RockPages.gr recently spoke with Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O., ex-Accept) in Athens, Greece. The video interview can be seen below.

In the following excerpt, Udo talks about his absolute highlight in Accept: “The absolute highlight was definitely after 1982-83, when we did albums like Balls To The Wall, Metal Heart, Russian Roulette… the success that we had in America. We had a good time in Accept and I don’t look back on those years in a bad way. We were also very popular in Germany together with Scorpions… I really can’t say anything bad about those years. Maybe, the only bad thing is that we shouldn’t have changed a little bit our sound in a commercial way. That was maybe the biggest mistake that we did… but that’s history.”

Udo filmed the April 2nd Dirkschneider concert at Kaminwerk in Memmingen, Germany - where he performed Accept songs for the final time - for an upcoming DVD release. Speaking with Planetmosh, Udo spoke about the upcoming release.

“The DVD will be out maybe already in the middle of October. I don't know yet. The record company is talking about this. But I think it will be October. It's also good promotion for the next part of the tour.”

Listen to the interview below:

Shortly before playing at the sold out Halle 02 in Heidelberg/Germany, Dirkschneider was presented a Sold Out-Award by his manager/booker Frank Süpfle of ITM Agency for the extremely successful Dirkschneider tour, where 31 out of 48 Europe shows were sold out.

“It’s unbelievable, I never expected this tour to be so overly successful,” Udo comments. “It’s beautiful to see how many people walk with me on my personal way of saying goodbye to the Accept chapter.”

The singer with the charismatic voice had his musical breakthrough with Accept in the early ‘80s.

“It’s still so much fun to sing these songs live, they are a part of my biography, but nevertheless it’s about time to turn that page. There was so much talking and speculations about me and Accept, so this is kind of a musical statement from my end - which seems to be very interesting for the fans who came to these shows“.

Due to extremely high demand from fans and promoters, Dirkschneider will continue touring until the end of 2016. After the triumph all over Europe in spring 2016, Dirkschneider will tour in Israel and Japan, doing a lot of summer festivals and then touring US, Russia and Europe in fall and winter 2016.

First dates announced:

November
1 - Oslo, November - Vulcan Arena
3 - Umea, Sweden - Idun
4 - Borlaenge, Sweden - Liljan
5 - Orebro, Sweden - Frimis
6 - Linkoeping, Sweden - Garden
18 - Stockholm, Sweden - Rock At Sea
26 - Moscow, Russia - Stadium Live Club - Aria Fest

December
3 - Vacha, Germany - Vachwerk
8 - Dornbirn, Austria - Conrad Sohm
9 - Brno, Czech Republic - Hala Vodova
11 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
15 - Nurnberg, Germany - Loewensaal
16 - Memmingen, Germany - Kaminwerk
17 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Schwarzwaldhalle - Knock Out Festival
18 - Solingen, Germany - Cobra