November and December of 1980 KROKUS record at the Roundhouse Studios in London their follow-up album "Hardware". The album is engineered by Mark Dearnley and mastered by Ian Cooper at the Townhouse in London. The album is produced by KROKUS.

Around that time American Manager Butch Stone, who used to manage Black Oak Arkansas, takes over their career direction. The band met Butch during their US tour in Chicago.

The 1981 release of "Hardware" brings along the hit "Rock City". The album charts in the UK at #44, #103 in the US and earns a "Gold Record Award" in Switzerland immediately upon release. Contains also the big hits "Winning Man", "Celebration" and the ultimate anthem for their hard rocking fans, "Easy Rocker". All remain regular staples in their live set-list to this day.

The first major line-up change happens when founding member Tommy Kiefer leaves the band. He fights his heroin addiction and plays in his homeland a more bluesy style of music with his own band. Sadly, on Christmas eve of 1986 he passes on. May he rest in peace in rock heaven!

Tommy himself suggests the then 19-year old Mandy Meyer as his replacement (see the picture in MULTIMEDIA > KROKUS PICTURES > 1981 HARDWARE). Mandy plays the famous "Hammersmith Odeon" in London (see MULTIMEDIA > KROKUS VIDEO > 1981 SHE'S GOT EVERYTHING) as part of the UK tour, additional European countries and the US. Before the follow-up of "Hardware" will be recorded, Mandy leaves the band. He joins Cobra and a little later Asia (to replace Steve Howe), forms Katmandu and much later is part of Swiss band Gotthard (which was successfully produced by Chris Von Rohr during his time away from KROKUS). Mandy will join KROKUS again in 2005 to replace Fernando Von Arb during some European dates and the US club tour. In 2006 he records for the first time as a KROKUS member and contributes to the "Hellraiser" release.