Scorpions continue to captivate audiences worldwide, defying expectations of retirement and showcasing a passion for their craft that is still remarkable after a 50+ years career. In a recent conversation with Graspop Metal Meeting, guitarist Matthias Jabs humorously attributed their longevity to a simple fact: they “don’t know when to finish.”
Jabs recounted the band’s 2010 announcement of a final tour, which paradoxically led to a resurgence in their popularity. He explained (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “We tried. In 2010, we announced the final tour, which lasted only two and a half years. And then, you know, nobody wanted to let us go, which is nice. All the promoters from around the world said, ‘You can’t leave us now.’ And the fans especially said, ‘Scorpions, don’t stop.’ And that’s 12 years ago since the completion of the ‘final’ tour. And we have so much fun doing what we are doing. And this year is the ‘Love At First Sting’ anniversary tour, a great new show. And then we are looking forward to next year where we are planning a few things like the big birthday parties with Scorpions and friends, but nothing definite yet.”
The guitarist also emphasized the importance of creating new music, even for a band with such an extensive catalog. He noted that while they must perform their classic hits, introducing fresh material keeps both the band and their fans engaged.
“It’s always to have good song material when you go out on the road, because, of course, we have to play the hits again and again and again; we couldn’t do it without it. But for us it’s nice, and I think for the fans too, to hear one or the other new songs. The Rock Believer tour, we started with five or six new songs from that album. Now, since it’s the ‘Love At First Sting’ anniversary tour, 40 years of ‘Love At First Sting’, we concentrate more on those songs and cut out a few of the ‘Rock Believer’ ones. But it’s for us also — to keep being creative and play something new on stage.”
Scorpions‘ guitarist Rudolf Schenker also echoed these sentiments during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk.” He highlighted how technological advancements, particularly social media platforms like WhatsApp, have introduced their music to younger generations, reinvigorating their fan base.
“You have to think about what we didn’t know when we made that farewell tour almost 15 years ago, it was exactly the time when WhatsApp came up, when all this new technology on the Internet came, that people watching the Scorpions on WhatsApp and seeing young kids between 16 and 24 or whatever, they were finding out about the Scorpions. So, and what was happening on the final tour, on the tour, kids were in front of the stage. We said, ‘What’s happening here?’ The older fans were up in the balcony or whatever, and we said, ‘Hey, it’s a completely new feeling on stage.’ So then ‘MTV Unplugged’ came and then we said, ‘Hey…’ The chemistry was right, no question about this. That’s a very important point when the band has great chemistry. And then you have fun when you go on the road.”
Looking ahead, the band is considering a celebration of their 60th anniversary in 2025. Schenker hinted at the possibility of reuniting with former members on stage, demonstrating the enduring bonds formed through their musical journey, during a chat with Vikram Chandrasekar from Tales From The Road.
“It’s not a never-ending road. The road will be finished sooner or later; it’s up to you and our gods. But in 2025, that could be a great time for our 60th anniversary. 2025, is the time when Scorpions is 60 years old. So, then, celebrating 60 years of Scorpions could be a possibility, because I’m in contact with our very old drummer, who was playing on (Scorpions‘ 1972 debut album) ‘Lonesome Crow’, and the bass player, and use them also on stage to see the different kind of states we went through. Because we are very much connected still in all the different musicians, and that shows again, when we can make it, that music is always there for making friendships.”
