Mikkey Dee

Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou (born 31 October 1963), known professionally as Mikkey Dee, is a Swedish musician, who has played drums for Scorpions since 2016. He was the drummer for Motörhead from 1992 until 2015 and has played with other artists including King Diamond, Helloween and Don Dokken.

Mikkey Dee
Dee in 2015
Dee in 2015
Background information
Birth nameMicael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Born (1963-10-31) 31 October 1963
Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres
Occupation(s)Drummer
Years active1983–present

Early life and influences

Dee was born in Gothenburg, Sweden to a Greek father and a Swedish mother.[1]

He began his musical career with local bands Nadir and Geisha. His main influences include Ian Paice, Brian Downey, Neil Peart Steve Smith and Buddy Rich.[2]

Career

King Diamond (1985–1989)
Dee with King Diamond in 1987

Having moved to Copenhagen, Denmark to play with Geisha,[2] Dee joined King Diamond in 1985. He played on the King Diamond recordings Fatal Portrait (1986), Abigail (1987) and Them (1988). King Diamond himself was becoming quite popular and the musicians backing him were taking a secondary role in the writing and decision making. After the completion of the supporting tour for Them, Dee decided to leave the band as he felt that he was becoming more of a backup musician rather than an equal contributing songwriter. However, he was rehired to play session drums for the recording of the band's follow-up album, Conspiracy (1989). After completion of the album, he was replaced by Snowy Shaw.

Don Dokken (1990)

Dee joined Don Dokken for his solo album Up from the Ashes (1990). The music videos for the songs "Stay" and "Mirror Mirror" received airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball. The band headlined their own tour as well as opening for Judas Priest. During this time, Dee also filled in temporarily for the band World War Three (WWIII).

Motörhead and other work (1992–2015)
Dee performing a drum solo

While King Diamond was touring with Motörhead, frontman Lemmy repeatedly asked Dee to join his band.[3] In 1992, Dee accepted, replacing Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor.[4] On his replacement of a longstanding member, Dee said in 2006:

"Phil Taylor was great when he was good... so I could never have filled that space. It's like when you get married and have kids; no one can take my father's place… I could never be Phil Taylor, so I had to introduce Mikkey Dee into Motörhead."[5]

Dee's first gig with the band was on 30 August 1992 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in New York.[6] He did not have much input on that year's March ör Die album which had been recorded with Tommy Aldridge prior to Dee joining. Dee played on the band's albums Hellraiser and Hell on Earth – the soundtrack for Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth.

Although Aldridge recorded most of the drum tracks, Dee's photo appeared on the rear album sleeve. Aldridge said that Dee could take credit for the playing but Dee declined, citing differing styles.

Dee performing with Motörhead at Ursynalia Festival 2013, Warsaw, Poland

Epic Records dropped the band after the soundtrack's release and the group continued recording with German label SPV. They also started a label called "Motörhead" which was distributed through Warner-Chappell and ZYX. Dee's first album for this label was 1993's Bastards.

Dee also played drums on Helloween's 2003 album Rabbit Don't Come Easy, stepping in for Mark Cross.

In April 2006, King Diamond reunited with Dee at a sold-out gig at Kåren in Gothenburg, Sweden.[7] King referred to Dee as "one of the best [drummers] of all time and that's something that has bothered us since he left."[8]

Dee played drums for Martin "E-Type" Eriksson in the Swedish pre-qualification for the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 as well as on E-Type's 2003 EuroMetal Tour.

Dee was a contestant on series 1 of Kändisdjungeln on TV4 in 2009 but was eliminated in the 15th episode. While filming, his place was filled on tour by Matt Sorum, who commented: "I thought either Mikkey would either die in the jungle or I would die on the Motörhead tour."[9]

Following Lemmy's death in December 2015, Dee announced that Motörhead had disbanded.[10][11]

Scorpions (2016–present)

Dee joined Thin Lizzy to play on their anniversary shows in January 2016. However, on 19 April, it was announced that he would not be participating.[12] Subsequently, it was announced that Dee would be filling in for James Kottak on the Scorpions' twelve North American headlining dates, including a run of shows at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas dubbed "Scorpions blacked out in Las Vegas".[13][14] Dee later joined the band permanently.[15]

Musical style

Dee is known for lengthy drum solos, often lasting between five and fifteen minutes. Some notable examples include those that appear in Sacrifice, In the Name of Tragedy, and The One to Sing the Blues.

Equipment

Dee uses Sonor drums, Paiste cymbals, Evans drumheads, and Wincent Drums sticks. He endorsed Vic Firth, but recently switched to Wincent, with whom he has his own signature model. He also used Remo heads in the past.[16] His main kit is a Sonor SQ2 Vintage Maple Custom Finish set.[17]

Personal life

Dee is an avid ice hockey fan and a supporter of the Frölunda HC team from Gothenburg. The rumor that he was a member of a Swedish National Youth Hockey team, which began with an interview on Motörhead's Stage Fright DVD, has been rebutted by Dee himself. He stated: "At the end of the 80s and a bit into the 90s I played for a team called Team Sweden in southern California."[18]

Mikkey Dee lives in Gothenburg with his longtime girlfriend Mia. They have two sons together.

In 2019, Dee opened a rock bar in Paris named Alabama.[19]

In 2022 he used his ability to drive articulated trucks to advertise Volvo's Electric Trucks.[20]

Discography

King Diamond

Don Dokken

Motörhead

Helloween

Scorpions

Other

References
  1. "Biography for Mikkey Dee". IMDb. Retrieved 29 March 2007. Also gives date of birth.
  2. "Mikkey Dee (Motörhead) Interview". Metal Rules – Heart of Steel: Interviews. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
  3. "King Diamond: Abigail - European Tour (1987-12-10 / Karlsruhe, Germany / Gartenhalle". 1 April 2016.
  4. Lemmy (2002). White Line Fever Simon & Schuster p. 243. ISBN 0-684-85868-1.
  5. Burridge, Alan (March 2007). "Interview with Mikkey Dee by Artyom Golew – became cover story in Sep 2006 issue of Russian Alive magazine". Motörheadbangers. 27 (78): 6–9.
  6. Burridge, Alan Illustrated Collector's Guide to Motorhead Published: 1995, Collector's Guide Publishing p. 62. ISBN 0-9695736-2-6.
  7. "MOTÖRHEAD's MIKKEY DEE Jams With KING DIAMOND in Sweden". Blabbermouth.net. 21 April 2006. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
  8. "Diamonds Are Forever: An Exclusive Interview With King Diamond". KNAC. 31 December 2001. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
  9. Kern, Rob: "What's been the highlight of the shows? That I'm still alive!"; Classic Rock #138, November 2009, p19
  10. "MIKKEY DEE: 'MOTÖRHEAD Is Over'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  11. "Motorhead Drummer: 'Motorhead Is Over, Of Course'". Rolling Stone. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  12. "Thin Lizzy announce bass player and drummers for upcoming shows". Metal Shock Finland. 19 April 2016.
  13. "Scorpions Recruit Mikkey Dee To Fill In On U.S. Dates". www.the-scorpions.com. 28 April 2016. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  14. "SCORPIONS Recruit MOTÖRHEAD Drummer Mikkey Dee For U.S. Tour". 28 April 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  15. "Former MOTÖRHEAD Drummer MIKKEY DEE Joins SCORPIONS As Permanent Member". Blabbermouth.net. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  16. "Wincent Drumsticks profile". Wincent Drimsticks. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  17. Lentz, Andrew (11 March 2014). "Mikkey Dee: Shock The System". Drum!. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  18. "Interview with Mikkey Dee". Slitz: 60. September 2008.
  19. "Scorpions ex Motöthead Drummer Mikkey Dee to Open Alabama Rock Bar in Paris". 14 March 2019.
  20. Volvo Trucks –Volvo FMX Electric flexibility. Skills at new heights., retrieved 10 September 2022
  21. "Nadir (Swe) • Swedish Hard and Heavy Encyclopedia". Fwoshm.com. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
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