Scorpions: my new guilty pleasure

[Evermind]

I haven't checked Return to Forever, but HH1 is fantastic. Just a great rock album. Always an enjoyable listen.

See, I thought Sting in the Tail wasn't that bad, but it had a few songs that I always tend to skip (the heavier ones), so not that good either. But I really like Raised on Rock, The Good Die Young, Lorelei, Sly and especially The Best is Yet to Come. That last one might be one of my favourite Scorpions songs along with their older hits.

[jingle.boy]

Have a go at it on Spotify.  It's worth at least 1 listen.  I spun it a few times in advance of seeing them last September, and a few times since.

[Evermind]

Have a go at it on Spotify.

Great idea, just need to move out of this awful country I live in first.

(I know you probably directed it at Tim, but hey, I couldn't resist.)

I mean, I know I can use Tor browser or something, but I'm not sure it's worth my effort. Maybe I'll sample it on YouTube.

[jingle.boy]

Have a go at it on Spotify.

Great idea, just need to move out of this awful country I live in first.

If ever there was time for this line, it's now.  Meanwhile, in Russia...

(I know you probably directed it at Tim, but hey, I couldn't resist.)

Yes, you'd ninja'd me.

[Architeuthis]

Savage Amusement is another solid album start to finish!  World Wide Live is one of my fav live albums ever..

[?]

I went to see Uli Jon Roth on the Tokyo Tapes Revisited tour last week, here's the report. As an additional curiosity, one of the opening acts was Mr. Fastfinger aka Mika Tyyskä, who has done the Octavarium, TDEN and Enigma Machine animations for Dream Theater.

[bosk1]

Was just thinking about this band over the last couple of days.  As I think back, they were an integral part of my discovery and love of metal.  I remember when I was young (as in, middle school age), and there were those "rocker" kids with their long hair, that would hang out at the park and smoke while blasting their rock music.  Those were the kids I was simultaneously scared of and enthralled by.  And they listened to stuff like Scorpions.  And that made that sort of music simultaneously taboo and intriguing.  Blackout was one of those songs I remember from that period.

It wasn't until Love At First Sting, and the video for Rock You Like A Hurricane blowing up on MTV that I became a fan.  It hit at the right time, because it was shortly before that that I really began exploring music on my own, and discovering that I really liked that '80s, guitar-driven rock sound of bands like Def Leppard, Ratt, Quiet Riot, Van Halen, Ozzy, etc.  The Blackout - LAFS era was just perfect for me.  Good songwriting chops.  Amazing vocals.  Some of the nastiest riffs and blistering solos imaginable.  This is a band that really could do not wrong at this point in their careers.  A lot of the later stuff lost me, both because it probably wasn't of the same quality, and because Scorps are best when they do what they do, and when they do what they do, they are formulaic, so there isn't really a lot of "new" brought to the table to hold one's interest.  But they have had a really interesting career, and I have really enjoyed a lot of their music.

Interestingly, they aren't a band where I have ever felt the urge to be a completest and get everything they have done.  Some of their stuff, I just don't care for.  But I am fairly happy with what I have.  To me, a good Scorps collection consists of:  Blackout, LAFS, World Wide Live, Savage Amusement, Face the Heat, Live Bites, Humanity, and one of their "hits" compilations (I forget which one, but it is 2 disks, and has all the classics with a few rarities).

[Stadler]

As has been noted before, the problem is, their career is all over the map.  Like Yes in that regard.   "In Trance" is AWESOME, but it's nothing like "Blackout" or "Animal Magnetism" (my personal favorite of the "Matthias" era).   

[jammindude]

 I was not a completist until I discovered the RCA era. That was what turned me from a casual fan into a hard-core fan. But I do agree that most of their latter day stuff just does not bring it to the table. Humanity would be the exception.

[bosk1]

Humanity would be the exception.

  Can't believe I left that off the list.  That is one of my favorite all time albums from them.

[Bertielee]

Humanity would be the exception.

  Can't believe I left that off the list.  That is one of my favorite all time albums from them.

I was wondering why you had left it off as well. Easy : you forgot. Error fixed. Btw, HH1 is my favorite by a long shot among all the recent Scorps albums.

B.Lee

[bosk1]

Bump because their Rock in Rio set is AMAZING!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVrSN5TUTbg

Yeah, Klaus can't hit or hold a lot of the notes he once could.  But still really solid and fun performance. 

[Dream Team]

Looks great!

[Orbert]

Sounds good, too!

[TAC]

Watching now. Nice.

Klaus is 71!

This is a great gig (joining the Scorps) for Mickey Dee.


After all these years, 35 of them...Still Loving You still gives me goosebumps.

[JLa]

I remember digging some of the tracks on their "Moment of Glory" live release. I'm a sucker for orchestra though. This is sweet (especially the second part of it):

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

[MoraWintersoul]

That's a fantastic setlist.

[Architeuthis]

Bump because their Rock in Rio set is AMAZING!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVrSN5TUTbg

Yeah, Klaus can't hit or hold a lot of the notes he once could.  But still really solid and fun performance.

That was painful to listen to and watch.   Rudolfe Schenker's stage antics are just silly. They sure put on a great show back in the 80's and 90's though.

[bosk1]

You have a strange definition of "painful."  That was an awesome set.

[TAC]

You have a strange definition of "awesome".

I did like the 70's Medley. That was cool. I wish they played those songs in the 80's. I like Winds Of Change OK enough, but Send Me An Angel is just redundant there. But the opener was kind of weak, and I've never liked Make It Real.

Honestly, I don't have anything against The Scorps, but it was kind of painful listening to Klaus. But like I said, he's 71.

[TAC]

I'll say this...Matthias Jabs has never gotten his due. He's an amazing guitarist.

[Architeuthis]

You have a strange definition of "painful."  That was an awesome set.

The set list is awesome, but the sound and performance is waning these days (understandably so). If I was actually at the show, I probably would have appreciated it more.  Matthias Jabbs is probably the MVP of the band at this point..
 Scorpions had their heyday, but now they have lost their sting..

[Stadler]

You have a strange definition of "painful."  That was an awesome set.

The set list is awesome, but the sound and performance is waning these days (understandably so). If I was actually at the show, I probably would have appreciated it more.  Matthias Jabbs is probably the MVP of the band at this point..
 Scorpions had their heyday, but now they have lost their sting..

I suppose I should listen to the show.  I'm not really ready, though, to hear them on the decline, especially Klaus, since that's the draw for me (I love that moment in "Can't Live Without You":  "one... two...a-ONE TWO THREE FOUR!").  I love the Uli years for the most part (I despite the song "Steamrock Fever", though. For some reason it rubbed me the wrong way and I'm not sure I could articulate why well enough), and I love the first four albums in the Matthias years, but after that they sort of became Judas Priest for me. I get a "hey, what're the kids buying these days!" (that is, contrived) vibe to them in the same way I get that vibe from Priest.  Having said that, I saw the "Love At First Sting" tour, and "Still Loving You" live is a treat for the ages.   

[bosk1]

You have a strange definition of "painful."  That was an awesome set.

The set list is awesome, but the sound and performance is waning these days (understandably so). If I was actually at the show, I probably would have appreciated it more.  Matthias Jabbs is probably the MVP of the band at this point..
 Scorpions had their heyday, but now they have lost their sting..

Yeah, I don't get that at all.  I mean, if you are expecting them to perform like they are still in their 20s, you obviously aren't going to get that.  But if you don't think that performance was still extremely high level, I don't know what to say.

[Ben_Jamin]

You have a strange definition of "painful."  That was an awesome set.

The set list is awesome, but the sound and performance is waning these days (understandably so). If I was actually at the show, I probably would have appreciated it more.  Matthias Jabbs is probably the MVP of the band at this point..
 Scorpions had their heyday, but now they have lost their sting..

Yeah, I don't get that at all.  I mean, if you are expecting them to perform like they are still in their 20s, you obviously aren't going to get that.  But if you don't think that performance was still extremely high level, I don't know what to say.

They're shows are really energetic. You can feel they're still giving it their all and having a blast. The fact Klaus can't sing as high anymore doesn't bother me, he still is in tune. The 70's Medley was the highlight. Really good songs.

[WildRanger]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

[wolfking]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

Solid. 

Lovedrive is on my checkout list.  Never got into these guys but as some of the old comments say, I too own Humanity Hour and that's a cracker.

[Podaar]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

Solid. 

Lovedrive is on my checkout list.  Never got into these guys but as some of the old comments say, I too own Humanity Hour and that's a cracker.

For what it's worth, I agree that Jabs is a hell of a player, and Scorpions music really fits the rocker in me...but Thor-O-Thor the lyrics to this song are so comical that I can't even listen to it.

[Stadler]

From Taken By Force through Savage Amusement, it was always a fun thing to seek out the Herman Rarebell lyrics.  CLEARLY he didn't grasp some of the nuances of the German-to-English translation.   

I'm not the HUGEST fan of Jabs; he's good - very good - but his tone is a little too brittle for me compared to Uli and Michael. 

[pg1067]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

It really was a gas!





But really...I can't rank it any higher than the bottom half of songs on an album that is loaded with really good to great songs.

Also, am I the only one who didn't know this excellent video existed?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBTWoZzZ8B8

[Stadler]

That was actually entertaining, in it's own way.   Ridiculous, but entertaining.

[Zoom E]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

Solid. 

Lovedrive is on my checkout list.  Never got into these guys but as some of the old comments say, I too own Humanity Hour and that's a cracker.

Check this out. Sails of Charon from the Taken By Force album.

https://youtu.be/Zs5NOrYYV2s

[pg1067]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

Solid. 

Lovedrive is on my checkout list.  Never got into these guys but as some of the old comments say, I too own Humanity Hour and that's a cracker.

Check this out. Sails of Charon from the Taken By Force album.

https://youtu.be/Zs5NOrYYV2s

Uli in that video is the epitome of 70s "cool."

[Stadler]

I think their song "Arizona" has some of the best guitar playing in the 80's hard rock.
Jabs is killing it from start to finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPfFvM0AFG0

This song deserves much more recognition from their catalog.

Solid. 

Lovedrive is on my checkout list.  Never got into these guys but as some of the old comments say, I too own Humanity Hour and that's a cracker.

Check this out. Sails of Charon from the Taken By Force album.

https://youtu.be/Zs5NOrYYV2s

That's actually a GREAT album (it's got We'll Burn The Sky on it as well).  The intro to Sails is killer.

I loved this comment to the video:
"If I made love to my wife like Uli does to that guitar, she probably wouldn't have left me."

Trivia:  We'll Burn The Sky was co-written by Monika Danneman, Jimi Hendrix' last girlfriend.  Uli Roth, who is very much influenced by Jimi Hendrix, later dated her too.    There's something creepy about that. 

[LudwigVan]

I've come to the point where I'm able to block out most of the Scorpions' lyrics. Klaus Meine's vocals are just another instrument for me, in that I hear them in a purely tonal aspect.

Speaking of Uli Jon Roth, I can't help thinking that his tremendous talent went to waste after he left the Scorps. It's too bad he didn't hook up with a legit band/vocalist. His Electric Sun/solo/retro-Hendrix stuff is kind of blah.