FORMER ACCEPT FRONTMAN UDO DIRKSCHNEIDER SAYS OF THE BAND’S CURRENT LINEUP, “I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED”
Former Accept singer and current Udo frontman Udo Dirkschneider was a guest on the Lokaos Rock Show. Portions of the conversation appear below.
When asked how it feels for him to see Accept continue with a new singer (former TT Quick frontman Mark Tornillo) as his replacement, Udo said, “What can I say? I mean, I was watching a show of Accept in Hamburg, and I was a little bit disappointed. It was without any emotion. For me, there was no band on stage. Playing-wise, it was okay, but it was without any emotion. It was automatic — like, do it and then go.”
Discussing whether he would ever consider reuniting with his former bandmates, Dirkschneider replied, “No.”
When questioned what the difference is between fronting his own band versus being the singer for Accept, he responded, “Let’s say it in this way: With Accept, the name Accept, if I continued with the name Accept, then you have to do something… what the people know under the name Accept..I think with U.D.O., I think I’m more free.”
Speaking with Music Enthusiast Magazine in September 2014 Accept guiarist had this to say about his former singer, “I haven’t heard from him in forever other than indirectly in the press, and honestly none of us are even thinking about him..It’s really not been an issue at all, I mean, we surely put it to rest with this album [discussing Blind Rage]. Clearly it was a big deal the first time around for [2010’s] Blood Of The Nations; a lot of people were asking, ‘Why?’ and ‘What?’ and ‘How come?’ But the story has been told so many times now that it’s clear that we’ve started a new life and Udo didn’t want to be part of it. He made his choice, we’re moving on, and that’s that.”
To listen to Udo’s entire interview with the Lokaos Rock Show, below.
I was a fan of the Udo fronted Accept, hell yeah, big time. But I’ll stick up for the Mark Tornillo era of Accept big time to. He’s helped that band come back with some of the best music of their career. Udo doesn’t have to like it, but could it be possible he may be trying to hide some jealousy? Whether Udo is jealous or not doesn’t really matter. What matters is Mark is great and Accept are kicking ass with him as their frontman.
Sounds to me like Udo is a bit bitter that Accept has continued to soldier on without him. Unlike the debacle with David Reece back in ’89, Mark Tornillo was an excellent replacement for Udo, and has recorded three excellent Accept albums. Udo isn’t exactly going to be non-bias in his opinion with the current lineup of Accept. Perhaps he thought the band would crumble without him. Not only did it not crumble, it’s thrived! Sorry Udo, but you come across as the Ace or Peter of Accept.
I was a huge UDO fan, yet havent bought any of his records. I was a huge Accept fan and loved TT Quick( Accept should do new version of Metal Of Honor). All 3 Tornillo Accept albums are alweays mentioned as record of the year….UDO is never mentioned. He is just missing theIT factor. Accepts stuff behind Wolff is just catchier stuff musically and lyrically
Like u.d.o., but love Accept…the last 3 albums are beyond what anyone could’ve thought, and Marks song writing and vocals are a perfect fit…
Love the current Accept sound and style. So much so that I hope it stays this way without Udo. It is very hard to say that as I have been an Accept fan from the start. It is just that good. I honestly cannot think of any other band where a replacement is so well liked. Some say Accept without Udo is blasphemy and it is but I love the last three albums so much I could “ACCEPT” Udo never coming back.
“I honestly cannot think of any other band where a replacement is so well liked.”
AC/DC and Iron Maiden quickly come to mind.
I can argue with you on AC/DC. The thing about Maiden is that DiAnno only did two albums where as Udo did 10+ so it’s hard to make a comparison on the two. It was also intended as a figure of speech and not to be taken so literally.
Sabbath – Dio, Van Hagar, and Ripper Owens.