Not Fragile

Not Fragile is a heavy metal band of four young men from Hamburg. Their music is composed by themselves; it is fast and strong and stylistically it is like melodic speed and power metal. In summer 1980 Not Fragile was founded by the thirteen-year-old friends Torsten Buczko (guitar/vocal), Matthias Belter (bass) and Arnd Stronkowski (guitar). After 7 months they had already given 15 performances. At the end of 1981 the band made its first studio recordings, but these are no longer worth mentioning. They had several changes of members, but Torsten and Arnd remained in the band. In 1983 Markus Köhn joined the group replacing Holger Walzer and taking the position of the drummer. Meanwhile the band had played more than 50 gigs in northern Germany and so became considerably more widely known. In December 1983 they produced "Big Brother is watching you", the first demo-tape really worth mentioning, which then was played at numerous festivals, among others also with"Running Wild". In the meantime Sören Voss had been replaced by Matthias Belter, who returned to the band in 1984.
In February 1984 the demo "Made of Metal" was released, which got excellent reviews in the trade press and finally Not Fragile was immortalized on the samplers Breakout (Germany), Metal Warrior (UK) and Iron Tyrants (USA). The English label Metalother Rec. was so enthusiastic about the band that it wanted to release a mini-LP. Meanwhile Arnd Stronkowski had to make way for Raico Ebel. In 1988 the mini-LP "Who Dares Wins" was released for Metalother Rec.. Licenced releases followed in Japan and the USA. 5000 records could be sold. In 1988 Ralf Salpius joined the group as second guitarist. In March 1989 "Who Dares Wins" was finally released in Gennany and in May 1989 the band released the EP "Lost In A DrearW' on Hellion Records. After that Raico Ebel left the band. In summer 1989 Not Fragile recorded the longplayer"One Way To Glory" in the Delta Studio in Wilster, which also produced records by "Accept". After the recordings Guido Prellinger joined the band and took the place of Raico. The frustration of the band grew when "One Way To Glory" had not yet been released by the end of 1989. After troubles with the record company and the ensuing resignation of the members of the band the work of Not Fragile came to a temporary standstill. "One Way To Glory" was not released as planned, but was released in Japan as "Hard To Be Alive" in 1992. In 1993 "Lost In A Dream", the same record as "Hard To Be Aliv&', was released, but with other bonus tracks. Because of this unexpected but obvious success the band pulled itself together again and, with one new member, Torsten Buczko, Matthias Belter, Markus Köhn und Wolf Rambatz recorded"The Return", which was released in 1995.
After recording "The Return", however, some further changes in the band were necessary. Wolf Rambatz left the band and as the release of "The Return" was delayed no common agreement was reached as how to carry on. lf "The Return" had been more successful, founder member Matthias Belter might have been kept from finally giving up his job in the band, which surely was a great pity for Not Fragile. Didy Mackel (ex-Mania) now played the bass guitar. For a short time the lead guitar was played by Heiko Jensen, who now works as a producer and song-writer for a major company for dance, funk and soul music.
In 1998 the band started writing new songs, half of which, however, were discarded not to make the mistake of deviating from the specific style of the band.
In the middle 0f 2000 12 songs were ready for recording.
It had been a long way to reach this point, but many fanletters
and fanzines helped to get back their power of the old days.
In Oktober 00 ex-“Vice Versa” and “Evolution” guitar player
Marc trinkhaus joined the band and finished their recordings in January 01.
Hellion Records “Boss” Jürgen Hegewald who had already made some contracts,
For Not Fragile in the past, was much taken with the new material and made an offer
for a new record deal. The endmix and mastering were finished at Jan Kirchner´s
DA DA Soundstudio at the end of April 01, and so the albumrelease of
“21st century ballroom” on Hellion Records was released on the 23rd of July 01.
Thanks to art designer Christian Bimberg and Hellion Records, this was the first time
Not Fragile did not have to make any compromise on the CD cover/booklet concept,
in their history.
In December 2001 Markus Köhn quit his position, after 18 years in the band, to get more time for his own projects. Ex-“Skullcrusher” drummer Matthias Meßfeldt joined the band shortly after the split. In a short time he had done a really great job.
The first Not Fragile gig after nearly 6 years where in the Headbanger Ballroom in Hamburg in may 2002...and the second only a few weeks later on the Headbangers open air festival in Brande Hörnerkirchen. 2003 was a good year for Not Fragile. There was a new album release “Yesterday´s heroes”,
which got so many good reviews in magazines/fanzines and in the internet around the world.
Not Fragile carry on with a very good distribution deal “Soul food” (Sony Music) for Germany. Story’s in two of Germanys leading metal magazines followed the album.
Many good club gigs and the successful arrival on the “Rock am Haff” festival in front of
over 1000 people. Not to forget the song “Blood on the land” which was written for the soundtrack of the horror film “Nikos-The Impaler. The “Nikos” DVD was released shortly before the “Yesterday´s heroes” album was coming out. The bonus section of the DVD contains a Not Fragile Videoclip. All in all 2003 was a year that pushed Not Fragile a little bit more back again in the publics eye…..but the year end not good at all.
Drummer Matthias Meßfeldt had to left the band in the last weeks of December.
The main reason of the split where personal differences.
After the split with drummer Matthias Meßfeldt the band has to produce their next album.
The band needed a little help from another drummer to get no more delay for the upcoming recordings. Not Fragile asked Mike Terrana the well known drummer from Rage, Axel Rudi Pell, Metalium, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Lukather, Tony Macalpine, Roland Grapow and many more, to record some drum tracks for the band. He heard the demo versions and agreed very quickly. In the meantime Michael Link (ex-drummer from the Van Halen cover band “Jump”) joined Not Fragile as their new drummer. There was a lot of work for Michael. He had to rehearse a lot with the band, for the live set and to complete the recordings for the new album. There were some support live gigs with the new line up in August and September 2004 together with “Slutfreax” who were produced by Hermann Frank the well known guitar player from Accept, Victory and Sinner. There was also in September a successful headliner show at the Headbangers Ballroom. In the meantime Hellion Records released a split LP in coloured vinyl with Not Fragile and Z-Iron, with the title “Masters of Metal”. After a good support show for the Canadian power export “Exciter” and the Swedish band “Steel Attack”, at the Lichtspielhaus venue in Itzehoe in Oktober, the band concentrated to finished the recordings for their new CD called “Time to wonder”. The final great stage at the recordings and mix down where the appearing of Jutta Weinhold (former singer of Zed Yago and Velvet Viper) and Jana Hedrich for the backing vocals in high-class level on the song “Queen of the sea”. The “Time to wonder” album was released on April the 4th in 2005.
There were many of good reviews for this record around the world, including the Japanese high class metal magazine “Burrn”. Between the “Time to wonder” release and several gigs Not Fragile pull out a great version of “Victim of states power” for the Running Wild Tribute compilation “The Revivalry” on Remedy Records.
With a new album on their backs, the band was successful playing some Festivals like the “Metal Bash” and the Thrash ´til death. There were also great support shows for the bay area formation “Ruffians” and the Nashville thrasher “Intruder” and not to forget the club shows with “Hatred” from Schweinfurt-Germany. The bands ´05 live appearance was crowned by the Not Fragile
“25 years anniversary show” in Oktober at the Headbangers Ballroom.
Special guests like Jutta Weinhold, ex-drummer Markus Köhn and some other great musicians make this event unforgettable.
Since Not Fragile´s last gig on the 5.11.2005 at the “Shamrock” in Emmendingen, the band is working hard on the new album tracks for the next studio album.