The career of these five Swiss moves on as straightforward as its sound. The first demo was produced as soon as Shakra was formed. Shortly thereafter, a worldwide album deal was signed with Point-Music in Munich. And the production of the debut album >>Shakra<<, under the direction of Thom Blunier, began right away, receiving delighted critique and playing in big sales (in Japan, e.g., the CD came out at Teichiku Records, which even produced radio jingles to promote Shakra). Afterwards, a tour with Wishbone Ash and Guitar Slingers (two members of the Leningrad Cowboys), in order to confirm within two weeks what was so clearly shown on the album: The five Swiss are also fantastic live! They had already played headliner shows and supported big shows like Yngwie J. Mamsteen and Bonfire.
Not allowing themselves a calm moment, the otherwise easy-going Swiss put out their second album >>Moving Force<< in 1999. Through various acts during their second album, Shakra was able to gather up fan and press support, leading to tours with Unrest, Uriah Heep and Great White. During the Uriah Heep tour in December 1999, Shakra made live cuts of three concerts. Excited with the results, it was spontaneously decided to burn and publicize the taped cuts on a silver. The first live CD >>The Live Side<< went over the counter, followed by further supports (Bonfire and U.D.O.)
After further hard work at the studio, the third album >>Power Ride<< came out in the middle of August, 2001, and the music press fell over itself with good marks: Break Out /Over the Top, Rock Hard /9 out of 10 points, Rock It / 6 out of 6 points, Hammer 7 out of 7, and so on. Shakra decorated the covers for two title pages of two music magazines in Germany, >>Rock It<< and >>Melodic Journey<>Domain<< and >>Hotwire<<).
The band couldn‘t avoid a low note, though. Singer Pete left the band due to health reasons. Soon the young Mark Fox was able to commit his precious voice to Shakra, to be heard for the first time at Wacken Open Air, in >>Bang your Head<< in Balingen, at the Spanish >>Rockmachina<< and of course on the fourth album >>Rising<<, which came out middle of August, 2003.
SHAKRA
