Jörg Michael

Jörg Michael (born 27 March 1963) is a German drummer who is known for playing with numerous groups, including the power metal band Stratovarius, with whom he played from 1995 to 2011 and Saxon (2004-2005).^[1] He has also been a member of Mekong Delta, Rage, and many more heavy metal bands.

Jörg Michael
Michael in 2009
Background information
Born	(1963-03-27) 27 March 1963 (age 61) Dortmund, West Germany
Genres	Power metal, thrash metal, heavy metal
Occupations	Drummer
Years active	1984–present

Biography

Michael left Stratovarius in 2011 for "personal reasons".^[2] Around the same time he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer,^[2][3] from which he later made a full recovery.^[4]

He is currently a member of Heavatar, a German power metal band founded in 2013.^[5]

Michael is considered to be one of the most important and influential power metal drummers.

Discography

Avenger

• Prayers of Steel (1985)
• Depraved to Black (EP, 1985)

Rage

• Reign of Fear (1986)
• Execution Guaranteed (1987)
• 10 Years in Rage (1994)

Der Riss

• They All Do What Their Image Says (EP, 1986)

100 Names

• 100 Names (1986)

The Raymen

• Going Down to Death Valley (1986)
• The Rebel Years (best-of) (1995)

Metal Sword

• Metal Sword (1986)

Mekong Delta

• Mekong Delta (1986)
• The Music of Erich Zann (1988)
• Toccata (1989)
• The Principle of Doubt (1989)
• Dances of Death (and Other Walking Shadows) (1990)
• Classics (1993)

X-Mas Project

• X-Mas Project (1986)

Tom Angelripper

• Ein Schöner Tag (1995)

Axel Rudi Pell

• Wild Obsession (1989)
• Nasty Reputation (1991)
• Eternal Prisoner (1992)
• The Ballads (1993)
• Between the Walls (1994)
• Black Moon Pyramid (1996)
• Magic (1997)
• Oceans of Time (1998)
• The Ballads II (1999)

Laos

• Laos (1989)
• We Want It (EP, 1990)
• More than a Feeling (EP, 1993)
• Come Tomorrow (EP, 1993)

Headhunter

• Parody of Life (1990)
• A Bizarre Gardening Accident (1993)
• Rebirth (1994)
• Parasite Of Society (2008)

Schwarzarbeit

• Third Album' (1990)

Grave Digger

• The Reaper (1993)
• Symphony of Death (EP, 1994)

Running Wild

• Black Hand Inn (1994)
• Masquerade (1995)
• The Rivalry (1998)

Glenmore

• For the Sake of Truth (1994)

House of Spirits

• Turn of the Tide (1994)
• Psychosphere (1999)

Unleashed Power

• Mindfailure (1997)
• Absorbed (EP, 1999)

Andreas Butler

• Achterbahn Fahrn (1995)

Stratovarius

• Episode (1996)
• Visions (1997)
• Live! Visions of Europe (1998)
• Destiny (1998)
• The Chosen Ones (1999)
• Infinite (2000)
• Intermission (2001)
• Elements Pt. 1 (2002)
• Elements Pt. 2 (2003)
• Stratovarius (2005)
• Black Diamond: The Anthology (2006)
• Polaris (2009)
• Elysium (2011)
• Enigma: Intermission 2 (2018)

Avec Avalon

• Mystic Places (1997)

Die Herzensbrecher

• Seid Glücklich Und Mehret Euch (1998)

Andy & The Traceelords

• Pussy! (1998)

Beto Vázquez Infinity

• Beto Vázquez Infinity (2001)

Saxon

• Lionheart (2004)

Kaledon

• Chapter 3: The Way of the light (2005)

Devil's Train

• Devil's Train (2012)
• Devil's Train 2 (2015)

Heavatar

• All My Kingdoms (2013)
• The Annihilation (2018)

References

1. "Jörg Michael Biography". Metalship. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
2. "Drummer Jörg Michael Leaves Stratovarius". Metalunderground.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
3. "Stratovarius' Drummer Issues Update About His Battle With Cancer". Noisecreep. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
4. "Stratovarius: por onde anda o ex-baterista Jorg Michael?" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 24 August 2018.
5. "Heavatar". Laut.de. Retrieved 24 February 2013.

External links

• Media related to Jörg Michael at Wikimedia Commons