Axel Rudi Pell

NOVEMBER '08

Harder Beat Magazine Online

Axel Rudi Pell
Pure magic

By Andy Lauadano

If you’re a fan of melodic hard rock, chances are you’re also a fan of German guitarist/songwriter, Axel Rudi Pell. With 18 albums over the last 19 years, including his latest, Tales of the Crown, Pell is one of the most successful, consistent and well respected musicians in Europe.

Axel Rudi Pell was born in Bochum, Germany, on June 27, 1960, and started playing guitar at age twelve. He made four albums with Steeler (not the one with Ron Keel and Yngwie Malmsteen) before forming his own band. Pell’s worked with some of the world’s most talented vocalists, including Rob Rock, Jeff Scott Soto and current frontman, Johnny Gioeli (whom fans may remember from Hardline, a band with Journey’s Neal Schon and Deen Castronovo in the early 90’s).

When other commitments forced Jeff Scott Soto to leave the band, Gioeli was Pell’s first choice for a new singer. “I had Johnny in mind from the beginning,” Pell recalls. “Ever since the first Hardline record, he’s been one of my favorite vocalists. I tried contacting him but it was very difficult. Everyone said he got out of the business, cut his hair and wasn’t doing music anymore. After a few months of searching, I got Johnny’s e-mail from a guy I found on a Hardline fan site. I wrote and told him I’m a guitar player from Germany and I wanted him to sing on my next album. He said the same thing, “I’m out

of the music business. My brother and I have our own Internet company and I don’t do music anymore.”

I said, “Let me send you a few of my CDs, listen and if you like what you hear, you can do it.” I sent him some stuff and he said, “I really like your music but let me think about it.” Days and weeks passed by and finally he said, “Axel, I’ll do it.”

Gioli’s first album with Pell was the classic Oceans of Time. “All the songs were written before he joined the band,” Pell reveals. “Some singers will ask you not to write songs in certain keys because their voice doesn’t fit, but Johnny can sing anything and it’s perfect. I think he’s one of the top five hard rock vocalists in the world. He’s a nice guy too. It’s been great fun working together.”

One of the things that makes Pell’s music stand out from his peers is that he never loses track of what’s most important — the songs. He can solo and shred with the best of them, but for Pell it’s the melody that’s most important. His songs usually go well past the five-minute mark, but they’re so well crafted you don’t even notice. He’s never tried to hide his obvious Ritchie Blackmore influences and, while Pell’s faster songs are excellent, his slower, mid-tempo songs are pure magic.

His latest opus, Tales of the Crown is classic Axel Rudi Pell, with a slightly modern twist. “I’ll never change my style too much,” Pell states.

“I like a lot of other bands that have some kind of groove, like Sixx A.M., the side project of Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx. They have a great groove, and I was really excited by that. I tried to experiment with different grooves on some songs on the new record, but you can still recognize the Axel Rudi Pell style.”

Check out Tales of the Crown from SPV, in stores Nov. 4.

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