| Markus Grosskopf | |
|---|---|
 Markus playing live with Helloween | |
| Background information | |
| Born | September 21, 1965 |
| Origin | Hamburg, Germany |
| Genre(s) | Power metal Speed metal Heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Bassist, backing vocals |
| Years active | 1978 - d.d. |
| Label(s) | Nuclear Blast |
| Associated acts | Helloween, Bassinvaders |
| Website | www.helloween.org |
Markus Großkopf, born September 21, 1965 in Hamburg, Germany, is the bass guitarist, and one of only two remaining original members of the German power metal band Helloween (The other being guitarist Michael Weikath). Markus Grosskopf's family members currently live in South Africa, Canada, US, and Germany.
He started playing bass at the age of 15 when he became friends with a drummer and a guitar player. They were looking for a bass player so he bought his first bass and started jamming with covers of the Sex Pistols, the Ramones and the like. Some time later he decided to leave in hope of finding a heavier band with more live playing opportunities. That is when he met Kai Hansen and his band "Second Hell", with whom he started playing. The band soon joined forces with former "Powerfool" guitarist Michael Weikath and adopted the name Helloween, the original lineup being Kai Hansen (guitars/vocals), Michael Weikath (guitars), Markus Großkopf (bass) and Ingo Schwichtenberg (drums).
Grosskopf writes some of the band's songs, which were initially mostly used as a b-sides, but since Rabbit Don't Come Easy (which contained 3 songs, credited to Markus), tracks written by him are present as regular on the albums.
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[edit] Side projects
His first side project was Shockmachine. They released the first album, Create link on site in 1998. Markus has also played bass on the two first albums of Edguy vocalist Tobias Sammet's project Avantasia and on Uriah Heep members' arranged version of Salisbury. He also worked with the band Kickhunter, which released their first album "Hearts and Bones" on which Markus played the role of bass guitarist and producer.
[edit] Playing style
Grosskopf's playing style has been known to include very prominent basslines, and occasionally he has a solo like in "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)" or "Eagle Fly Free", which is one of his most famous. He is known to use both his fingers and a pick, depending on the song. He regularly uses a pick for the more straightfoward, simple bass lines, as in I Want Out or Just a Little Sign, and fingers for more lead type of playing, as on Eagle Fly Free or Halloween. His playing style has also expanded on one of Helloween's more recent albums Keeper of the Seven Keys - The Legacy, where much more bass solos and lead parts are heard, and even some slap bass on the first single "Mrs God" and on the intro to "Invisible Man".
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