Origin: Hamburg, Germany  
Genres: Power Metal
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Last update/review: November 27, 2021

Running Wild

Everyone's favorite pirate metal band, Running Wild was one of the four elder statesmen of German power metal, coming into prominence around the same time as contemporaries Grave Digger, Helloween, and Rage. Lead by "Rock'n'Rolf" Kasparek, they went through the usual lineup changes and such throughout their impressive 30+ year career, even though their musical style really didn't change much over time. Though they flirted with satanic imagery briefly in their early career (as seen on the debut), the aforementioned pirate theme was hatched for their third album (Under Jolly Roger) and amazingly they kept that theme running for many years. Rolf announced in the spring of 2009 that he was breaking up the band, but he revived the group in a semi-solo project state two years later.

Current Members

Rolf Kasparek

vocals/guitars

Peter Jordan

guitars

Ole Hempelmann

bass (ex-Thunderhead)

Michael Wolpers

drums (Victory)

Former Members/Guests

Preacher (Gerard Warnecke)

guitars

Majk Moti (Michael Kupper)

guitars RIP: February 16, 2023, age 65

Axel Morgan

guitars (ex-X-Wild)

Thilo Herrmann

guitars (ex-Faithful Breath, ex-Grave Digger, ex-Holy Moses, ex-Risk)

Bernd Aufermann

guitars (ex-Angel Dust)

Stephan Boriss

bass

Jens Becker

bass (Grave Digger, ex-X-Wild)

Thomas Smuszynski

bass (ex-U.D.O.)

Peter Pichel

bass

Hasche (Wolfgang Hagemann)

drums

Stefan Schwarzmann

drums (ex-Accept, ex-Krokus, Pänzer, ex-U.D.O., ex-X-Wild)

A.C. (Rüdiger Dreffein)

drums

Iain Finlay

drums (ex-Demon Pact)

Jörg Michael

drums (ex-Grave Digger, ex-Headhunter, ex-House Of Spirits, ex-Mekong Delta, ex-Axel Rudi Pell, ex-Rage, ex-Saxon, ex-Schwarzarbeit, ex-Stratovarius, ex-Unleashed Power)

Angelo Sasso

drums

Matthias Liebetruth

drums (ex-Victory)


Discography



Gates To Purgatory  
1984 Noise
  1. Victim of states power
  2. Black demon
  3. Preacher
  4. Soldiers of hell
  5. Diabolic force
  6. Adrian SOS
  7. Genghis Khan
  8. Prisoner of our time
  9. Walpurgis night
  10. Satan
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Preacher
  • Stephan Boriss
  • Hasche


Branded And Exiled  
1985 Noise
  1. Branded And Exiled
  2. Gods of the Iron
  3. Realm of Shades
  4. Mordor
  5. Fight of the Oppression
  6. Evil Spirit
  7. Marching to Die
  8. Chains And Leather
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Stephan Boriss
  • Hasche


Under Jolly Roger  
1987 Noise
  1. Under jolly roger
  2. Beggar's night
  3. Diamonds of the black chest
  4. War in the cutter
  5. Raise your fist
  6. Land of ice
  7. Raw ride
  8. Merciless game
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Jens Becker
  • Stefan Schwarzmann


Ready For Boarding  LIVE
1988 Noise
  1. Hymn Of Long John Silver
  2. Under Jolly Roger
  3. Genghis Khan
  4. Raise Your Fist
  5. Purgatory
  6. Mordor
  7. Diabolic Force
  8. Raw Ride
  9. Adrian (S.O.S.)
  10. Prisoner Of Our Time
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Jens Becker
  • Stefan Schwarzmann


Port Royal  
1988 Noise
  1. Intro
  2. Port Royal
  3. Raging Fire
  4. Into the Arena
  5. Uaschitschun
  6. Final Gates
  7. Conquistadores
  8. Blown to Kingdom Come
  9. Warchild
  10. Mutiny
  11. Calico Jack
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Jens Becker
  • Iain Finlay


Death Or Glory  
1989 Noise
  1. Riding the Storm
  2. Renegade
  3. Evilution
  4. Running Blood
  5. Highland Glory (The Eternal Fight)
  6. Marooned
  7. Bad to the Bone
  8. Tortuga Bay
  9. Death Or Glory
  10. Battle of Waterloo
  11. March On
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Jens Becker
  • Iain Finlay


Bad To The Bone  EP
1989 Noise
  1. Bad to the Bone
  2. The Battle of Waterloo
  3. March On
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Jens Becker
  • Iain Finlay


Wild Animal  EP
1990 Noise
  1. Wild Animal
  2. Chains And Leather
  3. Tear Down the Walls
  4. Stoertebeker
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Majk Moti
  • Jens Becker
  • Iain Finlay


Blazon Stone  
1991 Noise
  1. Blazon Stone
  2. Lonewolf
  3. Slavery
  4. Fire & Ice
  5. Little Big Horn
  6. Over the Rainbow
  7. White Masque
  8. Rolling Wheels
  9. Bloody Red Rose
  10. Straight to Hell
  11. Heads Or Hell
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Axel Morgan
  • Jens Becker
  • A.C.


The First Years Of Piracy  
1991 Noise
  1. Under Jolly Roger
  2. Branded and Exiled
  3. Soldiers of Hell
  4. Raise your Fist
  5. Walpurgis Night
  6. Fight the Oppression
  7. Marching to die
  8. Raw Ride
  9. Diamonds of the Black Chest
  10. Prisoner of our Time
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Axel Morgan
  • Jens Becker
  • A.C.


Lead Or Gold  EP
1992 Noise
  1. Lead Or Gold
  2. Hanged, Drawn, And Quartered
  3. Wind Or Be Drowned
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Axel Morgan
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Stefan Schwarzmann


Pile Of Skulls  
1992 Noise
  1. Chamber Of Lies
  2. Whirlwind
  3. Sinister Eyes
  4. Black Wings Of Death
  5. Fistful Of Dynamite
  6. Roaring Thunder
  7. Pile Of Skulls
  8. Lead Or Gold
  9. White Buffalo
  10. Jenning's Revenge
  11. Treasure Island
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Axel Morgan
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Stefan Schwarzmann


The Privateer  EP
1994 Noise
  1. The Privateer
  2. Dancing On A Minefield
  3. Poisoned Blood
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Thilo Herrmann
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Jörg Michael


Black Hand Inn  
1994 Noise
  1. The curse
  2. Black hand inn
  3. Mr. Deadhead
  4. Soulless
  5. The privateer
  6. Fight the fire of hate
  7. The phantom of the black hand hill
  8. Freewind rider
  9. Powder & iron
  10. Dragonmen
  11. Genesis (The making and the fall of man)
  12. Poisoned blood
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Thilo Herrmann
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Jörg Michael
1994 Readers' Album #41



Masquerade  
1995 Noise
  1. The Contract / The Crypts Of Hades
  2. Masquerade
  3. Demonized
  4. Black Soul
  5. Lions Of The Sea
  6. Rebel At Heart
  7. Wheel Of Doom
  8. Metalhead
  9. Soleil Royal
  10. Men In Black
  11. Underworld
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Thilo Herrmann
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Jörg Michael
1995 Readers' Album #48



The Story Of Jolly Roger  COMPILATION
1998 Victor


The Rivalry  
1998 Gun
  1. March Of The Final Battle (The End Of All Evil)
  2. The Rivalry
  3. Kiss Of Death
  4. Firebreather
  5. Return Of The Dragon
  6. Resurrection
  7. Ballad Of William Kidd
  8. Agents Of Black
  9. Fire & Thunder
  10. The Poison
  11. Adventure Galley
  12. Man On The Moon
  13. War & Peace
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Thilo Herrmann
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Jörg Michael
1998 Readers' Album #56



Singles Collection 2000  COMPILATION
2000 EMI


Victory  
2000 Gun
  1. Fall Of Dorkas
  2. When Time Runs Out
  3. Timeriders
  4. Into The Fire
  5. Revolution
  6. The Final Waltz
  7. Tsar
  8. The Hussar
  9. The Guardian
  10. Return Of The Gods
  11. Silent Killer
  12. Victory
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Thilo Herrmann
  • Thomas Smuszynski
  • Angelo Sasso


The Brotherhood  
2002 Gun
  1. Welcome to Hell
  2. Soulstrippers
  3. The Brotherhood
  4. Crossfire
  5. Siberian Winter
  6. Detonator
  7. Pirate Song
  8. Unation
  9. Dr. Horror
  10. The Ghost
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Peter Pichel
  • Angelo Sasso
2002 Readers' Album #87



Live 2002  
2002 Gun
  1. March of the Final Battle
  2. Welcome to Hell
  3. Bad to the Bone
  4. Lead or Gold
  5. Riding the Storm
  6. When Time Runs Out
  7. The Brotherhood
  8. Soulless
  9. Blazon Stone
  10. Crossfire
  11. Metalmachine Solo
  12. Kiss of Death
  13. Uaschitschun
  14. Unation
  15. Victory
  16. Prisoners of Our Time
  17. Purgatory
  18. Soulstrippers
  19. Under Jolly Roger
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Bernd Aufermann
  • Peter Pichel
  • Matthias Liebetruth
2002 Readers' Album #68



Live 2002  VIDEO
2002 Gun


20 Years In History  COMPILATION
2003 Noise
  1. Prowling Werewolf
  2. Genghis Khan
  3. Prisoners of Our Time
  4. Branded & Exiled '03
  5. Mordor
  6. Under Jolly Roger
  7. Apocalyptic Horsemen
  8. Raise Your Fist
  9. Port Royal
  10. Conquistadores
  11. Riding the Storm
  12. Bad to the Bone
  13. Blazon Stone
  14. Little Big Horn
  15. Whirlwind
  16. Treasure Island
  17. Black Hand Inn
  18. The Privateer
  19. Lions of the Sea
  20. Black Soul
  21. Firebreather
  22. Ballad of William Kidd
  23. Victory
  24. Tsar
  25. Welcome to Hell
  26. The Brotherhood


Rogues En Vogue  
2005 Gun
  1. Draw the Line
  2. Angel of Mercy
  3. Skeleton Dance
  4. Skull & Bones
  5. Born Bad, Dying Worse
  6. Black Gold
  7. Soul Vampires
  8. Rogues en Vogue
  9. Winged & Feathered
  10. Dead Man's Road
  11. The War
  12. Cannonball Tongue
  13. Libertalia
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Peter Pichel
  • Matthias Liebetruth


Best Of Adrian  COMPILATION
2006 Gun
  1. The Rivalry
  2. Draw the Line
  3. Detonator
  4. Firebreather
  5. Kiss of Death
  6. Ballad of William Kidd
  7. Victory
  8. Tsar
  9. Welcome to Hell
  10. The Brotherhood
  11. Pirate Song
  12. Rogues en Vogue
  13. Bad to the Bone (live)
  14. Welcome to Hell (live)
  15. Under Jolly Roger (live)


The Final Jolly Roger  VIDEO
2011 Golden Core


Shadowmaker  
2012 Steamhammer/SPV
  1. Piece Of The Action
  2. Riding On The Tide
  3. I Am Who I Am
  4. Black Shadow
  5. Locomotive
  6. Me & The Boys
  7. Shadowmaker
  8. Sailing Fire
  9. Into The Black
  10. Dracula
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Peter Jordan
2012 Readers' Album #95



Resilient  
2013 Steamhammer/SPV
  1. Soldiers Of Fortune
  2. Resilient
  3. Adventure Highway
  4. The Drift
  5. Desert Rose
  6. Fireheart
  7. Run Riot
  8. Down To The Wire
  9. Crystal Gold
  10. Bloody Island
  11. Payola & Shenanigans (limited-edition bonus track)
  12. Premonition (limited-edition bonus track)
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Peter Jordan
2013 Readers' Album #87



Rapid Foray  
2016
  1. Black Skies, Red Flag
  2. Warmongers
  3. Stick To Your Guns
  4. Rapid Foray
  5. By The Blood In Your Heart
  6. The Depth Of The Sea - Nautilus
  7. Black Bart
  8. Hellestrified
  9. Blood Moon Rising
  10. Into The West
  11. Last Of The Mohicans
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Peter Jordan
  • Michael Wolpers
2016 Readers' Album #41



Crossing The Blades  EP
2019 Steamhammer/SPV
  1. Crossing The Blades
  2. Stargazed
  3. Strutter
  4. Ride On The Wild Side
  • Peter Jordan
  • Ole Hempelmann
  • Michael Wolpers


Blood On Blood  
2021 Steamhammer/SPV
  • Rolf Kasparek
  • Peter Jordan
  • Ole Hempelmann
  • Michael Wolpers



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