
Genre(s):
Heavy/Speed/Power Metal
Lyrical Theme(s):
Satan, Metal (early), Pirates, History, Literature
Origin:
Germany (Hamburg)
Formed In:
1979
Status:
Active
Current line-up:
Rock 'n' Rolf - Vocals, Guitars (1979-2009, 2011-), Bass (2004)
Peter Jordan - Guitars (2005-2009, 2011-)
Former/past member(s):
Matthias Kaufmann - Bass (1979-1982)
Hasche - Drums (1979-1987)
Uwe Bendig - Guitars (1979-1982)
Stephan - Bass (1982-1987)
Preacher - Guitars (1982-1985) (The Gate, ex-Snake Ride Rodeo)
Majk Moti - Guitars (1985-1990) (ex-Random)
Jens Becker - Bass (1987-1992) (Grave Digger, Zillion, ex-X-Wild, ex-Crossroads)
Stefan Schwarzmann - Drums (1987-1988, 1992-1993) (Accept, Herman Frank, ex-Helloween, ex-Krokus, ex-Paradox, ex-U.D.O., ex-Cronos Titan, ex-Voice, ex-X-Wild)
Iain Finlay - Drums (1988-1989) (ex-Demon Pact, ex-Justice)
AC - Drums (1990-1992)
Axel Morgan - Guitars (1990-1993) (ex-X-Wild)
Thomas "Bodo" Smuszynski - Bass (1992-2000) (ex-Axel Rudi Pell, ex-U.D.O., ex-Darxon)
Jörg Michael - Drums (1994-1998) (Headhunter, Living Death, ex-House of Spirits, ex-Surgeon, ex-Avenger, ex-Axel Rudi Pell, ex-Beto Vázquez Infinity, ex-Grave Digger, ex-Kaledon, ex-Mekong Delta, ex-Onkel Tom Angelripper, ex-Rage, ex-Saxon, ex-Soulslide, ex-Stratovarius, ex-Unleashed Power, ex-Glenmore)
Thilo Hermann - Guitars (1994-2001) (ex-Höllenhunde, ex-Faithful Breath, ex-Grave Digger, ex-Holy Moses, ex-Glenmore, ex-Risk)
Angelo Sasso (R.I.P. 2007) - Drums (1999-2002)
Peter Pichl - Bass (2001-2008) (Herman Frank, Yargos, ex-Weinhold)
Matthias Liebetruth - Drums (2002-2009) (Grailknights, ex-Scorpions, ex-Victory)
Live Members:
Hasche - Drums (1989)
Jörg Michael - Drums (1990) (Headhunter, Living Death, ex-House of Spirits, ex-Surgeon, ex-Avenger, ex-Axel Rudi Pell, ex-Beto Vázquez Infinity, ex-Grave Digger, ex-Kaledon, ex-Mekong Delta, ex-Onkel Tom Angelripper, ex-Rage, ex-Saxon, ex-Soulslide, ex-Stratovarius, ex-Unleashed Power, ex-Glenmore)
Chris Efthimiadis - Drums (1998-1999, 2000-2001) (ex-Atlain, ex-Rage)
Bernd Aufermann - Guitars (2002-2005) (Angel Dust)
Jan-Sören Eckert - Bass (2009) (Grimmark, Iron Savior, Masterplan, ex-Charon)
Additional Notes
Formed in 1976 as Granite Hearts, the band agreed to change the name to Running Wild in 1979 - the name was taken from the Judas Priest song.
Granite Hearts line up:
Rolf Kasparek - Vocals, Guitars
Jörg Schwarz, Carsten David, Matthias Kaufmann - Bass
Uwe Bendig - Guitars
Michael Hoffmann, Hasche - Drums
On April 17th, 2009 Rolf announced that he was bringing Running Wild to an end. They announced that last show was going to be at Wacken Open Air, July 30th, 2009, but on October 21th, 2011 the official website published information that Running Wild has reformed. A new album, "Shadowmaker", is currently in the works.
It's generally suspected that a drum computer was used on both the "Victory" and "The Brotherhood" albums with "Angelo Sasso" being a fictional name used in an attempt to cover this up. This is denied by Rolf Kasparek who claims that Angelo Sasso is a pseudonym used by a friend of his who didn't want to be credited under his real name. This became sort of a running gag in the German metal scene with other bands crediting their drums to Angelo Sasso (see: Chalice of Blood, Kings of Völlige Durchness).
Rock'n'Rolf is credited as T. T. Poison when in playing in Toxic Taste.
Granite Hearts line up:
Rolf Kasparek - Vocals, Guitars
Jörg Schwarz, Carsten David, Matthias Kaufmann - Bass
Uwe Bendig - Guitars
Michael Hoffmann, Hasche - Drums
On April 17th, 2009 Rolf announced that he was bringing Running Wild to an end. They announced that last show was going to be at Wacken Open Air, July 30th, 2009, but on October 21th, 2011 the official website published information that Running Wild has reformed. A new album, "Shadowmaker", is currently in the works.
It's generally suspected that a drum computer was used on both the "Victory" and "The Brotherhood" albums with "Angelo Sasso" being a fictional name used in an attempt to cover this up. This is denied by Rolf Kasparek who claims that Angelo Sasso is a pseudonym used by a friend of his who didn't want to be credited under his real name. This became sort of a running gag in the German metal scene with other bands crediting their drums to Angelo Sasso (see: Chalice of Blood, Kings of Völlige Durchness).
Rock'n'Rolf is credited as T. T. Poison when in playing in Toxic Taste.

Discography:
Running Wild - Rock From Hell [demo] - 1981
Running Wild - Demo 2 [demo] - 1983
Running Wild - Demo 3 [demo] - 1983
Running Wild - Demo 4 [demo] - 1984
Running Wild - Victim of States Power [ep] - 1984
Running Wild - Heavy Metal Like a Hammerblow [best of/compilation] - 1984
Running Wild & Helloween & Hellhammer & Dark Avenger - Death Metal [split] - 1984
Running Wild - Gates To Purgatory [full-length] - 1984
Running Wild - Branded and Exiled [full-length] - 1985
Running Wild - Under Jolly Roger [full-length] - 1987
Running Wild - Ready For Boarding [live] - 1988
Running Wild - Port Royal [full-length] - 1988
Running Wild - Bad To The Bone [single] - 1989
Running Wild - Death or Glory [full-length] - 1989
Running Wild - Wild Animal [ep] - 1990
Running Wild - Little Big Horn [single] - 1991
Running Wild - Blazon Stone [full-length] - 1991
Running Wild - The First Years Of Piracy [full-length] - 1991
Running Wild - Lead Or Gold [single] - 1992
Running Wild - Sinister Eyes [single] - 1992
Running Wild - Pile of Skulls [full-length] - 1992
Running Wild - The Privateer [single] - 1994
Running Wild - Black Hand Inn [full-length] - 1994
Running Wild - Masquerade [full-length] - 1995
Running Wild - The Story of Jolly Roger [best of/compilation] - 1998
Running Wild - The Rivalry [ep] - 1998
Running Wild - The Rivalry [full-length] - 1998
Running Wild - Revolution [single] - 2000
Running Wild - Victory [full-length] - 2000
Running Wild - Legendary Tales [boxed set] - 2002
Running Wild - Live [live] - 2002
Running Wild - The Brotherhood [full-length] - 2002
Running Wild - Live 2002 [live] - 2002
Running Wild - 20 Years In History [best of/compilation] - 2003
Running Wild - Riding The Storm 1984-1991 [best of/compilation] - 2003
Running Wild - Pirate Songs 1991-2002 [best of/compilation] - 2003
Running Wild - Rogues En Vogue [full-length] - 2005
Running Wild - Best of Adrian [best of/compilation] - 2006
Running Wild - Greatest Hits [best of/compilation] - 2011
Running Wild - The Final Jolly Roger [live] - 2011
Running Wild - Shadowmaker [full-length] - 2012
Running Wild - Resilient [full-length] - 2013
Running Wild - Rapid Foray [full-length] - 2016
Running Wild - Blood On Blood [full-length] - 2021
*****
Official Site:
Homepage
Myspace

