah" and "Tankard" followed the same year.
1988
On the 19th of march 1988 Protector performed for the first time in their hometown Wolfsburg at a local Metal-festival. In August, the band recorded their first longplayer "Golem" (the title-track was inspired by the jewish myth with the same name) at the "Phoenix Studio" in Bochum. Some weeks later, on the 3rd of september 1988, the band played their second gig with "Sodom", this time in Bamberg, where Sodoms singer Tom Angelripper performed the song "Spacecake" together with Protector for the first and only time.
1989
In the beginning of 1989 vocalist Martin Missy left Protector and was replaced by Oliver Wiebel. In march / april the same year Protector went on their first tour, together with the american band "Wehrmacht", through Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. On the 22nd of april '89 the band played their biggest gig ever at the "Metal Mania Festival" in Katowice/Poland in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans, and back in Germany Protector entered the stage together with "Kreator", "Raven" and "Tankard" in Braunschweig on the 1st of may. In the summer of '89 Martin Missy joined the band again, and Protector recorded their second LP "Urm the Mad" (the title-track was inspired by the comic "Le fou" by Phillipe Druillet) at the "Phoenix Studio" in Bochum. On the 27th of november Protector played at the "Popkomm" in Düsseldorf, together with among others "Rage", and shortly after that gig Martin Missy was once again, and finally, replaced by Oliver Wiebel.
1990
In may of 1990 Protector went into the "Phoenix Studio" for the third time, where they recorded the 4-track-Mini-LP "Leviathan's Desire". On the 2nd of june 1990 Protector performed on the "Rock Hard-Festival" in Lichtenfels, together with "Running Wild", "Sepultura", "Tankard" and "Sacred Reich". In autumn that year the band went on tour together with the brittish band "Napalm Death".
1992
Vocalist Oliver Wiebel took over the guitar as well after that Hansi Müller had left the band In the beginning of 1991. Only a short time after that, Ede Belichmeier was replaced by Matze Grün. The same year Protectors third longplayer "A Shedding of Skin" was released by "Major Records". "A Shedding of Skin" was recorded at "Music Lab Berlin", and produced by Harris Johns, who, among others, earlier had produced "Sodom", "Kreator" and "VoiVod". In fall that year Protector hit the road together with "Funeral Nation" and "Ravenous". Unfortunately that tour had to be cancelled after only two gigs
1992
In 1992 the last remaining member of the original line-up, Michael Hasse, was replaced by Marco Pape. In the same year Protector went on tour together with "D.V.C." and "Crusher". On the 2nd of May '92 Marco, Matze and Olly played an open-air-gig in Istanbul/Turkey together with "Hole in the Wall" and the turkish "Pentagram".
1993
In june of the year 1993 Protector recorded their fourth and last studio LP "The Heritage", which was produced by Tim Buktu and released by "Major Records", at the "T & T Studio" in Gelsenkirchen.
1994
On the 26th of february 1994, Protector played its last gig (in Wolfsburg) in the formation Oliver Wiebel, Matze Grün and Marco Pape. In september 1994 Michael Hasse tragically died, and was laid to rest at the Nordfriedhof in Wolfsburg.
1995
In 1995 "Major Records" released a compilation-CD (dedicated to Michael Hasse) with 16 tracks named "Lost in Eternity".
1996-2003
During these years Protector has been kept alive by drummer Marco Pape. Together with an ever-changing line-up he has done a few gigs and recorded a four-track-demo named "Resurrected" in 1999, which was released in 2000. In october 2003 the swedish record-company "I Hate Records" released a compilation-CD (containing the demo from 1986, the Misanthropy Mini-LP and the Golem-LP) called "Echoes From the Past". Protector is still "out there"...