Herman Rarebell , drummer for Scorpions between 1977 and 1995, during the group's most successful lineup, complains about the lack of recognition from the band and accused his former colleagues of acting ambitiously to the detriment of their own legacy.
With the release of the 40th-anniversary edition of his first solo album , Rarebell revealed that his bandmates “didn’t react very well” when the record came out. “I had a series of songs I wrote with some musician friends in 1976, shortly before joining the Scorpions, that didn’t make sense for the band. However, they deserved to be heard, so I made the album,” he explained to Louder Sound . “ Rudolf Schenker asked me why I didn’t offer the songs to the Scorpions. But they were too heavy for them.”
With songwriting credits on major hits by the German band, such as “Blackout”, “Dynamite” and “Rock You Like A Hurricane”, the drummer believes he doesn't receive enough credit. “It irritates me. Actually, the band never talks about me in interviews, I think that's ridiculous,” he complained. “But there's a new ITV documentary about the band and I'm being interviewed, so I can finally clarify my role.”
When James Kottak was fired from Scorpions, the musician claims he tried to return to the band, but Mikkey Dee . "I sent a message offering my services and never received a reply. I found that very rude," he continued.
Rarebell also took a jab at Rock Believer , the new Scorpions album , which promises a return to the DNA of the group's golden age. “Now I hear that the Scorpions are claiming their new album will be a return to the glory days of the eighties. If they're serious about that, they should bring Francis Buchholz [bassist] and me back, and also Dieter Dierks , who produced all those classic albums,” he opined. “You know why they don't do that? Ambition! It would mean having to split everything into five parts instead of three.”
In a interview with Wikimetal , Rarebell commented on his relationship with his former bandmates. “Obviously we have a good relationship, I didn’t leave the band on bad terms. Don’t forget I left after 20 years and we’re still friends. When we see each other, we play together. But now, I think the relationship is different, I don’t know about the future,” he said.
The remastered version of the album Nip In The Bud (1981) arrived on digital platforms for the first time on August 27th. Rarebell also plans to start a tour with the Hurricane Orchestra, featuring symphonic versions of songs written with the Scorpions.
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