Germany’s best-selling music group in history, Scorpions have been rocking like hurricanes for more than half a century now. But all that rocking hasn’t always been easy, thus far requiring the services of some 20 musicians, at one point or another. We’re taking a look at their numerous lineup changes in the gallery below.
In fact, the only constant member since the band’s inception, way back in 1965, has been rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker whose dogged tenacity and inspired riffs have pretty much defined and driven the band forward, across several musical mutations, and despite whatever challenges were cast in their path.
In retrospect, it’s safe to say that the Scorpions needed about a decade of experimentation before they found their hard rock comfort zone, and after squeezing it for all it was worth for the remainder of the ‘70s, the glorious ‘80s, and the challenging ‘90s, the band only strayed a bit before musical trends circled back and met up with them again, on their own terms.
Another notable feature of the Scorpions was introducing the world to, not one, but two positively legendary lead guitarists in Michael Schenker and Uli Jon Roth (plus the extremely talented Matthias Jabs.) Lead singer Klaus Meine, who joined the band in ‘69 and wrote their biggest global hit in “Winds of Change,” is certainly no slouch, either.
Today, the Scorpions have grown so indestructible that not even they seem capable of killing themselves off. After all, their highly publicized farewell tour of 2011 the band rethought their plans and just keeps on going to the delight of their fans across the world.
Here’s our complete guide of the Scorpions’ lineup changes over the years.
1965-69: Rudolf Schenker, Wolfgang Dziony, Achim Kirchoff, Karl-Heinz Vollmer, Werner Hoyer, Ulrich Worobiec, Bernd Hegner
The Scorpions’ personnel following their initial formation way back in 1965 was very fluid, beginning as a quartet with Rudolf Schenker at the helm on guitar and vocals. Over the next few years, teenage bandmates came and went as the amateur group cut their teeth on the influential hits of the British Invasion, before morphing sonically with the hippie era. By the time 1969 rolled around, they were down to only Rudolf and drummer Wolfgang Dziony, but two new recruits were on the way.
1969-73: Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine, Michael Schenker, Lothar Heinburg, Wolfgang Dziony
The first to arrive was lead singer Klaus Meine, who would become Rudolf’s career-long partner-in-creativity, and the second was Schencker’s brother Michael, whose precocious lead guitar skills belied his 14 years of age. Soon enough, energized by Germany’s own burgeoning Krautrock scene and the broader progressive rock movement, the Scorpions officially launched their recording career with 1972’s Lonesome Crow, but traumatic upheaval was heading just around the corner.
1973-74: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Jurgen Rosenthal
YouTube/ RCA / Die Deutschrock Nacht
1973-74: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Jurgen Rosenthal
No sooner had the Scorpions released that all-important debut album than the rug was pulled out from under them when Michael Schenker left to join English rockers UFO. This intra-family defection threw the Scorpions into temporary limbo and eventually also cost them their rhythm section. Incredibly, they ultimately scored another lead guitar hero in the incomparable Uli Jon Roth, who conveniently brought along his Dawn Road bandmates, bassist Francis Buchholz and drummer Jurgen Rosenthal, for 1974’s Fly to the Rainbow.
1975-77: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Rudy Lenners
RCA
1975-77: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Rudy Lenners
It would take another personnel tweak — replacing Rosenthal with new drummer Rudy Lerners — for the Scorpions to dispense with most of their by-now outdated psychedelic tendencies and establish their signature hard rock sound on 1975’s In Trance. Recognizing a good thing when they found it, this quintet remained stable and stuck to this well-received formula for the next year’s Virgin Killer, though that album’s controversial cover art unfortunately overshadowed the band’s hard-won consistency … for the time being.
1977-78: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell
RCA
1977-78: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell
Luckily, the very next year’s Taken by Force refocused public attention on the Scorpions’ ever-improving Teutonic hard rockers, despite the latest lineup change in the recruitment of new drummer Herman Rarebell. The move gave the band a much needed stability behind the drums, with the man later lovingly nicknamed “Herman Ze German” not only hanging around for nearly two decades, but emerging as a frequent lyric-doctor thanks to his stronger command of the English language.
1978: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Michael Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell
Harvest/Chrysalis
1978: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Michael Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell
The Scorpions were never officially a sextet, but the sessions for 1979’s Lovedrive found the band coping with Uli Jon Roth’s departure to launch his short-lived power trio Electric Sun by bringing in Matthias Jabs and welcoming back Michael Schenker. It’s unknown whether or not Michael, who had only just divorced himself from UFO, seriously considered reuniting with big brother Rudolf for the long haul, but the solos he contributed to Lovedrive sparked more interest in a possibly career-best LP. Its well-deserved chart success gave the Scorpions career momentum in the U.S. and U.K.
1979-92: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell
Waring Abbott, Getty Images
1979-92: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell
Lovedrive signaled the start of the Scorpions’ golden era, marked by the group’s biggest album sales by far, numerous sell-out world tours and a remarkable, 13-year period of stability within their ranks. Regardless of the legendary cache maintained by six-string heroes Michael and Uli, the “classic” Scorpions formation in the minds of most loyal fans is comprised of Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Francis Buchholz and Herman Rarebell.
1992-95: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Ralph Rieckermann, Herman Rarebell
Mick Hutson, Getty Images
1992-95: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Ralph Rieckermann, Herman Rarebell
The Scorpions’ streak of stability was unfortunately snapped when bassist Francis Buchholz quit the band in 1992 over business disagreements, ending an 18-year run holding down the bottom end. (Ironically, Buchholz had just earned his first songwriting credit for the group with “Kicks After Six,” from 1990’s Crazy World.) Francis’ replacement was Ralph Rieckermann, who debuted on 1995’s Face the Heat, and remained with them throughout the next, commercially inconsistent decade of activity.
1996: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Ralph Rieckermann, Curt Cress
Stefan M. Prager, Getty Images
1996: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Ralph Rieckermann, Curt Cress
Facing a can’t-win battle against the ’90s’ flannel-sporting armies of grunge, some veteran bands looked to reinvent themselves, while others stubbornly stayed the course. The Scorpions initially chose the latter path on 1996’s ballad-laden Pure Instinct album. This was also the only appearance of drummer Curt Cress, whose resume as a session player (Meat Loaf, Saga, the Real Milli Vanilli!) is impressively diverse.
1997-2003: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Ralph Rieckermann, James Kottak
Picture Alliance, Getty Images
1997-2003: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Ralph Rieckermann, James Kottak
After so much uncertainty, there was no reason to expect a lengthy employment of drummer James Kottak. The journeyman’s career had seen him temp in Montrose, Kingdom Come, Wild Horses, the McAuley Schenker Group, Warrant and others, but he wound up staying put for nearly 20 years. Still, make no mistake: as shown on the cover of 1999’s Eye II Eye LP, the Scorpions were effectively Klaus, Rudolf and Matthias, backed by sidemen.
2004-16: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Pawel Maciwoda, James Kottak
Jo Hale, Getty Images
2004-16: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Pawel Maciwoda, James Kottak
With the recruitment of Polish-born bassist Pawel Maciwoda, the Scorpions embarked on a 12-year period with a fixed quintet. This period began with the band’s acclaimed back-to-basics album, Unbreakable, weathered the mixed response to 2007’s conceptual Humanity: Hour I and saw extensive touring, including the retirement-tour-that-wasn’t, behind Sting in the Tail (2010) and Return to Forever (2015).
2016-Present: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Pawel Maciwoda, Mikkey Dee
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2016-Present: Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Pawel Maciwoda, Mikkey Dee
In 2016 there was one more alteration to the Scorpions when Kottak, who’d recently surpassed even Herman Rarebell as the group’s longest-tenured drummer, was fired after a difficult couple of years that began an in-flight arrest on a flight to Dubai, and subsequent rehab for alcoholism. So in April 2016, former Motorhead and King Diamond drummer Mikkey Dee joined them fold on a temporary basis, and became an official member later that year.
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