Scorpions is deservedly recognized as one of the best rock bands in the world: sales of their records by 2010 reached a fantastic figure of 100 million copies, in the list of "The Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" the band is in 46th place. Over the 50 years of their existence, Scorpions have released 18 full-lengths, 74 singles and 27 compilations.
The compositions "Still Loving You", "Wind of Change", "Send Me an Angel" firmly established themselves among other golden rock hits.
The group was formed in 1965 in Germany. Four years later, founder Rudolf Schenker was joined by his younger brother Michael and singer Klaus Meine. In 1972, the Scorpions released their debut album, Lonesome Crow. By the mid-70s, the group had gained enough fame in their homeland, and set their sights on conquering the United States, where their music was stubbornly ignored. The discs In Trance and Virgin Killer opened the way for the musicians to the top of the European hit parades, many Scorpions fans are found in the East, in particular, in the Land of the Rising Sun.
In 1978, the band changed the lead guitarist, and a year later presented their triumphal album Lovedrive to the public. It was then that the group acquired its unique signature sound and went on its first tour of the States. Released in 1980, Animal Magnetism gave the Scorpions a solid foothold in the US music market and ushered in an era of grandiose tours. In 1981, Klaus Mein began to experience problems with his vocal cords, which threatened the existence of the entire band, but thanks to the support of his friends, the vocalist managed to recover and continue working. The Blackout record was named the best hard rock album of 1982, the next couple of years the Scorpions spend the next couple of years on enchanting tours with a powerful sound, spectacular pyrotechnics and light shows. No one had any doubts that the golden era for the group had come - the Rolling Stones magazine recognized the Scorpions as "heavy metal heroes".
Along with other laurels, Scorpions became the first band to break through the Iron Curtain - their concerts in Leningrad were attended by more than 350 thousand fans. Later, the band visited the USSR more than once, and Klaus Mein, deeply impressed by the Moscow World Music Festival, wrote the composition Wind of Change, and then its Russian version, which, of course, had a crushing success.
The 90s became a no less successful period for the band, the Scorpions literally bask in the rays of glory, it was then that their most successful album Crazy World was recorded. By the end of the decade, the musicians begin to feel tired, but gather their strength and work on the release of Eye II Eye, after which they are sent to conquer Asia.
In 2001, the group visits the CIS countries with tours and explores Eastern Europe. The year 2004 was marked by the release of the Unbreakable record, which again only confirmed the status of hard rock legends. Between 2010 and 2012, the Scorpions were on the Get Your Sting and Blackout concert tour, originally a farewell tour for the group, but for their 50th anniversary in 2015, the rock legends released the Return to Forever album, which included previously unreleased songs. Along with this, the Scorpions are again going on another world tour in honor of their 50th anniversary.
By the turn of the new millennium and exactly 35 years since the founding of the most successful German rock band of all time, the SCORPIONS, Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs can leaf through the pages of their impressive history together. in the international music business.
Like many teenagers in post-war Germany, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker were influenced by music and other delights of modern life brought to their homeland by American soldiers: Elvis Presley, chewing gum, blue jeans, leather vests and, above all, rock n -roll. From an early age, Klaus and Rudolf felt an irresistible desire to pick up a guitar and step out into the limelight. In the early 60s, the Beatles made a beat revolution. And in the mid-60s, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker, blessed by understanding parents, also began performing with their beat groups.
Rudolf Schenker, guitarist/songwriter, was inspired by the rough riffs of bands like the Yardbirds, Pretty Things and Spooky Tooth, who were considered real hard rockers in those days.
Rudolf's younger brother Michael (Michael Schenker) was fascinated by beat music and the emerging rock culture.
With the advent of the New Year 1970, the younger Schenker, who despite his youth had already established himself as an outstanding guitarist, left the Hanoverian band Copernicus with singer/songwriter Klaus Meine to join the SCORPIONS. Klaus and Rudolf teamed up to form the excellent Meine/Schenker creative duo, laying the foundation for an impressive success story.
In 1972 the SCORPIONS released the remarkable debut album Lonesome Crow (1972) produced by Conny Plank in Hamburg. The vocal and instrumental motifs that a few years later became the typical, invariable Scorpio sound are already recognizable: uncompromising guitar hard rock like that played by Jimmy Hendrix (Jimmy Hendrix), Cream, Led Zeppelin in the mid-60s.
The peculiar style of the SCORPIONS is the result of a combination of two electric guitars: with unusually powerful riffs and with dazzling ornate solos. Add to that the instantly recognizable voice of singer and frontman Klaus Meine with his expressive, brilliant delivery.
In a way, the SCORPIONS were unique in the German rock scene of that period. From the very beginning, the group aimed to reach the top of the world hard rock business, so Klaus Meine wrote all the lyrics in English. In the creative union of Meine and Schenker, Germany finally found a worthy answer to the famous beat and rock teams from the English-speaking world.
The first album "Lonesome Crow" set the band on the road to international success. The SCORPIONS have supported Rory Gallagher, UFO and Uriah Heep.
Throughout the history of the Scorpions, Rudolf Schenker has been its unwavering driving force. He followed his father's life philosophy: "Nothing is impossible, you just have to believe." From the early days of the SCORPIONS, Rudolf Schenker said without too much modesty: "One day the SCORPIONS will become one of the best rock bands in the world!" The other members of the group were also committed to this idea.
SCORPIONS never rest on their laurels and are constantly looking for something new. They used every opportunity to improve their professional level and get closer to success.
In 1973, after a joint tour with UFO, Michael Schenker joined this British rock band. He was replaced by Ulrich Roht as lead guitarist in Skorpovsky's place. He too was an exceptional guitarist with an almost mystical talent. With Ulrich, the SCORPIONS continued their exploration of the hard rock genre.
In the 70s they undertook several tours in Western Europe, playing in numerous venues and conquering country after country. They appeared wherever it was possible to connect their instruments. In 1973 they were the opening act for The Sweet on their first European tour. At the same time, the SCORPIONS continued to work on studio albums, of which the next four were recorded with Ulrich. "Fly To The Rainbow" (1974) features hard, high-energy rock never before heard from a German band. The title track "Speedy's Coming" epitomizes the SCORPIONS style: ultra-hard rock harmonized with catchy melodies.
Starting with their third album "In Trance" (1975), the SCORPIONS have been working with renowned international producer Dieter Dirks. They resolutely undertook to make a career in hard rock. "In Trance" became a bestseller in Japan, where a real Scorpion Mania broke out.
In 1975, the SCORPIONS toured Europe, where they were "highlights" along with KISS. In the same year they were recognized as the best live band in Germany. While touring the UK, the SCORPIONS found themselves in the very "lion's den": they had the honor of performing at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool ("Cavern Club"). In this cradle of hard rock, they have managed to gain recognition from even the most die-hard British fans. Further successes of the Scorpions in the mid-70s were concerts at the famous London club The Marquee.
The SCORPIONS dream of becoming the best German rock band came true when their fourth album "Virgin Killer" (1976) won the Album of the Year award in Germany. In Japan, "Virgin Killer" was certified gold for the first time in the band's history.
The next album "Taken By Force" (1977) also went gold in Japan.
In 1978, the SCORPIONS toured Japan, the world's second largest music market, where they first experienced what it meant to be a superstar. Upon arrival at the Tokyo airport, the five of our rockers were surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic fans.
After the Japanese tour, Ulrich Roth left the band. The double album "Tokyo Tapes" (1978) seemed to sum up the period of collaboration between the SCORPIONS and Ulrich. This record is even now highly valued by collectors all over the world.
Michael Schenker returned to the group for a short time (he recorded parts in some songs with Lovedrive), and then Matthias Jabs finally took the vacant place of the guitarist. This was preceded by a huge amount of work. In 1978, an announcement appeared in Melody Maker magazine: The SCORPIONS were looking for a new lead guitarist. In London, they had to listen to more than 140 applicants, until they chose their fellow Hanoverian Matthias Jabs. Having joined the work at the very end, Matthias nevertheless immediately joined the recording of "Lovedrive". The album was a huge triumph for the band and still remains one of the best SCORPIONS albums. The cover won the Best Art Direction of the Year award.
As already mentioned, Michael Schenker briefly joined the band in 1978, but left it again right in the middle of the tour. In 1980, he created his own group MSG (The Michael Schenker's Group).
Matthias Jabs, one might say, jumped on the bandwagon of the departing train, having accomplished a real feat: just the night before, he learned the entire program of the upcoming tour. His baptism of fire came when the SCORPIONS played in front of a crowd of 55,000 as the opening act for Genesis. In Matthias, the SCORPIONS have finally found a lead guitarist whose enthusiasm, virtuosity and creativity have made a decisive contribution to the band's success. Thanks to him, the Scorpio sound became even richer and more expressive. Like the missing piece of the puzzle, his guitar perfectly complemented the band's dynamics, creating what we call the SCORPIONS' unique sound.
Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs still form the backbone of the group.
With bassist Francis Buhholz (he joined the band in 1973 at the same time as Ulrich Roth) and drummer Herman Rarebell (he made his debut during the recording of Taken By Force) they finally established an "all-star line-up ", who was destined to continue the victorious march until the Wind Of Change.
Already hailed as a supergroup in Japan in 1978, in 1979 the SCORPIONS set out to conquer the huge US market. Their weapon: a professional attitude to business, unbending will to win and a friendly atmosphere both within the group and in relation to the fans. And, of course, amazing musicality. The SCORPIONS had a very long way to go before they formed their own unique musical image on the world rock scene.
In the 80s. The US had the largest music market in the world. And since 1974 the SCORPIONS have had a lot of followers in the States. Van Halen launched a career in music with cover versions of Scorpio hits "Speedy's Coming" (with "Fly To The Rainbow") and "Catch Your Train" (with "Virgin Killer").
In 1979, now professionally produced and fueled by the success of "Lovedrive" (1979), the SCORPIONS, with their permanent line-up of Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, began their first major American tour, playing open-air concerts with Aerosmith, Tad Nugent and AC/DC. In Chicago, the SCORPIONS took over from Ted Nugent and the Scorpions have had more fans in the city ever since. This tour was a good lesson for the SCORPIONS in the rock business.
Their seventh album, "Lovedrive", was released in the US in 1979 and became the first SCORPIONS record to be certified gold there. The next was "Animal Magnetism" (1980).
With these two albums - "Lovedrive" and "Animal Magnetism" - the band finally made a breakthrough in North America. The SCORPIONS' second US tour was a triumph. The era of the grandiose SCORPIONS Tours has begun.
After an even more successful tour in 1981, while recording "Blackout" (1982), Klaus Meine suddenly lost his voice. Not wanting to hinder the band's success, Klaus decided to leave the SCORPIONS. But the strong friendship between Klaus and Rudolph, along with the support from all the members of the group, made it possible for the almost impossible to happen. After extensive training and two ligament surgeries, Klaus managed to recover from his injury. Moreover, in 1982 he returned with a much improved vocal performance. One critic wrote: "They gave Klaus Meine iron cords!" The group's decision not to part with their constant vocalist subsequently fully justified itself. It became the most fateful in the history of the Scorpions, because it was Klaus Meine who wrote the super hit "Wind Of Change" in 1989.
In 1982, the SCORPIONS toured the United States (supported by Iron Maiden) in support of their stunning new album, Blackout. The stunning cover design for this album was done by Helnwein. The album and single "No One Like You" hit the US "Top Ten", and the album went platinum and won the "Best Hard Rock Album of the Year" award.
One hit after another - and in the 80's SCORPIONS won the hearts of rock fans from all over the world. In 1984, the SCORPIONS became the first German band to play three successful shows for 60,000 fans at New York's Madison Square Garden.
SCORPIONS climbed to the very top of the musical Olympus. Three of their albums hit the American charts at once: "Animal Magnetism" (1980), "Blackout" (1982) and "Love At First Sting" (1984). The SCORPIONS spent 2 years on the road playing every major rock festival that followed Woodstock. They toured the world with entire squadrons of trucks, buses, helicopters, their own planes and traditional limousines. The Hanoverian heavy metal band has now given grandiose concerts in North, South, Central America, Europe, as well as in Asia - in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Japan. It was the "golden age" of hard rock. Giant stages, lighting and pyrotechnic effects - SCORPIONS brought down a storm of light and sound on the audience.
Their inexhaustible energy drove the fans crazy. For American audiences, the SCORPIONS, with their brilliant, polished "melodic rock" and Klaus Meine's powerful, dramatic vocals, are the epitome of all that is best in hard rock. Bon Jovi, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Europe, who later became supergroups, played as the opening act for the SCORPIONS, gaining invaluable experience performing in front of a crowd of millions.
"Love At First Sting" became one of the most successful albums in rock history. It includes some of Scorpio's most heartbreaking stuff like "Rock You Like A Hurricane", "Bad Boys Running Wild" and the timeless masterpiece "Still Loving You".
Critics competed in rave reviews. Rolling Stone Magazine called the SCORPIONS "Heavy Metal Heroes". The SCORPIONS have been accepted into an exclusive club of 30 of the greatest rock bands of all time. The ballad "Still Loving You" has become an international rock anthem. In France alone, this single sold 1,700,000 copies. The song caused such a wave of hysteria among French fans, which has not been seen since the days of the Beatles, and became the hallmark of the SCORPIONS.
The SCORPIONS' most memorable public appearances were in California in front of an audience of 325,000 and in Rio de Janeiro, where they were greeted by 350,000 enthusiastic South American fans. In 1985, the double album "World Wide Live" (1985), the twin brother of "Tokyo Tapes", captured in all its colors the band's recent international triumph.
In 1986, the SCORPIONS were the "highlights" at the famous "Monsters Of Rock" festival. And in the same year they played in the capital of Hungary, Budapest. This was their first appearance in an Eastern Bloc country.
The SCORPIONS have charted consistently with hits like "Rock You Like A Hurricane", "Blackout", "Big City Nights", "The Zoo", "No One Like You", "Dynamite", "Bad Boys Running Wild" , Coast To Coast. In the 1980s, the Scorpions created a new brand of hard rock that has not lost popularity to this day. And their powerful rock ballads like "Still Loving You", "Holiday", "Wind Of Change", "Send Me An Angel", "When You Came Into My Life", "You & I" along with wonderful acoustic songs "Always Somewhere" and "When The Smoke Is Going Down" - were able to conquer even the most hardened haters of hard rock.
"Savage Amusement" (1988), the last album produced by Dieter Dirks, was released in 1988. It reached number 3 in the US charts and number 1 in Europe.
Even after many years of touring the US and the rest of the world, the SCORPIONS didn't "rest on their laurels" but continued to look for something new. On the eve of the "Savage Amusement" world tour in 1988, the SCORPIONS broke through the "Iron Curtain" and played 10 sold-out concerts in Leningrad for 350,000 Soviet fans. They became the first foreign rock band to play in the USSR, a stronghold of communism. Hard rock, heavy metal and, in particular, the Scorpion ballad "Still Loving You" have already penetrated the Iron Curtain. SCORPIONS still meet with an enthusiastic reception in Russia.
And a year later, in August 1989, 20 years after Woodstock, the Soviet authorities, inspired by the success of Scorpov's concerts in Leningrad, gave the go-ahead for the legendary Moscow Music and Peace Festival. Here the SCORPIONS performed alongside other hard rock monsters such as Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, Motley Crew and the Russian band Gorky Park in front of 260,000 Soviet rock fans at the Moscow Stadium. Lenin.
In September 1989, Klaus Meine, inspired by the Moscow Peace Festival, created the hit "Wind of change".
Then, in November 1989, a completely unexpected event happened. The Berlin Wall was destroyed. "Wind Of Change" has become a worldwide anthem for glasnost and perestroika, a kind of soundtrack to the fall of the Iron Curtain, communism and the end of the Cold War. A year later, in 1990, the SCORPIONS performed in Roger Waters' spectacular show "The Wall" at Potsdamer Platz, where a fragment of the Berlin Wall once stood.
"Wind Of Change" was such a success in Russia that the Scorpions soon recorded a Russian version of the hit. Thanks to this wise decision, they gained a high-ranking admirer: in 1991, the German group was invited to the Kremlin to meet Mikhail Gorbachev, the last President of the USSR and party leader. It was a unique event in the history of the Soviet Union and rock music.
The SCORPIONS themselves were also touched by the "wind of change". Before the recording and release of the new album "Crazy World" (1990), their long collaboration with Dieter Dirks, who produced so many successful albums, came to an end. "Crazy World", the first album produced by the SCORPIONS themselves (with the help of Keith Olsen), which included "Wind Of Change", immediately became the most successful album of the year. Not only "Crazy World" received such an honor: the single "Wind Of Change" became a No. 1 hit in the world, taking the first position in the charts of 11 countries.
In 1992 the SCORPIONS received the "World Music Prize" as the most successful German rock band. "Crazy World" is a clear proof of the writing talents of the Scorpion masterminds: Matthias Jabs contributed with the dynamic title track "Tease Me Please Me", while Rudolf Schenker once again proved his ability to hit the mark with the classic Scorpion ballad" Send Me An Angel" and Klaus Meine's brilliance in "Wind Of Change".
Following the "Crazy World" tour, the SCORPIONS parted ways with their bassist Francis Buchholz. "Face The Heat" (1993) (co-produced by Bruce Fairbairn) featured a new bass player, Ralph Rieckermann, with a conservatory education.
In 1994, the SCORPIONS received the "Music Peace Prize" again.
Another significant moment in their career came when, at the invitation of the family of the "King of Rock and Roll", Priscilla and Lisa-Marie Presley, and the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson, they presented a cover version of "His Latest Time" at the Elvis Memorial Concert Presley in Memphis.
In the same year, SCORPIONS, together with the UN, provided assistance to refugees from the warring Rwanda. In just one week, the band recorded and released the charity single "White Dove".
In late 1995, while recording "Pure Instinct" (1996) (co-produced by Keith Olsen and Erwin Musper), veteran SCORPIONS drummer Herman Rabell left the band.
In 1988, during the Savage Amusement tour, the SCORPIONS were supported by the American band Kingdome Come, produced by Keith Olsen. Even then, the Scorpions were impressed by the playing style of the band's drummer, Californian James Kottak. In 1995, the Scorpions asked former AC/DC manager Stuart Young to call James and hire him as a drummer for the upcoming "Pure Instinct" world tour. Kottak became the first American to play in a German rock band. With 2 new members, bassist Ralf Rieckermann and drummer James Kottak, the SCORPIONS are a new generation of musicians.
The "Pure Instinct" world tour proved that the SCORPIONS were still one of rock's most important acts. Not only in Europe and America. In countries like Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, their album sales reached well above average levels, and their CDs continued to go gold and platinum. In November 1996, the SCORPIONS became the first rock band to play shows in Beirut since the end of the Lebanese Civil War.
In 1999, on the recording of "Eye To Eye" (1999) (produced by Peter Wolf, James Kottak took part in the studio for the first time with the Scorpions. The album cover notes some changes in the band's style. Only the founders of the SCORPIONS: Rudolf Schenker are shown on the cover , Klaus Meine and Matthias Jabs. And the album itself is another confirmation of the impressive talents of all members of the SCORPIONS as composers and instrumentalists. Songs like "Mysterious", "Yellow Butterfly", "A Moment In A Million Year", "Mind Like A Tree" and "Eye To Eye" show that the band is at the peak of their creative momentum. On "Du Bist So Schmutzig" ("You Are So Dirty"), we hear German lyrics from the Scorpions for the first time. As part of the SCORPIONS "Eye To Eye" world tour played at the invitation of Michael Jackson in a charity concert "Michael Jackson and friends" ("Michael Jackson and Friends") in Munich.
True to their motto "Don't Stop At The Top!", the SCORPIONS welcomed the new millennium with a new beginning: a joint project with the world-famous Berlin Philharmonic, formerly directed by the legendary Herbert von Karajan. The orchestra was considering a joint project and looking for a suitable band.Years later, even this classical orchestra recognized the success and international reputation of the SCORPIONS.The two "Mercedes" of German music agreed to a joint venture under the leadership of the famous Austrian producer, composer, conductor and arranger Christian Kolonovits (Christian Kolonovits The SCORPIONS began preparing as early as 1995. From that time on, both bands, so to speak, continued to work on the project. After the release of "Eye To Eye" (1999) and the subsequent world tour, the SCORPIONS went into serious business in earnest. performance of the Scorpions at the invitation of the German government at a concert held in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on November 11, 1999, on the 10th anniversary of the unification of Germany. "Wind Of Change" was performed together with the SCORPIONS by 166 cellists, and the soloist was the outstanding virtuoso cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.
In January 2000, the SCORPIONS began recording in Vienna with Christian Kolonovitz. The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra recorded their parts in April. The album was finally mixed in April/May 2000 at Galaxy Studios in Belgium. The SCORPIONS/Berlin Philharmonic collaborative album "Moment Of Glory" (2000) was released on June 19, 2000.
The first concert took place on June 22, 2000 at the EXPO-2000 exhibition in Hannover. The album also includes the exhibition's official anthem "Moment Of Glory".
In February 2001, the SCORPIONS played several acoustic shows in Lisbon. As a result, a live album "Acoustica" (2001) was recorded, which includes acoustic versions of old Skorpov's hits, as well as 3 new songs. Christian Kolonowitz again took part in the recording of the project. He worked on the arrangements and also recorded the keyboard parts for the album. Without stopping studio work, in the spring of the same year, SCORPIONS gave concerts in Russia and the CIS countries as part of the "Moment Of Glory" tour. In June, the Scorpios continued to "develop" the countries of Eastern Europe, performing for the first time in the capital of Albania, Tirana.
2001 - the album "Acoustica" and the single "When Love Kills Love" are released. A grand program was presented in Lisbon in front of 4,000 fans. It went on sale May 11th. Old songs acquired a new sound, which was largely facilitated by the huge creative potential of the group. The album peaked at number 13 on the charts. Immediately after the release of the album "Acoustica" the band went on a world tour in support of the album.
2002 - not a single album is released, but a large number of tours are made. In the spring of 2002, the SCORPIONS closed the "Acoustica Tour" with three concerts in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The SCORPIONS embarked on a gigantic US tour this summer. This year they again become the first: Scorpions - the first western rock band, which gave a total of 21 concerts in the cities of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania. They performed in major cities on both sides of the Ural Mountains, which were uninhabited territory even for Russian concert organizers. SCORPIONS were in "closed" Nizhny Novgorod, historical Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Naberezhnye Chelny, Perm, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Krasnoyarsk , in Irkutsk, in Vladivostok. Scorpions visited cities that are no less significant for the history of Ukraine. This is Odessa on the Black Sea coast, and Dnepropetrovsk on the Dnieper, and Kharkov.
2003 - SCORPIONS continue to march around the world. A very bright event of this time can be considered a huge concert for 85,000 spectators on the Schlossplatz square in Stuttgart. In May 2003, Scorpions perform in front of an audience of 40 world rulers at the celebration of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg. In September 2003 they play with the Presidential Orchestra of the Russian Federation on Red Square. It was a grand light show created by renowned designer Gert Hof. Also this year, Pawel Maciwoda, a musician from Krakow (Poland), took the place of bass guitarist Ralf Rickerman.
Late 2003-2004 - The SCORPIONS are in the studio working on their new album.
After 5 years of experimentation, the SCORPIONS return to the global hard and heavy scene with a new rock album, "Unbreakable" (2004), which was released on April 21, 2004. Critics called it the "heaviest" album since "Face the Heat", and the band's fans were delighted with the new songs: "New Generation", "Love "em or Leave "em", "Through My Eyes", "Deep and Dark ","Maybe I Maybe You".
In 2005, the SCORPIONS did a wonderful "special-guest-UK-Tour" with Judas Priest.
In July 2005, the DVD "One Night In Vienna" is released, or the full name is "Unbreakable World Tour 2004 - One Night in Vienna Live", which consists of 2 parts: one is dedicated mainly to the concert in Vienna, which took place in the summer of 2004- th on one of the islands of the Danube, and the second part is a unique material "Rockumentary" - i.e. a very extensive history of the SCORPIONS: interviews, private videos, clips and much more, which allows you to penetrate quite deeply into the history of the group.
On September 10th, 2005, the SCORPIONS fulfilled what they had long promised to their fans, namely: in the city of Colmar (Colmar, France at the Theater de Plein Air) for the first time since 1978 - after 27 years - Scorpions and Uli Jon Roth ) were together again, and in the song He "s A Woman She" s A Man they were joined by another ex-Scorpions - drummer Rudy Lenners (1975-1977). The lucky ones who attended the concert called it "magical" and say that two and a half hours flew by unnoticed.
In August 2006, the SCORPIONS were invited to play at the landmark Wacken Open Air festival, which takes place annually in an open area in the village of Wacken, an hour's drive from Hamburg, and serious passions often flare up here. So the SCORPIONS decided not to change the traditions of the festival - they managed to surprise the exacting audience of the festival and immediately after the end of the show it was called historical. Songs from 2000 - 1984 - 1980 - 1979 - 1976 - 1974 - 1972 were performed at the concert, and the current Scorpions, Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, Herman Rarebell and Tyson Schenker played together on stage. A rare show that the SCORPIONS put on can be seen on the DVD "Scorpions Live at Wacken Open Air 2006".
In 2006, the SCORPIONS spent approximately 4 months in a Los Angeles studio with producers James Michael and Desmond Child, who, along with the band, were actively developing the concept of the new 21st Scorpions album "Humanity: Hour I" (2007). Klaus Meine commented on the new album: "When we decided to create a joint project with Desmond Child, we did it not only because we knew him as a producer, but also because he is a genius songwriter who wrote so many Bon Jovi hits, Aerosmith, Kiss... We wanted to recreate the signature sound of the Scorpions, but at the same time we want to move forward in our careers, improve as artists, in the profession that we are and will continue to be. I think we made a powerful record, in the old style, in the sense that we regard this album as a whole, not the type of album that a person can download one track from the Internet and never listen to the rest. This album is holistic, it's a whole concept, and we hope that fans will listen to all his songs, from the first to the last."
Barely leaving the studio in Los Angeles, the SCORPIONS began their 2007 Tour. To the delight of Russian fans, the first concert took place in Moscow. On March 2, 2007, with a full house, the SCORPIONS gave a concert, which became one of those where, thanks to the purest sound, it was possible to appreciate how technically, harmoniously and with "drive" the Scorpions "sting", demonstrating the highest level of world hard rock. On this visit, the fans arranged a grand meeting for the band, for which the SCORPIONS thanked the Russian fans separately on their website.
May 14, 2007 21 album "Humanity: Hour I" was released to the audience. The album has 12 songs. Produced by James Michael, co-produced and co-written by Desmond Child, he has worked with stars such as Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Ricky Martin, Cher, Michael Bolton and Bonnie Tyler. Also, in the song "The Cross" not only Klaus Meine sings, but also the frontman of the Smashig Pumpkins band Billy Corgan. Other famous personalities also worked on the album. The Scorpions group managed to unwind so many ideas of these brilliant people around themselves at once and at the same time remain in their recognizable style - this is a powerful album in terms of its ideological component, these are heavy guitar riffs in an amazing combination with the group's signature ballad style, these are new Scorpions and time-tested The Scorpions are a band that once again stepped a few steps further than their contemporaries.
Until the end of 2007, the SCORPIONS are touring extensively in support of their new album, "Humanity: Hour I". They also visited the capital of Ukraine Kiev, on June 8th they performed at the Palace Square in St. Petersburg, and on June 18th this year, SCORPIONS, together with Uli Jon Roth, Joe Cocker and Juliette & The Licks, presented their Greek fans with an amazing festival in Athens.
As the band's final album, the Scorpions are ending their career with a three-year farewell world tour. On March 12, their single The Good Die Young was released. On March 18, a Scorpions concert took place in Moscow, at the Megasport Palace of Culture on Khodynskoye Pole. On April 29, as part of the farewell world tour, the group gave the only concert in Minsk, in the Minsk Arena.
On April 6, 2010, the Scorpions were immortalized on the rock alley (Rockwalk - an analogue of the alley of stars) in Hollywood. The official ceremony traditionally took place in front of the Guitar Center store, which is the organizer of the rock alley. Within its framework, the musicians left their handprints in cement tablets, which will be placed on the alley next to the prints of such famous artists as Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton and Johnny Cash.
The legendary German rock band Scorpions on the eve of a concert in Tyumen, which will take place on May 16, gave press conference, where its participants talked about fans in Russia, about their new film, about how important it is to protect your voice and much more. As part of the Russian leg of their 50th birthday tour, the musicians second time talked to the press.
After about 20 minutes of questions and answers, the event briefly turned into an autograph session: around the lead singer of the group Klaus Meine There was a line of people who wanted to get an autograph. Some prepared ahead of time and brought 1980s Scorpion vinyl albums for this. Others began to take pictures with the rock star, despite the displeasure of the organizers.
– This year a documentary film about your band was released - "Forever and a Day" (premier in the world - March 26). Are you satisfied with the result?
- We were lucky to meet a very good woman for this picture - director Katya von Garnier. She saw Scorpions from the inside when she traveled with us in 2012-2013. And well, more sincerely, differently revealed the group. Therefore, the result, in our opinion, turned out to be fantastic.
– Your new album has recently been released - Return to Forever, which is presented in several versions. And in this regard, the question is: how does the group feel about the fact that a new product appears on the Internet a few hours after the release, where it can be downloaded for free?
- Now many people think that music is free. We don't think so. If this (free download - ed.) continues, then the quality of the music will suffer greatly. What artist would want to work on himself if he doesn't get paid for his work?
– Do the Scorpions plan to play even harder? Experiment with, say, Black Metal or Dubstep, like Korn did?
- Come to the concert tomorrow, and you will see for yourself that Scorpions supports the corporate identity: it's heavy rock (literally: heavy rock) and beautiful ballads. And our new album - Return to Forever - is a wonderful continuation of it, referring to early work - the 1970s. We really hope you enjoy the album.
– What album do you consider to be the best of your career?
– (Matthias Jabs): Everything (laughs). All our albums and songs are our creativity. We analyze this material, work on the bugs. Therefore, for the group, each record and each track is significant and significant.
– Klaus, a question for you. It so happened that in the early 1980s you lost your voice during the recording of the Blackout album. Then there was a long - a whole year - a period of rehabilitation. How do you now monitor your voice, what do you do to keep it in good and working condition?
– (Klaus Meine): It is very interesting that you noticed such a moment from the distant past. This incident happened a long time ago, I no longer remember the reason. But I believe that a rock singer should take care of his instrument - his voice.
We started the world tour from China, the first Russian concert in Novosibirsk went very well last night (May 14 - ed. note). He received a lot of feedback in social networks and the media.
The tour will be long. As you know from our website, until April 2016 we plan to rock and roll around the world, so as a vocalist I need to take care of my voice. Which is what I do every night. It will be very bad if he let me down.
– You often come to Russia. How do you like our audience, especially when compared with other countries?
– (Klaus Meine): Russia is the only country where fans give us flowers. Yesterday, May 14, there was a touching and unusual incident in Novosibirsk. The fans, when we played the song Wind of Change, started to launch paper planes on the stage, on which the cities where he came from were written. Airplanes flew literally from all sides (depicts the flight of airplanes with gestures and sounds)!
It was the moment when you realize that you unite people, you feel like a part of them.
– Speaking of Wind of Change. Everyone knows the history of this song. What other countries and cities inspire you creatively to create new songs?
– (Klaus Meine): We get inspiration everywhere, at every step. Travel in principle brings inspiration: it doesn’t matter what city it is - Los Angeles, Berlin or any other. It just creates some kind of mood that forces itself to create something. You are inspired by this moment. This is how something new happens.
– Throughout your entire creative life, you have probably been asked a million different questions, literally about everything. But if we switch roles and pretend that I am Klaus Meine and you are a journalist, what question would you ask me?
– (Klaus Meine): I would say: “Klaus, why don’t you take off your sunglasses?” (audience laughs).
– Do you have any plans for free time in Tyumen? Maybe you want to see something?
– (Matthias Jabs): Today (May 15 – ed. note) there is not much time to watch something. But during dinner, we might see something at your place. And tomorrow, May 16, the whole day will be focused on preparing for the evening concert.
– Continue the logical chain: Russian cuisine - Siberian cuisine ... What comes to your mind next?
(someone from the group): Borscht?
– (Klaus Meine): Tonight we will have a chance to evaluate your cuisine. We are in Tyumen for the first time, we started the tour from Novosibirsk, so far we have not had time.
– Do you miss those times when you were less popular, playing in small clubs?
– (Klaus Meine): Yes, of course, at that time performing on a big stage and playing rock and roll was only a dream ...
The soloist of the Scorpions group Klaus Meine, whose biography is distinguished by professional brightness and respectable monotony in his personal life, according to most music experts, is one of the best vocalists in the world. Every time the song Still loving you starts, the listeners get goosebumps from such a strong and expressive timbre.
Childhood and youth. First steps in music
The legendary lead singer of the Scorpions Klaus Meine was born in Germany on May 25, 1948. Hometown is Hannover. The Klaus family belonged to the working class, and there were no prerequisites for the birth of such a unique and large-scale personality in it. However, even in early childhood, parents began to notice the boy's extraordinary musicality.
They encouraged their son's passion and even gave him a real guitar for one of his birthdays. Klaus studied perfectly and perfectly combined his studies with music lessons. Favorite entertainment for the family was his home performances in front of relatives and friends.
First steps in music
The most inspiring and guiding was the acquaintance with the music of the Beatles. He was 9 years old when he first heard the Beatles on one of the radio stations. Then, as a reference, the novice musician chose the personality of Elvis Presley, whose performances simply fascinated Meine. Throughout his musical career, the lead singer of the Scorpions, whose biography is directly related to youthful musical tastes, recalls Elvis as a role model and does not hesitate to consciously repeat some of the techniques of the great king of rock and roll.
Adherence to modern rock determined not only the musical preferences of the young Maine, but also his image, and in many ways - his way of life.
At the initial stages of musical formation, not everything went smoothly with vocals. Klaus had a very peculiar teacher who, if one of the students did not go well, pricked them with an ordinary needle. This way of teaching paid off, in the end, Klaus learned excellent vocals, but he still laughingly recalls how, in retaliation for a cruel teacher, before the next lesson, he bought a large thick needle and pricked the teacher in the fifth point with it.
Professional development
Surprisingly, the future soloist of the Scorpions group chose a profession not related to music. In many ways, the decision was influenced by the parents. Despite the fact that they supported their son in his passion for music, they sought to give him a firmer footing in the form of a mastered profession as a decorator. And after receiving the profession, he was free to do as he pleased. This was the position of parents who dreamed of a prosperous future for their child.
Scorpions: the composition of the group
The fame of the insanely talented and indefatigable vocalist reached the musical circles while still in college. Klaus had the opportunity to choose which band he wanted to play in. Offers poured in, and Klaus chose the Mushrooms group. The group was quite popular, and it was in its composition that Meine attracted the attention of Rudolf Schenker, at that time an aspiring guitarist. But even when the Scorpions began their full-fledged existence, ironically, Klaus ended up in other bands, often competing with the legendary group.
So, the future soloist of the Scorpions group became the soloist of Copernicus. To lure him away from this group became a fundamental task, since his younger brother Michael played there, the musical confrontation with which was a long and painful one. As a result, the case ended with the victory of Rudolf, and Klaus ended up in the Scorpions team. Together with him, Michael Schenker also joined the group. It happened in 1969. No matter how often the soloists of the Scorpions changed earlier, the composition of the group was finally formed.
First album
In the same year, when the group was finally formed and acquired its voice, novice musicians managed to win one of the competitions, where the prize was the opportunity to record their songs in a real studio. However, the joy was short-lived - the studio was equipped with outdated equipment, which did not allow to convey the full depth of the sound of rock compositions. The musicians did their best, Klaus even tried to sing with his head in a bucket, but all these tricks were useless. This setback delayed the release of their first album, but did not cancel it. So, in 1972 they released their debut album called Lonesome Crow. Produced by Koni Plank. Even then, a landmark for the international level was noticeable - all songs were recorded in English. It was Meine's own decision. The album did not have much success, but allowed the novice team to light up well in the starry sky.
Acquaintance with Gaby
The year 1972 became symbolic for Klaus not only in terms of a musical breakthrough, but also in his personal life. It was then that he met his first and only love, Gaby. Their acquaintance happened after one of the many concerts. The difference of 7 years did not stop the couple. And, despite the fact that Gaby at that time was very young (16 years old), the choice she made turned out to be the right one.
She repeatedly shared with reporters her impressions of meeting her future husband. Despite the status of a rock star, in life Klaus turned out to be a caring and faithful man. Mutual love and affection in their relationship only grows stronger over the years. In December 1985, Gaby gave birth to a son, Klaus.
World triumph
Despite the cool attitude of the public to the first album, subsequent records conquered the listeners one after another. In 1979, their popularity reached the United States of America. Explosive hits and melodic rock ballads drove fans around the world crazy. Their famous world tour World Wide Live became an absolute triumph.
Loss of voice and return to the stage
But before the start of the world tour, the group faced a serious test - Klaus lost his voice. His main intention was to leave the "Scorpions", so as not to interfere with the further creativity of the team. However, the members of the group were not just colleagues in the musical workshop, but also true friends. It was their support that helped Maina return to the profession of a musician. Surgery was required to restore his voice, and after two operations on the ligaments, Maine regained the ability to sing. I had to train a lot, rehearse, but he continued to work day after day. And the incredible happened - Maine's voice changed. His possibilities became even wider, the same songs sounded completely different.
Growing popularity
Scorpions have reached incredible heights of popular love all over the world. They became the first group from Germany to successfully perform in New York three times and their albums hit the top of the American and European charts one after another.
The most sought-after album in rock history is the Scorpions record called Love At First Sting. The brightest performances are considered to be a concert in California in front of 325 thousand spectators, as well as a performance in Brazil in front of 350 thousand people.
"Scorpions" and Russian fans
The legendary group visited the USSR for the first time in 1988. Concerts in Moscow were disrupted due to the principled nature of the organizers - they refused to remove the chairs for spectators from the stalls. The group refused to perform. At the same time, 10 concerts took place in Leningrad. It was unprecedented that the team performed every day without interruption and collected full houses. The musicians will remember their stay in Russia for a long time. Subsequently, even the cassette To Russia With Love was released.
A year after the Leningrad concerts, Scorpions received an offer to take part in the Moscow Music and Peace Festival, along with other rock bands. The team happily agreed. The crowd of Russian fans, numbering more than two hundred thousand people, enthusiastically greeted the musicians. The world-famous hit Wind of Change was recorded by Klaus under the influence of impressions from concerts in the USSR. Later, expressing deep respect for the Soviet public, the musicians created a Russian-language version of this song. As a result, the ranks of Scorpions fans were replenished by Mikhail Gorbachev himself, who invited the band's staff to a meeting in the Kremlin.
A new stage in the life of the group
The 2000s marked a new important stage in the creative life of the group. So, in June 2000, the new Scorpions album was released, which was recorded together with the orchestra. The usual hits sounded completely different, and this fresh breath of change brought even more devoted fans of the Scorpions, the band's biography overcame a new important turn.
Over the past years, the group has been actively touring, organizing one tour after another, including with new programs. In 2010, a new album called Sting In The Tail was recorded, followed by new tours around the world.
In 2015, the Scorpions flew to St. Petersburg to hold a number of more concerts and celebrate Klaus' birthday. According to the musician, he has a special emotional connection with Russian fans, which is simply impossible to break. That is why the team returns to Russia over and over again and readily performs for Russian fans.
Scorpions ("Scorpions") - a group whose biography is still striking in its stable development and enduring love of the public.
Klaus Meine in real life
According to the people around Klaus, in life he has little in common with the stage image that we are used to. Unstoppable on stage, in reality he is serious, very focused and attentive. In communication, he is distinguished by radiant sincerity, kindness and intelligence.
In addition to creative activities within the Scorpions, Meine is active in other areas of life. So, one of his favorite activities is sports. Most of all, he loves football, and is not only a fierce fan of his native Hanoverian football club, but also a player, however, an unprofessional one. Klaus devotes a lot of time to sports, especially before concerts. It is a known fact that before the performance, Maine alone with himself can perform an exercise for the press a hundred times and, as a vocal warm-up, makes loud, almost inhuman sounds. Another favorite game is tennis, for which there is not enough time in recent years. According to Meine, sport helps him tune in to the right wave.
An indisputable fact is that the singer is in excellent physical shape, despite the fact that he is 67 years old. Many do not believe this figure, and each time they ask themselves how old the lead singer of the Scorpions group is. The reason is not only in regular sports, but also in the fact that Klaus Meine is an example of an intellectual and harmonious person, who accepts with joy and gratitude all the victories and trials that come his way.
In 1965, a group called "Scorpions" appeared in Hannover. The ensemble performed a simple beat, and the band leader Rudolf Schenker considered "Yardbirds", "Pretty Things" and "Spooky Tooth" to be his idols. The situation changed when, on the eve of 1970, Rudolf's younger brother, Michael, appeared in the team, who, despite his young age, had already managed to prove himself a gifted guitarist. In "Scorpions" he did not come alone, but together with vocalist Klaus Meine, his partner in the collapsed Hanoverian gang "Copernicus". This type also turned out to be a valuable acquisition for the "scorpions", since it not only freed the elder Schenker from the duties of a singer, but also made up a good author's tandem with him. Heading towards guitar-driven hard rock, the band debuted with the album "Lonesome Crow", produced by Conny Plank.
In support of the record, the German musicians held a number of tours - with Rory Gallagher, "Uriah Heep" and "UFO", and during the last tour, the partner team enticed Michael Schenker to join them. The equally talented guitarist Ulrich Roth filled the resulting gap, and along with him, bassist Francis Buholz and drummer Jürgen Rosenthal joined the ranks of the Scorpions. In 1974, the disc "Fly To The Rainbow" was released, which marked the beginning of the signature "scorpion" style with heavy riffs, catchy melodies and Maine's recognizable vocals. Thanks to the title track and the action movie "Speedy's Coming", the album easily surpassed its predecessor in sales, but this was only the beginning of the conquest of the musical Olympus.
Having formed a long-term collaboration with producer Dieter Dirks, the band caused an attack of "scorpion mania" among the Japanese with the work "In Trance", and in 1976 at home took the "LP Of The Year" award for "Virgin Killer". In the Land of the Rising Sun, the fourth longplay brought the first gold to German rockers and the disc "Taken By Force" received a similar status. The Japanese tour of 1978 (based on which the live album "Tokyo Tapes" was released) was a huge success, but after the tour, dissatisfied with the commercialization of the sound, Roth resigned. Replacing departed guitarist Matthias Jabs, the Scorpions simultaneously moved from RCA to Mercury Records. The debut under the new roof was a triumph, and the album "Lovedrive" broke into many charts, including the "Billboard". During the sessions, Michael briefly returned to the team, but he hastily withdrew and started creating the Michael Schenker Group project.
Meanwhile, the Scorpions continued to rise through the ranks, with the conquest of America next in line. The first major overseas tour took place at the stadium venues, and the German rockers not only worked in tandem with Aerosmith and AC / DC, but also ousted Ted Nugent himself from the headliners. In 1981, when the album "Blackout" was being prepared, Maine had to undergo vocal cord surgery, but the health problem was solved, and the disc became one of the best-selling releases in the "scorpion" discography. In the 80s the band was at the height of their career and, like "Blackout", three subsequent releases achieved platinum status. During this time, "Scorpions" traveled the planet far and wide, visited the most remote corners and even broke through the iron curtain.
The Savage Amusement album came out too polished, and despite the fact that sales and chart positions remained at a high level, the musicians decided not to continue in the same spirit and parted ways with their longtime partner Dirks. The "Crazy World" record was produced by the Scorpions themselves (with a little help from Keith Olsen), but nevertheless managed to maintain their popularity. The disc took leading positions in many charts, and the main share of success fell on the ballad "Wind Of Change". After the release of this record, the stability of the composition was broken, and the place of the old man Bucholz was taken by Ralph Rieckermann. The "metalized" album "Face The Heat" caused conflicting responses from the fans, and on the next studio album the band relied on ballad material. By that time, long-lived drummer Herman Rarebell had dropped out of the game, and American James Kottak sat down at the drums.
With the album "Eye II Eye" the musicians again caused criticism, but already at the expense of overdoing it with electronics, but this did not seem to bother them, and the next year they set up a new experiment. In company with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the "scorpions" recorded a concert captured on the disc "Moment Of Glory". Their next creation was the unplugged "Acoustica", and only in 2004 the team presented the material that was expected from it. On the album "Unbreakable", which sounded quite heavy (which has not been observed since "Face The Heat"), bass player Pavel Machivoda made his debut. Critics greeted the work with applause, but the chart positions let us down. The concept album "Humanity: Hour I" turned out to be more commercially successful, reaching the 63rd line of "Billboard".
Last update 15.08.09
