After more than 30 years, the German thrash metal veterans, Tankard, have announced the departure of their drummer, Olaf Zissel. Olaf, who has been behind the drum kit of the cult band since the Two-Faced Tour (1994), is leaving the band at his own request.

His successor is no stranger: Gerd Lücking, the band's FOH/sound engineer of many years' standing, who has already filled in for Olaf a few times, will now take over the post permanently. Gerd is certainly known to many as the drummer of bands such as Holy Moses, Bonded, Veritas Maximus, Courageous or Lightmare.

Olaf comments: "After over 30 years of double duty (job & band) the motivation has gone. I'd like to give in to the physical decline and the desire to be able to do normal things again. Something like brewing beer, getting a fishing license or buying hand grenades on the darknet..."

Gerd adds: "It was just over 36(!) years ago in 1988, when I was just 13 years old and cheered on the guys from Tankard at the Volksbildungsheim in Frankfurt and I immediately realized that one day I also want to be able to drink that much beer in just 90 minutes.
Today, after hard work to acquire this talent and an incredible 25 years at the mixing desk in between (plus the jump in on drums at one show or another), I'm taking on a great legacy by taking over the drum stool in the hope of availability of reproducing my predecessor's joy of playing and keeping up with the band's massive stage presence. Thanks to my friends and brothers from Tankard, for their great trust in me."

Find Tankard's tour itinerary here.

(Photo - Buffo)