Metal Tuesday Series: TIMI HANSEN here with KING DIAMOND (also MERCYFUL FATE) “Abigail” US Tour, Thursday, July 30, 1987, Normans Place, Aurora, Colorado, USA, Photo: ©Bill O’Leary “Love this shot of Timi, his playing in Mercyful Fate got me hooked back then. I first saw him live (no pics) on Mercyful Fate’s “Don’t Break The Oath” US Tour in Denver October 28, 1984 at the Rainbow Music Hall, we were front row and that show blew us all away…”
Here’s a classic capture of the late, great Timi Hansen, performing live with King Diamond on the legendary Abigail U.S. Tour in 1987. Taken at Norman’s Place in Aurora, Colorado, this photo brings back powerful memories of one of metal’s most unique and underrated bassists.
Timi’s playing first grabbed my attention during his time with Mercyful Fate—dark, melodic, and deceptively technical. It wasn’t just the riffs; it was how he felt each note. That haunting tone became the backbone of Fate’s signature sound. I was hooked instantly.
Though this shot was from the Abigail tour, my first time seeing him live was earlier—on the Don’t Break the Oath U.S. Tour, October 28, 1984, at Denver’s Rainbow Music Hall. No photos that night, but the memory? Unforgettable. We were front row, and that show absolutely blew us all away. King’s vocals, Shermann’s leads, and Timi’s pulsing lines—pure heavy metal theater. That performance planted a lifelong love for both bands.
This photo from ’87 shows Timi deep in the moment, fully immersed in the eerie storytelling and theatrical chaos that defined the Abigail era. There’s a calm intensity in his expression—focused, yet somehow otherworldly. That’s what made him special: always locked in, always driving the music forward with quiet power.
Timi may be gone, but his legacy continues to thunder through the speakers. A true metal original.