Swiss hard rock legends KROKUS have released the following update:

“To answer the numerous questions on our numerous blogs in the last couple of days regarding detailed info on who's drumming on live gigs in support of Dirty Dynamite release:

There will be several guest drummers supporting Krokus on tour, for the time being it is Kosta Zafiriou, who also drummed on our forthcoming CD release.

Krokus will be a five-piece lineup. The drummer is part of the live lineup but not official band member (example: when original band member Bill Wyman left THE ROLLING STONES, he was replaced with Darryl Jones for live performances, yet he is not pictured on press photos, album covers, etc.)

Before Krokus will rock festivals in Switzerland and abroad, we want to ‘get close’ to our fans in some smaller venues, starting in Zurich and then in our home town (other dates might be added, we will let you know). Those intimate tour dates are as follows, tickets went on sale a couple of days ago.”

The Close Contact Dög Tour dates:

May

2 – Zürich, Switzerland - Volkshaus
9 – Solothurn, Switzerland – Kofmehl

Krokus will release their new album, Dirty Dynamite, on February 22nd worldwide via Sony Music. Following tradition, the band has included another cover song inspired by their time at Abbey Road Studios. Krokus cover the early BEATLES classic 'Help' with Tommy Heart (FAIR WARNING, SOUL DOCTOR) contributing guest vocals on this track together with Marc Storace.

According to a press release, do not expect it to sound like the Beatles original. The band booked into the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. Krokus went back to their roots, back to where it all began with THE STONES, FREE, THE WHO and THE BLUESBREAKERS. Back to where the band headlined concerts in the Hammersmith Odeon, celebrating their first international success.

"The atmosphere there is very special and we wanted to make the most of that", says vocalist Marc Storace. Guitarist Fernando Von Arb is quick to add: "With Dirty Dynamite we have recorded the urgently needed dirty kind of rock that no one plays in this country".

In other news, for those of you that speak German, here's a Swiss TV news report on recording at Abbey Road Studios in London at this location.

Dirty Dynamite will feature the following tracks:

'Hallelujah Rock’n’Roll'

'Go Baby Go'

'Rattlesnake Rumble'

'Dirty Dynamite'

'Let The Good Times Roll'

'Help' (BEATLES cover)

'Better Than Sex'

'Dög Song'

'Yellow Mary'

'Bailout Blues'

'Live Ma Life'

'Hardrocking Man'

Sony Music is offering the title track as a free download. It was the last song that was recorded at Abbey Road Studios at 5 o'clock in the morning. Bassist Chris von Rohr added some honky tonk piano licks on the original 'Lady Madonna' piano at the studio. Click here (scroll down) to download.

Dirty Dynamite features the return of guitarist Mandy Meyer after 30 years. Meyer replaced original guitarist Tommy Kiefer (RIP) for the remainder of 1980's Metal Rendez-Vous tour and 1981's Hardware tour. And witnessed the growing popularity of Krokus worldwide including the band's first US tour. Those two albums sold millions of copies around the world.

About Dirty Dynamite Chris Von Rohr promises: “The new songs sound like dirty dynamite: pure, dirty, in your face hard rock with a touch of blues.”

Adds Marc Storace: “We’ve been taking the time it needs writing for our next rock album and we guarantee that it definitely will contain no fillers!”