Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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SCORPIONS

German heavy metal band formed in Hanover '70 by brothers Michael and Rudolf Schenker (b 31 Aug. '52), guitars; Klaus Meine, vocals; Lothar Heimberg, bass; Wolfgang Dziony, drums. Euro-rock or 'kraut rock' was in vogue, with Tangerine Dream, Amon Duul and Can in their heyday, but Scorpions chose HM genre. Rudy had led Copernicus since '65, Michael had played with Cry. Lonesome Crow '72 sold well in Germany, led to film score The Cold Paradise, but Michael quit '73 to join UFO after their guitarist Bernie Marsden quit on the tour Scorpions were supporting; Rudy broke up band, re- formed same year with Meine and Ulrich Roth, guitar; Francis Buchholz, bass; Jorgen Rosenthal, drums. Fly To The Rainbow '74 saw Hendrix-infl. Roth much in evidence. Toured UK after In Trance '75 with new drummer Rudy Lenners; after Virgin Killers '76 Herman Rarebell (b 18 Nov. '53) replaced him for Taken By Force '77. Tour of Japan elevated them to major status there: two-disc Tokyo Tapes '78 was live souvenir. Roth left to form Electric Sun; Matthias Jabs (b 25 Oct. '56) replaced him with gutsier, less lyrical style on Lovedrive '79, top 40 UK, no. 55 USA on Mercury (with Michael guesting on three tracks). Now headlining in UK, in USA they supported Ted Nugent, Rainbow, Sammy Hagar; Animal Magnetism '80 made no. 52 USA, 23 UK. Michael returned to oust Jabs briefly; left to form another group, Jabs returning. Break for Meine to have surgery on vocal cords did not hinder Blackout '82: no. 11 both USA/UK; they played second to Van Halen at US Festival. Love At First Sting '84 was no. 6 USA, two-disc World Wide Live no. 14, Savage Amusement their best showing at no. 5.

Michael formed his own band, had three chart albums in USA '80--83; Irish vocalist Robin McAuley joined and the McAuley/Schenker Group had three more '87--92. Meanwhile Scorpions carried on. Their early stuff appeared on RCA Best Of albums, there was a Best Of Rockers 'N' Ballads on Mercury '89, followed by Crazy World '90, Face The Heat '93, switch to Atlantic for Pure Instinct '96, which barely made the top 100 albums USA.