Accept is one of the most well-known German rock bands worldwide, along with The Scorpions and Rammstein. The band has released 17 studio albums including Accept (1979), I’m a Rebel (1980), Breaker (1981), Restless and Wild (1982), Balls to the Wall (1983), Metal Heart (1985), Russian Roulette (1986), Eat the Heat (1989), Objection Overruled (1993), Death Row (1994), Predator (1996), Blood of the Nations (2010), Stalingrad (2012), Blind Rage (2014) The Rise of Chaos (2017), Too Mean to Die (2021), Humanoid (2024). So what are the core members and ex-members doing now? Read on below to find out:
Wolf Hoffmann ( 1976–1989, 1992–1997, 2005, 2009–present )
Guitarist Wolf Hoffman is the only remaining original member of Accept and the only member to appear on every studio album and recording with the band. Hoffman created and started the band, and was joined in 1976 by bassist Peter Baltes and vocalist Udo Dirkschneider. Hoffman has written columns for magazines on guitar techniques and is considered one of the top metal guitarists.
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Udo Dirkschneider ( 1976–1987, 1992–1997, 2005 )
Singer Udo Dirkschneider, with his distinctive voice, helped propel the band to new heights with a raspy yet clean-sounding tone. Dirkschneider formed his own band, U.D.O., in 1987 when he left Accept for the first time. While he returned to the band for the albums Death Row and Predator, the reunion would be short-lived, and he would go back to his solo career, proclaiming that he would never rejoin Accept again.
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Peter Baltes ( 1976–1989, 1992–1997, 2005, 2009–2018 )
Bassist Peter Baltes was one of the first members of Accept, and except for Hoffman, is the longest-running member in the band. Baltes is widely regarded in metal circles and has performed backing vocals for the Scorpions, played most of the bass tracks for Dokken’s “Breaking The Chains” album, even though Juan Croucier is credited on the album sleeve, and also performed on Don Dokken’s solo album “Up From The Ashes”
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Stefan Kaufmann ( 1979–1989, 1992–1994 )
Kaufmann left Accept after the Death Row album and became a mainstay in Dirkschneider’s solo band, playing on the following U.D.O. albums: Solid (1997), No Limits (1998), Holy (1999), Man and Machine (2002), Thunderball (2004), Mission No. X (2005), Mastercutor (2007), Dominator (2009), and Rev-Raptor (2011).
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Herman Frank ( 1982–1984, 2005, 2009–2014 )
Herman Frank played guitar on the “Balls To The Wall” album and would not return to Accept until 2010, when he played on three consecutive albums with the band. Frank was credited on the album “Restless and Wild” but didn’t actually perform on it. Frank has had a successful solo tour and also found fame with another German band, Victory.
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David Reece ( 1988–1989 )
When Original Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider left the band to pursue a solo career in 1987, the band sought to change their image and sound to more closely align with the emerging Hair Metal/Glam Metal scene prevalent in the U.S. at that time. David Reece was a great fit vocally and visually for the new material and sound, but Accept’s hardcore fans weren’t happy with the changes. Eventually, the band returned to Udo for two more albums, but that marked the end of his era. David Reece has recently revamped his band, Bangalore Choir, and is also extremely busy with his solo career. Reece has been involved in many bands and stays active in the scene.
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Mark Tornillo ( 2009–present )
Current singer Mark Tornillo joined the band after a successful stint with the band T.T. Quick. Tornillo has handled the vocals on the following Accept studio albums thus far: Blood of the Nations (2010), Stalingrad (2012), Blind Rage (2014), The Rise of Chaos (2017), Too Mean to Die (2021), and Humanoid (2024). Now with the band for the last 16 years, Tornillo has earned praise for representing classic material faithfully in his own style, as well as his own era, with the band.
Mark Tornillo photo credit “David J Bronstein Photo”
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