Bonfire performing in 2016

Bonfire is a German heavy metal band from Ingolstadt. Formed in 1972 under the name Cacumen, the group's initial lineup after changing its name to Bonfire in 1986 consisted of lead vocalist Claus Lessmann, guitarists Hans Ziller and Horst Maier-Thorn, bassist Jörg Deisinger, and drummer Dominik Hülshorst. The band's current lineup includes Ziller, plus guitarist Frank Pané, bassist Ronnie Parkes (both of whom joined in 2015), drummer Fabio Alessandrini (since 2022), lead vocalist DYAN (since 2022).

History

Guitarist Hans Ziller founded Bonfire as Cacumen in 1972.

1972–1994

Bonfire traces its roots back to Cacumen, a band formed by Hans Ziller in 1972 which released a single, two albums and an EP with various lineups.[1] The band changed its name to Bonfire and released Don't Touch the Light, their debut album with the new moniker, in 1986.[2] During the recording of its follow-up Fireworks the next year, Hülshorst left the band and Ken Mary stepped in temporarily as a session performer, before Tommy Wagner joined briefly for a few shows after its release.[3] In December 1987, a full-time replacement for Hülshorst was found in Edgar Patrik, formerly of Sinner and Samson.[4] During the subsequent tour, Maier-Thorn was forced to leave due to rheumatism and was replaced by Gerhard "Angel" Schleifer, also formerly of Sinner.[4] The group recorded its fourth album Point Blank in 1989.[5]

Shortly after recording Point Blank, Ziller left Bonfire in August 1989 due to "personal and musical differences".[6] According to Deisinger, the guitarist was fired following disputes with the band's management over alleged commitment issues.[4] After his dismissal, Ziller reportedly attempted to prevent the release of Point Blank, claiming he had not been "properly credited" on the album.[7] The album was released in October, however, and the band continued as a four-piece.[8] The new lineup released Knock Out in 1991 and recorded the group's first live album Live... the Best, before Lessmann also left in September 1992.[4] Lessmann and Ziller subsequently reunited to release the EP Glaub Dran.[9] In March 1993, Bonfire brought in Michael Bormann as their new frontman, with whom they toured until July 1994.[4]

1996–2015

After a two-year hiatus, Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller regained the rights to the Bonfire name and reformed the band in 1996 to release Feels Like Comin' Home, an English re-recording of Glaub Dran with additional tracks.[1] The album featured contributions from a wide range of session musicians, as well as former drummer Dominik Hülshorst.[10] Also featured was keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Chris Lausmann, who subsequently became an official member of the band alongside new bassist Uwe Köhler and drummer Jürgen "Bam Bam" Wiehler.[11] The group issued Rebel Soul, Fuel to the Flames, and Strike Ten from 1998 to 2001.[12]

Following the release of Live Over Europe in 2002, Lausmann left Bonfire for "personal reasons".[9] The band continued as a four-piece (with Thomas Streck performing keyboards as a backup member).[13] By early 2006, the group was a five-piece again with the addition of Chris "Yps" Limburg on second guitar,[14] who had previously performed as a guest on 2005's One Acoustic Night.[15] The new lineup released two studio albums – Double X and The Räuber – as well as the live album Double X Vision.[12] In January 2009, Wiehler was replaced by the band's original drummer Dominik Hülshorst.[16] He remained in the band's lineup for three years, releasing Branded, Fireworks Still Alive and Cry for Help, before being replaced by Harry Reischmann in April 2012.[17]

Since 2015

Alexx Stahl has been Bonfire's frontman since August 2016.

After not releasing a new album since 2011, Bonfire announced at the beginning of 2015 that Lessmann, Limburg and Köhler had all left the band, replaced by David Reece (formerly of Accept), Frank Pané and Ronnie Parkes, respectively.[18][19] The new lineup issued Glörious in April, before Reischmann was replaced by Tim Briedeband in December.[20] Pearls followed in March 2016, before Reece left that July due to "irreconcilable personal and professional differences".[21] The band's former vocalist Michael Bormann was originally slated to join as Reece's replacement, however he was unable to join until mid-October which led the group to bring in Alexx Stahl as a temporary stand-in for a short run of shows. Due to his performances, he was upgraded to an official member, instead of Bormann.[22]

Between 2017 and 2018, Bonfire released three studio albums with Stahl: Byte the Bullet, Temple of Lies and Legends.[12] In February 2019, drummer Briedeband was replaced by André Hilgers, another former member of Sinner.[23] Fistful of Fire and Roots followed in 2020 and 2021, respectively.[12]

Members

Current

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Bonfire – Headbangers Open Air 2016 16.jpg
Hans Ziller
  • lead and rhythm guitars
  • talkbox
  • backing vocals
all Bonfire releases, except "Sword and Stone" (1989), Knock Out (1991) and Live... the Best (1993)
Bonfire Metal Frenzy 2019 02.jpg
Frank Pané 2015–present
  • rhythm and lead guitars
  • backing vocals
all Bonfire releases from Glörious (2015) onwards
Bonfire Metal Frenzy 2019 01.jpg
Ronnie Parkes
  • bass
  • backing vocals
Fabio Alessandrini 2022–present
  • drums
  • percussion
all Bonfire releases from Freedom Is My Belief (MMXXIII Version) (2022) onwards
DYAN
  • lead vocals
all Bonfire releases from Fantasy (MMXXIII Version) (2022) onwards

Former

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Bonfire at Global East Rock Festival 2010 (4) (cropped).jpg
Claus Lessmann
  • lead vocals
  • acoustic and rhythm guitars
  • bass
all Bonfire releases from Don't Touch the Light (1986) to Live in Wacken (2013)
Jörg Deisinger 1986–1994
  • bass
  • backing vocals
all Bonfire releases from Don't Touch the Light (1986) to Live... the Best (1993)
Horst Maier-Thorn 1972–1988[lower-alpha 1] (died 2017)
  • rhythm and lead guitars
  • backing vocals
Dominik Hülshorst
  • 1986–1987
  • 1996 (session)
  • 2009–2012
  • drums
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
Ken Mary 1987 (session) drums Firework (1987)
Tommy Wagner 1987 (touring) none
Edgar Patrik 1987–1994
  • drums
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
  • Point Blank (1989)
  • "Sword and Stone" (1989)
  • Knock Out (1991)
  • Live... the Best (1993)
Gerhard "Angel" Schleifer 1988–1994
  • lead and rhythm guitars
  • backing vocals
Michael Bormann
  • 1993–1994
  • 2016
  • lead vocals
  • acoustic guitar
none
Bonfire at Global East Rock Festival 2010 (2).jpg
Uwe Köhler 1996–2015
  • bass
  • backing vocals
all Bonfire releases from Rebel Soul (1997) to Live in Wacken (2013)
Jürgen "Bam Bam" Wiehler 1996–2009
  • drums
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
  • all Bonfire releases from Rebel Soul (1997) to The Räuber (2008)
  • Live in Wacken (2013)
Chris Lausmann 1996–2002
  • keyboards
  • rhythm guitar
  • backing vocals
  • all Bonfire releases from Feels Like Comin' Home (1996) to Live Over Europe! (2002)
  • Live in Wacken (2013)
Bonfire at Global East Rock Festival 2010 (2).jpg
Chris "Yps" Limburg 2006–2015
  • rhythm and lead guitars
  • backing vocals
all Bonfire releases from One Acoustic Night (2005) to "Treueband" (2012)
Harry Reischmann 2012–2015 drums
  • "Treueband" (2012)
  • Glörious (2015)
Bonfire-Nothing at all - 30th Anniversary Tour – Hamburg Harley Days 2016 34.jpg
David Reece 2015–2016 lead vocals
Tim Breideband 2015–2019
  • drums
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
all Bonfire releases from Pearls (2016) to Live on Holy Ground: Wacken 2018 (2019)
Bonfire Metal Frenzy 2019 08.jpg
André Hilgers 2019–2022
  • drums
  • percussion
all Bonfire releases from Live on Holy Ground: Wacken 2018 (2019) to Roots (2021)
Bonfire Metal Frenzy 2019 28.jpg
Alexx Stahl 2016–2022 lead vocals all Bonfire releases from Byte the Bullet (2017) to Freedom Is My Belief (MMXXIII Version) (2022)

Timeline

Lineups

Period Members Releases
Band known as Cacumen prior to May 1986
May 1986 – May 1987
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Horst Maier-Thorn – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Dominik Hülshorst – drums, backing vocals
Summer 1987
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Horst Maier-Thorn – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Ken Mary – drums (session member)
Late 1987
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Horst Maier-Thorn – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Tommy Wagner – drums (touring member)
none
December 1987 – July 1988
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Horst Maier-Thorn – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Edgar Patrik – drums, backing vocals
none
August 1988 – August 1989
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Angel Schleifer – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Edgar Patrik – drums, backing vocals
August 1989 – September 1992
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Angel Schleifer – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Edgar Patrik – drums, backing vocals
March 1993 – July 1994
  • Michael Bormann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Angel Schleifer – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jörg Deisinger – bass, backing vocals
  • Edgar Patrik – drums, backing vocals
none
Band inactive August 1994 – June 1996
Summer – late 1996
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
Late 1996 – late 2002
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris Lausmann – guitar, keys, vocals
  • Uwe Köhler – bass, backing vocals
  • Jürgen Wiehler – drums, backing vocals
Late 2002 – early 2006
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Uwe Köhler – bass, backing vocals
  • Jürgen Wiehler – drums, backing vocals
  • "Tell Me What U Know" (2003)
  • Free (2003)
  • "Schanzer Herz" (2004)
  • One Acoustic Night (2005)
Early 2006 – January 2009
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris Limburg – guitar, backing vocals
  • Uwe Köhler – bass, backing vocals
  • Jürgen Wiehler – drums, backing vocals
January 2009 – April 2012
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris Limburg – guitar, backing vocals
  • Uwe Köhler – bass, backing vocals
  • Dominik Hülshorst – drums, backing vocals
April 2012 – January 2015
  • Claus Lessmann – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris Limburg – guitar, backing vocals
  • Uwe Köhler – bass, backing vocals
  • Harry Reischmann – drums
  • "Treueband" (2012)
January – December 2015
  • David Reece – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Harry Reischmann – drums
December 2015 – July 2016
  • David Reece – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Tim Breideband – drums, backing vocals
July – August 2016
  • Michael Bormann – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Tim Breideband – drums, backing vocals
none
August 2016 – February 2019
  • Alexx Stahl – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Tim Breideband – drums, backing vocals
  • Byte the Bullet (2017)
  • Temple of Lies (2018)
  • Legends (2018)
  • Live on Holy Ground: Wacken 2018 (2019)
February 2019 – May 2022
  • Alexx Stahl – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • André Hilgers – drums, percussion
  • Fistful of Fire (2020)
  • Roots (2021)
May 2022 - October 2022
  • Alexx Stahl – lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Fabio Alessandrini – drums, percussion
  • Freedom Is My Belief (MMXXIII Version) (2022)
October 2022 - December 2022
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Fabio Alessandrini – drums, percussion
none
December 2022 - present
  • DYAN - lead vocals
  • Hans Ziller – guitar, backing vocals
  • Frank Pané – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ronnie Parkes – bass, backing vocals
  • Fabio Alessandrini – drums, percussion
  • Fantasy (MMXXIII Version) (2022)
  • Don’t Touch The Light (MMXXIII Version) (2023)
  • Fireworks (MMXXIII Version) (2023)
  • Point Plank (MMXXIII Version) (2023)

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 Hans Ziller, Claus Lessmann and Horst Maier-Thorn were all members of Cacumen prior to the band's name change to Bonfire in 1986.

References

  1. 1 2 Wilkerson, Michael (27 September 2011). "Interview With Claus Lessmann Lead Singer Of German Metal Band Bonfire". Blastzone Online. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  2. Erik (December 2011). "Bonfire – Don't Touch The Light". MetalReviews.com. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  3. Pietrini, Daniele. "Interview With Tommy Wagner". MelodyLane. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Deisinger, Jörg; Begai, Carl (2008). Fire and Fame. Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3837045949.
  5. "Point Blank – Bonfire: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. Cooper, Mike (8 September 1989). "Music Now!" (PDF). The Hard Report. No. 145. Medford Lakes, New Jersey: The Hard Report. p. 39. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  7. Roser, Philipp (18 November 1989). "Bonfire Fight Off Injunction Threat" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 46. Music & Media. p. 11. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  8. Roser, Philipp (4 November 1989). "Bonfire Burn Up The Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 44. Music & Media. p. 14. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Bonfire Biography". Bonfire. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  10. Feels Like Comin' Home (Media notes). Bonfire. LZ Records. 1996. Retrieved 30 April 2022.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Savapip. "Review: Bonfire – Rebel Soul". Metal Forever (in Czech). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Monger, James Christopher. "Bonfire: Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  13. "Free – Bonfire: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  14. Chronis, Grigoris (14 April 2007). "Bonfire – Double X Vision (DVD) review". Metal Temple. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  15. One Acoustic Night: Live at the Private Music Club (Media notes). Bonfire. e-m-s. 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2022.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. Andrea (20 January 2009). "Bonfire: Schlagzeuger kehrt zurück". Vampster (in German). Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  17. "Bonfire Parts Ways With Drummer". Blabbermouth.net. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  18. "Bonfire Announce New Album/Line-Up/Label/Management and 2015 Tour". MelodicRock.com. 12 January 2015. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  19. Virmakari, Tarja (15 July 2015). "Bonfire: New Video "Remember" Released". Metal Shock Finland. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  20. Köhling, Maximilian (15 October 2018). ""I'm living my dream"". Opel Post. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  21. Olivier (3 July 2016). "Bonfire part ways with ex-Accept singer David Reece and reunite with Michael Bormann". Sleaze Roxx. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  22. "Bonfire Announce Lineup Change; Vocalist Alexx Stahl Now On Board". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  23. Bogner, Ivona (24 February 2019). "André Hilgers is new Bonfire drummer". Metal Jacket Magazine. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
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