Bonfire belong to the greatest of the German hard rock/heavy metal scene and have a rich and dramatic history. Originally formed under the name Cacumen in the early 1970s, the band went through name changes, countless line-up shifts, and the ups and downs of the music business. Yet, they managed to survive and thrive, delivering decades of music and unforgettable shows. This is the story of Bonfire – an important hard rock/heavy metal act, which we will enjoy on the third day of the Golden R. Festival 2025!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
The story starts in 1972, in the Bavarian town of Ingolstadt, Germany. A teenage guitarist named Hans Ziller had a dream – to form a rock band. Together with his brother Karl Ziller and a group of local friends, he created a band called Cacumen. The name came from a Latin word meaning “the top of a mountain”, which Hans had seen in a school test. For years, Cacumen played in small local venues, slowly building a loyal fan base in their hometown. They were young, passionate and hungry for success. By 1978, the line-up included Hans and Karl Ziller on guitars, Horst Maier (later Maier-Thorn) on guitar, Hans Hauptmann on bass, and Hans Forstner on drums. But the band needed a strong vocalist – and this is where Claus Lessmann entered the picture. Claus, a fellow student of Hans, had already performed in bands like Ginger and Sunset. His voice, full of melody and power, was the perfect fit. With Lessmann onboard, Cacumen began to play outside their hometown and started to dream bigger. In 1979, they recorded their first single, “Riding Away”, with “Wintertale” on the B-side. This opened doors for more shows – in clubs, schools, even parking lots. By 1981, Cacumen released their self-titled debut album, which included a re-recorded version of “Riding Away”. Their next big step was in 1982, when they recorded the album “Bad Widow” at a small studio owned by Hanns Schmidt-Theissen, who also played keyboards for them live. This collaboration helped the band get more attention, even though money was tight. By 1983, the line-up changed again: Robert Prskalowicz joined on bass, replacing Hauptmann. This formation became the most famous version of Cacumen. Still, success was slow, and the band realized they needed a fresh image and a new identity.
In 1985, everything changed. Cacumen signed a deal with BMG, but the label suggested something important – the name Cacumen was too hard to pronounce and not very marketable internationally. The band agreed to change it, and after brainstorming, they chose Bonfire. The name was simple, powerful, and memorable. In May 1986, Cacumen officially became Bonfire, and the band got ready for the next chapter.
The band’s worldwide debut as Bonfire came in June 1986, with the album “Don’t Touch the Light”. It was a pure 80s hard rock record – big guitars, melodic hooks, powerful vocals. Songs like “Starin’ Eyes”, “Hot To Rock”, “You Make Me Feel” and the title track became fan favorites. This album gave Bonfire international attention, especially in Europe and Japan. But the real explosion happened in 1987 with their second album, “Fireworks”. Produced with a bigger budget and featuring polished songwriting, Fireworks became Bonfire’s most iconic album. Tracks like “Sleeping All Alone”, “Champion” and “Ready 4 Reaction” defined their sound – melodic hard rock with a metallic edge. However, during the recording of ‘Fireworks”, drummer Dominik Hülshorst left the band due to musical differences. The band recorded the drums with Ken Mary from Fifth Angel, and continued as a four-piece.
As Bonfire toured and promoted Fireworks, problems started to appear. Guitarist Horst Maier-Thorn had to leave in 1988 due to health issues (rheumatism), and was replaced by Angel Schleifer from Mad Max and Pretty Maids.
By 1989, internal tensions grew. Hans Ziller had disagreements with the label and management, partly due to family commitments. He was fired from Bonfire – a shocking move that left the band without its founder. Ziller formed his new band, EZ Livin’.
Still, Bonfire kept going, releasing more albums. But when grunge took over in the early 90s, the situation worsened. After the disappointing response to their fourth album, “Knock Out”, Claus Lessmann left in 1992. His departure was a big blow. Bonfire tried to continue with Michael Bormann (later of Jaded Heart), but the momentum was gone. By 1994, Bonfire played their last show and went silent – without an official breakup.
Meanwhile, Lessmann and Ziller (who had already formed a new band – EZ Livin’) never lost their friendship. After Bonfire fell apart, they reunited for a project called Lessmann/Ziller, releasing the German-sung EP “Glaub Dran” in 1993. In 1995, this project turned into a band called Ex, with former Bonfire members Joerg Deisinger and Dominik Hülshorst joining. But both Claus and Hans knew one thing: to win back their fans, they needed the name Bonfire.
In 1996, legal steps were taken, and on July 3, 1996, Claus and Hans regained the rights to the Bonfire name. The comeback was official. They reissued “Glaub Dran” with English versions of the songs and started working on new music. The line-up now included Claus, Hans, Chris Lausmann (guitar/keyboards), Uwe Köhler (bass), and Jürgen Wiehler (drums). Bonfire was alive again – and stronger than ever.
From the late 90s into the 2000s, Bonfire kept releasing albums regularly and toured worldwide. They even celebrated their history with the five-part CD series “The Early Days”, which included reissues of all the pre-Bonfire material (Cacumen, EZ Livin’ and Lessmann/Ziller).
In 2006, Bonfire marked their 20th anniversary, and in 2008, they did something unique: they released a rock opera album called “The Räuber”. Bonfire also made a long-awaited return to the U.S. at Rocklahoma 2009. In 2010, they briefly signed with Universal Music and released the single “Deutsche National Hymne” for the FIFA World Cup on South Africa.
In 2015, things changed again. Longtime singer Claus Lessmann left after disagreements with Hans Ziller. Along with him, bassist Uwe Köhler and guitarist Chris Limburg also departed. Hans decided to keep Bonfire alive, bringing in David Reece (ex-Accept, Bangalore Choir) on vocals, Ronnie Parkes (bass), and Frank Pané (guitar). Reece stayed only until mid-2016, when Alexx Stahl joined as the new permanent singer. Stahl’s powerful voice gave Bonfire a new boost, and with this line-up, the band entered a fresh creative phase. In 2016, they released “Pearls”, a double album featuring re-recorded classics. Since then, Bonfire has continued to release new albums, proving they are far from done. The German hard rock/heavy metal myth has released the following albums: “Byte the Bullet” (2017), “Temple of Lies” (2018), “Legends” (2018), “Fistful of Fire” (2020) and “Higher Ground” (2025). Bonfire continues to tour and its current line-up is: Hans Ziller (guitars, backing vocals), Ronnie Parkes (bass, backing vocals), Frank Pané (guitars, backing vocals), Fabio Alessandrini (drums) and Dyan (lead vocals).
… Bonfire is a symbol of resilience and musical dignity. From the local Bavarian scene to international fame, through many changes, issues and rough circumstances, Bonfire never gave up. Their melodic hard rock/metal sound, combined with German precision and passion, influenced countless bands in Europe. Songs like “Ready 4 Reaction”, “Sweet Obsession”, “You Make Me Feel”, “Starin’ Eyes” and “American Nights” remain anthems for hard rock/metal fans worldwide. Their albums “Don’t Touch the Light” and “Fireworks” are considered classics of the genre. Even today, Bonfire celebrate their incredible journey. For more than 50 years, from Cacumen to Bonfire, the fire still burns bright.
Our melodic hard rock/metal rendezvous is at Golden R. Festival 2025 in Volos, Greece #GRF25
