ACCEPT's MARK TORNILLO Isn't Thinking About Retirement: 'I Don't See Any Reason To Stop'

In a recent interview with Rapture Radio, ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo was asked if there has been any talk of him retiring any time soon. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Well, the way I really feel about it is as long as I'm capable and there's people that wanna see us, I don't see any reason to stop. I mean, I'm not getting any younger, obviously. I turned 70 [in 2024]. I can't believe that. I meet people and they go, 'You're not 70.' I go, 'Yeah, I really am.'

"As long as I can continue to sing and not have to compromise it, not have to tune down and do whatever people do, run tracks — then I'm not going there, then it's time to step aside," he continued. "But if we can continue to play on the level we play and I can continue to sing, I don't see any reason not to keep going."

Asked if he does anything special to keep his voice in shape, Mark said: "I drink a lot of beer. [Laughs] I mean, really the only precautionary measures I take is I get a decent warm-up, because if you come out of the gate just screaming and growling like that, I'll get two songs and I'll be done. It's a muscle, man. But there are guys who don't. I've talked to Rob Halford [of JUDAS PRIEST]. He doesn't warm up. Ripper [ex-JUDAS PRIEST and current KK'S PRIEST singer Tim Owens] doesn't warm up. They just go out and go for it. Rob says, 'Yeah, I'll put two easy songs in the beginning just so I don't have to kill myself right out of the gate,' which is good, if you can do it. I don't think we have any easy songs — not for me. 'Cause I paint myself into a corner on every frickin' album. And [producer] Andy [Sneap] will go, 'Oh, well, you can sing that part higher, can't you?' 'Yeah, I could.' 'Well, just do it.' 'Okay.' 'We don't have to necessarily use it. Just do it.' Of course, he takes the highest, nastiest things and puts them on the record. And then I've gotta go out and sing it. It's what it is. But I love it, man. So, why not?"

On a recent episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),Tornillo was asked if he is able to maintain an exercise routine while he is on tour. "I try to," Mark responded. "We try to book hotel rooms that have gyms, but otherwise I'll be down here on the floor later before I go to the gig, man, stretching and doing core."

Tornillo went on to say that he "just turned 70 in June" and added that he wears his age "like a badge at this point."

As for his vocal warm-up routing prior to performing live, Mark revealed that he sings into a rolled-up towel. He explained: "The way this started for me was way back in early '80s, I used to just scream my ass off, drink two six-packs in the dressing room before we would go on. And we were playing at a club called Soap Factory in New Jersey, and the dressing room was right next to the owner's office. And I'm in there screaming, yelling, 'Argh. Arghh,' just trying to get loosened up. The guy comes in and goes, 'You shut the hell up. I'm on the telephone. I can't even think.' I'm, like, 'Well, I've gotta warm up.' 'Well, stick something in your face. I don't know.' 'Hey, here's an idea.' I rolled up a towel and put it [over my mouth], and I've never not done it since. So I just do my warm-up — I have a proper exercise [routine] — and I just do it in the towel, though.

"When I first joined ACCEPT, I had sang hard on a consistent basis for a long time," he continued. "I was in a few cover bands in the '90s and the 2000s. But we wouldn't play all the time. So I said, 'Well, if I'm gonna do this night after night after night, I'd better go get some help, maybe, just see what I can find out.' I went to a guy who was recommended to me. His name is Mark Baxter in New York. He's worked with Steven Tyler… Well, that says it all right there. That's the only thing you need to know. And he says, 'Look, I can't teach you how to sing. You know how to sing. I can hear it. I listened to your records. I can hear you sing.' I said, 'Yeah, all right. What do you got'? And it's just a series of — it's scales, but it's all different positions of your tongue and your jaw and the vowels. Because vowels mean everything. If you change to go from an 'E' to a 'U' or something like that, it feels like you're in a different throat… And nobody knows why."

ACCEPT will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025-2026. To mark this mammoth milestone, ACCEPT will ring in the band's golden birthday with a very unique anniversary tour at the end of 2025. An anniversary album will be released early 2026.

Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre. Hoffmann's guitar style and musical vision have made the band one of the most respected on the heavy metal scene.

After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf was introduced to New Jersey singer Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums. ACCEPT continues to be celebrated for each of their new records with Mark, who is now the longest-reigning frontman of ACCEPT, placing the Hoffmann-Tornillo partnership firmly in the Metal Hall Of Fame.

For decades, ACCEPT has been recognized as a guarantee of high quality and each of their albums has reached the top of the charts, delivering energy, melodies, killer riffs and an impressively powerful stage presence for 50 years.

ACCEPT and KK'S PRIEST recently joined forces for a summer/fall 2024 North American tour. The run began on August 31 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada — such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — before coming to an end in San Francisco, California on October 7.

Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for Udo Dirkschneider, who was the band's original lead singer. Mark can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums, "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017),2021's "Too Mean To Die" and 2024's "Humanoid".