Guitars

Played in Helloween from 1989 till 2001


Roland Grapow joined Helloween at one of the most important turning points of the band's life. He had to replace Kai Hansen, the band's leader and founder, on guitars. Roland had his "baptism of fire" during the final leg of the tour in support of Keeper of the Seven Keys, part 2, which led him to such important countries as Japan and USA. A guitar virtuoso, lover of neoclassic stuff, follower of Michael Schenker and Yngwie Malmsteen, he loves pets just as much as music. He even dedicates songs to them on his solo-projects. For Helloween Grapow wrote such outstanding songs as The Chance, The Time Of The Oath, The Dark Ride. However, the musical direction that he and Uli Kusch chose in 2000 caused many conflicts within the band. As a result he and Uli had to leave Helloween and create their own band, Masterplan.

"I always write the melodies first, and for me, the melody is more important than the lyrics. Honestly, the lyrics are much better understood for those who speak english well, while for us, germans, the chorus is more fun, haha."

Career timeline:

date	event
august 30th, 1959	Roland Grapow was born in Hamburg (Germany)
beginning of 70s	Roland became a fan of Mark Farner and Grand Funk Railroad
1971	Roland's father bought him an acoustic guitar. Besides, Roland began to take music lessons
1972	Grapow's teacher came to a conclusion that Roland doesn't have any musical talent and should stop his studies. Grapow decided to learn music by himself
1973	as Roland mastered guitar technique and speed, his musical preferences changed and Michael Schenker and Uli Roth became his new favourites
1973	Grapow's first band, named Prisma or Virus, came into being. They played several concerts in Hamburg
1976	Grapow's second band won several young band contests and its musicians started to search for a record deal
1980	Grapow joined Rampage band
1980	Michael Weikath who visited a Rampage show was impressed by the guitarwork of the band and kept the band's name in mind
1981	Rampage's first album, Victims Of Rock, was released
1983	Rampage's second album, Love Lights Up The Night, was released
1984	Roland left Rampage
1984-1988	Grapow worked as a car mechanic at the same time playing in several local bands
august 1988	Weikath remembered Grapow as he was searching for a new guitarist for Helloween. He called Roland and they agreed that he joins the band as soon as Kai Hansen leaves it
Christmas 1988	Roland joined Helloween in their studio (for further info, see Helloween timeline)
1991	Grapow recorded a guitar solo for Let Love Conquer The World, German Rock Project, done for charity
1997	Roland Grapow's first solo album, The Four Seasons of Life, was released
1999	Roland Grapow's second solo album, Kaleidoscope, was released. Roland went on tour in its support together with Gamma Ray
2000	Grapow composed some guitar riffs for a TV ad of German magazine called Money
august 22nd, 2001	It was officially announced that Roland Grapow and Uli Kusch were out of Helloween
2002	Roland Grapow, Uli Kusch, Jorn Lande, Jan S. Eckert and Axel Mackenrott formed Masterplan band
january 2003	AFM Records released the debut, self-titled album of Masterplan
january 2005	Masterplan's second album, Aeronautics, was released

Discography:

Rampage (Victims Of Rock, Love Lights Up The Night)

Helloween (Pink Bubbles Go Ape, Chameleon, Master of the Rings, The Time of the Oath, Better Than Raw, Metal Jukebox, Dark Ride)

Masterplan (Materplan, Aeronautics)


Guest appearances:

German Rock Project (Let Love Conquer The World)

Andi Deris (Come In From The Rain)

Catch The Rainbow (A Tribute To Rainbow)

Shockmachine (Shockmachine)

Ferdy Doernberg (Just a Piano and a Handful of Dreams, Storyteller's Rain)

Axel Rudi Pell (Magic, The Wizard's Chosen Few)

Metalium (Millenium Metal: Chapter One)

MVP (Animation, The Altar)

Drakkar (Gemini)

Squealer (Made For Eternity)

Dr. Sin (Dr. Sin II)

Imperio (Paz En La Tormenta)

Paragon (Steelbound)

Locomotive Breath (Heavy Machinery)

Timo Kotipelto (Waiting For The Dawn)

Mob Rules (Hollowed Be Thy Name)

Insania (Fantasy: A New Dimension)


Solo-projects:

Roland Grapow (The Four Seasons of Life, Kaleidoscope)


Websites dedicated to Roland Grapow:

Roland Grapow's official website


Interview links collection:

Interview for www.melodicjourney.com website (in German) - Date: 2003

Interview for Rock Brigade Magazine - Date: 07.2002

Roland Grapow, Uli Kusch, Markus Grosskopf, interview for Metal Head magazine - Date: 08.1996

Michael Weikath, Roland Grapow, Uli Kusch, interview for Intermission magazine - Date: 1994