Hi guys… Well my story is..

The first time i heard you guys is through my father i was in a christian family but on the 10th birthday my dad played and introduce to me to Manowar and the first song i heard was “Sons of Odin” then slowly he handed me the walkman and i listen to all the 12 track in the disc and yes slowly it grows and then when i came across the internet i started surfing the Manowar and i found my favourite song “Courage” and it does touch my heart and I’ve never felt anything like it and every time i feel down i always put on this song and yes it lifts me up…

If I’m a Manowar fan today i thank my Father because he’s the one who gives me the #courage to listen….

Favorite tracks

1. Courage
2. Sons of Odin
3. Warriors of the world
4. Pleasure slave

These are my journey with you guys and forever be a Manowar fan

A Heavy Metal Warrior.

Don Kharduit

 

The very first time I heard anything like metal was when I was 11 years old. I was not a metalhead though. I had always liked heavy music.

My Manowar story started last year when Manowar had announced their tour dates. My twin sister Yağmur  is a die-hard Manowarrior and a metalhead for a very long time. She insisted on going to a Manowar show. She wanted to go so much that she cancelled her internship and all plans related to her studies. She made me listen to all Manowar songs and prepared me for the concert.

The concert day my life changed. I finally understood my twin sister’s passion for Manowar and metal music. And i was reborn as a Manowarrior. It was the best experience of my life, pretty much like the lyrics (Die for Metal):

“They call themselves immortals
They’re the truest of the true
And in that very moment
I was born again like you

They said

Hold your head up high
Raise your fists up in the air
Play metal louder than Hell “

It’s been over a year since then and we are celebrating with our matching SWORD tattoos.

I can never thank my sister enough, without her i wouldn’t be here writing this.

One does not choose to become a metalhead. Metal will find you and make you its own.

 

HAIL AND KILL from Twins of Steel.

From Turkey

Damla Göçmen

 

Hello,

I have been listening to Manowar since my friend discovered Fighting The World back in 1987, and been to lots of concerts in Denmark and Germany ever since.

I’m into hard endurance sports, and in that regard, mental training is very important and I have discovered that I can use Manowar’s power actively.

When I spend 10-20 hours alone on my bike, with crises along the way and pain for several hours at a time, with only my thoughts as a companion, those thoughts can very quickly become an enemy.

When it gets really tough, I throw Manowar in my ears and build my own Manowar universe in my head, my bike is my horse, my water bottle is my battlesword and then I conquer one town after another, slaughtering the infidels.

Many of the songs have words like “Fight”, “battle” etc, and I sing them loud like a mantra and gear myself up, and it becomes a battle instead of a bike ride.

The trick is to get my thoughts to a completely different place, so I forget the pain and negativity, and in Manowar’s universe, which is extremely macho, you fight to the death, and then I can’t give up either.

I’m still amazed at the effect it has on me. No other music has had a similar effect on me.

The pictures are 2 of me when i’m out riding, 1 of my Sign of the hammer tattoo and one with my mate from the concert in Kiel 2018.

Hail

Ken Tacconi

 

My name is Davi Colloda Kamaroski, I live in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná state, in southern Brazil.
I appreciate the opportunity to tell you a little about my history with Manowar! It all started when I was 12 years old, I heard the initial chords of “Battle Hymn” on the radio and decided to turn on the recorder because I thought it was amazing, I recorded part of it on a k7 tape, even without knowing the name of the song or the band, which I would only discover years later. I only really got to know the band in 1998 when I watched the video for “Return of the Warlord” on the program Fúria MTV, but the moment that changed my life forever was when I saw Manowar play “Black Wind, Fire and Steel” at the festival Philips Monsters of Rock in 1998. That was just insane! I had never heard a song with so much power before, I felt like I was struck by lightning! From there I started to become a Manowarrior!

I never missed a day of listening to the kings of metal, their music is the fuel of my life, it helps me win the battles of everyday life. Manowar is not for cry babies. The lyrics tell you to get up and fight, live by your heart, have the courage to face all the problems, your songs are not for weaklings! One of the most incredible moments of my life was when I saw the band in São Paulo at the “Death to Infidels tour 2010”. I was very close to the kings because I was on the grid, it was fantastic to see and hear Eric sing, he is not from this planet.

Seeing Joey make that insane sound with his bass. And in 2015 at Monsters of Rock it was even better, there was a lot of power on that stage! In addition to listening to the greatest classics of true metal, I was able to meet Manowarriors from various parts of the world, from all over Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Russia and even Japan, all united to praise the kings of metal, I drank beer with many brothers of metal and we toast to power!

Since 2012 I have maintained a group on Facebook called “Warriors of the World (Manowar fans)” where real fans of the band are gathered, no posers! I hope to be able to see MANOWAR again and be able to meet them in person, give Eric, Joey and the whole band a hug, and be able to thank them for being part of my life, because she wouldn’t have the same grace without Manowar and his power. absolute!

Long live the kings of metal.

Hello manowarriors my name is Adrien, I’m from Tijuana Mexico, the world’s most transited border.

First of all, I’m able to say that manowar save my life in different ways back in the darkest moments of my life, giving me that power and strength to take the courage to go on taking those barriers away.

I discover manowar when I was 12 years old and currently I’m 25 listening The triumph of steel in a DVD player with a CD when no internet access was common in my family to use and when I browsed the manowar images on Google as a kid I was really amazed about the mighty message that I understood on that day and starting to draw and sketch my own versions of the faceless warrior.

I was really identified with all that, I reached the point to share my music list to friends they really loved manowar songs and somehow they changed the way to see life differently. The family friend who showed me manowar could attend his first manowar show because I noticed him the tour had a date in California so he went to see the show and he add the checkmark to his life bucket list, I could not see that show for personal reasons.

All these since I turned myself into metal I’ve turned into a great person with a lot of knowledge and do the best and never give up, manowar was the reason I started to know about the Viking gods and myths by the manowar lyrics and stories songs were telling about, and turned into a philosophy  personally.

My second tattoo was the sign of the hammer and big coincidence I noticed that I got tattooed on Eric Adam’s birthday and that turned even more meaningful, and since 2007 I literally was waiting more than 11 years manowar to play and Mexico and of course many told me that day will never came.

…and absolutely that day was made.

 

 

Dearest MANOWAR Band, Crew and Fans!

I would like to start with a massive THANK YOU for ALL of you. I swear I can never imagine a life without any of you. You’re a very important part of my world today, in all the future as well as in the past. A little extra thanks for the invite to share my story, I really appreciate it. I could probably write a book about my MANOWAR history, but I will do my best to keep it short and interesting. Here we go:

So my name is Lars Inge, born in 1980 (same year as MANOWAR) and I live a little north of Bergen, Norway. The first time I listened to MANOWAR was back in 1985, a «funny» guy in my family cranked up Thor (The Powerhead) at full volume probably to scare me, but I was struck by the power of the song in seconds. Being only 5 years old I didn’t understand a word of the lyrics but the power of the melody filled me with a strength and spirit I simply can’t describe but it surely transformed a silent and insecure little boy into something completely different. From there, MANOWAR music was always (to great frustration for my family) on top of my wishlist and the only thing I ever wanted. I learned every lyric by heart fast, and my understanding for English grew as well. I started collecting anything MANOWAR related material and during the years it has always been my huge passion. Especially after internet hit us my collection got massive and now contains well over 1100 items (I have included a few pics of some of the stuff here to give you an idea of what I’m collecting).

Due to my then low age I could never have my dream of attending a MANOWAR show completed, it really was the dream of my life. I grew up collecting and listening to MANOWAR music every day and the dream of a show grew stronger every day as well. My passion for MANOWAR soon gave me the nickname «Manolars» by my friends, and still is used by several 🙂 After reaching the proper age the list of shows is long and still growing. Standing frontrow and having Joey point at you and hand you a string from his bass is an amazing feeling I got to experience as well, just incredible. The ultimate dream of going backstage and even stand face to face with the band and crew was completed too, truly a highlight of all my life. Now, travels all over Europe to experience the true brotherhood of MANOWAR is one of the things I value the most as well as meeting, interacting, sharing and staying in touch with MANY strong brothers and sisters of metal from all over the world via social media every day. Many thanks to all, I appreciate every single one of you! Together we have created lifelong memories and relationships!!

Trying to keep my promise of staying short I will end this story here, although I could go on and on for hours and my story will continue every day for as long as I live.

From Return of the Warlord: «IT’S MORE THAN A RELIGION – IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE» That sentence says it all.

Hail and Kill from Norway!!!L

Lars Inge

 

 

My first contact with Manowar was at the end of the 80s, when I heard Carry On by chance and I was hooked, it was one of those songs that you hum along all day and although I had heard about the group, it was the first time I had heard a song by him .

As of this year, little by little I got hold of Manowar’s discography and in 1997, I was able to go to my first concert at the Zeleste hall in Barcelona, in which I was lucky enough to photograph myself with Joey, Eric, Scott and Karl, and have a record signed for me, which was an unforgettable day.

In addition, all my life I have practiced athletics, with what first with a walkman, then with a discman and for a long time with mp3, in my training of hours running and in those of weights, the music of Manowar always accompanies me to get over them and I feel the strength it gives me in hard times to overcome them.

Manowar has helped me achieve unimaginable goals and with his strength I have won 7 Retrorunning World Championships.

This has given me popularity and they do many interviews with me, and it always draws my attention that I am a fan of Manowar and why, and I always say that they are my strength, with what Manowar has sounded, I have spoken and it has been seen, on TV3 , TVE, Tele5, Cadena SER, Marca, Mundo Deportivo, Catalunya Radio, RNE, RAC1, La Sexta, in Interviú magazine, which I gave one to Joey at the 2016 Prague concert, and in many more.

Simultaneously with my sports side, I continued to compile records and have gone to various concerts, such as Basel, Prague, Cologne, Munich, Berlin, etc., the most special of all being that of Prague in 2016, where I was able to meet Joey in person. Eric and the rest of the group, discover what is behind the scenes and meet fantastic people like Ruxia or Manoel. Although the most special moment was chatting with Joey and being able to give him my cover of Interviú magazine. An absolutely incredible night that I will never forget.

When I returned to Spain, various magazines and music radio stations interviewed me to ask me about the concert in Prague and about the experience of having met the group.

In short, Manowar is one of the engines of my life, both personal and sports, and I hope that thanks to them I can win many more World Championships and see them in many more concerts.

A hug and many kisses for everyone.

Hail & Kill!!!

Hail to Manowar the Manowar family, brother and sisters around the world.

Having taken inspiration from a previous Manowarrior story told by my good friend Elvis I thought id put the proverbial pen to paper and share my own.

My name is Matt Verrell and it started way back in 1987 a good friend at school said he had a killer vinyl from and I quote “ The loudest band in the f@#king world” and would I like to borrow it, well it was a no brainer, of course I wanted to borrow it to see what kind of music could make such a grand claim, well as soon as that needle dropped into the groove all Hell broke loose in my bedroom, my world, inside my head sensations I had never known with music were awakening from the very first thunderous beats of Scott’s drums, I knew I had found “my” band and that band was Manowar, the album was fighting the world and I was 13 and the newest member in the Army of immortals.

After I had to reluctantly give the LP back I was on a quest to find this magic circle for myself, the trouble was my local town was not exactly coming forward with metal music shops, just the generic music shops selling the latest drivel, but my persistence paid off, although it wasn’t FTW I had a new tape (ask your grandads) to listen too, and what a aptly named tape it was too, Hail to England !!

This tape unleashed the desire for more and more, my metal path lay ahead and great adventures lay ahead.

I first saw the band in 1989 at the Hammersmith Odeon Kings of Metal tour, this was not just my first Manowar show, but my first ever live show by any band, and boy did Manowar lay down a marker that no one else has come close to since, I couldn’t believe the wall of speakers that was in front of me, my most vivid memory of the night is putting my hands in the air and feeling the kick of the bass and the sensation of the air moving around me, and I was about 15 rows back! My ears were ringing the next day at school, but i was proudly wearing my kings of metal tour shirt under my white school shirt, visible for all to see and teachers to scorn at.

These were the days pre computer and internet ( for me anyway ) so a wait ensued until the next gig at the London Marquee club, for anyone who doesn’t know, this is ( sadly now, was ) a legendary club, small, very small, but as I was to find out perfect for the up close, front row, stood in front of Joey, hard not to bump into him whilst standing there type show, I had my trusty 110 Kodak camera and took some good snaps from that gig, and are still treasured by me to this day, I was one of the first in line out the front and was ecstatic to meet Eric, Joey, Rhino and the Death dealer and get my cd ( ask your dad ) signed by them and a couple of pictures, such down to earth guys, you know, you dream of meeting your idols, your best band and don’t know what to expect, but 4 very polite, humble and friendly guys met me.

The scene in the UK went quite on the Manowar front after this tour, and again without having access to computers etc the band went off the radar for me live wise, that was until I got my first computer, I think one of the first things I did was type Manowar into the search bar… BOOM I discovered the WWWW ( World Wide Web Warriors ) that then turned into the House of Death where I am known as “ TourEngland “ for reasons that escape me currently.

This website put me in touch with fans all around the world, those fans some became friends, and after a announcement that a fan convention would happen at a show in Germany it was the easiest decision I’ve made, lets book tickets to Geiselwind… AKA The Earthshaker concert and fan convention.

What a momentous weekend that turned out to be, a weekend where friends I had meet online via the HOD all of a sudden became family, a weekend spent partying, talking, drinking, eating all with the best guys and girls in the world, Manowar fans. I was lucky enough to get to see Eric talk about his upcoming hunting dvd, also see Ross blasting out classic Manowar riffs in a small room with some other folk, listening to tales of life on the road from some of the old crew such as “The Arm” and Paul Clark Snr ( whom over the years has become a close and dear friend ) I just loved it, putting faces to the names you used to read in the album covers, Tayna Seeman ( who designs the leathers ) and the gentle giant of Genies that was Dawk, I just lapped up all of those stories and tales.

I was fortunate enough to win a competition to have my photo taken on the stage in the convention hall with all the band past and present, in fact I won 3 tickets, and gave 2 away to some people I was stood next to at the time.

The concert itself lived up to its name of Earthshaker.. Mind blown well and truly, when those drum risers came up during battle hymns and all members were on stage at once I felt invincible, I’m sure a touch of the berserker rage surged through my body for a few of those most glorious moments.

I have tried to attend at least one show of most of the tours since, and attend MCF 2 & 3, MCF 2 was again a congregation, a gathering, a mergence of close brothers and sisters, and a chance to meet new ones, the Manowar family spirit was alive within me and those 6 albums back to back were just mind blowing to witness live.

 

I have the Sign of the hammer tattooed onto my forearm, and then I bit the bullet and got my entire back done with the Triumph of steel artwork and Manowar logo, ouch, but manowarrior for life.

So I think I’ve explained my self quite a bit now, oh hold on.. yes I almost forgot…. TourEngland !!

I have probably badgered every member of the manowar crew I had the privilege to meet over the years to get them to come back to the UK, back to England, back “home”. I’m sure if you go on the HOD site 50% of my old posts were related to that topic, probably drove the admin bonkers with it, well I finally got my wish, the year was 2011 and the car was heading north, north to Birmingham.

That concert along with Earthshaker is up there as my best Manowar live show, front row, centre stage, surrounded by my family who knew that this was what I’d been banging on about for all those years, the emotion that flowed through me that night was immense, I’m not afraid to say I shed a tear during Hail to England and embraced all those around me.

I have a saying, something that’s come to me over the years, a Manowar show is more than just “the” show, it’s the whole experience, its about meeting up with family the night before, maybe for a curry at the Moonlight in Birmingham, maybe at the bar at the Linder hotel Frankfurt, maybe for a truck load of beer around Katja’s breakfast table in Bad Arolsen talking the night away, its about being with family, living life for the now and the Manowar show is the cherry on top of the cake.

I also have the Manocave collection, some goodies and collectables I have amassed over the years proudly displayed on the walls, the Manocave is my space to reflect, reminisce and recharge my batteries although my two girls enjoy coming in to head bang along to what ever dad has blasting through the speakers.

Personal Manowar highlights that stick out:

Meeting the 4 guys outside the Marquee gig

Seeing them soundcheck Hail To England at Leeds in 2011, Eric saw me and asked me to sing for him as I know the words better than him.. I declined

Joey handing me the last Bass string at the 2011 Birmingham show

Earthshaker

MCF 2 and 3

Seeing my name on the inside of a CD booklet

Meeting everyone I know and love and call family, you are the best and make each show that bot special.

On reflection Manowar has played a major part of my life, its been there through the good and the bad, its made me the person I am today and given me a whole new family all over the world, I would like to thank the band from the bottom of my heart and say their music is just the tip of iceberg, the gift they give is far reaching and probably cannot be put into words, whilst sober at least.

So that’s me, come and say hi at the next show, ill probably be at the bar before and after with my “TourEngland” campaign flag wrapped around me, you’ll see me, the deaf one with a stupidly huge grin etched all across his face

 

My name is Ryan Cameron Nichols. I am 47. I am from Norway. Born in America.

Being a Manowarrior for decades, the stories are numerous. Here are a few pivotal ones. I have tried to keep the nutshell as small as possible.

It was the summer of 1987 and I was at a friend´s house listening to Iron Maiden in his typical teenage room. Just as «The Trooper» was blazing away its opening riff, my friend turned off the song and placed another album on the turntable. He said he wanted me to listen to something. Annoyed, I said «Ok, what?!» in a sort of dismissive tone. He fumbled a little because he wanted to place the needle on a particular song on this unknown album. He dropped the needle straight onto Joey Demaio´s fast opening of «Black, Wind Fire and Steel». My jaw dropped as this was nothing I ever heard before. Aggressive and fast, but also melodic and with unmatched and perfect vocals.

Soon after, Manowar took the center stage amid all the metal bands I loved. I searched every magazine and read every article and interview with the band. And it soon became apparent that it was not just their music that set them apart. It was their attitude and unapologetic fierceness that made them churn out such uncompromising and pure metal.

In 2019, I was able to repay my friend by treating him to the awesome Ultimate Fan Experience in Berlin.

Over the years that followed, it also became apparent that when meeting other Manowar fans from around the world, it was something very different and special than other fanbases.

In 1988, I proudly bought my first Manowar concert ticket to see them in Oslo on The Kings of Metal tour. But then we soon found out that due to specific alcohol laws, the venue had an 18-year-old minimum age limit. My friend and I had to sell our tickets. Not exactly the night we had envisioned. In Norway in the 80s, only stadium shows had a free age limit. But most bands that could fill a stadium in Norway in the 80s generated as much excitement as going to the dentist and getting a root canal.

I finally got to see them for the first time in 1994 during the Triumph of steel tour. And many shows followed after that.

As I for countless others, Manowar´s unique sound and overall concept inspired me in many ways other bands could not. They became the main soundtrack to my life.

I was born in America to an American father and Norwegian mother. My father was in the army and we moved around a lot. He served two tours in Vietnam and was wounded several times. When I was 5, my father suddenly died of a pneumonia brought on by an old war wound. We were stationed in Panama at the time. We lived for a time in Texas with my grandparents. Soon after we moved to Norway. Luckily, I visited my grandparents frequently so my long line of Texan heritage was instrumental in my upbringing. But I was always restless, and as early as I can remember there was always a whole in my heart after my father died. My earliest memories consist mostly of him and I playing together. It wasn’t until Manowar came along that this hole was kind of replaced with the perfect kind of poetry and newfound strength.

My mom is a great, strong and determined Scandinavian woman. So, Viking sagas were an important part of my upbringing. And they became even more so when I became a Manowar fan.

In the military, I served in Lebanon and then in Bosnia during the civil war in the 1990s. There were a few times where it seemed that the last few seconds of my existence had come. The epic, uncompromising and lamenting sounds of Manowar were there every step of the way. And in a way, helped to mold even the harshest experiences into an important part of who I am today.

My first son was born in 2007. From day one he was exposed to metal. And it was to my heart´s content that he picked Manowar as his favorite band later on.

In 2017, I took my son to Kiel in Germany to see them. The day after the awesome show, we were sitting in the lobby waiting to take the boat back to Norway, when suddenly Eric walked out of the elevator. A few moments later Joey also came out of the elevator. We did not realize we were staying at the same hotel as the band. Living up to the hype about putting the fans first, both Eric and Joey were gracious and awesome. It was like talking to family members. In a moment of hilarious irony, my friend and I realized that my son’s first Manowar concert was the exact opposite of ours so many years ago. Not only did he get to see the show, he also met his heroes.

One time, when I was in the 8th grade, I was so bored in class I decided to write down one of my favorite Norse poems. I knew it by heart. It was the famous Skaldic poem of King Hakon the Good earning his place in Valhalla. But with a twist, I modeled the poem as a hymn to Manowar. It took almost the entire hour to do it. When I was finished, the teacher suddenly stood over my desk shaking his head. Annoyed at me for not having listened to a word he said, he tore the page out from my notebook and threw it in the garbage can. The bell rang and I quickly retrieved the crumbled page on my way out the door. I was very pleased with this version of the poem. I told some friends that I would try to mail the poem to Joey DeMaio. One of the other kids in class sarcastically replied: «Yeah, good luck with that!»

A few months before we were set to go to the Ultimate Fan Experience in Berlin in April 2019, I had an idea of a perfect way to present the Norse poem to the band. I had the poem engraved on a 1 kilo heavy medal of pure silver.

Together with my son and my friend, we handed it to Joey as I remembered what the kid in class said sarcastically three decades earlier at school. Well, what could one expect, he was a Poison-fan. We, are Manowarriors…

The Poem:

In Odin´s hall stands an empty place

For the metal Kings of Yngve´s race

“Go forth my Valkyries” Odin said

“Go forth my angels of the dead,

Gondul and Skogul to the plain,

Drenched with the battle´s bloody rain,

Go forth to Manowar and tell,

That here in Valhalla, they shall dwell