BiografieThe Bulgarian virtuoso guitarist Nikolo Kotzev, who currently lives in Finland, started working on a solo project after the break-up of his previous band Baltimoore. He decided to name his new project "Brazen Abbot".



The first album, "Live and Learn", which was released in Japan in 1994 and the rest of the world in 1995, featured three singers: Glenn Hughes (ex-Deep Purple, solo artist etc), Göran Edman (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, Kharma) and Thomas Vikström (ex-Candlemass, Stormwind). The album line-up was completed by former Europe members Ian Haughland (drums) and Mic Michaeli (organ) together with bassist Svante Henryson (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen). The album was an immediate success, receiving rave reviews from the press and fans alike.



"Eye of the Storm" followed in 1996. Former Europe member John Levén took over the bass duties as Svante Henryson was unable to record the album due to schedulig conflicts, and Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Rainbow, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, solo artist etc), Edman and Vikström were the singers for this album, an album which received as favorable reviews as the debut album.



The same line-up recorded "Bad Religion", which was released in 1997. Continuing the Brazen Abbot tradition of creating high quality rock music, the album also received excellent reviews. Nikolo and Joe Lynn Turner also went on a small acoustic tour in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium together with Jeff Paris and Heartland in November 1997, playing mostly Brazen Abbot songs, and also the occasional Rainbow tune...



After the tour Nikolo started working on the massive rock opera about the life and times of the famous French prophet Nostradamus. Opting to release the double album under his own name rather than the Brazen Abbot moniker, "Nikolo Kotzev´s Nostradamus" was finally released in 2001. Featuring several Brazen Abbot members including Glenn Hughes, Göran Edman, Joe Lynn Turner, Mic Michaeli, John Levén and Ian Haughland and also Jørn Lande, Doogie White, Alannah Myles and Sass Jordan, the album turned out to be another great success, both critical and commercial, for Nikolo.



After doing extensive promotion for "Nostradamus", Nikolo started writing songs for the new Brazen Abbot album in early 2002. Finally in mid-2003, nearly 6 years since the last Brazen Abbot release, "Guilty as Sin" was released. The "Bad Religion" line-up was nearly complete, except for Thomas Vikström, who had been replaced by singer Jørn Lande (ex-ARK, Masterplan). The very first Brazen Abbot concerts with a full band line-up were performed in Bulgaria the same year. This touring line-up consisted of Nikolo Kotzev - guitars; Joe Lynn Turner - vocals; Wayne Banks - bass; Lars Pollack - keyboards; Thoams Broman - drums.


Quelle: http://home.aland.net/brazen.abbot/Discografie1995 - Live And Learn

1996 - Eye Of The Storm

1997 - Bad Religion

2003 - Guilty As Sin

2004 - A Decade Of Brazen Abbot
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