Jörg Michael

Jörg Michael (born 27 March 1963) is a German drummer. He is well known for his time in the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius, the German thrash metal band Headhunter, and several other bands.
Most of the bands Michael has played with are in the power metal genre. The first album he recorded was Prayers of Steel with Avenger (the band would later change their name to Rage). By the mid-1980s he was no longer attached to a single band but concentrated on working as a studio session drummer; hence the long list of bands and albums he has been involved with.

With Avenger

• Prayers of Steel (1984)
• Depraved to Black (EP, 1985)

With Rage

• Reign of Fear (1986)
• Execution Guaranteed (1987)
• 10 Years in Rage (1994)

With Der Riss

• They All Do What Their Image Says (EP, 1986)

With 100 Names

• 100 Names (1986)

With The Raymen

• Going Down to Death Valley (1986)
• The Rebel Years (best-of) (1995)

With Mekong Delta

• Mekong Delta (1986)
• The Music of Erich Zann (1988)
• Toccata (1989)
• The Principle of Doubt (1989)
• Dances of Death (1990)
• Classics (1993)

With X-Mas Project

• X-Mas Project (1986)

With Axel Rudi Pell

• Wild Obsession (1989)
• Nasty Reputation (1990)
• Eternal Prisoner (1992)
• The Ballads (1993)
• Between the Walls (1994)
• Made in Germany (1995)
• Black Moon Pyramid (1996)
• Magic (1997)
• Oceans of Time (1998)
• The Ballads II (1999)

With Laos

• Laos (1989)
• We Want It (EP, 1990)
• More than a Feeling (EP, 1993)
• Come Tomorrow (EP, 1993)

With Headhunter

• Parody of Life (1990)
• A Bizarre Gardening Accident (1993)
• Rebirth (1994)
• Parasite of Society (2008)

With Schwarzarbeit

• Third Album' (1990)

With Grave Digger

• The Reaper (1993)
• Symphony of Death (EP, 1994)

With Running Wild

• Black Hand Inn (1994)
• Masquerade (1995)
• The Rivalry (1998)

With Glenmore

• For the Sake of Truth (1994)

With House of Spirits

• Turn of the Tide (1994)
• Psychosphere (1999)

With Unleashed Power

• Mindfailure (1997)
• Absorbed (EP, 1999)

With Andreas Butler

• Achterbahn Fahrn (1995)

With Stratovarius

• Episode (1996)
• Visions (1997)
• Visions of Europe-Live (1998)
• Destiny (1998)
• The Chosen Ones-Best of (1999)
• Infinite (1999)
• Intermission (2000)
• Elements, Pt. 1 (2002)
• Elements, Pt. 2 (2003)
• Stratovarius (2005)
• Polaris (2009)
• Elysium (2011)

With Avalon

• Mystic Places (1997)

With Die Herzensbrecher

• Seid Glücklich Und Mehret Euch (1998)

With Andy and The Traceelords

• Pussy! (1998)

With Saxon

• Lionheart (2004)
• The Eagle Has Landed – Part III (2006) – Drums on "Lionheart tour" tracks

With Metal Sword

• Metal Sword (1986)

With Kaledon

• Chapter 3: The Way of the light (2005)

With Beto Vázquez Infinity

• Beto Vázquez Infinity (2001) – Producer

With Tom Angelripper

• Ein Schöner Tag (1995)

Michael currently uses Kirchhoff Schlagwerk drums made of acrylic, Meinl AMUN/MB20 Series cymbals, DW 5000 Delta Accelerator pedals, and Vic Firth sticks. Previously he used Premier drums primarily and Tama drums on some occasions. A 6.5x14 Ludwig Supraphonic super sensitive snare has been a mainstay. recently, he has been using a bronze Supraphonic(standard strainer)

Tour kit (2010)

Kirchhoff Schlagwerk Acrylic Drums with artic clear/snow vivid finish

• 10x8' Tom
• 12x9' Tom
• 14x14' Floor Tom
• 16x16' Floor Tom
• 22x20' Bass Drum x2
• 14x6,5' Snare
• 12x5' Snare
• 10x5' Snare

Cymbals by Meinl

• MB20-10RS-B 10" Rock Splash MB20
• MB20-12RS-B 12" Rock Splash MB20
• MB20-14HSW-B 14" Heavy Soundwave Hihat, pair MB20
• MB20-15HSW-B 15" Heavy Soundwave Hihat, pair MB20
• MB20-16MHC-B 16" Medium Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-18MHC-B 18" Medium Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-20MHC-B 20" Medium Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-16HC-B 16" Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-17HC-B 17" Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-18HC-B 18" Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-19HC-B 19" Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-20HC-B 20" Heavy Crash MB20
• MB20-18RCH-B 18" Rock China MB20
• MB20-20RCH-B 20" Rock China MB20
• MB20-20MHR-B 20" Medium Heavy Ride MB20
• MB20-20HR-B 20" Heavy Ride MB20

Sticks

• Vic Firth "American classic rock Jörg Michael weight"

Drum chair by Tama