Scorpions
Scorpions is a group of hard rock originally from Hanover (Germany). Their first album was born in 1972. The group experienced a global prestige - especially in the 1980s - because of hard rock titles such as No One Like You in 1982 or Rock You Like a Hurricane in 1984 and ballads like Still Loving You the same years or Wind of Change and Send Me an Angel in 1990, all songs to commercial success almost routine. The decline came from media of the 1990s, the protagonists have turned to new experiences, including Moment of Glory (with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) and Acoustica (acoustic live album) but returning to their traditional recipes in 2004 Unbreakable a welcomed by many fans and followed in 2007 on the album Humanity - Hour 1. To date they have sold over 75 million albums worldwide.
Debut (1965-1974)
In 1965, Rudolf Schenker, a young guitarist of 17 years, form a group in Hanover amateur named The Scorpions, with Wolfgang Dziony on drums, Karl Heinz on guitar soloist and Achin Kirchoff on bass, replaced in 1970 by Lothar Heimberg. In song, found Rudolf and Wolfgang.
In 1969, two members of Copernicus group will join the group: Klaus Meine on vocals and Michael Schenker (Rudolf little brother) on guitar. The group is named Scorpions (without the) and decides to spend the first business day of the year 1971. In 1972, the group released the first album, Lonesome Crow, produced by Conny Plank. This is an album classified as psychedelic rock. He meets a good success in Germany but goes unnoticed in the rest of the world. During the tour following the release of the album, the group begins to make a name through its 136 concerts across Germany and by the first part concert English group UFO. But late 1972, Michael Schenker Scorpions decided to leave after members of UFO, impressed by his talent as guitarist, he offered to join the group. Heimberg, Scorpions and Dziony leave in turn leaving Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker alone. Both try to make a merger of Scorpions and the group Dawn Road, which is headed by the talented guitarist Ulrich Roth (more commonly known as Uli Jon Roth), nicknamed the "Jimi Hendrix German." The latter accepts the idea of merging the two groups.
Three members of Dawn Road just then complete the group (Ulrich Roth, bassist Francis Buchholz and drummer Jürgen Rosenthal). Although members of Dawn Road become majority (three of Dawn Road against two of Scorpions), the group decided to retain its name because it was more popular than Dawn Road and had already released an album. With this new training, Scorpions composed a new album, Fly to the Rainbow, released in 1974. In Germany, he faced a greater success than Lonesome Crow. In addition, the group is gaining new fans in Germany, including England and Japan, where the album made its appearance in the charts.
Rise of the group (1975-1978)
In 1975, Scorpions, supported by a new drummer (Rudy Lenners, replacing Jürgen Rosenthal party do his military service), released the album In Trance. This is the first produced by Dieter Dierks, producer fetish group. This album, more successful than previous ones and classified as hard rock, is the first real success of the group, with a high point under the eponymous In Trance, classic group. The compositions are signed later by a pair Schenker / Meine and the other by Uli Jon Roth resulting in a double aspect to all while remaining consistent. In addition, the producer Dieter Dierks shortens the length of songs rivers over 7 minutes of previous albums in terms of affordability 3-4 minutes. Toured throughout Europe and especially England is growing awareness of Scorpions.
In 1976, sort the album Virgin Killer, produced again by Dieter Dierks. This album was particularly noted the public by its cover showing a naked girl, only a shard of glass hiding her sex. Group members were shocked by this picture but they were forced to accept it as imposed by the production. Virgin Killer was a great success, particularly in Japan where he was certified gold disk. In Trance as it is continuity in style, this album contains many classic group like slow in Your Park, but also Polar Nights and Hell Cat, sung by Uli Jon Roth.
Towards the end of the tour Virgin Killer (which lasts throughout the year 1976 during which ensures Scorpions including the first parts of European dates Kiss), specifically when the group played at the famous Marquee Club in London November 21, it becomes clear that Uli Jon Roth has the will to separate shortly Scorpions: it is more inspired by Jimi Hendrix and willingness to follow his own musical projects by the contemporary hard rock scene. However it is only a year and half later he will leave the group in 1978. Meanwhile, Scorpions hires new drummer named Herman Rarebell just replace Rudy Lenners. Contrary to what to believe at the time the record of Scorpions, he did not leave the group because of a heart murmur (this version voluntarily misrepresentation is frequently cited in the biographies of Group) but by simple career choice as revealed by the person himself recently.
With Herman Rarebell on drums the fate Taken by Force (1977) celebrated today for He's A Woman / She 's A Man (more on this Best-Of) and We'll Burn the Sky. Like Virgin Killer, the album is also certified gold disk in Japan, confirming the success of the fledgling group. But this time, Uli Jon Roth really began to take its distance from Scorpions, because it disapproves of the direction of the musical group that he tends to market, but mainly because he wants to devote himself to a solo career. Even if his departure is a loss, no other members will oppose it because it is clear that the musical differences between him and the rest of the group became too large. Meanwhile, Japan's reputation Scorpions will only grow. So the group began to record a live in 1978: Tokyo Tapes, double live album, which brings together recordings made during the various benefits Scorpions at the Sun Plaza in Tokyo. This series of concerts in Japan marks the last appearance of Roth with the group.
Apogee Group (1979-1991)
Immediately after the tour in 1978, Uli Jon Roth left the group. Klaus Meine, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell and Rudolf Schenker must replace a guitarist exception. After hearing more than 140 guitarists in London, England, is finally in Hanover, the home town of Klaus, Rudolf Francis and the group eventually find a guitarist in 1979 to 23 years, a friend of Buchholz, appointed Matthias Jabs. Scorpions found its line-up "classic" that will last until 1992 (Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Hermann Rarebell and Francis Buchholz).
In 1979 the fate Lovedrive album that will reappear in Michael Schenker called the songs Lovedrive, Coast To Coast and Another Piece of Meat. The group was going to take Michael Schenker in it but it was dropped in alcohol problems (which made him miss several concerts including) its contribution to the album was limited and Matthias Jabs, who was in doubt about its place in the group following a possible readmission Schenker, finally found its place in Scorpions. This album is entering a period regarded as the golden age of career Scorpions and confirms the great potential of the group with ballads like Holiday, heavy songs as Another Piece Of Meat, the instrumental and Coast To Coast even a piece cleverly mixing hard rock and reggae, Is there anybody there?. The group becomes a value in Europe and Japan, and begins to make itself known in the U.S. through its first tour in this country (including some opening dates for Ted Nugent and AC / DC and along with Sammy Hagar). New for the group, the album even appears in the charts overseas.
Ironically, the album Animal Magnetism released in 1980 was less well received by critics and password that Lovedrive quite unnoticed in Europe but sells well in the United States where he became platinum. In addition it contains the song The Zoo, popular among fans, and whose words, precisely planted the scene in the 42nd Street New York, reflecting the efforts of the group at that time to enter the U.S. market. A world tour followed the album in which Scorpions took part including the first Monsters of Rock Festival in Castle Donnington, England.
But Animal Magnetism and after his tour in 1981, Klaus Meine lost his voice almost completely full production in the Scorpions new album and is about to be replaced by singer Don Dokken of Dokken group. However after several vocal chords followed several months of rest and with the support of other group members (including his friend Rudolf Schenker) Klaus found the use of his voice and returns to the group. The new album, which had fallen behind therefore because of this problem can finally be completed in serenity recorded in a villa in southern France. It follows that which is considered one of the best albums of the group and who will give him worldwide fame.
So actually in 1982 that the group exploded on the scene hard rock world with this new album, called Blackout, which rose to the top rankings of sales records and is regarded by critics as much as the fans as best hard rock album of the group. It includes titles that are classic as the group hit No One Like You (which is even pieces of hard rock classics of the 1980s, included on many compilations and radio stations), Can not Live Without You hit from the album in France and the ballad When The Smoke Is Going Down. With this success, Scorpions became one of the largest groups of hard rock and calls around the world the first of its gigantic tours during which they participate in the 1983 U.S. Festival in California which brought together over 325 000 people in the company of Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest (the Scorpions incredible performance during the concert will be regarded as one of the best in the festival). They take with them bands like Iron Maiden or Girlschool.
After the success of Blackout and its tour, Scorpions, which is now considered a great group of hard rock, is expected to turn: the group will confirm its success? Scorpions, aware of public expectations will begin for two years (1983-1984) to prepare an album that could not only match but surpass Blackout.
It was in 1984 that this sort of Blackout successor who will know the group, already very popular in the world of rock and youth, the general public: Love at First Sting. This album was conceived by the group and Dieter Dierks, producer, with the goal of exceeding the success of Blackout. Hence the recording sessions between Stockholm and Hanover, were very long and arduous and led to tensions between Dieter Dierks and members of the group, where he maintained a constant pressure (including Herman Rarebell and Francis Buccholz ), Demanding the best of everyone at any time (see article Love at First Sting). But the result is the height and Love at First Sting gets a huge international success right out and climbs more than Blackout in the charts (it sells more than two million copies in the United States in less than a year). The album is regarded as the most successful of the group, even if it is in a vein less purely hard rock or that Blackout Animal Magnetism. It contains course titles rather hard as rock hit Rock You Like a Hurricane songs from one of the best known hard-1980s or Big City Nights, but it also reveals the song Still Loving You, symbolic walk over 6 minutes, dixit Matthias Jabs: 'the biggest baby boom since the Second World War. " Still Loving You enjoying enormous success, particularly in France where the single sold more than 1.7 million copies making it the best selling song of the year 1984. The group is therefore facing a dilemma that will indirectly lead to its decline to heavy-metal hard as at the beginning or continue to ballads to commercial success. But the group is not there yet and some of his greatest moments of glory have not yet written.
A massive world tour two years following the release of the album with a high point in the first Rock In Rio festival in 1985 (including in the company of Queen and AC / DC to over 500 000 people).
The same year released the album World Wide Live, made at the height of the popularity of the group, which compiles their success post-1978. At the end of this tour in 1986 the group decided to take a break to be able to focus on their new album. The year 1987 is primarily a year of rest for the group which has released albums and go on tour for several years.
In 1988 Savage Amusement Scorpions fate, remaining near an album of music Scorpions but less successful than the previous two studio albums and sold very well in the United States (5th in the charts). Many tend to say that the aim of this album was too commercial, which affected the final outcome (with a very polisse limits glam, like Def Leppard), something the group admit a few years late. Meanwhile, Scorpions noting that he has lost none of its popularity, began again in a big world tour called Savage Amusement Tour following the release of the album during which he became the One of the first rock bands to play on the other side of the Iron Curtain with ten concerts sold out in St. Petersburg (absolute record in this regard). The group takes with him including Metallica and Dokken. The highlight of this tour is participation in the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989 to over 100 000 spectators in the company of Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne and Bon Jovi (concert to inspire Klaus Meine ballad Wind of Change). Following these concerts in Russia an important base of fans are developed and the group began to regularly give many concerts in the country during their tours.
The years 1990-91 were the last years of worldwide success of Scorpions. First group separates from its producer Dieter Dierks of record, holding it responsible for sound a little too pop Savage Amusement, then sort the Crazy World album recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Keith Olsen. This album is their last major commercial success in date. It contains major successes such as Do not Believe Her, Tease Me Please Me and especially the famous song Wind of Change written reference to political changes in the world (fall of the communist bloc and the reunification of Germany), which in 1991 reached new heights in the charts (1st place in Germany and France, 2nd in the UK ...) and became a symbol of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. Therefore, with Still Loving You by 1984, the ballad best known of the group.
A world tour follows the release of the album during which participates in Scorpions concert giant, The Wall Live in Berlin organized by Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin and broadcast live around the world before millions of viewers.
Declining group (1992-2000)
In the 1990s, hard rock does more truly successful and only bands like Scorpions, or AC / DC while remaining parallel, Metallica became the formation of heavy metal's most popular. But Scorpions has already had its moments of glory. The group has survived two decades, which is already an achievement. Nothing in the world of Rock, fashion is at grunge like Nirvana and British rock bands like Oasis. The group decided to change just the sound of his music to appeal more to the public, which disappoints its fans, left the public indifferent and creates criticism of the press despite albums worked. First, Francis Buchholz left the group in 1992 following conflicts in the management of taxation from the group and is replaced by Ralph Rieckermann.
In 1993, the group released the album Face the Heat produced by Bruce Fairbairn with a more metal. Although it is a pretty good album in all (it contains among others the single very heavy Alien Nation, and a beautiful ballad group, Under the Same Sun, who met with some success), it does not success of previous achievements Scorpions because it is a bit too divergent style for which the group is known (but there is a clear change in style it is not as blatant as it is on forthcoming albums).
Three years later, a drummer and less (Herman Rarebell, based on its own disk Monaco Records with his friend Prince Albert of Monaco and replaced by James Kottak), the fate Pure Instinct containing as many ballads the single You and I, but also Wild Child, which remains quite dynamic. The album has a good success (particularly in Germany, France and Japan) but obviously does not include sales of Love at First Sting or Blackout. More fans are quite disappointed by the choice of so many ballads.
In 1999, the fate Eye II Eye album produced by Peter Wolf. The sound is more electric and pop. It is the least appreciated by fans and critics with Pure Instinct, even if it offers some fairly heavy titles like Mind Like a Tree and Aleyah. But taking stock of the 1990s, the group is doing not too bad: despite poor sales of albums, the group is still considered one of the greatest hard rock formations in the world and spectators are always the order you. More impressively, the new youth seems interested in Scorpions.
Renewal (2000-present)
At the dawn of the new millennium, the group released album Symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic: Moment of Glory Christian Kolonovits produced by reproducing the old titles of the group and including duets with Ray Wilson (Stiltskin, Genesis) and Zucchero. In 2001, the fate Acoustica live acoustic album, recorded in Lisbon (Portugal). Acoustica The tour takes place around the world and is a great success thanks to the philharmonic orchestras accompanying the group. During the tour, Klaus Meine announced a return to.
In 2004, after the departure of Ralph Rieckermann, the group hires new bassist, Pawel Maciwoda and the fate Unbreakable album produced by Erwin Musper. This new opus again captivates fans with titles like Hot Blood too, or Through My Eyes and Deep Dark sound reminiscent of classic Scorpions. The return to sources announced thus far taken place and Unbreakable was a great success compared with the last album the group.
This album has given rise to a world tour in 2005 and 2006, which culminated was the undisputed head of poster Wacken Open Air Festival 2006, held as every year in Wacken, Germany. Entitled A Journey trough Time, A Night To Remember ( "A Time Travel, A Night which will be remembered) this evening more than two hours and forty five in total to more than 62 000 people had a taste for fans present as well as members of the group: That night, in fact, outside the current line up (Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine, Matthias Jabs, James Kottak, Pawel Maciwoda) were also present Uli Jon Roth (guitar, 1974 a 1978), Michael Schenker (also guitarist in 1972 and 1979, and younger brother Rudolf) and qu'Hermann Rarebell (drummer from 1977 to 1995) All are back on stage together (Uli had already made an appearance with the group At the Outdoor Theater in Colmar, in September 2005 but Michael meanwhile was no longer up on stage with the Scorpions since the tour of the album Face The Heat for a few acoustic songs at a concert to Bucharest). As a final group in full, enlarged and more by Tyson Schenker, the son of Michael and guitarist Faster Inferno, played the famous "Bolero by Ravel. This concert was filmed and DVD (Live At Wacken Open Air 2006) is officially released on December 10 2007 in France and throughout the world.
The other highlight of this world tour took place in the summer of 2006 (July 8), where Scorpions gave a huge concert in Canada, in Quebec City for the Quebec City Summer Festival "before more than 80 000 people on the Plains of Abraham. With the Unbreakable album and the tour that followed, Scorpions therefore returned to his fans and the music that made its success.
In November 2006, the group entered into the studio in Los Angeles, led by Desmond Child (which has co-authored the tube I Was Made For Lovin You Kiss and produces famous artists such as Cher). Registration is completed and the new album was released on 14 May 2007 in France, 11 days before the rest of the world under the label BMG. It is entitled Humanity - Hour 1. This album well received by the public and critics, is a concept album whose main theme is, as its title indicates, humanity today. It gave rise to a new world tour that ended with three concerts in India.
Questioned by an Indian website, the singer Klaus Meine reportedly said that the goal for the group is to release a new live DVD on the 2002 tour and a presumed new album with songs about peace and hope , Like the last album.
Style group
In his youth, Rudolf Schenker said very influenced by groups like the Rolling Stones while Klaus Meine was poured into groups such as the Beatles, rock, but certainly less aggressive than the Rolling Stones and the like. Its influences of the sixties Schenker keep a certain style of game to feature guitar, especially during some solos as it embarks on Still Loving You and Wind of Change (unlike Matthias Jabs which has a fluid style and fast characteristic of the 1980s). Apart from this, the group will detach quickly enough to these influences. Their first album, Lonesome Crow, is strongly tinged psychedelic rock then in vogue in Germany (appointed Krautrock).
With his second album, Fly to the Rainbow Scorpions that will begin clearing the sound already more hard rock for which they are known (including the song Speedy's Coming). But it is really with the next album, In Trance, the group finally stands out purely psychedelic roots to clearly define hard rock. At that time their sound is already quite unique with the guitar virtuoso Ulrich Roth, influenced by Jimi Hendrix and neo-classicism can be found at Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple at that time. Their influences are nevertheless recognizable: these are groups like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Blue Öyster Cult or Jimi Hendrix. They make a kind of synthesis of styles of these groups in developing a powerful hard rock and melodic, often tinged with influences of progressive rock / psychedelic and characterized by the delicate voice of Klaus Meine and solos inspired by Roth borne by riffs supported.
Following the departure of Roth the group will undertake a critical turning point in his career for modernizing its kind style. The turning point occurred on the album Lovedrive of 1979 and is due to the decisive contribution of new guitarist Matthias Jabs of the group, play more modern than Roth and closer to a style to Van Halen. This sound, evolving and emerging, will find himself in the 1980s, synonymous with international success for the group. On his albums for years 1993 to 2001, Scorpions decided to experiment with little success of new styles to terms with success (metal, electro-pop, symphonic, acoustic) before finally returning to his original sound with the album Unbreakable 2004. This back to basics continues on the album Humanity - Hour 1 in 2007.
Influence and posterity
Scorpions is considered one of the pioneers of hard rock, the instigator of the productive German hard rock scene and the best hard rock group from continental Europe (this is the first hard rock group of non-Anglo Saxon success in obtaining international Therefore, paving the way for groups scenes from hard rock / metal from countries such as Brazil, Germany, the Scandinavian countries ...). Scorpions has influenced many groups, which with other groups as Van Halen, Aerosmith and AC / DC, to define the sound of hard rock characteristic of the 1980s. Their music mixes songs based on riffs very rich and powerful and others in its crystalline arpeggios together with the electric guitar, has influenced the sound of guitar groups and hard rock and metal like Metallica, Dokken, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Dio or Bon Jovi, Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins) and Alex Skolnick (Testament Group). Their formula combining hard rock and ballads will be taken up by many groups and help define the type and success of the power ballad in the rock. Lovedrive, Blackout and Love at First Sting are considered among the greatest albums of hard rock while Tokyo Tapes live albums and World Wide Live are regarded as part of the best live rock and hard rock for the first.
Scorpions has been named the 27th largest group of hard rock, the 8th best hard rock group from the 1970s and the 10th-1980s by Digitaldreamdoor and the 46th largest group of hard rock by VH1 (in a list that does not include the hard rock in the strict sense, but any artist who used or influenced hard rock, metal or punk rock like the Rolling Stones, the Clash or Pink Floyd). Rolling Stone magazine called Scorpions of "heroes of heavy metal". The group is the first with Queen to have received an Echo award for his entire career in 1992.(w3c)
Read also Heavy Metal
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