Scorpions: Classic Or Dud?

Guess I'm gonna have to go see 'em when they tour.

We finish our career with an album we consider to be one of the best we have ever recorded and with a tour that will start in our home country Germany and take us to five different continents over the next few years.

This is going to be like the Kiss farewell tour isn't it? i.e. never-ending

Yeah I was thinking Sinatra retirement.

The new album is pretty good, actually.

I mean, as far as Scorpions albums go. It isn't like album of the year or anything.

never saw this cool japanese cover for tokyo tapes, not sure it survived past the original issue: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ec/Tokyotapesalternate.jpg

steamrock fever
screaming rock believers
steamrock fever
in L.A.

it's disgraceful that the only song in the steamrock canon is that song. i want more

steamrock >> steampunk

So, steamrockers, is there a live version of "Virgin Killer" ANYWHERE?! Like recorded in the 1970s. Bootlegs preferred.

this is a dead link anyway but apparently they weren't playing the song on the Virgin Killer tour, so I don't like your chances :(

http://www.guitars101.com/forums/f90/scorpions-may-1976-virgin-killer-tour-live-in-baden-baden-germany-109174.html

Man, that's CRAZY. It's an amazing song.

Seems bizarre to not have the title track of your new album in the setlist

maybe they forgot how to play it after they recorded it

Maybe Klaus couldn't hit those notes

Great Real Names

Herby Spamfritter – lead vocals (1968–1969)

that's even better than herman rarebell

https://playitloudforever.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/herman-ze-german-and-friends.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTGTCSGj30&feature=share

klaus looks like a sacha baron cohen character

Great Real Names

Herby Spamfritter – lead vocals (1968–1969)
― new noise, Saturday, April 2, 2016 8:01 PM (two years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Herby Spamfritter is my favorite minor character in Gravity's Rainbow

Early Scorpions with teenaged Michael Schenker and some bricklayer playing bass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgD12JZuKNk

you reckon those guys knew about Can? one almost thinks they did based on the above…

yep, there's an interview clip on youtube where either Rudy or Klaus talks (in German) about their early days and he namedrops all the big Krautrock bands

Is there a decent sounding remastered cd of Fly To The Rainbow from anytime in the last 20 years.
Or at least one taht's affordable.
Is it just an lp that's intentionally neglected?
Sounded quite good on Spotify but I was just reallising I didn't have a copy and thought I might remedy that but not seeing anything that seems to be a reasonable price.

Lonesome Crow is pretty good but I don't think it's the archetypal krautrock I once saw it described as. Nice in terms of stoner rock influence or heavy psych or whatever anyway.

I just happened to order a cd of Fly to the Rainbow last week, so I will let you know. It was <$10

Do you know when it was from, which release.
Seemed to be several releases that were around at rising prices and one that says it was from 1980.
& only remasters I could see were from Japan or Russia, not sure if the latter of those was legit.

Japanese remasters are always legit; Russian, basically never.

"International Pressing" from RCA Europe. Says the release date is 1988.

So I guess not a remastered one.

feel like the Scorps -- who were massive in their day -- are the band from that era who've remained more niche than say Judas Priest or Iron Maiden or, later, Metallica -- which is a shame, the Scores at their best are fit to stand with those

"Pictured life" .. The violent cascade of tapping during the resolution of the verse... oh mannnn

Yeah I've been digging into '70s Scorpions lately and Uli Jon Roth is just incredible. Not to dis on Priest, but I think Roth is far more interesting than their guitarists. I've always dug Michael Schenker's playing too. Also I've noticed the Scorpions really tackled a wide variety of grooves in their time, e.g. that Latin prog thing on "I'm Going Mad," the punky groove on "Speedy's Coming," reggae metal on "Is Anybody There?" and on & on.

Update: my Fly to the Rainbow cd arrived, it's a German edition with a copyright date of 1983, which seems very early for a cd. Sounds pretty good.

Listening to this podcast series which claims that Wind of Change was written by the CIA

https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/

Not exactly convinced so far (though it's possible), but it's entertaining anyway.

An eight-part investigation!?

Yeah, I've listened to three episodes and let's just say it is already heading off on some tangents.

the journalist seems legit:
https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/patrick-radden-keefe

Yeah, it's a professional piece of work.

I've also listened to the first three eps and agree that it's a little meandering, but I'm enjoying it. I mean, it's an 8-episode podcast series, so that's kind of priced into it. Keefe is a genial host, so I don't mind the journey.

Finished this now! I was warned that it ended disappointingly, but don't really think so, nobody is expecting him to actually find out if this is true or not, surely?

Best part was how it took the main thing I disliked about it (how it worked as CIA or Russian propaganda at turns) and did a self-reflective episode about that which only just stopped short of cancelling the project.

I see the Scorpions guy denies that it’s true?

The last episode is based around an interview with him about the question, his denying it is completely inevitable, whatever the truth is, but the episode is still a good one.

Best part was how it took the main thing I disliked about it (how it worked as CIA or Russian propaganda at turns) and did a self-reflective episode about that which only just stopped short of cancelling the project

Agreed, I thought this was very well done.

Live-in-the-studio 1977 footage! Awe-inspiring guitar work from Uli, less inspiring singing from him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WafqsAhjLnE

Sick!!!!!

I can see all the lust in their face!

awesome

They're back and here to help you...believe in ROCK!

The official tracklist for “Rock Believer”:
1. Gas In The Tank
2. Roots In My Boots
3. Knock ‘Em Dead
4. Rock Believer
5. Shining Of Your Soul
6. Seventh Sun
7. Hot And Cold
8. When I Lay My Bones To Rest
9. Peacemaker
10. Call Of The Wild
11. When You Know (Where You Come From)
12. Shoot For Your Heart
13. When Tomorrow Comes
14. Unleash The Beast
15. Crossing Borders
16. When You Know (Where You Come From) (Acoustic Version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TllvFtkXMBE

https://i.ytimg.com/an/TllvFtkXMBE/5906302358515883603_mq.jpg?v=61dc6895

1. Gas In The Tank

This song will hopefully be about Klaus Meine's Panzer.

That list of songtitles actually reads like a Scorpions lyric.

"Rock believers" is actually a lyric from "Steamrock Fever" from back in 1977, could the endless well from which the Scorpions draw their lyrics be running dry?

i was today years old when i learned of uli john roth era Scorpions :D
omg so good where have i been

weee as i go down this rabbithole
mr veg is wincing in anticipation

The Wire just reviewed solo Uli Jon Roth band Electric Sun l.p. Earthquake whichvi wasn't aware was in the area they covered.seems a pretty positive review too talking about sludge and improvisation and things.

it's so good! In Trance is a classic album

So classic!! In Trance is my favorite definitely. Robot Man! LONGING FOR FIRE!

All those Uli albums are great, but oh my he has a commanding presence on Taken By Force. Sails of Charon! We'll Burn the Sky! The Hendrix worship on Your Light!

Well goddamn! Lonesome Crow is a groovy hippy freakout maaaan. I dig!

& michael schenker was only 16?
christ

yeah he was a crazy kid

produced by Conny Plank!

yes!! very cool. Quite a groovy little record overall but I dunno if i’ll return to it much? idk

am now onto Fly To The Rainbow
We are starting to go harder now.
Drifting Sun? RIPS.

Far Away???? wow <3

Yeah I love how far out that album goes! Truly epic

I get that Klaus is kind of a goofy (imo very loveable) character, and and the lyrics can be a little awkward or o_O at times but I really love his voice, and he's such a great a melodicist, and has such a natural feel for hooky/memorable melodies.

I love the Uli stuff but also the 80s pop metal period I think they were really an exceptional band in that era as well.

this TV show is split up into individual songs on YT, Uli got the trap goin ham

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV3asqGVTek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy7mBEpBpOY

klaus has an awesome voice, 100% agree