Michael Weikath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Weikath
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Weikath performing in 2016
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Ingo Joachim Weikath |
| Also known as | Weiki |
| Born | 7 August 1962 Hamburg, West Germany |
| Genres |
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| Occupations | Guitarist |
| Years active | 1978–present |
Michael Ingo Joachim Weikath, also known as "Weiki", was born on August 7, 1962. He is a German musician famous for being a founding member and guitarist of the band Helloween. Helloween is known for being one of the first bands to play power metal.
Contents
Michael Weikath's Early Life and Music
Michael Weikath was born in Hamburg, Germany. He loved music from a very young age. When he was just four or five, he would imagine melodies while looking at the sky.
He became very interested in music around 1971. As a child, he spent a lot of time listening to music on his parents' stereo. The first music album he ever owned was 1962–1966 by The Beatles.
Learning Guitar and First Bands
In 1974, Weikath started playing the guitar. He soon began practicing with his friends. In 1978, he formed his first band, which was called Powerfool.
Before he helped create Helloween, he worked for a company that sold records by mail. In 1982, he did community service instead of military service.
Musical Influences
Many bands and guitarists inspired Michael Weikath. Some of the main bands that influenced him include The Beatles, Deep Purple, Scorpions, UFO, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, the Sex Pistols, and Wishbone Ash.
The guitar players who influenced him when he started playing were Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, and Eddie Van Halen.
Founding Helloween
Michael Weikath is one of the original members who started the band Helloween. He formed the band with Kai Hansen (who sang and played guitar), Markus Grosskopf (bass guitar), and Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums).
Weikath and Markus Grosskopf were the only two original members still in the band for a long time. However, Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske rejoined Helloween in 2016.
Early Days of Helloween
Weikath helped create the first Helloween lineup in 1982. By 1984, the band signed a deal with Noise Records. They recorded two songs for a compilation album called Death Metal. Michael Weikath wrote the song "Oernst of Life" for that album.
Beliefs and Home
In an interview from 1998, Michael Weikath mentioned that most members of Helloween are Christian. He said that he himself is Catholic. Today, Michael Weikath lives in Puerto de la Cruz, which is in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
Helloween Albums (Discography)
Here are some of the albums Michael Weikath has released with Helloween:
- Helloween (1985)
- Walls of Jericho (1985)
- Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I (1987)
- Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II (1988)
- Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991)
- Chameleon (1993)
- Master of the Rings (1994)
- The Time of the Oath (1996)
- Better Than Raw (1998)
- Metal Jukebox (1999)
- The Dark Ride (2000)
- Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003)
- Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)
- Gambling with the Devil (2007)
- Unarmed – Best of 25th Anniversary (2009)
- 7 Sinners (2010)
- Straight Out of Hell (2013)
- My God-Given Right (2015)
- Helloween (2021)
Michael Weikath's Guitar Gear
Michael Weikath uses various types of equipment to create his music. This includes different amplifiers and guitars.
Amplifiers and Effects
He uses several Marshall amplifiers, including 50-watt and 100-watt models. He also uses ENGL amplifiers and a Vox AC30 Orange Overdrive amplifier.
For effects, he uses a DigiTech GSP1101 Guitar Multi Effects Processor. This helps him change the sound of his guitar.
Guitars
Weikath plays many different guitars, including:
- 1990 Gibson Les Paul (black and white models)
- 1990 Gibson Flying V (white)
- 2012 Gibson Flying V custom
- 2015 Gibson Les Paul Standard trans blue
- 2016 Gibson Flying V T
- 2018 Epiphone Limited Edition Flying V Custom
- Gibson Explorer custom (black/white)
- 1976 Gibson L6-S
- 1974/75/79 Fender Stratocasters
- Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
For live shows, Michael Weikath uses a DigiTech GSP1101 preamp with a Marshall JVM410H amplifier. This is similar to what his fellow Helloween guitarist Sascha Gerstner uses.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Weikath para niños
