Krokus

Krokus was formed in Solothurn, SWITZERLAND around 1974 by a joint venture with band members from the Rock act Montezuma, guitarist Fernando Von Arb, bassist Jürg Naegeli and drummer Freddy Steady with vocalist Chris Von Rohr and guitarist Tommy Kiefer.

They started out playing symphonic Rock releasing their self-titled debut in 1976. "To You All" followed a year later, this was the first album to feature the Krokus logo, that has remained their trademark through the years.
"Painkiller", the band's third album, appeared in 1978, it was also released under the title "Pay It In Metal" with five different sleeve.
After a few changes, with the addition of new lead singer Mark Storace, Von Rohr switched to the bass guitar spot, Krokus opted to shift musical gears by issuing 1980's "Metal Rendez-Vous", a more Hard-Rock based album which went on to sell 150,000 copies in Switzerland alone and caught the attention of the British and American press.
Their first Billboard's Top 200 entry was "Hardware", which hit #103 in 1981 spawning the Mainstream Rock top 30 hit "Winning Man", plus a minor hit in "Burning Bones".
In 1982, following the replacement of Tommy Kiefer with rhythm guitarist Mark Kohler, the group released "One Vice At A Time"; it peaked at #53 on the U.S. Top 200 LPs & Tapes chart while "Long Stick Goes Boom" grabbed a #22 on The Mainstream Rock Tracks list and the cover of Guess Who's "American Woman" inched into the Canadian Singles chart.
Krokus' seventh LP, "Headhunter", was recorded in Florida during the next year; the album became their biggest hit so far peaking at #25 on The Billboard 200 chart and earned platinum status in U.S. gold awards in Switzerland and Canada. The main single, the Classic-Rock ballad "Screaming In The Night" peaked at #21 on The Mainstream Rock chart and was followed by two more minor Rock-radio hits, "Stayed Awake All Night" and "Eat The Rich".
In 1984, with a new drummer, Jeff Klaven on board, the band released "The Blitz" which shot to #36 in the States; the #10 debut of the first single, "Midnite Maniac", is the highest peak of the band's releases ever in the U.S. Mainstream Rock airplay chart, the track then crossed over to The Billboard Hot 100 hitting #71; the second single, "Our Love", was another Mainstream Rock top 30 hit.
The Swiss rockers returned in 1986 with "Change Of Address", it included their biggest hit although its numbers didn't match those of the previous album, in fact their rendition of Alice Cooper's classic "Schools Out" rose to #67 on The Billboard Hot 100.
Despite their unstable line-up, Krokus resurfaced still a year later on The Billboard 200 Albums chart with the live set "Alive And Screamin'" and also recorded a new studio LP, "Heart Attack", which was issued in early 1988 on new label MCA Records, it reached the #87 position on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 list but the band eventually split up in the midst of the ensuing tour.

In 1990 original Krokus member Fernando Von Arb started again with a completely new line-up which consisted of himself, vocalist Peter Tanner, guitarists Manny Maurer and Tony Castell and drummer Peter Haas and finally they issued "Stampede" through Phonag Records.
After full four years Krokus had resolved their differences with Storace and were ready for action retooled with a line-up of Storace, Von Arb, Mark Kohler, Manny Maurer and drummer Freddy Steady; they released the band's twelfth album, "To Rock Or Not To Be", in 1995, it included the single "Flying Through The Night" which achieved gold status in Switzerland.
Storace was out of the picture once again in 1999; Von Arb then recruited British singer Carl Sentance to fill the gap and recorded "Round 13" with Haas on drums and new guitarist Chris Lauper.
The band announced the return of Marc Storace before they headed into the studio to cut what would become "Rock The Block", it was released in Switzerland in January of 2003, with all international territories following in spring; backed by a new recording contract with Warner, the CD soared straight to #1 in their home country.

In October 2006 Krokus released their fifteenth studio album called "Hellraiser", it contains the single "Angel Of My Dreams".

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Krokus

(1976)

1. Majale
2. Angela Part 1
3. Energy
4. Mostsaphin
5. No Way
6. Eventide Clockworks
7. Freak Dream
8. Jumpin' In
9. Insalata Mysta
10. Angela Part 2
11. Just Like Everyday

 

To You All

(1977)

1. Highway Song
2. To You All
3. Festival
4. Move It On
5. Mr. Greedy
6. Lonesome Rider
7. Protection
8. Trying Hard
9. Don't Stop Playing
10. Take It, Don't Leave It

 

Painkiller

(1978)

1. Killer
2. Werewolf
3. Rock Ladies
4. Bad Love
5. Get Out Of My Mind
6. Rock Me, Rock You
7. Deadline
8. Susie
9. Pay It
10. Bye Bye Baby

 

Metal Rendez-Vous

(1980)

1. Heatstrokes
2. Bedside Radio
3. Come On
4. Streamer
5. Shy Kid
6. Tokyo Nights
7. Lady Double Dealer
8. Fire
9. No Way
10. Back-Seat Rock 'N Roll

 

Hardware

(1981)

1. Celebration
2. Easy Rocker
3. Smelly Nelly
4. Mr. 69
5. She's Got Everything
6. Burning Bones
7. Rock City
8. Winning Man
9. Mad Rocket

 

One Vice At A Time

(1982)

1. Long Stick Goes Boom
2. Bad Boys, Rag Dolls
3. Playin' The Outlaw
4. To The Top
5. Down The Drain
6. American Woman
7. I'm On The Run
8. Save Me
9. Rock 'N Roll

 

Headhunter

(1983)

1. Headhunter
2. Eat The Rich
3. Screaming In The Night
4. Ready To Burn
5. Night Wolf
6. Stayed Awake All Night
7. Stand And Be Counted
8. White Din
9. Russian Winter

 

The Blitz

(1984)

1. Midnite Maniac
2. Out Of Control
3. Boys Nite Out
4. Our Love
5. Out To Lunch
6. Ballroom Blitz
7. Rock The Nation
8. Hot Stuff
9. Ready To Rock

 

Change Of Address

(1986)

1. Now
2. Hot Shot City
3. School's Out
4. Let This Love Begin
5. Burning Up The Night
6. Say Goodbye
7. World On Fire
8. Hard Luck Hero
9. Long Way From Home

 

Heart Attack

(1988)

1. Everybody Rocks
2. Wild Love
3. Let It Go
4. Winning Man
5. Axx Attack
6. Rock 'N' Roll Tonight
7. Flyin' High
8. Shoot The Night
9. Bad, Bad Girl
10. Speed Up

 

Stampede

(1990)

1. Stampede
2. Electric Man
3. Rock 'N Roll Gypsy
4. Shotgun Boogie
5. Nova-Zano
6. Street Love
7. Good Times
8. She Drives Me Crazy
9. In The Heat Of The Night
10. Rhythm Of Love
11. Wasteland

 

To Rock Or Not To Be

(1995)

1. Lion Heart
2. Flying Through The Night
3. To Rock Or Not To Be
4. In The Dead Of Night
5. Natural Blonde
6. Doggy Style
7. Talking Like A Shotgun
8. Soul To Soul
9. Stop The World
10. You Ain't Go The Guts To Do It
11. Wagon Gone
12. Stormy Nights

 

Round 13

(1999)

1. Heya
2. Money Back
3. Break Free
4. Guitar Rules
5. Blood Comes Easy
6. Suck My Guitar
7. Gipsy Love
8. Whitchhunt
9. Backstabber
10. Wild Times

 

Rock The Block

(2003)

1. Mad World
2. Leading The Pack
3. I Want It All
4. Open Fire
5. One For All
6. Looking To America
7. Go My Way
8. Hot Shot
9. Raise Your Hands
10. Night Of The Snakes
11. Throwing Her China
12. We'll Rise
13. Freedom
14. Rock The Block

 

Hellraiser

(2006)

1. Hellraiser
2. Too Wired To Sleep
3. Hangman
4. Angel Of My Dreams
5. Fight On
6. So Long
7. Spirit Of The Night
8. Midnite Fantasy
9. No Risk No Gain
10. Turnin' Inside Out
11. Take My Love
12. Justice
13. Love Will Survive
14. Rocks Off!

 

Krokus discography - an exclusive and detailed creation of 100xr.com
The section contains all of Krokus albums released to date
with original cover art and complete track-listing

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