Scorpions
German hard rock conquers the world
Formation and Early Years
Scorpions was formed in Hanover, Germany, in 1965 by Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar). The classic lineup was solidified with Klaus Meine (vocals) and Matthias Jabs (lead guitar, from 1979 onward).
Worldwide Success
Lovedrive (1979) and Blackout (1982) established the band on the international stage. Love at First Sting (1984) featured “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Still Loving You”, two of the most iconic songs of 1980s hard rock.
“Wind of Change” (1990), inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall, became the best-selling single ever released by a German artist.
“Wind of Change” is often referred to as “the anthem of reunification” in Germany. Whistled by Klaus Meine, the song captured the spirit of optimism surrounding the fall of the Iron Curtain. Its whistled intro is one of the most recognizable openings in music history. In 2020, a podcast by The New Yorker explored the theory that the CIA may have been involved in writing the song—a theory the band firmly denied.
Legacy
Scorpions has sold more than 110 million albums worldwide, becoming Germany’s most successful rock band.
Iconic Guitars
Rudolf Schenker is inseparable from his black-and-white Gibson Flying V. Matthias Jabs plays Gibson Explorer guitars and his own ESP signature models.
Discover the guitar: Dean V Made in USA Ex Michael Schenker Scorpions
