SCORPIONS: "Return to Forever". 50 Anniversary, "Dream Festival" and new studio album.

It seems that this year will be the Scorpions 50 anniversary celebration. This band has been making music and making a millions fans happy (me too) since 1965. The Scorpions has sold more than a hundred million albums. This next February they release a new record and embark on a new world tour to celebrate his 50 birthday. Only a few bands can do this, and that’s ok.

                     Scorpions today.                                                

                                                    Scorpions 1965.

Scorpions are the dream and the vision of the well-known guitar player Rudolf Schenker. He jammed with a couple of friends in a Hannover’s cellar church back in 1965 and…till today. The first line up was R.Schenker guitar and vocals, Karl Heinz Vollmer guitar, Achim Kirchholf bass and Wolfgang Dziony drums and vocals. Their first name was The Nameless, but soon they changed to Scorpions, which they found fame and appreciation all around the world. He and the exceptional singer Klaus Meine have kept up the band together all these years. They played their first concert in front of a few students in a Hannover cinema and, step by step, they ended up touring all around the world and selling big arenas till today. 

                     Rudolf Schenker.                                                          Klaus Meine.

Rudi and Klaus have been accompanied by Matthias Jabs, another talented and special guitar player. He’s in the band nothing but thirty seven years with them. Matthias Jabs was known in the eighties like the European Eddie Van Halen, nothing more to be said. There has been many greatest musicians in Scorpions, legendary guitar players like Michael Schenker or Uli Jon Roth, just to give a couple of examples.

                                                    Scorpions with Michael Schenker.
 

                                                   Scorpions with Uli Jon Roth.

                                                     Scorpions with Matthias Jabs.

Now they are ready to release “Return of Forever”, a new studio album. First it would be a project to work again with some forgotten songs and demos from the eighties and nineties albums that never saw the light of day. But while they were working with these songs they saw the strength and power of them and started to work also with new stuff. Speaking to Crazyscorps in 2013, Klaus Meine stated about the progress of the recording sessions for this album: "When we started a few years ago, when we thought about this album, to put out something for our diehard fans, we were thinking about maybe we'd find some good material back in the '80s, and find some old diamonds and pearls, and we did. But between 2011 and now, and even this year, the songwriting process has still been strong as a songwriting team”.

“There will be an album out next year, and it's not so much about old material, it's much more about a new album and new stuff, new songs. Actually, I think we have two songs from the 'MTV Unplugged' where we said they would be cool if they would be on the album as electric versions, and the rest is all new. And that's a pretty good balance, I think”.

                            "Return to forever".                                    "We built this house".

The first single is “We built this house” and it was launched last Christmas via internet. It features the classic signals of the band: power and melody. In fact I really like this band for his personal way to put these pieces together.

                                                          Scorpions: "We built this house".

Other titles are “Rock my car” that the band played live in the 1986 tour (included Herman’s drum solo) or the wonderful song “Rock n Roll band”, included in the last live cd “MTV Unpluged Live in Athens” and one of the better songs that I’ve ever heard lately.

                                                        Scorpions: "Rock n Roll band".

                                                 You wanna know who I am

                                                  I’m in a Rock n roll band.

SCORPIONS:  "DREAM FESTIVAL". A  HISTORY TO REMEMBER.

Now I’m going to share with you the 50 Anniversary Festival to the Scorpions and family related saga that I’ve got in my mind. Something like last Wacken celebration: “A Night to remember”, the same vibe. I would be a big monster three days concert. I’ve detailed the bands, players and set lists (I have chosen that each band plays at least one song of every studio albums of their discographies). Also I addressed approximate timings for each concert. To get it I’ve needed to medley some songs, they appear with this mark (/). Unfortunately for me, it’s only in my head. Anyway, here it is. To whom it may concern.

THURSDAY.

Herman Rarebell.       50m

Eloy.         65m

Uli Jon Roth.       95m

Scorpions (Tokyo Tapes Era)       105m  =  315m

FRIDAY.

Kottak.        20m

Dokken.        80m

UFO.         95m

Scorpions (Actual Era)      110m   =  305m

SATURDAY.

Kingdom Come.        55m

MSG.       85m

Scorpions ( All Eras)        170m   =  310m

                                                      THURSDAY SET LIST:

HERMAN RAREBELL.     

Actual Line Up. HR: H.Rarebell-drums, CR: C.Raab-sax, MV: M.Voss-guit/voc, CH: C.Hasler-guit, HB: H.Begg-key, AB: A.Baum-bass.

Take it as it comes

Messing  around

Your love is hurting

Rock your balls

Heya

Paint it black

Still loving you (Inst. The Rhythm Of Art)         35m

     --  -  --

I´ll say goodbye       DD

You give me all i need (Acoustic)     DD

Wipe out

Falling in love        GB        15m    50m

Guests: DD: Don Dokken-voc, GB: Gary Barden-voc.

ELOY.       

Actual Line Up. FB: F.Bornemann-guit/voc, MG: M.Gerlach-key, KM: KP: Matziol-bass, BS: B.Schopf-drums, SM: S.Mann-guit.

Intro: Follow the light 

The sun song 

Horizonts 

Floating/Inside 

Voice of revolution  

Mirador 

At the gates of dawn/Time to turn/The challenge 

Rainbow  

Decay of Logos/Ro setau 

The Tides return forever         55m

     --  -  --

Intro: The apocalypse 

Bells of  Notre Dame/Jeanne D´Arc        10m   65m

ULI JON ROTH.      

Actual Line Up. UR: Uli Jon Roth-guit/voc, LV: L.Vandall-voc, UR: U.Ritgen-bass, NT: N.Turmann-voc/guit, DK: D.Klosinski-guit, CB: C.Bahn-key, JL: J.Little-drums.

Sky overture

The sails of Charon

The magic world

Sundown

I´ll be there

Yellow raven

Why

Electric sun

Drifting sun

Winds of war

Hiroshima(TSG)/Earthquake (TSG)       70m

     --  -  --

Winterdays

Cry of the night

Until the end of time/E Lucevan le Stelle/Son of sky        10m

     --  -  --

Fire Wind

I´ll be loving you always/Atlantis       15m          95m

SCORPIONS.

Tokyo Tapes Era. Tokyo Tapes Line Up. RS: R.Schenker-guit, KM: K.Meine-voc, UR: Uli Jon Roth-guit, HR: H. Rarebell-drums, FB: F.Buchholz-bass (or PM: P.Maziwoda-bass).

Intro

All night long

Pictured life

Backstage queen

This is my song

In trance

We´ll burn the sky

In search of the peace of mind/Evening wind

Fly to the rainbow

He´s a woman

Speedy´s coming

Top of the bill

Catch your train

Hound dog/Long tall Sally       70m

    --  -  --

Kojo no tsuki

Life´s like a river

Dark lady

Polar nights      20m

    --  -  --

Virgin killer

Hell cat

Robot man         15m           105m

          

                                                       FRIDAY SET LIST:

KOTTAK.     

Actual Line Up. JK: J.Kottak-guit/voc, DW: D.Whsiton-guit.

World war love

Do you want to play

Generation X

Holiday

Time to say goodbye

Rock and Roll forever      20m.

DOKKEN.        

Actual Line Up. DD: D.Dokken-voc, MB: M.Brown-drums, JL: J.Levin-guit, MB: M.Boals-bass.

Unchain the night

Breaking the chains

Empire

Change the world

Just got lucky

Sky beneath my feet

Dream warriors

Escape

Alone again

Heart full of soul

This fire

Too high to fly

It´s not love        70m

     --  -  --

In my dreams

Tooth and nail       10m       80m

UFO.  

Actual Line Up. PM: P.Mogg-voc, PR: P.Raymond-guit/key, AP: A.Parker-drums, VM: V.Moore-guit, RL: R.De Luca-bass.

Intro: Misdemeanor Mix  

Flight night 

Let it roll 

Daylight Goes To Town 

Only you can rock me 

Makin moves 

Natural thing 

Stopped By A Bullet 

Outlaw Man  

Hard Being Me 

Blinded By A Lie 

Rock ready/Midnight train   

Come Away Melinda/Love To Love  

Borderline 

Hunger In The Night

Let It Rain 

Lights Out         65m

     --  -  --

Doctor Doctor        MS   

Rock Bottom          MS

     --  -  --

Prince Kajuku

Mystery Train          30m       95m

Guests: MS: M.Schenker-guit.

SCORPIONS.       

Actual  line Up. RS, KM, MJ, PM, JK.

Sting in the tail

Make it real

Is there anybody there

We built this house

The zoo

Coast to coast

Loving you Sunday morning

We’ll burn the sky

The best is yet to come

Send me an angel

Holiday

Raised on Rock

Tease me please me

Hit between the eyes

Kottak attack

Blackout

Six tring sting

Big city nights          95m

   --- - ---

Still loving you

Wind of change

Rock you like a hurricane          15m     110m

                                                       SATURDAY SET LIST.

KINGDOM COME.   

Classic Line Up. LW: L.Wolf-voc/guit, DS: D.Stag-guit, RS: R.Steier-guit, JF: J.Frank-bass, JK: J.Kottak-drums.

Intro:Ain’t Crying For The Moon Mix

Living Out Of Touch 

Blood Of The Land 

Only Rainbows Know 

Who do you love

The machine inside/With the sun in mind 

Let the silence talk

Mother 

Friends /Waiting/Across the universe(Acoustic)

What Love Can Be  

Hope Is On Fire         45m           

     --  -  --

Stargazer 

Get It On  

Do You Like It        10m         55m

MSG.       

Actual Line Up. MS: M.Schenker-guit, DW: D.White-voc, WF: W.Findlay-guit, HR: H.Rarebell-drums, FB: F.Buchholz-bass.

Intro: Thank you 1,2,3,4 Mix

Before devil knows my name         DW

Where the wild wind blows         DW

Are you ready         DW

Pilot of your soul           DW, KK

No turning back/Aracnophobiac      DW, CL

Gimme your love       DW, RM

Anytime      RM

Nightmare/Gypsy lady  (Acoustic)       DW, RM, GB

Written in the sand       DW, LS

Into the arena/MS Junior/R         

I want you        GB

Lost horizonts       GB

I´m gonna make you mine     GB        70m

     --  -  --

Assault attack/Rock n Roll        DW, GBo

Armed & ready       DW, GB

Let sleeping dogs lie       DW, GB     15m     Total. 85m

Guests: KK: K.Keeling-voc, CL: C.Logan-voc, RM: R.McAuley-voc, GB: G.Barden-voc, LF: L.Sundin-voc, GBo: G.Bonnet-voc.

SCORPIONS.

Intro

Raised on rock

Sting in the tail

Slave me

We built this house

Hour 1

Deep and dark

This time

When you came into my life ( New version)    

Actual line up. RS, KM, MJ, PM, JK.     30m                                                                                                                                                                 

          --  -  --                             

Speedy´s coming      JR

Top of the bill       RL

Living and dying     RL

He´s a woman she´s a man        HR 

We´ll burn the sky     HR                  

Line Up: KM, RS, MJ, UR, L.Heimberg-bass, JR: J.Rosenthal-drums, RL: R.Lenners-drums, HR: H.Rarebell-drums.  30m.

      --  -  --

In search of the peace of mind     WD

Coast to coast     HR

Love drive     HR

Anohet piece of meat       HR       

Line Up: KM, RS, MJ, M.Schenker-guit, L.Heimberg-bass, HR: H.Rarebell-drums, WD: W.Dziony-drums.  20m

     --  -  --

Bad boys running wild     HR

The Zoo      HR

Passion rules the game     HR

Can´t live whitout you     HR

Drum solo/Hit between the eyes     JK

Alien nation       JK              

Line Up: KM, RS, MJ, RR: R.Rickerman-bass, HR, JK: J.Kottak-drums.    30m 

    --  -  --

Bis I:

Holiday

The good die young

Still loving you                                                    

Actual line Up. RS, KM, MJ, PM, JK.        15m               

    --  -  --

Bis II:

Coming home

Blackout

No one like you

Six sting string

Big city nights                                                      

Actual line Up.  RS, KM, MJ, PM, JK.        20m                                                                           

     --  -  --

Bis III:

Rock and Roll band

Long tall Sally

Rock you like a hurricane              

Can´t get enough                                                

All Members.       20m                                                           

    --  -  --

A moment in a million years                            

Members. KM, AK: A.Kirschning-tecl.   5m      Total: 170m