Discography
Info from the year 2012
In 2008 Chris Williams, Birmingham located ABACUS singer died prior to writing the lyrics for "Destiny". He had recently decided to rejoin the band as the new lead singer, thus replacing the former singer and guitarist Manfred Heilmann. As a result, it took another 2 years to write the words for" Destiny" and to find the new lead singer Stefan Mageney and the guitarists Mario Schramme and Werner Schimaniak.
Stefan Mageney`s voice is uniquely recognizable and feels comfortable with ballades, as well as with uptempo progressive rock songs. The bands rhythm line up has remained unchanged since the very beginning. It features Rainer Niklowitz on drums and percussion and Reiner Schulte on 6-string bass. Like the pre-Abacus English band "Grail", ABACUS chose to return to the roots by inviting the Berlin located cellist Manfred Degener to join them. Keyboardist Jürgen Wimpelberg has been an ABACUS member for more than 30 years. He composed the music, wrote the lyrics, mixed and produced "Destiny" as well. With "Destiny", ABACUS has left the Krautrock image of the 70's and 80's behind and has established itself as a big part in the progressive rock world of the new millenium. If you like harmony vocals, driving guitars, classical and ethnic music, great keyboard and guitar solos, real Hammond organ, Moog synthesizers and Mellotrons, you love progressive rock! You will love Abacus, too! Info from the year 1982
ABACUS is surely a big name for everyone interested in rock music. The band, formed in 1971, made their breakthrough at the Germersheim rock festival. There, they drew as much applause from the 300,000 visitors as did PINK FLOYD, SANTANA or EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, all of which appeared on stage as well. ABACUS published 4 LPs, the last 3 beeing recorded at Giorgio Moroder's "MUSICLAND". Global record sales, numerous national and international tours, TV and radio shows helped ABACUS became a top act— not only in Germany. ABACUS generated the same dense sound on stage as in the studio. Maybe that's why they became a crowd-puller for many years and countless shows. Musical differences about future record productions were, among other things, responsible for the break up of the band in 1976. Klaus Kohlhase, bass guitarist and motor of ABACUS, revived the band in 1979. He eventually found the musicians who helped to refine ABACUS' sound. Der Name ABACUS ist sicherlich jedem, der sich für Rock-Musik interessiert, ein Begriff. Die 1971 gegründete Band schaffte ihren Durchbruch auf dem Germersheim-Rockfestival, wo ABACUS nicht weniger Beifall der über 300 000 Besucher verbuchen konnte als die ebenfalls auftretenden PINK FLOYD, SANTANA oder ELP. In der Folgezeit veröffentlichte die Gruppe vier Langspielplatten, von denen die letzten drei in Giorgio Moroders "MUSICLAND" aufgenommen wurden. Aufgrund der in aller Welt verkauften Platten, zahlreichen Tourneen im In- und Ausland, TV- und Radiosendungen wurde ABACUS nicht nur in Deutschland zu einem Top-Act. ABACUS lieferten auf der Bühne den gleichen dichten Sonnd wie im Studio. Vielleicht wurden sie gerade deshalb zum Kassenmagneten unzähliger Veranstaltungen. Musikalische Differenzen für künftige Plattenproduktionen waren u. a. dafür ausschlaggebend, daß die Band sich 1976 auflöste. Klaus Kohlhase, Baßgitarrist und "Motor" der ABACUS, hat ABACUS 1979 wieder ins Leben gerufen. Nach langer Suche fand er die Mitspieler, die gemeinsam mit ihm den Sound der ABACUS weiterentwickelten. | |||
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Jürgen Wimpelberg (28), keyboards, vocals, guitars ex-member of "TIME OF COMMOTION", Composer of a Rock Opera
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Klaus Kohlhase (29), basses since 1971 bass player and "motor" of ABACUS
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Norbert Leifert (28), keyboards, vocals, flutes ex-member of LIVE
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Rainer Niklowitz (28), drums ex-member of "ELECTRIC MUD" |
Manfred Heilmann (26), leadvocals, guitars years of experience as studio musician | ||