The Scorpions Celebrate 60 Years (Interview)

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It's been a journey like something you dream about when you're a kid. Everybody was going do something real, man. Stop dreaming. What life is all about is believing. Believing. Well, we are hanging with rock royalty tonight, man. Rudolph Shanker and Klaus Mine of the Scorpions. Guys, thank you both so much for being here. Hi, Chuck. Thanks for having us. Yeah. Hi, Chuck. Uh, I don't even know where to begin. So, we can start with this. You know, celebrating 60 years, 61 years. I mean, Rudolph, you formed the the Scorpions in ' 65. And, you know, been a whole lot of celebrations for the band, but what runs through your head, both of both of you, what runs through your heads when you think about this band being around, making music, playing, existing, but more than all that thriving for six decades? You better don't think about it. You know, it's been such a long journey and it's amazing like time flies and it's amazing to think about it that we're still around after all these years through all the ups and downs in a long career in the rock and roll circles. And uh in the end it tells a story of friendship. You know, the way we started out, you know, was not written in the books that we scorpions would go all over the planet, all over the world with their music, not only to the US, but also to to Southeast Asia, to Japan, to Russia, to Moscow, and simply all around the world in 85 countries. And it's fantastic when you look back, you know, it's been a journey like it's like something you dream about when you're a kid, you know. Yeah. And this those dreams came true. I like to think about it because you know makes me very happy that the the plane the vision which we had that it was function you know everybody was going hey what you doing when you when you're 24 what you doing when you were 30 you know be do something real man stop dreaming so and you're thinking now in this position and say great fantastic What life is all about is believing believing and that's the important point that what we as a scorpions always did and uh we are happy about it and I love hearing that and that is it man it's believing because like you think about the the 60s and even the 70s and even the 80s like there's no sort of category for thinking about playing all over the planet and being here celebrating 60 years. Like I'm sure that wasn't even like not even an idea. The point was that uh that we played music and played in other other countries and other plan parts of the planet. Um it was great that we came from Germany because we had a feeling my father was not in the war. Uh Claus's father was in the war and that told stories about the war and everything. And when you make music and you go into the sensitive um vibration of of your thinkings, you know, you go and said, "Hey, when you play music and you play music around the world, that would be great to show the people around the world that there's another generation from Germany. They're not coming with tanks and making war. They're coming with guitars and playing love, peace, and rock and roll. And I think this is a fantastic way to really to explore not think about money money. No, think about what you can make with music around the world. And that's the reason why we played in 84 85 86 countries around the world in all this years. Even Metallica said when they got asked how many countries he to play oh don't ask us ask the scorpions [laughter] or we always played when they played there because they're mostly afraid to go to Lebanon when after the war we went went there and played there you know somehow we had a very good help from from from God to yeah that nothing was happening never with us and that's fantastic that means that our plan and our uh friendship and and our whole uh music brings positive vibrations and that's a very important point. Yeah, that's a I mean more of that, right? We we could use more of that in the world. [laughter] Exactly. Absolutely. Uh so I'm curious, but I I I think I I I have I have the answer to this already in my head, but you know, I was thinking, you know, just what keeps pushing you forward? You know, obviously there's nostalgia to this band and and you rightfully celebrate that. It wasn't that long ago that you released album number 19, Rock Believer. And so, you know, I'm just curious like you think about the earliest days and that vision and believing and that desire to make good vibrations with music and take it all over the world. Like what keeps pushing you ahead now? Is when you see now last tour we did it's a fence. We saw so many young kids that we said where are they coming from? What is happening? [laughter] Where all these young kids coming from? Absolutely. When you play live and you go all over the place and see a whole new generation, they enjoy our music. They know the songs. They know the lyrics. They sing along. And so many young kids. It's a privilege after all these years to play in front of three generations, you know. And uh this is the driving fuel that keeps us going to see that you know playing every other and leave the people going home saying this was magic you know we were part of it and there are songs in the set. Uh it's like historical, you know, like wind of change with a peace message that the young generation understand totally and they're very much attracted to it, you know. Yeah. No, absolutely, man. And that's uh yeah, let that keep pushing you forward and and more and more, you know, new generations discovering this and discovering the purpose of it and everything. Again, like we can use more and more of that. And there are songs like Rock You Like Hurricane where a whole new generation uh gets to know songs like that, you know, through Netflix like Stranger Things or something, you know. And so this song became also one of the big classics. And so there are few songs in the set that will have have a long time to go and they will live on for a long time to come. Well, and I love, you know, bringing up Hurricane, like I love that you keep exploring New Ground, too, as a band. And I think right now, most notably, that's with this new graphic novel, Hurricane, based, you know, inspired by that song. What was it? What was it like working on that? It was fantastic to see the story like the Scorpions to all over the globe and then they start to conquer the galaxies out there. uh they go to a planet called Venus 7 that is ruled by woman only you know and uh so the whole story line goes around the rock you like a hurricane video where the band is playing inside a cage all those girls around going crazy and but so playing on Venus 7 it's very dangerous place because men are not welcome at all you know so scorpions are fighting for their lives to get out there to keep on going through other to other galaxies, you know. So, it's it's a pretty cool graphic novel, the first one. And uh so I'm sure our fans will enjoy this because it's very well done, very entertaining. So, I I got to ask a question. Um cuz I feel like this is an urban legend type of story. Uh but I heard once that uh the original title for Rock You Like a Hurricane was or at least talked about was F You Like a Hurricane. Is that is that true? No. No. [laughter] Okay. So there was I mean I was when I played the riff the first thing Claus had uh had in mind already here I am rocking like a was the first thing he said and then the event was discussing uh oh no it's not like a hurricane I must be must be stronger and stuff like this but then we made a decision and said yes this fits so perfectly with the riff that we don't have to change [laughter] That's what it is in German. Yeah, that's much better in in in English. Everybody understand [laughter] it's about sex, not about it's about sex and rock and roll, you know, and uh of course I think Herman or drummer who wrote part of the lyrics with me, you know, he had maybe other ideas and he talked about it in interviews lately. So people think it's a much more sexual kind of thing, but we were rocking like a hurricane and that's was a title and always will be. Awesome. Yeah. And and still rocking like a hurricane, man. I mean, you know, over 40 years later, that is such a staple for rock and roll. I mean, we play it all the time on the radio for sports. For sport also everywhere. Germany. our team in Hanover, it's every time when they play at home, they're they're going on the field with Rocking Like a Hurricane. Do you dance in the in the US as well where they play that song, you know, and it's one of these oldtime classic. It works so perfectly and even though the lyrics are kind of edgy, [laughter] you know, but that's exactly the good part about it. That's right. That's right. And I get the feeling you guys don't ever get tired of playing that. No, because this is from the first moment when we play this song, the first chord I play, you know, you you'll you'll notice already how strong this energy is. So in the moment when we lock in, when everybody is locking in drums and everything, it's like a it's like a some music shifting away from you, you have to grab it. How do you fast go away? So like it's a really it's a powerful and very um entertaining uh song which makes us happy and the audience as well. That's it. But I mean and it sounds like the moment you did it, the moment you played that riff like you knew was like for me in the moment I know immediately it is something special. You know, it's only a question then the lyrics has to fit. It's our smoke on the water moment. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. It's it's it's it's it's when when lyrics and and the music fitting perfectly to together then you are there. That's the important point. You have to have the patient and it was so very much inspired by touring America. Yeah. in the 80s, you know, soul rock and roll. And so that lyric was like taking a look out out of the tour bus window, you know, playing Kansas City and playing at the garden in New York, you know, and the forum in LA. So many places. It's amazing. Um, well, we had uh we had a chance to catch up with Mickey D uh on the show recently and you know, he just couldn't say enough about how much he's loved being in the Scorps and uh you know, it's been a decade since he started drumming with you. I I think it's safe to say he's been a pretty stellar addition. Yeah, he's perfect. Perfect. He's perfect. He's playing exactly the way how a bass player and me playing together. A little bit up front beat. So but with power and that's the important point that's the reason why we did the last album rock believer we did not with drum computer or something like this like is normally done now in this days. No we made it live because with the live situation you're getting this little kick from this this this pushing thing in and that's to makes very outstanding or special. Mickey is a perfect drummer for the Scorpion. He gave us a whole new shot of energy, you know. Yeah. A guy and an amazing drummer. Yeah. Yeah. I know. It was It was so much fun catching up with him, man. And talking about all of that and a very good ice player. Is that right? Yes. Yes. [laughter] Well, you know, you you think about the longevity of of The Scorpions, man. And I mean, the longevity of the music, everything we're talking about, you know, Rock You Like a Hurricane or I can't believe this year marks the 50th anniversary of Virgin Killer. Uh when a milestone like that rolls around, do you do you guys pay attention to it like personally or does that or do you just kind of John Roth is out on the road playing also a Scorpion set, you know, and beside other material and and he is really playing those songs. maybe he's doing even the the whole Virgin Killer album, you know, and so we follow up with him and it's fantastic that after all these years, uh the music we wrote together with Ulie uh is still so so much appreciated by the fans. There's so many young fans who discover not only the scorpions of today but also scorpions of the 70s, you know, and Virgin Killer was one of our first gold albums in Japan, you know, and uh it's amazing to listen to songs like Sales of Chiron and the title tracking Killer. It's pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. It's uh it's amazing. I mean, it's it's mindboggling to think that came out 50 years ago, but here we are, man. [laughter] You know, I I'd love to ask you, too. You can imagine over the last year, we've been doing a lot of celebrating uh for Black Sabbath and of course uh for Azie. Uh you know, you guys are really coming up at the same time. That first Sabbath album came out in 70. Lonesome Crow came out in 72. How much did you guys know each other back in the day in those early days? Not really. I mean, the first time we played in the UK was in 75, you know, so it's interesting. Black Sabbath started around the same time like the Scorpions did and but later on of course when we played Donington in the UK uh or we shared the stage at the US festival in California or at the Moscow Peace Festival. So we always crossed path with with Aussie uh many times you know and he was an original and he is deeply missed. I saw Aussie when they first played in Germany. They played in the club called Multon. Mton is saying like garbage can garbage can din garbage can. So and he was fantastic. This concert was amazing. That was my first time hearing Black Sabbath was great. And I mean later on when we noted each other and became somehow friends, Tommy Tony Iomi is a very nice guy and you know we always was running into each other and too bad that that Aussie left us already. He was an original he was an outstanding guy. He was a crazy crazy guy. And so yeah, and it's really too bad that this old good guys are going away one after the other. I know. And and you guys uh were you going to be part of Back to the Beginning? I know you but you you had your own 60th celebrations across Europe last year, but were there talks about that? But accidentally was the same date, the 5th of July, had the obviously had this famous last gig in Birmingham and uh we played our 60th anniversary show in Hanover having Judas Priest and Ellis Cooper on the bill with us, you know. So yeah, we would have loved to been in in Birmingham celebrating Aussie as well, you know. So accidentally the dates were on on exactly the same day which made it hard for some fans to decide to go to Hanov or to to the UK. Yeah. No, it's a Yeah, that was a a pretty big day in the history of rock and roll for a couple of reasons for sure, man. But I think we're glad for every fan who went to see Aussie because it was his very last time he appeared on stage, you know, and it meant so much for him. It was great to see him. So happy to have this big gig and uh so it's sad he's gone, you know, but he will be never forgotten and his music will live on forever. That's right. That's right, man. So uh are you thinking about new music? You know, the next album is going to be album number 20. Maybe when the tour is finished. All right. And later on this year, we'll also play in China, you know. So when this tour is finished, we might go back at some point exactly to this place to create some new music. But time will tell. And uh it's always good to take a deep dive into your creativity and come up with something new would be wonderful. But it's too early to talk about it. So let's see how it goes. And for now, it's all about touring. And hopefully this tour uh is very successful and we're excited to be back in America. Amen. I love it. Rudolph Klaus, guys, thank you so much. I can't thank you enough for hanging tonight. Congrats on on everything on this incredible career that isn't slowing down. Listeners, get everything you need. Stay caught up at the-scorpions.com. We'll of course keep you posted here at Loudwire, too. But please know this. You are welcome here anytime. You just say the word, we'll make it happen. Thank you. [music]