Scorpions reacted differently than many rock and metal bands to the transition into the 1990s, when grunge arrived and shook the foundations of the music industry. How do you survive such a huge change?
In a recent interview with Metal Hammer , Rudolf Schenker said that the band simply didn't try to fight the new trend – and reaped great rewards for it.
“When grunge and alternative music exploded, we were playing in Asia, in places like Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, where we were still performing in huge stadiums. Why fight grunge in Europe and America when we can do big shows in Russia, Taiwan, and so on?” he explained.
The political climate was also favorable, especially after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. "It was a new generation of Germans entering Russia, [this time] not with tanks, but with guitars, bringing love and peace," Schenker observed.
Throughout their career, the band made a point of performing in destinations off the beaten track, something recognized by bands like Metallica. “There’s an interview with them and – I don’t remember if it was James [Hetfield] or Kirk [Hammett] – they were asked how many countries they’d played in. The answer was: ‘Not as many as the Scorpions!’ We weren’t afraid! It paid off too – we sold more albums in Thailand than Michael Jackson; something like 20 times platinum,” the guitarist proudly stated.
Last Friday, the 11th, Scorpions released the single "Seventh Sun ," the third track released from the album Rock Believer , which will be released on February 25th. See the complete release schedule here .
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