1. Kai Michael Hansen was born on 17 January 1963 and is a German musician who is the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray.
23 Facts About Kai Hansen
1. 2.
Kai Hansen is one of the co-founders of another power metal band Helloween, which he was a part of from 1983 to 1989 and rejoined in 2016.
3.
Kai Hansen is a prominent figure in power metal and has sold millions of albums worldwide.
4.
At the age of ten, Kai Hansen developed an interest in music and began to play wash-drums.
5.
Kai Hansen took a six-months course in classical guitar and following it, formed his first band with his classmates after he bought an electric guitar, a white Ibanez Les Paul.
6.
Kai Hansen left the band on 1 January 1989, citing exhaustion from touring, and then went on to form his own power metal band Gamma Ray.
7.
Kai Hansen joined Iron Savior as guitarist in 1997, but quit after a few years to focus his efforts on Gamma Ray.
8.
Kai Hansen then forged a successful career with Gamma Ray, releasing several albums and playing many tours worldwide.
9.
Kai Hansen appeared as a guest vocalist on Blind Guardian's albums Follow the Blind and Tales from the Twilight World.
10.
Kai Hansen collaborated on Angra's album Temple of Shadows released in 2004 doing vocals for the song "The Temple of Hate".
11.
Kai Hansen participated as a guest guitarist on Michael Kiske's debut solo album Instant Clarity.
12.
Kai Hansen played the role of Regrin the dwarf in Avantasia's Metal Opera albums by Tobias Sammet.
13.
Kai Hansen was one of the guest musicians in Avantasia's 2010 world tour, which have put him to play live together with fellow ex-bandmate Michael Kiske, after more than twenty years since he left Helloween.
14.
In 2008, Kai Hansen played with Stormwarrior at Sweden Rock Festival 2008.
15.
In 2011, Kai Hansen joined the hard-rock band Unisonic, as second guitarist and reunited with old friend and ex-Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske, who formed the band in 2009.
16.
Kai Hansen stated in an interview that despite being a member of Unisonic, he will not have less focus on Gamma Ray, and that the next Gamma Ray album should arrive in 2013.
17.
In 2015, following the Best of the Best Party Tour, Kai Hansen hired Frank Beck as their second vocalist for the Gamma Ray.
18.
In 2017 Kai Hansen played minitour - four shows in Slovakia and Czech republic with the band Ravenclaw, with special set for Ravenclaw 15-Years Anniversary - Ravenclaw feat.
19.
Former members Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen joined the current members for this tour for 2017,2018 and 2019.
20.
Rather than using a smooth and clear style Kai Hansen sang with a raspy sound, interluded by high-pitched screams for dramatic effect.
21.
Kiske was brought in as a singer, originally because Kai Hansen had trouble singing and playing the guitar simultaneously, though later in his career he seems to have overcome these problems.
22.
Kai Hansen first started using them during his days with Helloween after hearing testimonials of ESP from artists such as George Lynch and Kirk Hammett of Metallica.
23.
Kai Hansen has used, and still uses, Engl amplifiers since the recording sessions of Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II.