Kai Hansen

Born in Hamburg, West Germany, in 1963, guitarist and vocalist Kai Hansen gained early recognition as a founding member of power metal titans Helloween. His musical path began in 1978 when he joined forces with future Iron Saviour co-founder and producer Piet Sielck in the band Gentry. Hansen co-established Helloween in 1983 alongside guitarist Michael Weikath, remaining until 1989 and contributing to one EP plus three studio albums, among them the influential Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pts. 1-2. Upon departing Helloween he launched the power metal outfit Gamma Ray, which quickly rose to become one of the German metal scene’s most enduring and active ensembles. Over the years he has recorded and performed alongside numerous kindred spirits, among them Blind Guardian, Angra, former Helloween singer Michael Kiske, Hammerfall, Storm Warrior, and Unisonic. His debut solo effort, XXX: Three Decades in Metal, arrived in 2016, followed the next year by the live album and DVD Thank You Wacken.