The band’s turbulent and always successful career began in the mid-eighties. Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller were already a fixture in the music landscape with their previous band Cacumen. But the inseparable duo wanted more. Much more. They quickly agreed on the more international band name Bonfire and recorded their debut Don’t Touch The Light (1986). The two musicians’ vast experience at that point was reflected in a very mature-sounding work. And it probably speaks for itself that to this day compositions such as Hot To Rock, SDI and the goosebumps ballad You Make Me Feel are an integral part of every Bonfire concert. Word quickly spread about the great hope from Ingolstadt in Bavaria and Bonfire soon went on a big European tour, during which they often made the actual headliner ZZ Top look old.
In order to get an even more international sound, the band went to North America to work on their second album Fire Works (1988) with German-born Michael Wagener. An even more groundbreaking album from today’s perspective, which was awarded the Golden Schalplatte in Germany for more than 250,000 records sold and which includes hits such as Ready 4 Reaction, Never Mind, Sleeping All Alone, Champion, Don’t Get Me Wrong or but contained another legendary ballad called Give It A Try. Bonfire then played their own, sold-out tour, then played across Europe as Judas Priest’s special guest and later gave successful concerts in North America.
They also went back to North America to work on their third album, Point Blank (1989). Again with Wagener, but also his assistant at the time, Garth Richardson. Once again, Bonfire managed to sound American without neglecting their European roots. Hymns like Hard On Me, Bang Down The Door, committed compositions like Never Surrender or the next goosebumps ballad Who’s Foolin’ Who were the results that brought the band into the upper chart regions. And last but not least, the soundtrack to Wes Craven’s (Scream) Shocker. There the band interpreted the Paul Stanley (Kiss) and Desmond Child composition Sword And Stone in an impressive way.
But all of these successes couldn’t hide the fact that Bonfire were probably at the darkest point in the band’s history. After various arguments, Hans Ziller left the band. Without him, after another very successful European tour (later documented on the album Live…The Best (1993)), the band worked in Munich with Queen producer Mack on their fourth album Knock Out (1991). It did contain the balladic stroke of genius Rivers Of Glory and the anthem Hold You. Nevertheless, it was far from possible to conceal the fact that in the constellation without Ziller the band no longer had the necessary strength and energy to build on the successes of the past. A little later, Claus Lessmann Bonfire also ran consistently.
But even in between, the name Bonfire was not forgotten. Simply through the successful participation in the “KuschelRock” samplers, which have sold millions of times. It took some time before Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller buried the hatchet and were able to make music together again. First, the duo worked on some German-language projects such as the rousing EP Believe in It (1993) or the title song for Joseph Vilsmaier’s film Charlie & Louise. But the calls for Bonfire became louder and louder.
The comeback album Feels Like Comin’ Home (1996) could only be released when Claus and Hans bought the band name back from their former teammates… At least even such rather unnecessary actions couldn’t discourage the two and they managed to do it with the ballad-like The title song and the absolute oh-worm Back To You even appear on German radio again.
And with Rebel Soul (1997), the first “real” band album after the comeback, the newly formed Bonfire were able to really score points and the long-standing success story could finally be continued. High visitor numbers at their own concerts and rousing performances at important festivals such as the “Wacken Open Air” demonstrated the new self-confidence of the band, to which Uwe Köhler and “Bam Bam” Wiehler were now firmly members. A lucrative new deal with a major label beckoned and the powerful chart album Fuel To The Flames (2000) was the result. This album brought the band back into the general consciousness and, in addition to the anthems Daytona Nights and Don’t Go Changin’ Me, another inspiring ballad (Good Night Amanda) also contained the already mentioned Proud Of My Country. A composition that later even enabled the band to take part in the “Rock Against Right-Wing Violence” initiated by Udo Lindenberg in Leipzig. The subsequent album Strike X (2001) underpinned the renewed upswing. Numerous successful concerts, the extremely moving ballad I Need You and high chart positions. In the fifteenth year of the band’s history, the band’s future prospects were bright and the celebratory activities were just beginning.
The extensive compilation 29 Golden Bullets (2001) came onto the market at this time, as did Golden Bullets (2001), the first DVD in the band’s history. This was followed by numerous anniversary concerts across Europe, which were later released on the limited CD Golden Bullets: Live Over Europe! (2002) have been documented.
A little later, the pop-oriented single Tell Me What U Know was released, which Claus Lessmann and Hans Ziller completed together with the Swedish hitmakers Marcus Black and Winston Sela and which was then presented on a European tour with David Coverdale’s Whitesnake . The time spiral leads to Double The album that was almost something like a rebirth for Bonfire. And a rebirth of a very special kind. Hard to believe? In the last few months, enthusiastic fans have been able to convince themselves of this fact at concerts in Spain, Greece, Italy, the Czech Republic and Great Britain. Not to mention the highly acclaimed performance at the legendary “Sweden Rock Festival”.