Pretty Maids is a Danish heavy metal band from Horsens. Formed in late 1981, the group's original full lineup featured vocalist Ronnie Atkins, guitarists Ken Hammer and Pete Collins, bassist John Darrow, drummer Phil Moorheed and keyboardist Alan Owen. The group currently includes Atkins and Hammer, alongside drummer Allan Tschicaja (from 2006 to 2017, and since 2020), bassist Rene Shades (since 2011), and keyboardist/guitarist Chris Laney (since 2016).

History Pretty Maids was formed during 1981 by guitarist Ken Hammer, who initially worked with vocalist and bassist John Jakobsen. By the "latter part" of the year, Hammer had relaunched the band with new members Ronnie Atkins on vocals, Pete Collins on second guitar, John Darrow on bass, Phil Moorheed on drums, and Alan Owen on keyboards. This lineup recorded and released the band's first demo, Heavy Metal, and a self-titled EP, both in 1983. In April 1984, Collins left and Darrow was sacked, with the pair replaced not long after by Rick Hanson and Allan Delong, respectively. The new lineup released the group's full-length debut Red Hot and Heavy, before Hanson was dismissed as he was "more into melodic/pop metal, which was not good for the band", according to Hammer. Hanson was replaced by Benny Petersen for a short tour of Denmark in October 1984, before Collins returned before the end of the year. By the time Pretty Maids started work on their second album in early 1986, Collins had left again.

After releasing their second album Future World in April 1987, Pretty Maids added former Sinner band Gerhart "Angel" Schleifer as a replacement for Pete Collins. He remained until the end of the album's initial touring cycle in early 1988, when he left to join German group Bonfire, with his place in Pretty Maids taken by Ricky Marx. During the mixing of the band's third album Jump the Gun in September 1989, Owen chose to leave, as "he didn't feel comfortable with the stylistic and visual part of being in a band", according to Atkins; he was replaced by Dominic Gale on a session and touring basis. Jump the Gun was eventually released in April 1990, followed that November by the Christmas EP In Santa's Claws; after a short tour running into December, Marx, Delong and Moorheed all left Pretty Maids.

In early 1991, Atkins and Hammer rebuilt Pretty Maids with the additions of Kenn Jackson on bass and Michael Fast Petersen on drums. This four-piece lineup remained constant throughout the 1990s, releasing a string of albums including their first live release, Screamin' Live. Gale and Owen provided session keyboards during this period. Jan Møller took over touring duties from Gale after the release of Spooked in 1997. In early 2001, the band toured with Jørgen Thorup on keyboards, before Møller returned later that year. After a couple of inactive years, Pretty Maids played a pair of shows in the summer of 2004 with Jacob Troutner on keyboards and Rene Shades on second guitar. Following delays to the recording of the band's next album, Petersen left Pretty Maids in July 2005. He was replaced the following April by Allan Tschicaja, who debuted on Wake Up to the Real World later that year. H. C. Shröder performed keyboards on the album and at two shows in Denmark in December 2006.

By mid-2007, Morten Sandager had taken over as Pretty Maids' touring keyboardist. He became a full-time member with the release of the band's next album Pandemonium in 2010. This was also the last Pretty Maids album to feature bassist Jackson, who left in April 2010. He was briefly replaced by former King Diamond bassist Hal Patino, who left after less than a year. He was replaced by Rene Shades, who was initially introduced as a "temporary" addition. This lineup released It Comes Alive: Maid in Switzerland, Motherland and Louder Than Ever, before parting ways with Sandager in February 2016. Kim Olesen played keyboards on Kingmaker that summer, before Chris Laney took over from September. In May 2017, Tschicaja was replaced by Allan Sørensen from Royal Hunt. After recording the album Undress Your Madness, Sørensen left again in July 2019, with Tschicaja returning to take his place in the band.

Official members Current

Image Name (real name) Years active Instruments Release contributionsKen Hammer1981–presentall Pretty Maids releasesRonnie Atkinslead vocalsRene Shadesall Pretty Maids releases from It Comes Alive: Maid in Switzerland (2012) onwardsAllan Tschicajadrumsall Pretty Maids releases from Wake Up to the Real World (2006) to Kingmaker (2016)Chris Laney2016–present

Former

Image Name (real name) Years active Instruments Release contributionsJohn Jakobsen1981nonePhil Moorhead1981–1990drumsall Pretty Maids releases from the Heavy Metal demo (1983) to In Santa's Claws (1990)Alan "Stevie" OwenkeyboardsPete Collinsrhythm and lead guitarsJohn Darrow1981–1984Allan Delong1984–1990bassRick Hanson1984rhythm and lead guitarsRed Hot and Heavy (1984)Benny PetersennoneGerhard "Angel" Schleifer1987–1988Ricky Marx1988–1990Kenn Jackson1991–2010all Pretty Maids releases from Sin-Decade (1992) to Pandemonium (2010)Michael Fast Petersen1991–2005all Pretty Maids releases from Sin-Decade (1992) to Alive at Least (2002)Morten Sandager2007–2016keyboardsHal Patino2010–2011bassnoneAllan Sørensen2017–2019drums

Backup musicians

Image Name Years active Instruments DetailsDominic Gale1989–1996keyboardsAfter Alan Owen's departure, Gale took over keyboard duties as a session and touring member, featuring on all releases from In Santa's Claws (1990) to Screamin' Live (1995).Jan MøllerMøller toured with the band in promotion of Spooked, then again after the release of Carpe Diem and Planet Panic.Jørgen Thorup2001Thorup briefly replaced Møller as the band's touring keyboardist during early 2001.Jacob Troutner2004Troutner stood in on keyboards for two shows in the summer of 2004 when Møller became unavailable.H. C. Schröder2006Schröder performed keyboards on Wake Up to the Real World and at two shows in Denmark in December 2006.Kim Olesen2016After the departure of Sandager in February 2016, Olesen performed session keyboards on Kingmaker.

Timeline

Lineups PeriodMembersReleases1981John Jakobsen — lead vocals, bass Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Other members unknownLate 1981–April 1984Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Collins — rhythm guitar John Darrow — bass, backing vocals Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsHeavy Metal demo (1983) Pretty Maids EP (1983)May–September 1984Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Rick Hanson — rhythm guitar Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsRed Hot and Heavy (1984)October 1984Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Benny Petersen — rhythm guitar Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsrowspan="2" Late 1984–early 1986Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Collins — rhythm guitar Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsEarly 1986–early 1987Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsFuture World (1987)Spring 1987–early 1988Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Angel Schleifer — rhythm guitar Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsSpring 1988–September 1989Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Ricky Marx — rhythm guitar Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Alan Owen — keyboardsJump the Gun (1990) In Santa's Claws (1990)Late 1989–December 1990Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Ricky Marx — rhythm guitar Allan Delong — bass Phil Moorheed — drums Dominic Gale — keyboards Early 1991–1996Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Michael Fast — drums, backing vocals Dominic Gale — keyboards Sin-Decade (1992) Stripped (1993) Scream (1994) Screamin' Live (1995)1996–2001Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Michael Fast — drums, backing vocals Alan Owen — keyboards Jan Møller — keyboards Spooked (1997) Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Overdoing (1999) Carpe Diem (2000) Planet Panic (2002)Early–mid 2001Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Michael Fast — drums, backing vocals Jørgen Thorup — keyboards Alive at Least (2002)2001–2004Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Michael Fast — drums, backing vocals Jan Møller — keyboards Summer 2004Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — lead guitar, backing vocals Rene Shades — rhythm guitar Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Michael Fast — drums, backing vocals Jacob Troutner — keyboards Band inactive 2005–2006April–December 2006Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Allan Tschicaja — drums H. C. Shröder — keyboards Wake Up to the Real World (2006)Mid 2007–April 2010Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Kenn Jackson — bass, backing vocals Allan Tschicaja — drums Morten Sandager — keyboardsPandemonium (2010)May 2010–April 2011Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Hal Patino — bass Allan Tschicaja — drums Morten Sandager — keyboardsMay 2011–February 2016Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Rene Shades — bass, backing vocals Allan Tschicaja — drums Morten Sandager — keyboardsIt Comes Alive: Maid in Switzerland (2012) Motherland (2013) Louder Than Ever (2014)February–June 2016Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Rene Shades — bass, backing vocals Allan Tschicaja — drums Kim Olesen — keyboards Kingmaker (2016)September 2016–May 2017Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Rene Shades — bass, backing vocals Allan Tschicaja — drums Chris Laney — keyboards, rhythm guitarMay 2017–July 2019Ronnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Rene Shades — bass, backing vocals Allan Sørensen — drums Chris Laney — keyboards, rhythm guitarUndress Your Madness (2019) Maid in Japan (2020)July 2019–presentRonnie Atkins — lead vocals Ken Hammer — guitar, backing vocals Rene Shades — bass, backing vocals Allan Tschicaja — drums Chris Laney — keyboards, rhythm guitarnone to date

References

External links Pretty Maids official website