Scorpions are a German rock band from Hanover, formed in 1965. The band went through numerous changes in personnel in its early years. Founding by rhythm/lead guitarist Rudolf Schenker and drummer Wolfgang Dziony; both at that point shared lead vocals. In addition to them, the band also included lead/rhythm guitarist Karl-Heinz Vollmer and bassist Achim Kirchhoff.
By 1967, Schenker, realizing that he could not sing and play the guitar at the same time, invited the 15-year-old Werner Hoyer to take the place of the vocalist.[1]
At the end of that year, Hoyer and Vollmer left, and their places were soon taken by Bernd Hegner and Ulrich Worobiec.
In the spring of 1968, bass guitarist Achim Kirchhoff was replaced by Lothar Heimberg.
In late, 1969 Hegner and Worobiec also left. After that, the group settled on a lineup which included lead vocalist Klaus Meine, lead guitarist Michael Schenker (Rudolf's younger brother), bass-guitarist Lothar Heimberg and drummer Wolfgang Dziony. It is in this composition that they recorded their debut album Lonesome Crow, released in 1972.[2][3]
Michael Schenker, Heimberg and Dziony all left after the album's release, with Rudolf Schenker and Meine briefly disbanding the group and joining Dawn Road, featuring guitarist Uli Jon Roth, bass-guitarist Francis Buchholz, drummer Jürgen Rosenthal and keyboardist Achim Kirschning; the six-piece later opted to adopt the Scorpions moniker, and in 1974 released Fly to the Rainbow.[4]
Rosenthal left after the recording of Fly to the Rainbow, being replaced first by Jürgen Fechter and later by Rudy Lenners, who performed on In Trance and Virgin Killer.[5][6] In 1977, Lenners was replaced by Herman Rarebell, whose first recording with the band was Taken by Force.[7] Roth left Scorpions the following year,[8] which he has since explained was because he "began getting dissatisfied with the direction of the music" the band were making.[9] Michael Schenker briefly returned to the band after being fired from UFO in late 1978, performing on four tracks for the album Lovedrive, although he was replaced the following year by Matthias Jabs who had joined around the same time.[10] The Scorpions lineup of Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Jabs, Buchholz and Rarebell remained constant from 1978 and through the 1980s.[2]
After 19 years with the band, bassist Francis Buchholz left Scorpions in 1992. He was replaced by Ralph Rieckermann later in the year.[11] Drummer Rarebell also left four years later, claiming that he was unsatisfied with the band's changing musical direction, and the lack of songwriting input he was able to have in the band.[12] He was replaced in 1996 by James Kottak,[13] after Curt Cress performed on Pure Instinct.[14] Rieckermann left Scorpions in 2003, with Paweł Mąciwoda taking his place early the following year.[15] Former Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee replaced Kottak in the band in September 2016.[16]
- ^ "Brussels Playbook: BoJo teeters — Sec-gen controversy builds — Post-war Ukraine". POLITICO. 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
- ^ a b Weber, Barry. "Scorpions: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo (21 February 2017). "45 Years Ago: Scorpions Release Their Debut Album, 'Lonesome Crow'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo (2 November 2014). "40 Years Ago: The Scorpions' 'Fly to the Rainbow' Points to Bigger Successes". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Ling, Dave (28 April 2014). "The Story Behind The Song: In Trance by the Scorpions". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Scorpions' Legendary 'Virgin Killer' Album To Be Released On Limited-Edition 180-Gram Vinyl". Blabbermouth.net. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Makowski, Peter (6 November 2016). "Big City Nights, Loving You Sunday Morning: The Turbulent Story Of The Scorpions". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Prato, Greg (15 June 2015). "Uli Jon Roth Discusses 'Scorpions Revisited,' Gear and the Group's Classic Tracks". Guitar Player. NewBay Media. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Epting, Chris (17 January 2013). "Uli Jon Roth on Why He Left the Scorpions, Sharing His Guitar God Knowledge (Interview)". Noisecreep. Loudwire. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Giles, Jeff (25 February 2016). "The History of Scorpions' Breakthrough and Best Album, 'Lovedrive'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Boehm, Mike (12 March 1994). "Adding Bite to Their Sting: The Scorpions display a social awareness that departs from their customary hard-rock hedonism. They play Irvine tonight". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ Whitaker, Sterling (5 August 2012). "Herman Rarebell Says He Quit Scorpions Because He Hated the Music". Ultimate Classic Rock. Loudwire. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ "James Kottak of The Scorpions". Modern Drummer. February 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Pure Instinct - Scorpions: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Scorpions Announce New Bassist". Blabbermouth.net. 11 January 2004. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Former Motörhead Drummer Mikkey Dee Joins Scorpions As Permanent Member". Blabbermouth.net. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2017.