Udo will close chapter on Accept

Former Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider says he’s planning a 2016 tour where he’ll perform tracks by his old band one last time.

The singer co-founded Accept in 1976 then left in 1987. He returned in 1992 after the band had split three years previously and exited again when the group disbanded in 2005. He declined to take part in Accept’s 2009 reunion but now wants to give the tracks he recorded with Wolf Hoffmann and co a final outing.

He told a press event in Germany: “I still love singing these songs live. The songs still are an important part of my catalogue and still suit my voice very well. But at some point in your life, it’s just time to close the chapter.

“There has been so much talk and speculation about Accept, so I just want to give my last definitive musical statement about it and give my fans a chance to see me perform a complete concert of these songs one last time on stage.”

He’ll play the shows under the Dirkschneider banner and further details will be revealed in due course.

Earlier this year, the vocalist revealed he was left “disappointed” when he saw Accept in Hamburg with frontman Mark Tornillo.

He said: “It was without any emotion. For me, there was no band on stage. Playing-wise, it was okay, but it was without any emotion. It was automatic — like, do it and then go.”

Accept are currently on tour across Europe and recently announced a short run of winter dates, which includes a set at London’s The Forum on December 7. They brought in guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams to replace Herman Frank and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann, who left in December.

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