Scorpions -

Scorpions are a German hard-rock/metal band that debuted with the album Lonesome Crow on Brain/Metronome in 1972. Between 1974 and 1978, the band released four albums and a live double-LP on RCA Victor. The subsequent seven-year period saw the band gain international fame with a string of releases on Harvest, starting with 1979’s Lovedrive.

Members: Rudolf Schenker (guitar, backing vocals), Wolfgang Dziony (drums, 1965-73), Karl-Heinz Vollmer (guitar, 1965-67), Achim Kirschoff (bass, 1965-67), Werner Hoyer (vocals, 1967), Harald Grosskopf (drums, 1967), Lothar Heimberg (bass, 1967-73), Ulrich Worobiec (guitar, 1968), Bernd Hegner (vocals, 1968), Klaus Meine (vocals, 1970-present), Michael Schenker (guitar, vocals, 1970-73, 1978), Werner Löhr (drums, 1972-73), Uli Jon Roth (guitar, 1973-78), Achim Kirschning (keyboards, 1973-74), Francis Buchholz (bass, 1973-92), Jürgen Rosenthal (drums, percussion, 1973-75), Rudy Lenners (drums, percussion, 1975-77), Herman Rarebell (drums, 1977-95), Matthias Jabs (guitar, 1978-present)

Scorpions was formed as an R&B/beat band in 1964 Hanover by sixteen-year-old guitarist Rudolf Schenker. For the next five years, they remained an unsigned act with Schenker at the mic. In 1970, his young brother Michael Schenker joined the band along with vocalist Klaus Meine. Bassist Lothar Heimberg and drummer Wolfgang Dziony rounded the lineup.

In February 1972, Scorpions debuted with the album Lonesome Crow on Brain. It contains seven group-written numbers, including “It All Depends,” “Action,” and the 13-minute title-track. The album was recorded in one week in October 1971 at Hamburg’s Star Studios with producer Conny Plank. Design firm Wandrey’s Studio did the cover illustration, which shows the scorpion-stung hand of an apparent cadaver.

Soon after its release, Michael Schenker left Scorpions to join UK hard-rockers UFO. The Lonesome Crow tour was completed by Michael’s friend, guitarist Uli Jon Roth, who was invited by Rudolf Schenker to join Scorpions. Roth, however, chose to stay with his own band Dawn Road. Rudolf, who still wanted to work with Roth, attended several Dawn Road rehearsals and decided to join the band, which also included bassist Francis Buchholz, keyboardist Achim Kirschning, and drummer Jürgen Rosenthal. They eventually got Meine to join on vocals. Though two-thirds comprised of Dawn Roads members, the new sextet used the name Scorpions because it was already established in the marketplace.

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