KERRANG: No 59

Here I go again on my own! Not quite; with ‘Daddy Cool’, Ray Palmer, hauling lenses (two) and bottles of spirits (considerably more) through customs, the thought of yet another trip to Germany brings on a pretty nauseating feeling that goes belly deep.

Don’t get me wrong, journeying at the back and call of the world’s rock ‘n’ roll ‘haut poli’ is one of the tastier compensations for much of the crap that goes down in this mucky business, but by some quirk of fate (does the man up there still resent Hitler so much?) things always go strictly downhill when Germany’s on the agenda. First time was over 12 months ago when der Palmer and I travelled a bum-numbing 18 hours overland to meet up with Accept for a front cover story and ended up paying our night’s hotel

bill - the cheapest front cover in history! Second time was zooming up and down in planes all over Deutschland trying to collar those ‘terribly nice chappies’ (sic) Saga for an in-depth interview. There are times you’d rather forget, y’unnerstand!

There’s a fundamental difference this time around however, and she appears when we land at Hamburg’s main airport - Gaby Hauke, Accept’s manager and a real character.

Diminutive yet dynamic, older than she’d have you believe, loathed by business maniacs the world over but thoroughly stubborn and probably a damn good manager, it is this tiny bundle of dynamite who has pulled a shabby outfit up by the scruff of the neck, kicked its collective ass and, by sheer hard work, set it on the brink of international superstar status.

When we travelled to interview Accept last time, theywere incredible untogether as a unit, surprising when you consider that they’d just released what are, to my mind, their most stunning vinyl moments in he barnstorming ‘Breaker’ and the marvellous ‘Restless And Wild’. They knew not of Kerrang!, had no conception of the importance of press and, as a whole, seemed pretty disinterested. This wasn’t documented last time around because it was vital they should be given the break they deserved. Now, things are so much more professional , more organised and more threathening to the portals leading to rock ‘n’ roll fame and fortune.

By Gaby’s own admission Accept are a difficult bunch to keep under control, each one of the five members (Wolf Hoffmann excepted) with an unpredictable teutonic personality that blows hot and cold like a faulty flue in a sauna. But she rules the roost with a deft combination of iron rod and motherly concern. Basically it works!

Following our arrival in Hamburg, Ray and I are treated cordially by Gaby who whisks us off to the band’s hideaway hotel. Mode of transport is Accept’s customised touring mini-bus, a vehicle immpressive enough to cause veritable palpitations whithin Arthur Daleyan dodgy used-car dealer circles. Tastefully embossed with the new album title, ‘Balls To The Wall’, in shocking mauve (there should be a treat in store when our boys in blue clap eyes on it during Accept’s UK tour in January), the usual touring trimmings are set at our disposal for the duraton of the journey.

It’s at this moment that Gaby organises an airing of ‘Balls To The Wall’, my first aural acquaintance as it ‘appens with the New York and, to be perfectly honest, it’s not the happiest of encounters. Tired after flying in and in of nourishing sustenance , it has to be admitted that I actually fell asleep while the tape whirle its merry way to conclusion (quite an achievement that - sleeping throughout Accept!).

The metalic muscle which wafted through to the cerebral area just didn’t quite kick up the storm I’d anticipated. As Accept’s staunchest advocate it came as something of a dissapointment , mighty and musical for sure, but lacking the jaws-style bite of a Restless And Wild. Subsequent listenings upon my return home have led me to the conclusion that ‘Balls...’ is a fine album of course, but lacking a little of the utter brilliance of some of the band’s previous outout. By jingo, it felt a mite awkward and left me

lookingforward to the next day and the show, which was to be my first first live experience of the bulldozing strenght of Accept.

Pleasure and pain, one without the other is rare and this is no exception. The gig is to take place in a deserted brick factory near Lübeck, one of thoose godforsaken places absolutely miles from anywhere or anything that remotely resembles civilisation. As the band need a full day to set up and pose for pictures with Palmer roping in barbed wire and flames-a-plenty in his usual wacky way, it’s an early start with much clicking of heel

(sorry!) Sheesh, it’s cold enough to take up jogging , and a whole day of it is worse for the body and soul than visiting the Marquee and failing to spot Neil Murray - a real shock to the system.

We leave an empty hall early evening to grab a bit to eat and, upon our return, enter what seems another world. Crammed to capacity with wild German youths either ready

to fall over in a state of blind inebriation or rock out with a loopy vengeance (quite a few choose to the former!), the atmosphere in the hall has hotted up a good few degrees and is pretty much what you’d expect at yer average UK gig. Accept’s audience consists , hardly surprisingly, of sraigth down the line hard-core Metal heads who no doubt know every chord and every lyric, who punch the air not because they think they ought to but because they need to, and who give the band a vociferous reception.

The familiar German folk strains ‘Hi-de-Hi-do-Hi-da’ penetrate the darkness from an immensely powerful PA and then suddenlyAccept are bathed in light, steaming into ‘Fast As A Shark’ with an intensity that can only be described as awesome!

Despite bassist Peter Baltes tumbling headlong while performíng one of his manic leaps, there’s nothing to detract from the power that is the essence of Accept in the raw.

Diminutive vocalist Udo Dirkschneider stands centre stage, decked out in army regulation khaki, bending his black bratwurst of a truncheon in ominous fashion (no-one dares jump on stage here!) and urging his volunteers on with a demonic screech that is very much an intergarl facet of Accept’s sound.

To his left, Wolf Hoffmann cuts archetypal guitar hero poses, which isn’t too surprising in view of his flowing blond locks and decidedly Germanic good looks, pouring out bombastic yet fluid riffs and solos from the core of his obligatory Flying ‘V’ with the certainty of a man on top. Baltes on his right, cavorts about with gay abandon and infectious enthusiasm while Hermann Frank centrates on cranking it up past bleeding point, limiting himself to the occasional forward foray and gestuculation. Behind this exciting out-front foursome obscuredby an immpressive arsenal of drums and cymbals, Stefan Kaufmann puts his heart and soul into pounding out those authoritarian beats which hold the band so stoically in order, no doubt looking as sullen as ever!

It’s all top-notch fodder, and the show certainly increases my own personal Accept enthusiasm. As far as out ‘n’ out , no bullshit Heavy Metal is concerned, this act has few peers!

Each and every song sounds tried, tested, tough and tasty, as ‘Braker’, ‘Midnight Highway’, ‘Restless And Wild’ (with its hilarious macho chorus chant) and ‘Princess Of The Dawn’ to name but four numbers, race past in a haze of rock power and indelibly stamped melody. All of the new numbers stand up to live scrutinization, with the exception of the pretty tedious ‘Fight It Back’. ‘Love Child’ burns like a welsh holiday home, ‘London Leatherboys’ smokes like le Baron’s ears behind atypewriter and ‘Balls To The Wall’ itself threatens to suffocate you with its apocalyptic message and claustrophobic intensity. I can’t think of a better way to go.

Overall, it’s a devastating show, ample proof to trendy cynics of the bona-fide power of the best of Heavy Metal music! There should certainly be few problems when Accept

take to this isle for their six-date tour. Admittedly, they’ve already ruffled the feathers of a fair few punters with their recent cancellations - it’s hardly the best way to garner favourable reaction on your first UK headlining tour - but I reckon the quality of the music will swing things their way, even if the reason given for the gigs being pulled is pretty lame. Udo’s voice was fine at this gig and the album only comes out in the UK in January. Put two and two together d you get six - in January that’s it!

Back at the hotel, Hoffmann and Dirkschneider appear relaxed, if a touched bored at the thought of another interview. Wait till you hit the American Midwestafter six months of touring guys, then you’ll really know what pain it is! The usual lingo problems take a certain toll but the important factors surface. Like the CBS deal, for example. Wolf: "We signed a deal with Dieter Dierks here in Germany as we told you when you were here last year, and it took about eight months to sort out a record deal. It turned out to be CBS and we’re all really happy with the situation. It’s almost worldwide rights and they’ve got us for all the important countries. ‘Balls To The Wall’ is a pretty much simultaneous worlwide release, and what pleases us is the artistic freedom we still retain. CBS haven’t tried to influence us at all so there’s no change of musical style."

No, it’s still very much earthquaking no-compromise rock ‘n’ roll. It makes me wonder about the lyrical angle of ‘Balls To The Wall’. It’s hardly subtle, is it? Hardly airplay-orientated?! Wolf again: "CBS actually like the lyrics because we explained the lyrics to them the concept of what we’re doing. It’s the first time that we’ve taken any really interest in our lyrical content. All we ever wrote about before was hell, angels and motorbikes - that kind of shit - but we’re really trying to say something now. We’ve thought a bit more about what we want to say, equating ‘Balls To The Wall’ with the situatin of the world’s oppressed people and with our own situation regarding various record companies w´ho’ve fucked us around."

"We don’t want our standpoint to be seen as purely aggressive," adds Udo. "We don’t won’t to have blood dripping everywhere and studs all over the place. The aggression is more a symbol of the power of the music. We want to have fun and we want to have a good timme to."

Wolf is quick to pick up on the pint...

Our biggest problem is the constant comparison between ourselves and the other bands that are big in Europe, bands like Raven and Venom. We hate that kind of thing. Their music is dark and sometimes demonic and I don’t believe ours comes into that category. We’re totally different in terms of style and presentation." Udo: Kids in holland and Belgium are really into the loudest and the fastest

bands and I don’t they’re too critical. We like to keep a lot of melody within the structure of everything we do. We want songs that people can follow, not just three minutes of pure white noise!"

Yet it seemed for a time that Accept music really wasn’t what the leadsinger wanted at all. Rumours about his departure from the ranks wrer rife, but he’s still here, quietly knocking back another schnapps...

"At one stage, I thought I was tired of touring. I did some production work with Raven and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to more. I intended to quit but the way things went with CBS cleared up some of my doubts, so here I am. We’re more interested in looking to the future because together we are strong. When you’re starting to have some succes why go and ruin everything!"

And that winning team is certainly looking forward to spreading the Accept gospel far and wide. Wolf:

"Were definetily looking to broaden our appeal from now on. We want to gain some recognition amongst Journey and Saga fans as well as with the guys who wear Motörhead patches on their backs. It’s not really satisfying enough to appeal solely to the out ‘n’ out Heavy Metal audience. I think we’re good enough at what we do to make our impact more widespread!"

They’ve waited a long time to do just that. If anyone can make genuine Heavy Metal appealing, then it’s got to be Accept!