Scorpions is a German group formed in 1965 in Hanover by Rudolf Schenker, singer and guitarist, Karl Heinz "Katty" Vollmer guitarist, Joachim Kirchhoff bassist and Wolfgang Dziony drummer.
Originally, the group mainly played Beatles standards !
And the name of the group is chosen simply because it can be easily understood in several languages.
It was in 1972 that their first album "Lonesome crow", called psychedelic rock, was released, which would only work in Germany.
The second album "Fly to the rainbow" was released in 1974 with a somewhat revamped group, former members left, others arrived.
Thanks to these newcomers, the quality of the album is better and the group’s renown worldwide is growing.
The year 1975 arrives, which will be a pivotal year for the group.
Change of sound with a much more hard rock orientation, release of the album "In trance" from which the single of the same name will be issued and which remains to this day one of their flagship titles.
In 1976, release of the album "Virgin killer" with a shock pouch (a naked little girl, only a shard of glass hides her sex) which works particularly well in Japan.
Followed in 1978 by the equally successful album "Taken by force".
1979 saw the release of the album "Lovedrive". Big success in Europe and Japan and first appearances in the American charts.
In 1980, the album "Animal magnetism" came out and paradoxically worked better in the USA than in Europe. In particular thanks to the flagship single "The Zoo".
In 1982 came the album "Blackout" which rhyme with glory and consecration for the group. It is a huge success and he is considered to be the best in the group to date.
Especially with the titles "No one like you", "Can’t live without you" and "When the smoke is going down".
Two years passed and it was in 1984 that the album "Love at first sting" was released.
It is a colossal global success thanks to hits like "Rock you like a hurricane" but also the cult "Still loving you".
It will take four years and the year 1988 to see the group release a new album "Savage amusement" which sells very well in the USA but which in terms of quality nevertheless remains below the two previous albums.
The year 1991 will be the year of the last great success of the group with the album "Crazy world" from which will be extracted the hits "Don't believe her" as well as the enormous "Wind of change", flagship title which becomes l one of the symbols of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Other albums will be released later but the hard has not really the wind in its sails, the music of the Scorpions is softened too much in the eyes of the fans and the young generations do not hang, sucked towards the new road rollers Nirvana.
The decline will therefore be irreversible for this legendary group which will still have managed to stay on top for 2 decades and will have left at the same time musical monuments which will remain in the history of the 80s as essential classics.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
• I'm going mad 1971
• In trance 1975
• Speedy's coming 1976
• Pictured life 1977
• He's a woman, she's a man 1977
• Sails of Charon 1978
• Is there anybody there ? 1979
• Lovedrive 1979
• Holiday 1979
• Always somewhere 1979
• Make it real 1980
• The zoo 1980
• Lady starlight 1980
• No one like you 1982
• Can’t live without you 1982
• When the smoke is going down 1982
• Rock you like a hurricane 1984
• Still loving you 1984
• Big city nights 1984
• I'm leaving you 1984
• Rhythm of love 1988
• Believe in love 1988
• Passions rules the game 1988
• I can't explain 1989
• Tease me please me 1990
• Don’t believe her 1990
• Wind of change 1991
• Send me an angel 1991
• Alien nation 1993
• Under the same sun 1993
• White dove 1995
• You and I 1996
• Does anyone know 1996
• When you came into my life 1996
• Where the river flows 1997
• To be N° 1 1999
• Moment of glory 2000
• Here in my heart 2000
• When love kills love 2001
• Miracle 2004
• Humanity 2007
• Love will keep us alive 2007
• The game of life 2008
• The good die young 2010
• Raised on rock 2010
• The best is yet to come 2010
• Where the rivers flow 2013
• We built this house 2015
• Eye of the storm 2015
• Follow your heart 2017
• Sign of hope 2020
• Peacemaker 2021
Clips :
1971 ... the totally surreal beginnings of a band of young people then completely unknown. Who would bet any coins on them at this point ? Not many people, that's clear. And yet !
1975 ... of course, there is better style and sound. But not enough to allow them to enter the big leagues. Patience, patience ...
1976 ... year after year, title after title, the level goes up, it's clear. We are getting closer and closer to the minimum level that will allow them to burst into the open
1977 ... the end of the decade particularly inspires the group. Things are falling into place quietly but surely !
1977 ... on the other hand, what is certain is that they are not there to laugh at the little guys. It beats hard and strong. And that's just the beginning !
1978 ... they still have a little work before they can compete with the best, that's clear. The basics are good but that is not enough for now to hope to get to the stars soon !
1979 ... so there, that one, you had to dare Hard rock reggae ! No one had dared before them. And yet, they did ! Result of the races : first success. Incredible but true !
1979 ... the group has finally passed a first stage and the result in the Charts is felt more and more. New success !
1979 ... the group shows here for the first time obvious skills to also understand the Intimist world and this despite a basic style not really compatible. And the future will show in this area that they can excel. And again, the word is weak !
1979 ... and what about this one ! This group really has something more than the others, it's obvious
1980 ... a particularly successful transition to the 1980s with an adaptation to new trends that takes place naturally. All good little guys !
1980 ... even if it continues to beat strongly, the group will know how to perfectly adjust its sound to what the general public expects. And this in spite of musical bases normally reserved for a most informed public ...
1980 ... new sweet parenthesis of great beauty. On the part of a group of madmen, the paradox is all the more remarkable. MA-GIC !
1982 ... the first planetary hit. The group finally enters the big leagues and will finally be able to fight on equal terms with the best. It promises !
1982 ... the piece of whew that goes at 2000 km/h. The sick, there's nothing to say ! But patients full of talent and that changes everything !
1982 ... surprisingly, this title will go under the radars. And this despite an obvious quality for this Intimist title which once again demonstrates their extreme talent in this field
1984 ... the Scorpionesque wave is underway and nothing and no one can stop it. Especially when you see what's on the horizon !
1984 ... the Ultimate Slow which tears its race apart ! Surely one of the biggest hits of the decade, even of this end of the XXth century ! How many couples have met on this now legendary slow ?? Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, you know. MAS-TER-PIE-CE !
1984 ... bring in the handkerchiefs, no more crying, return of the Heavy sound ! It is true that their business was never the Intimist...
1984 ... an exceptional year for the group with a plethora of titles, some of them exceptional. This one unfortunately will be rather part of the titles passed somewhat unnoticed ...
1988 ... after a few empty years, the group returns in an obvious form and begins an obvious sound evolution, late 80 obliges. A group in perpetual movement and which always knows how to adapt perfectly to the latest trends of the moment. The brand of the Great !
1988 ... never a group will have mixed so much force and softness at the same time in so many pieces. A real feat almost unique of its kind !
1988 ... a perfectly oiled machine that hits the target every time. Surprisingly, some high-quality titles will not even be ranked. Cruel paradox ...
1989 ... an 80s decade which is drawing to a close and which has above all seen them literally explode and become one of the leading groups on a planetary level. Just reward !
1990 ... a new decade awaits them and they will prove in a striking way that they are anything but has been. A word hi !
1990 ... back to basics with a title that beats hard. They have changed decade, they hold on to their musical roots all the same !
1991 ... the 2nd WONDER ! An extraordinary inspiration for a group that is no less so. A piece of legend and especially the biggest discographic success of the group on the single side, just that. And this 20 years after their debut !
1991 ... the 3rd WONDER ! In a single year, they are able to produce 2 exceptional Intimist titles in a row, and few groups have been able to do so, all decades combined !
1993 ... come back in force with a song once again boosted ! It's at least 100,000 Volts !
1993 ... we are not going to lie to each other, the group loses ground on the competition year after year. Even if this title will allow them to stay a bit afloat, the underlying trend is more towards deceleration ...
1995 ... Scorpions will really have been the group of all paradoxes with this new Intimist title ! One of the only groups to be able to do so much "splits" with such efficiency !
1996 ... the decade of big ballads. It's an almost uninterrupted festival of pure emotional titles ! And there will be others, that's for sure ...
1996 ... and it continues in the same vein. An inspiration in this field without limits and undoubtedly as one of the best of all groups of their generation !
1996 ... listen to that ! Almost 20 years after their beginnings, still as good, still as talented, still as effective !
1997 ... again, and again, and again a magnificent ballad of which they have the secret ! Unstoppable little guys !
1999 ... then there, Scorpions in Dance version, we will have seen everything ! And why not ! Their last hit of the decade ...
2000 ... but certainly not the last hit at all. They will continue the adventure during this new 2000 decade, hoping to win others ...
2000 ... a year 2000 which will still be one of the last years to offer them their latest hits on the singles side. Unfortunately, the years to come will not be so favorable to them ...
2001 ... whatever it is they do not intend to change anything in the way they conduct their careers at first sight. And given what they continue to produce, they would rather be right on this one ...
2004 ... each decade these ballads of big caliber. A know-how in this field which always remains at an impressive qualitative level. What talent !
2007 ... the rest of the events will be a little more complicated to manage than expected from this year 2007. The group disappears more and more from the radars at least among the general public and the trend will be somewhat irreversible ...
2007 ... fortunately there are still the base fans to continue to follow them and thus allow them to continue to exist a little bit. It is precisely in these somewhat difficult times that we appreciate being supported ...
2008 ... afterwards, if the group continues to take pleasure in continuing the adventure, it is above all that which is essential. Success in Charts is always better but not essential ...
2010 ... and here they are entering their 5th decade of career. Always there, always loyal to the job, always so motivated at first sight !
2010 ... despite a qualitative level which is maintained in an obvious way, they just lack a little modernity in the sound. But they are working on it at first glance ...
2010 ... and as the title of their song says, the best is yet to come, at least from their point of view. An ability to believe in it over and over again which undeniably commands respect !
2013 ... the years go by, the decades go by, the fashions go by but they are still there. Exceptional longevity for a group that is no less !
2015 ... afterwards it is clear that we no longer really know what they are running after and what their motivations are now. We imagine that they do this only for fun and they are right !
2015 ... what is still impressive is the number of titles they continue to produce year after year. Tireless little guys !
2017 ... especially since they are far from being ridiculous, even a little over 40 years after their debut. What really makes this group an extraordinary group is clear ...
2020 ... and here they are in this decade of 2020, who would have believed it ? They pass the decades one after the other with an ease to say the least obvious even if the level of success has nothing more to do with what they knew before ...
2021 ... as with them nothing is ever finished, we can easily imagine that this title will not be the last. To be continued...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :