Drums

Played in Helloween from 2003 till 2005


Stefan Schwarzmann came to Helloween just in time: someone was urgently required to record drums for Rabbit Don't Come Easy bonustrack and single b-sides. And then there was world tour. Mark Cross, the previous drummer, still didn't get over his serious disease, so the band had to replace him. The idea to invite Stefan came to Michael Weikath as he thought about recording an Accept cover, Fast as a Shark. That was natural, because Schwarzmann is mostly known for his work in Accept and U.D.O, as well as Running Wild. It wasn't really that hard for Stefan, the true veteran of Heavy Metal scene, to learn to play Helloween songs confidently and masterfully. And so he did at every concert of the long and exausting Rabbits on the Run tour. Stefan became good friends with everyone in the band during the rehearsals and touring... but presumably, in January 2005 he was invited to join the reunion of Accept. And he couldn't resist this call back to his roots, so he left Helloween after playing there for little less than two years.

"...Honestly, I'm a musician and I don't care if it's ... any kind of band or project. I have to play and I wanna play, because it's deep inside and that's why I'm here on Earth."

Career timeline:

date	event
november 11th, 1965	Stefan Schwarzmann was born in Erlangen (Germany)
1979	Stefan's father, a professional drummer, gave him his old drum set. The first playing lessons, also by his father
1979	Stefan learned to play drums by attempting songs of such bands as Iron Maiden, MSG, Saxon and Judas Priest
beginning of 80s	Born Loosers, Stefan's first school band was created
middle of 80s	Stefan played in Cronos Titan, Canberra and Die Suicides bands. At the same time he earned his living as a taxi driver
1987	Stefan joined Running Wild
1988	having recorded drums for Port Royal album, Schwarzmann left the band
1988	Stefan began his cooperation with U.D.O.
1991	Stefan returned to Running Wild
1992	U.D.O. project was temporarily put on hold as Accept band came back to life
1993	Stefan left Running Wild again, this time together with Jens Becker and Axel Morgan. They formed X-Wild project
1994	Stefan came to Accept to replace Stefan Kaufmann who started to experience health problems
middle of 90s	Stefan worked on Willi Dentler and Friends and Hummerstein projects
1996	Stefan parted ways with X-Wild and renewed his cooperation with U.D.O.
1996	U.D.O. began touring and releasing albums once more
1997	Stefan recorded drums for Pookah ethnic project
1998	Stefan left U.D.O. after No Limits album was recorded
1998	Stefan performed with the ensemble of Dirrekt show
2000	Stefan began cooperating with Tilo Heider on Duo Toccata percussion project
2001	Stefan joined Voice band
2002	Stefan records most of the drums for Skew Siskin's Album of the Year as a session musician
2002	Schwarzmann started working with Paradox band
february 2003	Stefan accepted the proposal to join Helloween (for further info, see Helloween timeline)
2003	Stefan left Voice
autumn 2004	Schwarzmann took part in recording of Kalt! album of Der Bote
november 2004	Paradox band ceased any activities
february 2005	Stefan left Helloween, but only when the pre-production of the upcoming album was complete
march 2005	it is officially announced that Schwarzmann came back to reunited Accept

Discography:

Die Suicides (Und Sie Leben Immer Noch, Wer Jetzt Noch Lebt - Selber Schuld)

Running Wild (Port Royal, Pile Of Skulls)

U.D.O. (Mean Machine, Faceless World, Timebomb, Solid, No Limits)

Accept (Death Row)

X-Wild (So What!, Monster Effect)

Voice (Golden Signs)

Duo Mystica (The Nuernberg Dolphin Orchestra)

Helloween (Rabbit Don't Come Easy (bonustracks))

Der Bote (Kalt!)

Guest Projects:

Hummerstein Projekt (Hummerstein '94)

Pookah (Three Minus The One Hundred Fiftieth Tragedy)

Willi Dentler (Willi Dentler and Friends)

Skew Siskin (Album of the Year)



Websites dedicated to Stefan Schwarzmann:

Stefan Schwarzmann's official website


Interview links collection:

For www.metal-rules.com webzine - Date: 14.06.2004

Markus Grosskopf, Stefan Schwarzmann, for www.musikansich.de website - Date: 24.10.2003