TRACKLIST:
01. Pink Bubbles Go Ape
02. Kids of the Century
03. Back on the Streets
04. Number One
05. Heavy Metal Hamsters
06. Goin’ Home
07. Someone’s Crying
08. Mankind
09. I’m Doin’ Fine, Crazy Man
10. The Chance
11. Your Turn
Recorded at PUK Studios in Gjerlev, Denmark, 1990
Mixed at Battery Studios in London, England
LINEUP:
Michael Kiske – vocals
Roland Grapow – guitar
Michael Weikath – guitar
Markus Grosskopf – bass
Ingo Schwichtenberg – drums
Additional Musician:
Pete Iversen & Phil Nicholas – Keyboards
CREDITS:
Produced, Engineered and Mixed – Chris Tsangarides
Sound Engineeing – Pete Iverson and Lars Laverson
Additionial Engineering – Paul Wright
Sleeve design and photography – Storm Thorgerson and Colin Chambers
Photographer – Tony May
“Heavy Metal Hamsters” and “I’m Doin’ Fine, Crazy Man” – Recorded at Sound House Studio in Hamburg, Germany. Produced by Helloween, Engineered by Dirk Steffens and mixed by Chris Tsangarides
Pink Bubbles Go Ape is the fourth studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released on 11th March 1991. It was also the first album released on EMI Records. It marked the departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, with Roland Grapow replacing him.
The album contains two singles, “Kids of the Century” and “Number One”.
“Kids of the Century” reached #56 in the United Kingdom.
The track “Heavy Metal Hamsters” (supposedly written about the band’s former record company) was, according to Michael Weikath, never intended to be on the album, but rather on a B-side of a single.
Storm Thorgerson designed the Pink Bubbles Go Ape’s cover and the girl on that cover is his niece. Thorgerson also directed the video for “Kids of the Century.”
After the album was released, a lawsuit stopped Helloween from touring for a year. In the spring of 1992 an agreement was done, and they could finally play on a short European Tour starting in Hamburg 30 April 1992, and in the autumn they also played some shows in Japan.