PRELUDE
It took me a long, long time to start up this homepagething.. I´m a fulltime musician and I´ve always tried to postpone everything else...
Anyways. Before I´ll go into deep, I´d like to thank all those peolpe, who supported me thru all my life. You know, who u are and it would take too much space to mention you all here... My mainmotors were definately my parents, who made everything possible. I am very proud to be the son of these very special people!
You
will get to know about most of my activities during the past 26 years. Still
in between of all my projects, or what you call it, I´ve always
worked as a producer, musician, songwriter and engineer. That´s how
I grew up and that´s my life. So, there are still a lot of songs,
bands that I´ve produced, jingles,commercials, that you´ll probably
never get to know. I just wrote down the "mainthings".....
I
decided to write everything myself, to get it more personal, or better
intimate. So, please forgive me, if some things are too brief and others
long....
THE
STORY
In the tender age of 12 I’ve started up with playing guitar. Supported
by my dad, who quit his own musical career, my history began.
Inspired by Elvis, The Beatles, The Stones and the rest of the 60th
and 70th , I´ve founded my first band, HIGH VOLTAGE, in 1979.
As
the youngest band (13-16) in a huge german TV-contest in 1982
we hit the headlines for winning the first prize.
Numerous concerts arranged by radiostations, a jingle for a radioshow
and a single released by EMI ELECTROLA - Germany followed.
The schoolband-era ended 1987,when I formed the band T.A.X..
Michael Müller and Axel Kruse joined this band in 1990 and JADED
HEART was born.
After trying desperately to get a record deal for JH, I was already
well known in the scene and different offers came along.
But the only interest in the band was my voice, or better, only me.
So I´ve met a lot of guys and made my experiences by trying out different
things, without leaving my baby...
J.R.
BLACKMORE´s SUPERSTITION was the first grade on my way. I´ve performed
for the first time on foreign stages. During a long tour thru CSSR
in 1990 I had the chance to prove my talent night by night in a
different city.
Still looking for a deal with JADED HEART, another band named LETTER
X
crossed my way . 1992 they were looking for a singer and producer
"FRANK BORNEMANN", who knew me from several demos,
asked me to join in. Because of the progressiv style I didn´t wanna
become a real bandmember. After one year and a lot of shows I´ve left
the band.
In
the beginning of 1993 "GABY HAUKE" (MANAGER OF ACCEPT),
called me up. A well known band was looking for a new singer. That was
BONFIRE. By the way. In 1991 "GABY" offered
me a deal under the condition, that I had to leave my band (JH).
I refused….
At
this point I´d like to mention, that I had a lot of offers like this.
Today it´s hard to say, why I didn´t use my chances......I know, that
I´ve always had principles. I grew up like this and I guess, my parents
did a great job in teaching me the right things in in life. Until today
the most important things for me are honesty and loyalty.
Just to avoid misunderstandings. I´ve always decided the way, I thought
it´s right. I don´t regred a single thing!
Back to BONFIRE......A long tour and a lot of gigs in a two years
decade was all that happend.
During that time I´ve also recorded an album with J.R.Blackmore´s
Superstition, which came out in the end of 1993. It took almost 3 three
years, to finally end up the sessions from 1989/90. BOB ROSE ( George
Harrison ), produced the album, that we´ve recorded in different
famous studios. Amazing to be in the same studio like DEF LEPPARD
or QUEEN (Rockfield Studios).
In 1994 the first JADED HEART-album "Inside Out"
finally was released. In the first 4 years we´ve recorded probably 60
to 80 songs. Our 13 faves were taken for this album, that LONG
ISLAND RECORDS released. I guess without SONDY SONDERBAUER
we still wouldn´t have a recorddeal for JH ;-).............
Because
of the good responses to this album, which was produced, mixed and recorded
by my dad and me in our own studio, I´ve got my first producerjob. That
was a german band named STEEL DAWN (released on Long Island Records
1994) . This was my first experience as a producer. I mean, I´ve
always made everything and I sure knew all about it, but this time it
was different. There were some foreign rockers in my studio. It wasn´t
my music and my band....This was really a f.... great time. From this
moment on I knew, that this is my thing!
In
1995, chosen out of 2500 singers, I won the first prize in LINDA
DE MOL`S SOUNDMIXSHOW, broadcasted on europeans biggist TV-channel
"RTL". I´ve performed BON JOVI`s "WANTED DEAD
OR ALIVE". I must say, that I really loved this
very special experience. For JH it wasn´t very helpfull. Nobody wanted
a german BON JOVI, especially not in the metal-scene. On the other hand,
and here I´m talking about my person, I loved the hype.. You wouldn´t
believe how many people came to my "BON JOVI-COVERSHOWS".
The people treated me, like I was Mr BJ..... The chicks were crying
on their knees (I´m not talking about only a handfull...) Never
before and never again I had so many fans.... Sad but true! TV
makes the world go round, or so.... ;-)
1996
SLAVES & MASTERS, second JADED-album appeared.
Right after that, we have been touring a lot thru Germany,
Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands and Belgium. 1997, after touring
with JADED HEART as support of AXXIS, I came together
with a good old friend, SINNER`S guitarist Alex Beyrodt.
Alex already played on several songs on the JADED -stuff.
By
the way. I´ve been about a thousand times on stage and I´ve played
a lot of support-tours, but nobody treated us worse than the guys
from AXXIS!
In the end of 1997, Alex & me formed the project
THE SYGNET. The album " Children of the future"
, which was the only thing together, was released in September 1998.
Right after the release we´ve toured Germany as support of DORO.
A very nice person! The whole band was great.
During the studiosessions to "Children of the furure",
JADED HEART released their third album, Mystery Eyes,
in March 98 (Nov. 97´in Japan).Same year in Mai 98 the
recordingsessions from 1993 with BONFIRE, came out under the
name CHARADE.
As the one or the other knows, I still spend most of my summertime on
Rhodes,Greece, every year since 1994. The club is called COLORADO
PUB and it is the greatest thing on this island! So, this time,
in August 1997, I´ve met the guys from the norwegian band RAIN.
What can I say?! Right after Rhodes I took the plane to Oslo.
The rest is history..In December ´98 I took some time, to record the
demos to one of my two favorite JADED-CD´s. IV This
was our first record after Inside Out, with a complete band again. The
result was so good, that MTM sent us to AMERICA! Yeah yeah yeah....
A dream came true. It was my first time in the USA and I didn´t wanna
leave after 7 weeks..... Ok. So I got together with Mr. BOBBY
BARTH (AXE, BLACKFOOT, GUILD OF AGES /CITA ). That was,
what I call a producer! Great musician, great guy, great everything!
I don´t wanna miss this time! IV came out in November then.
Only
six month later I was invited into the NEH-STUDIOS, to write
songs for AXE ( THE CROWN ) and GUILD OF AGES ( CITADEL ).12
songs out of 15 songs were taken. I was really proud. The little german
writes songs for the big americans.
Just back from the states, in the beginning of 2000, I took some
time to write and work on my first solo-album.
A lot of people may´ask why, as I am the writer of the JH-stuff. Well,
that´s simple. It´s a different style and there´s no limits…..2001
JADED HEART toured again. This was our biggest support-tour. Six
weeks thru Europe. 50% in a Trailer and the other 50% in the nightliner,
that BRITNEY SPEARS had right before us... GOTTHARD,
the swiss soft-rockers had a lotta german fans. So we had the chance
to play in front of 3000 people every night. These guys were
really great to us and we had a lotta fun together. Yeah, it was very
successfull , too..! ;-) Great guys!
In March, right before the GOTTHARD-TOUR, our first
best of album "DIARY - 1990 - 2000" came out.
It includes PREMIERE`S officiel song for the ICEHOCKEY-WORLDCHAMPIONSHIP
2000, "CHAMPION".The second song "We´ll Drag You
Down", that I wrote for this event, came out on "THE
JOURNEY WILL NEVER END"…
In Oktober 2001 the journey went to the AREA51 Studios,
to record JADED HEART`S "The journey will never end".
TOMMI NEWTON, a great guy, guitarist and producer ( HELLOWEEN,
VICTORY..) , who I knew from different productions (as a choirboy…),
and who mixed our best of, produced "The Journey".
2002 February. RAIN releases the first output HOUSE OF DREAMS.
The work of 5 years finally appears. It took 5 years, 50 partys
and about 500 beers in Oslo to fulfil this record. Or more?? Who
knows??I
In March my first SOLO-CD came out and right after we (JH) had to perform for
BEHRINGER & PRO LIGHT at the huge music-convention
in Frankfurt/Germany. Right after I can sign an endorsement-deal
with BEHRINGER for using their studio-equipment.
Before
I went into the BARFLY-STUDIOS in November, to record the vox
for the 2nd BISS-record, I wrote and recorded the 2nd CHARADE-album
with ANGEL SCHLEIFER.
After that the time had come, to record the demos for the first Trust-session.
Jaded´s No. 6.
During the first month of 2003, I´ve decided to go professional
studiowise. With the help of some friends I´ve built a brandnew studio
and my label was born. RMB-Records and the RMB-Studios!March 2003:
The 2nd session of TRUST was now recorded in the new studio.
In Oktober I´ve made the final production and mix.
MAY: "MICHAEL VOSS" suggested me a project with
him together. I liked the idea. This is what everybody knows as "20TH
CENTURY BOYS". A tribute to T-REX.
In June then the swiss band BLACKBURN, who I´ve met during
a show somewhere east (biggest bikerfestival in Germany) in the end
of 2002 (We shared the backstage-area together with all the strippers……
), came into my studio to record their first output "Pokerface"2004.
We had such a great time....
2004
The 20TH CENTURY BOYS and Jaded´s Trust were released
in February and we spent some time to get ready for the following
Jaded-Tour in May. This time as headliner. For the very first
time....
After almost 14 years the first headliner-tour with JADED HEART
thru GERMANY. It was a great experience and a big success for us.
To mention that. It was the first tour, that none of us had to pay…..
Ok, it didn´t through out a single bug, but…… ;-)
Right after coming back I´ve mixed "CHARADE II". Rhodes
was calling again, so I packed my suitcases to spend all summer on the
island. Everything perfect until I broke my arm two days before our
show in August. One hammer never comes alone......
After a very long time and a rocky road together, JADED HEART
and me are going seperate ways. That´s the way it goes sometimes…..
We had great times together in these 14 years, but nothing lasts forever……
Sure I am a little sad about that, but life goes on. I wish them all
the best, as they´ll keep JADEDHEART alive. Isn´t it a bit ironic??
It sure will be totaly different. New songwriter and new singer.....Here
I really have to mention, that once again in your life, even after 14
years, you still don´t know, who your friend is, or not......Sometimes
I think you´ll never learn.. ;-)
In
September the guys from BLACKBURN came around for some songwriting.
At the moment I´m sitting in my studio to record my second solo-album.
To be continued.........