SCORPIONS
''RETURN TO FOREVER''
FEBRUARY 23 2015
61:36
1 Going Out With A Bang 03:43
2 We Built The House 03:51
3 Rock My Car 03:18
4 House Of Cards 05:03
5 All For One 02:56
6 Rock .n` Band 03:51
7 Catch Your Luck And Play 03:30
8 Rollin` Home 04:00
9 Hard Rockin` Place 04:03
10 Eye Of The Storm 04:24
11 The Scratch 03:38
12 Gypsy Life 04:48
13 The World We Used To Know 03:50
14 Dancing With The Moonlight 03:39
15 When The Truth Is A Lie 04:24
16 Who We Are 02:30
Klaus Meine/Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Rudolf Schenker/Rhythm & Lead Guitars, Backing Vocals
Matthias Jabs/Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars
Pawel Maciwoda/Bass Guitar
James Kottak/Drums, Backing Vocals
REVIEW/AMG
by Fred Thomas
German heavy metal icons the Scorpions hit the 50-year mark in 2015, being initially conceived all the way back in 1965 by a 16-year-old Rudolf Schenker as a beat band very much in line with the trends of the time, and slowly evolving into a hard rock force to contend with by the end of the '70s. Multi-platinum-selling singles and omnipresent commercial success peaked out for the Scorpions sometime in the early '80s, but they kept the flame alive for a dedicated army of followers for decades to come. Return to Forever is the band's 18th album of new studio material, following 2010's Sting in the Tail. While many of the group's '90s and 2000s efforts experimented with stylistic divergences or convoluted concept record themes, Sting in the Tail was a declarative return to the radio metal roots of the band's most popular work from the '80s. Return to Forever follows suit very much, with the 12 new songs here embodying the same over the top celebration and hedonistic revelry of a much younger Scorpions. At times the throwbacks are a little transparent. The gated reverse-reverb thump of the floor tom that propelled the band's 1984 über-hit "Rock You Like a Hurricane" shows up again on the anthemic chorus of "We Built This House." Power ballad "House of Cards" is constructed from the same formula of haunting minor-key chords and wailing feedback in the background that made "Winds of Change" a worldwide hit in 1991. Luckily, the energy of Return to Forever is all fun and swagger, not diminished at all by the '80s hair metal nostalgia trip that serves as its foundation. Production handled by longtime Scorpions collaborators Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen replaces some of the thin production choices of the '80s with smarter arrangements and better sound on radio-ready pop-metal jams like "Rollin' Home" and more introspective tunes like "Eye of the Storm." The songwriting here is on par with some of the band's best work, which figures, as they've been working in a field they helped originate for decades. Fans of the band's best-loved material will immediately connect with the fun-loving party burners and soft-edged power balladry of the album, all leaning just enough on the band's own storied past for influence but inspired enough to avoid dipping into self-parody. They pretty much wrote the book on sleazy FM radio metal, so in the case of revisiting their glory days on Return to Forever, who's to blame the Scorpions for taking a few pages from the book they wrote themselves?
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
by Barry Weber
Known best for their 1984 anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and the 1990 ballad "Wind of Change," German rockers the Scorpions have sold over 22 million records, making them one of the most successful rock bands to ever come out of Continental Europe. Formed in 1969 by Rudolf Schenker, the original lineup consisted of rhythm guitarist/vocalist Schenker, lead guitarist Karl-Heinz Follmer, bassist Lothar Heimberg, and drummer Wolfgang Dziony. In 1971, Schenker's younger brother Michael joined the band to play lead guitar and good friend Klaus Meine became the new vocalist. The group recorded Lonesome Crow in 1972, which was used as the soundtrack to the German movie Das Kalte Paradies. Although they failed to get into the public's eye, the early incarnation of '70s rock band UFO noticed Michael Schenker's guitar playing and hired him as their lead guitarist; Michael, therefore, would leave the band in 1973. Guitarist Uli Jon Roth replaced him, and under his guidance the group released four consecutive albums under the RCA record label: Fly to the Rainbow (1974), In Trance (1975), Virgin Killer (1976), and Taken by Force (1977).
Although these albums failed to attain any serious attention in the United States, they were all quite popular in Japan. By the time Taken by Force was released, Roth made the decision to leave the band and form Electric Sun after feeling that his musical ideas would take the group in an entirely different direction. Tokyo Tapes, a double live album that the group recorded in Tokyo with Roth, was released in 1978. Shortly after Roth's departure, Michael Schenker was kicked out of UFO for his constant alcohol abuse and came back to play with the Scorpions in 1979, who had recently signed with Mercury Records. The group released Lovedrive that same year and played its first American tour, but Lovedrive failed to attract attention, being banned in the United States because of its sexually explicit cover. Still coping with his drugs and alcohol addiction, Michael missed tour dates repeatedly and guitarist Matthias Jabs was hired to fill in for him on nights when he was absent. Michael eventually would leave the Scorpions a second time after realizing that he was failing to meet their expectations.
Now with a lineup of Klaus Meine on vocals, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar, Matthias Jabs on lead, Francis Buchholz on bass, and Herman Rarebell on drums, the band released Animal Magnetism in 1980 and embarked on another world tour. Surprisingly, Animal Magnetism went gold in the United States, and the Scorpions immediately went back into the studio to record their next release. Problems arose, however, and the project was postponed because Meine had lost his voice and would have to have surgery on his vocal cords. Many thought Meine had been fired from the band, and rumors spread that metal singer Don Dokken had already replaced him. the Scorpions proved these rumors untrue when Meine returned for the 1982 release Blackout, which contained the cult hit "No One Like You." A major success worldwide, Blackout sold over a million copies in the U.S. alone. But as popular as Blackout was, it was the Scorpions' powerful follow-up, Love at First Sting, that succeeded in making them superstars. Released in 1984, the album boasted the MTV single "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and would eventually achieve double-platinum status. The group undertook one of its most successful world tours yet, boasting an outstanding stage show with high-energy performances.
After releasing World Wide Live in 1985, the band took a long hiatus and remained uninvolved from the music industry for two years. Their tenth studio album, Savage Amusement, was finally released in 1988, and the hit ballad "Rhythm of Love" brought on another major success. In 1990, the album Crazy World was released and would eventually become the Scorpions' biggest-selling record to date, drawing on the strength of the hit ballad "Wind of Change." Not too surprisingly, Crazy World was the last successful Scorpions release in the U.S. By the time their Face the Heat album hit the shelves in 1993, many longtime fans had already lost interest in the band, due to the alternative explosion of the early '90s. Face the Heat did eventually reach gold, and in 1995 the band released another live album, Live Bites. Now with bassist Ralph Rieckermann and drummer James Kottak, they released Pure Instinct in 1996. Mercury Records assembled a double album of the band's greatest hits, Deadly Sting: The Mercury Years, and released it in 1997.
Eye II Eye, an album in which the band experimented with pop-techno melodies, was released in the summer of 1999. Moment of Glory, featuring the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and several revamped versions of Scorpions cult classics, was released in fall 2000. Continuing to be productive into the 21st century, the Scorpions released their 15th studio album, Unbreakable, in 2004, followed by the concept album Humanity: Hour 1 in 2007. In 2010 they released Sting in the Tail, and announced they would be retiring after heading out on the road for a farewell tour. The following year, while still on tour, the band released Comeblack, a greatest-hits album of sorts featuring the German rockers re-recording some of their most well-known songs, as well as covers by T. Rex, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. 2013 found the band performing several acoustic concerts for MTV Unplugged, collecting some of the best performances for a double live album released later that same year. In early 2015 the band delivered 18th studio album Return To Forever, a collection of twelve new songs written between 2011 and 2014 and put to tape in Sweden with producers Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen.
OFFICIAL SITE
TO THE TOP
2 We Built The House 03:51
3 Rock My Car 03:18
4 House Of Cards 05:03
5 All For One 02:56
6 Rock .n` Band 03:51
7 Catch Your Luck And Play 03:30
8 Rollin` Home 04:00
9 Hard Rockin` Place 04:03
10 Eye Of The Storm 04:24
11 The Scratch 03:38
12 Gypsy Life 04:48
13 The World We Used To Know 03:50
14 Dancing With The Moonlight 03:39
15 When The Truth Is A Lie 04:24
16 Who We Are 02:30
Klaus Meine/Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Rudolf Schenker/Rhythm & Lead Guitars, Backing Vocals
Matthias Jabs/Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars
Pawel Maciwoda/Bass Guitar
James Kottak/Drums, Backing Vocals
REVIEW/AMG
by Fred Thomas
German heavy metal icons the Scorpions hit the 50-year mark in 2015, being initially conceived all the way back in 1965 by a 16-year-old Rudolf Schenker as a beat band very much in line with the trends of the time, and slowly evolving into a hard rock force to contend with by the end of the '70s. Multi-platinum-selling singles and omnipresent commercial success peaked out for the Scorpions sometime in the early '80s, but they kept the flame alive for a dedicated army of followers for decades to come. Return to Forever is the band's 18th album of new studio material, following 2010's Sting in the Tail. While many of the group's '90s and 2000s efforts experimented with stylistic divergences or convoluted concept record themes, Sting in the Tail was a declarative return to the radio metal roots of the band's most popular work from the '80s. Return to Forever follows suit very much, with the 12 new songs here embodying the same over the top celebration and hedonistic revelry of a much younger Scorpions. At times the throwbacks are a little transparent. The gated reverse-reverb thump of the floor tom that propelled the band's 1984 über-hit "Rock You Like a Hurricane" shows up again on the anthemic chorus of "We Built This House." Power ballad "House of Cards" is constructed from the same formula of haunting minor-key chords and wailing feedback in the background that made "Winds of Change" a worldwide hit in 1991. Luckily, the energy of Return to Forever is all fun and swagger, not diminished at all by the '80s hair metal nostalgia trip that serves as its foundation. Production handled by longtime Scorpions collaborators Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen replaces some of the thin production choices of the '80s with smarter arrangements and better sound on radio-ready pop-metal jams like "Rollin' Home" and more introspective tunes like "Eye of the Storm." The songwriting here is on par with some of the band's best work, which figures, as they've been working in a field they helped originate for decades. Fans of the band's best-loved material will immediately connect with the fun-loving party burners and soft-edged power balladry of the album, all leaning just enough on the band's own storied past for influence but inspired enough to avoid dipping into self-parody. They pretty much wrote the book on sleazy FM radio metal, so in the case of revisiting their glory days on Return to Forever, who's to blame the Scorpions for taking a few pages from the book they wrote themselves?
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
by Barry Weber
Known best for their 1984 anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and the 1990 ballad "Wind of Change," German rockers the Scorpions have sold over 22 million records, making them one of the most successful rock bands to ever come out of Continental Europe. Formed in 1969 by Rudolf Schenker, the original lineup consisted of rhythm guitarist/vocalist Schenker, lead guitarist Karl-Heinz Follmer, bassist Lothar Heimberg, and drummer Wolfgang Dziony. In 1971, Schenker's younger brother Michael joined the band to play lead guitar and good friend Klaus Meine became the new vocalist. The group recorded Lonesome Crow in 1972, which was used as the soundtrack to the German movie Das Kalte Paradies. Although they failed to get into the public's eye, the early incarnation of '70s rock band UFO noticed Michael Schenker's guitar playing and hired him as their lead guitarist; Michael, therefore, would leave the band in 1973. Guitarist Uli Jon Roth replaced him, and under his guidance the group released four consecutive albums under the RCA record label: Fly to the Rainbow (1974), In Trance (1975), Virgin Killer (1976), and Taken by Force (1977).
Although these albums failed to attain any serious attention in the United States, they were all quite popular in Japan. By the time Taken by Force was released, Roth made the decision to leave the band and form Electric Sun after feeling that his musical ideas would take the group in an entirely different direction. Tokyo Tapes, a double live album that the group recorded in Tokyo with Roth, was released in 1978. Shortly after Roth's departure, Michael Schenker was kicked out of UFO for his constant alcohol abuse and came back to play with the Scorpions in 1979, who had recently signed with Mercury Records. The group released Lovedrive that same year and played its first American tour, but Lovedrive failed to attract attention, being banned in the United States because of its sexually explicit cover. Still coping with his drugs and alcohol addiction, Michael missed tour dates repeatedly and guitarist Matthias Jabs was hired to fill in for him on nights when he was absent. Michael eventually would leave the Scorpions a second time after realizing that he was failing to meet their expectations.
Now with a lineup of Klaus Meine on vocals, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar, Matthias Jabs on lead, Francis Buchholz on bass, and Herman Rarebell on drums, the band released Animal Magnetism in 1980 and embarked on another world tour. Surprisingly, Animal Magnetism went gold in the United States, and the Scorpions immediately went back into the studio to record their next release. Problems arose, however, and the project was postponed because Meine had lost his voice and would have to have surgery on his vocal cords. Many thought Meine had been fired from the band, and rumors spread that metal singer Don Dokken had already replaced him. the Scorpions proved these rumors untrue when Meine returned for the 1982 release Blackout, which contained the cult hit "No One Like You." A major success worldwide, Blackout sold over a million copies in the U.S. alone. But as popular as Blackout was, it was the Scorpions' powerful follow-up, Love at First Sting, that succeeded in making them superstars. Released in 1984, the album boasted the MTV single "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and would eventually achieve double-platinum status. The group undertook one of its most successful world tours yet, boasting an outstanding stage show with high-energy performances.
After releasing World Wide Live in 1985, the band took a long hiatus and remained uninvolved from the music industry for two years. Their tenth studio album, Savage Amusement, was finally released in 1988, and the hit ballad "Rhythm of Love" brought on another major success. In 1990, the album Crazy World was released and would eventually become the Scorpions' biggest-selling record to date, drawing on the strength of the hit ballad "Wind of Change." Not too surprisingly, Crazy World was the last successful Scorpions release in the U.S. By the time their Face the Heat album hit the shelves in 1993, many longtime fans had already lost interest in the band, due to the alternative explosion of the early '90s. Face the Heat did eventually reach gold, and in 1995 the band released another live album, Live Bites. Now with bassist Ralph Rieckermann and drummer James Kottak, they released Pure Instinct in 1996. Mercury Records assembled a double album of the band's greatest hits, Deadly Sting: The Mercury Years, and released it in 1997.
Eye II Eye, an album in which the band experimented with pop-techno melodies, was released in the summer of 1999. Moment of Glory, featuring the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and several revamped versions of Scorpions cult classics, was released in fall 2000. Continuing to be productive into the 21st century, the Scorpions released their 15th studio album, Unbreakable, in 2004, followed by the concept album Humanity: Hour 1 in 2007. In 2010 they released Sting in the Tail, and announced they would be retiring after heading out on the road for a farewell tour. The following year, while still on tour, the band released Comeblack, a greatest-hits album of sorts featuring the German rockers re-recording some of their most well-known songs, as well as covers by T. Rex, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. 2013 found the band performing several acoustic concerts for MTV Unplugged, collecting some of the best performances for a double live album released later that same year. In early 2015 the band delivered 18th studio album Return To Forever, a collection of twelve new songs written between 2011 and 2014 and put to tape in Sweden with producers Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen.
OFFICIAL SITE
TO THE TOP
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