Former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider has just released a new solo album, "My Way", via Atomic Fire Records. The effort is billed as the 70-year-old German musician's "most personal and extraordinary album to date," containing 17 cover versions of the songs that have influenced the musician and singer the most, including classic tracks from URIAH HEEP, RAINBOW, THE SWEET, MOTÖRHEAD, LED ZEPPELIN, SCORPIONS, AC/DC and JUDAS PRIEST. "My Way" also features a cover of the WOLFSHEIM hit "Kein Zurück", which marks the first time Udo has recorded and released a song in his native language.
Asked in a new interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's "Metal Global" why now was the right time for him to put out a song in German, Udo responded: "It's definitely about the lyrics. The lyrics on this song definitely reflect my whole career — the bad times, the good times; never look back; look always forward; there is no way back. And that fits perfectly for my thinking, how I think. I never look back; I always look forward and say, 'Okay, everything is history and now look forward.' That's the most important thing for me.
"I heard this song in 2002, it came out, and the lyrics, I don't know why, but I was really thinking in my head [about it]," he continued. "And when I was making up the list [of songs to cover on 'My Way'], I said, 'Yeah, I wanna do this song.' But the first idea was to translate the German lyrics into English lyrics, but the sense was gone of the lyrics; it was not really the same. So then I said, 'Okay, let's try it in German.' And this is also quite funny — I thought to sing in the mother language was easy. No — it was not easy. It was the most difficult vocal recording on the album — to get the words right. And the meaning and timing with German words are completely different than if you are singing in English. But I think in the end, the guy who wrote the song, he said also, 'Well done.'"
Udo added: "This song in this version is more heavy than the original one; the original one is more electronic and poppy — very soft. But as I said, for me it's a good version."
Asked if "Kein Zurück" has opened the door to the possibility of him writing and recording an original song in German, Dirkschneider responded: "[That's] a very interesting question. I don't know. I mean, I don't know. Already some people said, 'Wow. Why you're not doing a whole album in German? Look, like RAMMSTEIN [have been doing it all these years].' I said, 'Yeah, RAMMSTEIN. I'm not RAMMSTEIN.' I don't know. Maybe if there's something really interesting lyric[-wise] or whatever, it can be happening that we do something like a bonus track in German or whatever, but at the moment, nothing is planned for the next album. We have already some ideas for the next U.D.O. album, but slowly. It takes some time. Let's say the next U.D.O. album will not be out before next year after the summer or something like that."
Seven years after announcing that he would embark on a special tour during which he would perform ACCEPT songs one last time under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner before closing that chapter for good, Udo is continuing to play ACCEPT material at select shows.
A year ago, Udo confirmed to Canada's The Metal Voice that U.D.O. will "definitely" play some ACCEPT songs if the band's North American tour materializes in 2022.
Dirkschneider said in 2016 that his vow to never play ACCEPT material again came with one caveat. "If the band ACCEPT dissolves one day in the near future and I am still around with U.D.O., then there is a chance that I put ACCEPT songs back in the setlist," he said. "But currently there is ACCEPT, so go see them [if you want to see those songs performed live]. They are playing these songs."
Udo previously said the original plan was for DIRKSCHNEIDER to only "a few shows," and "then [the tour] got bigger and bigger [due to demand]." But, he added, "I don't want to complain about that."
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.