Joe Hasselvander
Encyclopedia
Joe Hasselvander is a musician
who has been playing professionally since the age of 9 years old in 1966. He was self-taught, playing the violin and later the drums. He has been the drummer of Raven
since 1987.
area until 1973, when he was asked to join The Platters
after playing a show with them in Waldorf, Maryland
. Hasselvander declined, saying he had to finish high school
. He later joined a jazz fusion
ensemble called the Ra Notra Sextet that was writing and performing music similar to Chick Corea
or The Mahavishnu Orchestra
.
genre playing with the Washington D.C. band The Boyz in the Washington/Baltimore area. In 1976, Hasselvander was asked to play in Mountain
with Leslie West
in a small club in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1977, Hasselvander joined forces with Bobby Liebling and started a new and serious working version of heavy metal doom band, Pentagram
. Hasselvander's first single, "Living in a Ram's Head" b/w "When the Screams Come", was recorded with Hasselvander sharing the producing duties with Liebling. In 1979 Pentagram opened for Judas Priest
on the Hell Bent for Leather tour and later that year Hasselvander formed Overlord with members of Pentagram and Link Wray
's The Pack.
In 1981, Hasselvander once again joined forces with The Boyz to release the album Bustin’ Out, followed by a Falls Church, Virginia
show with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
. Hasselvander formed Death Row with axeman Victor Griffin in 1982 and once again recruited Bobby Liebling and bassist
Martin Swaney to write and record Pentagram's first LP on New York label Dutch East Records.
guitarist Jack Starr
. He also recorded his first solo album, Lady-Killer. On Lady-Killer, Hasselvander performed rhythm guitar
, bass, drums
and vocals, while Jack Starr played the guitar solos. 1985 found Hasselvander working with British blues legend, Kim Simmonds
performing 2 years' worth of shows throughout the U.S. under the names Savoy Brown
or The Kim Simmonds Band. Only one studio demo and one live recording exists of this line-up including players from Blue Cheer
, Cactus
, The Plasmatics and The Rods
.
In September of ’87 Hasselvander made a cameo appearance on Pentagram’s second album, Day of Reckoning
, filling in on the song "Burning Saviour". Hasselvander soon after recorded all drum, guitar, bass and vocal tracks for his second solo album, Road Kill, isssued on Bad Posture Records and subsequently recorded his first demos with N.W.O.B.H.M. legends, Raven
at Bearsville Studios
near Woodstock, N.Y..
Hasselvander officially joined Raven in late 1987 and recorded the album Nothing Exceeds Like Excess
for Combat Records
. He followed up by touring with Raven supporting Testament
in the United States and Kreator
in Europe in 1989. Soon after, he recorded with Christian metal
band Armageddon for their first album, The Money Mask. Raven switched labels and management to Drakkar Promotions
and SPV/Steamhammer
in Germany
and recorded Architect of Fear
, supporting the release by touring with Germany pirate rockers Running Wild
. A video from this tour was made into an on-the-road “rock-umentary” entitled Electro Shock Therapy, which featured very revealing moments with Mr. Hasselvander in his natural habitat. The video was released in tandem with the EP Heads Up! featuring outtakes from Architect of Fear and live songs from the tour. A tour with German band Risk followed in 1992.
for London-based Peaceville Records
, after re-recording the drums for Day of Reckoning to be released on CD. Soon after, Hasselvander and Victor Griffin were asked to fill in on guitar and drums for British doom band Cathedral
who were supporting Black Sabbath
on a spring 1994 tour of Europe for their Cross Purposes
album. Hasselvander returned to record Raven's 7th album, Glow
, on the Japan
ese label Zero Corporation; the album was released in 1995. Hasselvander traveled to Los Angeles
to take part in the Foundations Forum
with Raven. Raven then went to Tokyo, Japan, to make a live album, Destroy All Monsters/Live in Japan
, and to record a Japanese MTV
concert video. In 1996 Hasselvander recorded Everything Louder with Raven at Pete Evick’s studio. The band flew to Europe once again to headline a tour for this album with support acts, Tank
and HammerFall
.
In 1997, Hasselvander and Bobby Liebling were signed to the Italian
label, Black Widow
, and Review Your Choices
was recorded with Hasselvander playing the drums, guitar and bass guitar and Bobby doing vocals. In the summer of 1999 Raven traveled to Nashville
to record One for All with the legendary producer Michael Wagener
. A tour in January 2000 with U.D.O.
followed in Germany and later that spring in the USA. Hasselvander re-signed with Black Widow to record the Pentagram album Sub-Basement
, which was released to rave reviews in 2001.
Hasselvander played many one-off shows with Raven (band)
in 2003 with Mark Gallagher sporting a leg cast from an injury sustained in a near death work accident in 2002. In 2003, Hasselvander went to Florida with Jack Starr
to record the album Under a Savage Sky under the banner of Jack Starr's Guardians of the Flame, featuring the vocals of Schmolik Avigal (ex-Picture, The Rods
). Joe Hasselvander was the producer
on this album.
In 2004, Hasselvander was asked to play two concerts in New Hampshire
with his childhood idols, Blue Cheer
. The shows went well and they got along famously. So much so that an album was recorded with Hasselvander on the drums
, What Doesn't Kill You...
. 2005 came and Hasselvander played the colossal German rock festivals Keep It True
and Bang Your Head!!! with Raven, alongside the likes of Whitesnake
and Foreigner
. Bang Your Head!!! and Keep It True performances were filmed and released on DVD
in 2006. Raven played more one off festivals during 2006 and 2007.
Joe Hasselvander soon released his 3rd solo album The Hounds of Hasselvander on German heavy metal label Rock Saviour Records, this time performing everything on the album. In November, 2007 Hasselvander went to England to play in the Hard Rock Hell
festival at the Butlins
resort in Minehead
. The review by Geoff Barton
simply states that "Raven took over the show from the likes of Twisted Sister
, Saxon
and UFO
". This was all followed up by a few choice dates in Holland and Belgium
.
Joe Hasselvander played out with a working version of his solo band, The Hounds of Hasselvander on a tour of the East Coast of the US. Joe Hasselvander worked on a brand new line up for the Hounds of Hasselvander to tour Europe and Canada in the early spring of 2009. In 2008, Mr. Hasselvander concentrated on upcoming Raven shows in California
with friends Hirax
, in New York at the Legendary club L'amour, and again back to England in September for a Raven mini-tour.
As of June 2009, Hasselvander and Raven performed 2 nights in Japan in support of the band's new album Walk Through Fire
(2009, King Records)
Hasselvander is currently working on his third full length solo album, "The Ninth Hour", as well as an album of cover songs, tentatively titled, "Ancient Rocks" - both due out in the Autumn of 2011.
double kit includes: 2 x 26″ kick drums, 8″ snare 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″ tom toms, assorted Zildjian
cymbals. For composition and other recordings, Hasselvander uses a Gibson SG
guitar and a Gibson EB-3
bass.
With Raven
With Pentagram
Other
With Pentagram
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who has been playing professionally since the age of 9 years old in 1966. He was self-taught, playing the violin and later the drums. He has been the drummer of Raven
Raven (band)
Raven are an English heavy metal band associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. They had a hit with the single "On and On", and refer to their music as "athletic rock".-Formation:...
since 1987.
Career
Hasselvander regularly played the military club circuit in and around the Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area until 1973, when he was asked to join The Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
after playing a show with them in Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is south-southeast of Washington, D.C. The population of the census-designated area only was 67,752 at the 2010 census...
. Hasselvander declined, saying he had to finish high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He later joined a jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
ensemble called the Ra Notra Sextet that was writing and performing music similar to Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
or The Mahavishnu Orchestra
The Mahavishnu Orchestra
The Mahavishnu Orchestra was a jazz fusion group, led by John McLaughlin, that debuted in 1971, dissolved in 1976 and reunited from 1984 to 1987.-First Mahavishnu Orchestra:...
.
Pentagram
In 1973, Hasselvander returned to the hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
genre playing with the Washington D.C. band The Boyz in the Washington/Baltimore area. In 1976, Hasselvander was asked to play in Mountain
Mountain (band)
Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
with Leslie West
Leslie West
Leslie West is an American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.-Biography:Originally named Leslie Weinstein, West was born in New York City, grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and in East Meadow, Forest Hills and Lawrence. After his parents divorced, he changed his surname to West...
in a small club in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1977, Hasselvander joined forces with Bobby Liebling and started a new and serious working version of heavy metal doom band, Pentagram
Pentagram (band)
Pentagram is a American heavy metal band from Virginia, most famous as one of the pioneers of doom metal. The band was prolific in the underground scene of the 1970s, producing many demos and rehearsal tapes, but did not release a full-length album until reforming in the early 1980s with an almost...
. Hasselvander's first single, "Living in a Ram's Head" b/w "When the Screams Come", was recorded with Hasselvander sharing the producing duties with Liebling. In 1979 Pentagram opened for Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
on the Hell Bent for Leather tour and later that year Hasselvander formed Overlord with members of Pentagram and Link Wray
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer....
's The Pack.
In 1981, Hasselvander once again joined forces with The Boyz to release the album Bustin’ Out, followed by a Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
show with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Note: On the cassette version of the album, Side One features the last five tracks, while Side Two plays the first four. Also, on the case insert and on the cassette itself, "Sixteenth Century Greensleeves" is written as "Sixteen Century Greensleeves"....
. Hasselvander formed Death Row with axeman Victor Griffin in 1982 and once again recruited Bobby Liebling and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Martin Swaney to write and record Pentagram's first LP on New York label Dutch East Records.
Solo career and Raven
Hasselvander moved to New York and recorded the albums Devil Childe and Phantom Lord with former Virgin SteeleVirgin Steele
Virgin Steele is a heavy metal band from New York, originally formed in 1981.The band released a few career highlights albums...
guitarist Jack Starr
Jack Starr
Jack Starr was an outsider musician who recorded in 1960s Texas and whose recordings have been released by Norton Records. A comprehensive compilation of his work has recently been repressed as the "Born Petrified" LP...
. He also recorded his first solo album, Lady-Killer. On Lady-Killer, Hasselvander performed rhythm guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass, drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and vocals, while Jack Starr played the guitar solos. 1985 found Hasselvander working with British blues legend, Kim Simmonds
Kim Simmonds
Kim Simmonds is a Welsh guitarist, now residing in New York and best known as leader and founding member of the blues/rock band Savoy Brown.-Career:...
performing 2 years' worth of shows throughout the U.S. under the names Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown
Savoy Brown, originally known as the Savoy Brown Blues Band, are a British blues rock band, formed in 1965, in Battersea, South West London...
or The Kim Simmonds Band. Only one studio demo and one live recording exists of this line-up including players from Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
, Cactus
Cactus (band)
Cactus is an American hard rock supergroup, formed in 1970.-Biography:Cactus was initially conceived as early as late 1969 by the Vanilla Fudge rhythm section of bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice with guitarist Jeff Beck and Xylophone player Adele Smitchell acted as the counterpart and...
, The Plasmatics and The Rods
The Rods
The Rods is an American heavy metal band formed by David "Rock" Feinstein , Garry Bordonaro and Carl Canedy ....
.
In September of ’87 Hasselvander made a cameo appearance on Pentagram’s second album, Day of Reckoning
Day of Reckoning (Pentagram album)
Day of Reckoning is the second album by Pentagram. It was released in 1987 by Napalm Records. It was re-released by Peaceville Records in 1993, as part of a 2CD split with Relentless in 1996, and then again in 2005 as a digipak. Joe Hasselvander originally played drums on only one track, "Burning...
, filling in on the song "Burning Saviour". Hasselvander soon after recorded all drum, guitar, bass and vocal tracks for his second solo album, Road Kill, isssued on Bad Posture Records and subsequently recorded his first demos with N.W.O.B.H.M. legends, Raven
Raven (band)
Raven are an English heavy metal band associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. They had a hit with the single "On and On", and refer to their music as "athletic rock".-Formation:...
at Bearsville Studios
Bearsville Studios
Bearsville Studios was a recording studio at Bearsville, New York just west of Woodstock, New York.The studio was opened in 1969 by Albert Grossman, manager of Bob Dylan, The Band, Janis Joplin and Todd Rundgren....
near Woodstock, N.Y..
Hasselvander officially joined Raven in late 1987 and recorded the album Nothing Exceeds Like Excess
Nothing Exceeds Like Excess
Nothing Exceeds Like Excess is the seventh full-length album by the band Raven, released in 1988. It is Raven's first album with their then-new drummer, Joe Hasselvander.-Track listing:*All songs by Gallagher, Gallagher, Hasselvander.#"Behemoth" – 1:05...
for Combat Records
Combat Records
Combat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and...
. He followed up by touring with Raven supporting Testament
Testament (band)
Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
in the United States and Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
in Europe in 1989. Soon after, he recorded with Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band Armageddon for their first album, The Money Mask. Raven switched labels and management to Drakkar Promotions
Drakkar Entertainment
Drakkar Entertainment GmbH, also called Drakkar Records or Drakkar Publishing, is a German record label with its headquarters in Witten. It is a joint venture with Bertelsmann Music Group.-History:...
and SPV/Steamhammer
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and recorded Architect of Fear
Architect of Fear
Architect of Fear is the eighth full-length album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1991.-Track listing:*All music by Raven, lyrics by John Gallagher.#"Architect of Fear Intro" – 1:21#"Architect of Fear" – 4:01#"Disciple" – 4:03...
, supporting the release by touring with Germany pirate rockers Running Wild
Running Wild (band)
Running Wild is a German heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Hamburg. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s. The band has carved its niche in the metal world as the first "pirate metal" band, a theme which took off with the release of Under...
. A video from this tour was made into an on-the-road “rock-umentary” entitled Electro Shock Therapy, which featured very revealing moments with Mr. Hasselvander in his natural habitat. The video was released in tandem with the EP Heads Up! featuring outtakes from Architect of Fear and live songs from the tour. A tour with German band Risk followed in 1992.
Pentagram reunion
In 1993, Hasselvander was asked to play on a reunion album for Pentagram called Be ForewarnedBe Forewarned
Be Forewarned is the third album by Pentagram. It was released in 1994 by Peaceville Records. It was re-released in 2005 as a digipak and in 2010 as a double vinyl by Svart Records.-Track listing:...
for London-based Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
, after re-recording the drums for Day of Reckoning to be released on CD. Soon after, Hasselvander and Victor Griffin were asked to fill in on guitar and drums for British doom band Cathedral
Cathedral (band)
Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
who were supporting Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
on a spring 1994 tour of Europe for their Cross Purposes
Cross Purposes
-Personnel:*Tony Martin – vocals*Tony Iommi – guitars*Geezer Butler – bass*Geoff Nicholls – keyboards*Bobby Rondinelli – drums-References:"Evil Eye" was written by Martin, Iommi and Butler with Eddie Van Halen, but Van Halen was not credited, due to his affilliation with Warner Bros...
album. Hasselvander returned to record Raven's 7th album, Glow
Glow (Raven album)
Glow is the ninth full-length album by the band Raven, released in 1994 ."The Rocker" is a Thin Lizzy cover.-Track listing:*All songs by Gallagher, Gallagher, Hasselvander unless noted.#"Watch You Drown" – 4:36#"Spite" – 2:26...
, on the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese label Zero Corporation; the album was released in 1995. Hasselvander traveled to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to take part in the Foundations Forum
Foundations Forum
Foundations Forum was the first exclusively heavy metal music industry convention, held annually from 1988 - 1997 in Los Angeles. The convention was set up by Concrete Marketing who had in January 1988 created the first industry trade magazine for the heavy metal world - Foundations...
with Raven. Raven then went to Tokyo, Japan, to make a live album, Destroy All Monsters/Live in Japan
Destroy All Monsters/Live in Japan
Destroy All Monsters is the second live album from the band Raven. It was recorded at "Club Cittá" in Tokyo, Japan, in 1995 and released a year later...
, and to record a Japanese MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
concert video. In 1996 Hasselvander recorded Everything Louder with Raven at Pete Evick’s studio. The band flew to Europe once again to headline a tour for this album with support acts, Tank
Tank (band)
Tank is a British heavy metal band, formed in 1980 by Algy Ward, a former member of The Damned. The band is known as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...
and HammerFall
HammerFall
HammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.- Early days :...
.
In 1997, Hasselvander and Bobby Liebling were signed to the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
label, Black Widow
Black Widow Records
Black Widow Records is an Italian record label founded Genoa in 1990 and taking its name from the British progressive rock act Black Widow. It was originally a rarities shop focusing on collectable records and reissues...
, and Review Your Choices
Review Your Choices
Review Your Choices is the fourth album by Pentagram. It was released in 1999 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
was recorded with Hasselvander playing the drums, guitar and bass guitar and Bobby doing vocals. In the summer of 1999 Raven traveled to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to record One for All with the legendary producer Michael Wagener
Michael Wagener
Michael Wagener is a music producer, mixer, and engineer from Hamburg, Germany, best known for his work with many top hard rock and heavy metal bands in the late 80's. Wagener's works have sold over ninetyfour million albums worldwide. Wagener was the original guitarist for the German band Accept...
. A tour in January 2000 with U.D.O.
U.D.O.
U.D.O. is a German heavy metal band founded by lead singer Udo Dirkschneider in 1987.-1987–1992:After Udo Dirkschneider left Accept in 1987, a large fan community followed him to U.D.O....
followed in Germany and later that spring in the USA. Hasselvander re-signed with Black Widow to record the Pentagram album Sub-Basement
Sub-Basement
Sub-Basement is the fifth album by Pentagram. It was released in 2001 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
, which was released to rave reviews in 2001.
Hasselvander played many one-off shows with Raven (band)
Raven (band)
Raven are an English heavy metal band associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. They had a hit with the single "On and On", and refer to their music as "athletic rock".-Formation:...
in 2003 with Mark Gallagher sporting a leg cast from an injury sustained in a near death work accident in 2002. In 2003, Hasselvander went to Florida with Jack Starr
Jack Starr
Jack Starr was an outsider musician who recorded in 1960s Texas and whose recordings have been released by Norton Records. A comprehensive compilation of his work has recently been repressed as the "Born Petrified" LP...
to record the album Under a Savage Sky under the banner of Jack Starr's Guardians of the Flame, featuring the vocals of Schmolik Avigal (ex-Picture, The Rods
The Rods
The Rods is an American heavy metal band formed by David "Rock" Feinstein , Garry Bordonaro and Carl Canedy ....
). Joe Hasselvander was the producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
on this album.
In 2004, Hasselvander was asked to play two concerts in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
with his childhood idols, Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
. The shows went well and they got along famously. So much so that an album was recorded with Hasselvander on the drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, What Doesn't Kill You...
What Doesn't Kill You...(Blue Cheer album)
What Doesn't Kill You... is the tenth and final studio album by American blues-rock band Blue Cheer. It includes a remake of their song "Just a Little Bit" originally from their album, Outsideinside and a cover of classic blues song, "Born Under a Bad Sign." David Fricke has called the album, "a...
. 2005 came and Hasselvander played the colossal German rock festivals Keep It True
Keep It True
Keep It True is a heavy metal festival held annually in Germany since 2003.-I:"The Traditional Heavy Metal Festival": July 19, 2003 Lauda-Königshofen, Tauberfrankenhalle*Omen*Brocas Helm*Majesty*Doomsword*Solitaire*Killers*Killer*Malediction*Gunfire...
and Bang Your Head!!! with Raven, alongside the likes of Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
and Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
. Bang Your Head!!! and Keep It True performances were filmed and released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in 2006. Raven played more one off festivals during 2006 and 2007.
Joe Hasselvander soon released his 3rd solo album The Hounds of Hasselvander on German heavy metal label Rock Saviour Records, this time performing everything on the album. In November, 2007 Hasselvander went to England to play in the Hard Rock Hell
Hard Rock Hell
Hard Rock Hell is a three day music festival currently held at Pontin's Holiday Village, Prestatyn, Wales. The idea of holding the festival at in a holiday camp gives the organisers pre-built venues and stages and because of the on-site accommodation allows them to hold a multi day festival over...
festival at the Butlins
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
resort in Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
. The review by Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton is a British journalist who founded Kerrang! heavy metal magazine and was an editor of Sounds music magazine.He joined Sounds at the age of nineteen after completing a journalism course at the London College of Printing. He specialised in covering rock music and helped popularise the...
simply states that "Raven took over the show from the likes of Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
, Saxon
Saxon (band)
Saxon are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As front-runners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they had 8 UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including 4 UK Top 10 albums. Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart...
and UFO
UFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
". This was all followed up by a few choice dates in Holland and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Joe Hasselvander played out with a working version of his solo band, The Hounds of Hasselvander on a tour of the East Coast of the US. Joe Hasselvander worked on a brand new line up for the Hounds of Hasselvander to tour Europe and Canada in the early spring of 2009. In 2008, Mr. Hasselvander concentrated on upcoming Raven shows in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with friends Hirax
Hirax
Hirax is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena , the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with the other new thrash metal bands of the area such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer...
, in New York at the Legendary club L'amour, and again back to England in September for a Raven mini-tour.
As of June 2009, Hasselvander and Raven performed 2 nights in Japan in support of the band's new album Walk Through Fire
Walk Through Fire
Walk Through Fire is an album recorded by the English heavy metal band Raven for the Japanese King Records label. It was released in 2009.-Tracklist:# "Intro"# "Against the Grain"# "Breaking You Down"# "Under Your Radar"# "Walk Through Fire"...
(2009, King Records)
Hasselvander is currently working on his third full length solo album, "The Ninth Hour", as well as an album of cover songs, tentatively titled, "Ancient Rocks" - both due out in the Autumn of 2011.
Equipment
LudwigLudwig-Musser
Ludwig-Musser is a drum and percussion instrument manufacturer that is part of the Conn-Selmer division of Steinway Musical Instruments.The first product made by the Ludwig brothers, William and Theobaldner , was a bass drum pedal capable of playing faster beats than was typical of products of the...
double kit includes: 2 x 26″ kick drums, 8″ snare 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″ tom toms, assorted Zildjian
Avedis Zildjian Company
The Avedis Zildjian Company is a cymbal manufacturer founded in Istanbul by Armenian Avedis Zildjian in the 17th century during the Ottoman Empire. At nearly 400 years old, Zildjian is one of the oldest companies in the world...
cymbals. For composition and other recordings, Hasselvander uses a Gibson SG
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
guitar and a Gibson EB-3
Gibson EB-3
The Gibson EB-3 is an electric bass guitar model produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation.Introduced in 1961, the EB-3 was one of the bass guitar equivalents of the popular Gibson SG...
bass.
Studio albums
Solo- Lady-Killer - Full-length, 1985
- Roadkill - Full-length, 2001
- The Hounds Of Hasselvander - Full-length, 2007
- Lady-Killer/Roadkill - Full-length, Double CD Re-Release 2008
With Raven
- Nothing Exceeds Like ExcessNothing Exceeds Like ExcessNothing Exceeds Like Excess is the seventh full-length album by the band Raven, released in 1988. It is Raven's first album with their then-new drummer, Joe Hasselvander.-Track listing:*All songs by Gallagher, Gallagher, Hasselvander.#"Behemoth" – 1:05...
- Full-length, 1988 - Unreleased Tracks - Full-length, 1990
- Architect of FearArchitect of FearArchitect of Fear is the eighth full-length album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1991.-Track listing:*All music by Raven, lyrics by John Gallagher.#"Architect of Fear Intro" – 1:21#"Architect of Fear" – 4:01#"Disciple" – 4:03...
- Full-length, 1991 - GlowGlow (Raven album)Glow is the ninth full-length album by the band Raven, released in 1994 ."The Rocker" is a Thin Lizzy cover.-Track listing:*All songs by Gallagher, Gallagher, Hasselvander unless noted.#"Watch You Drown" – 4:36#"Spite" – 2:26...
- Full-length, 1994 - Everything Louder - Full-length, 1997
- Raw TracksRaw TracksRaw Tracks is an EP by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released in 1988. The EP features six songs released on the band's previous albums, but some of them appear in remixed or live versions.-Track listing:...
- Full-length, 1999 - One for All - Full-length, 2000
- Walk Through FireWalk Through FireWalk Through Fire is an album recorded by the English heavy metal band Raven for the Japanese King Records label. It was released in 2009.-Tracklist:# "Intro"# "Against the Grain"# "Breaking You Down"# "Under Your Radar"# "Walk Through Fire"...
Full Length, 2009
With Pentagram
- RelentlessRelentless (Pentagram album)Relentless is the debut album from Pentagram. It was initially self-released in 1985 as Pentagram but was re-issued by Peaceville Records in 1993 with the new moniker and a new track listing. It was released as a 2CD split with Day of Reckoning in 1996 and then re-released again in 2005 as a digipak...
- Full-length, 1985 - Day of ReckoningDay of Reckoning-Music video:* "Singled Out" – Directed by Marc Mirnbach, and shot in Maine and Worcester, Massachusetts.-Personnel :* Colin Schleifer – Vocals* Jon Kita – Lead Guitar* Kirk Kolaitis – Rhythm Guitar* Jeremy Wooden – Bass...
- Full-length, 1987 - Be ForewarnedBe ForewarnedBe Forewarned is the third album by Pentagram. It was released in 1994 by Peaceville Records. It was re-released in 2005 as a digipak and in 2010 as a double vinyl by Svart Records.-Track listing:...
- Full-length, 1994 - Turn to StoneTurn to Stone (album)Turn to Stone is a compilation album by Pentagram comprising songs from their first three albums: Relentless, Day of Reckoning and Be Forewarned...
- Compilation, 1997 - Review Your ChoicesReview Your ChoicesReview Your Choices is the fourth album by Pentagram. It was released in 1999 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
- Full-length, 1997 - Blue Explosion/Tribute to Blue Cheer - Full-length, 2000
- A Tribute to Captain Beyond, Thousand Days of Yesterdays - Full-length, 2000
- Death Is Alive - Full-length, 2000
- Sub-BasementSub-BasementSub-Basement is the fifth album by Pentagram. It was released in 2001 by Black Widow Records out of Italy. Joe Hasselvander plays all the instruments while Bobby Liebling provides all lead and backing vocals...
- Full-length, 2001 - A Keg Full of DynamiteA Keg Full of DynamiteA Keg Full of Dynamite is a live album by Pentagram released by Black Widow Records in 2003. It was recorded at The Keg in 1978. Bobby Liebling stated that this is the "first authorized representation of Pentagram during what has come to be known as the High Voltage Era." The final two tracks,...
- Full-length, 2002
Other
- The Boyz - Bustin' Out - EP, 1981
- Devil Childe - Devil Childe - Full-length, 1985
- Phantom Lord - Phantom Lord - Full-length, 1985
- Armageddon - The Money Mask - Full-length, 1989
- Black Manta - Fuck Them All but Six - Full-length, 2003
- Jack Starr's Guardians of the Flame - Under a Savage Sky - Full-length, 2003
- CathedralCathedral (band)Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
- The Serpent's GoldThe Serpent's GoldThe Serpent's Gold is a compilation album by the band Cathedral, released in 2004 on Earache Records. It consists of 2 discs, The Serpent's Treasure and The Serpent's Chest .-Disc 1 - The Serpent's Treasure:...
- Compilation, 2004 - Blue CheerBlue CheerBlue Cheer was an American psychedelic blues-rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009...
- What Doesn't Kill You...What Doesn't Kill You...(Blue Cheer album)What Doesn't Kill You... is the tenth and final studio album by American blues-rock band Blue Cheer. It includes a remake of their song "Just a Little Bit" originally from their album, Outsideinside and a cover of classic blues song, "Born Under a Bad Sign." David Fricke has called the album, "a...
- Full-length, 2007
EP albums
With Raven- Heads Up! - EP, 1991
With Pentagram
- Living In a Ram's Head" b/w "When the Screams Come 7" -1978