helterskelter.ca

SCORPIONS
1982 - Blackout.
1984 - Love At First Sting.
1988 - Savage Amusement.
1990 - Crazy World.
more SCORPIONS.
way more Helter Skelter.

March 29, 1982 - 2022: 40 years of: Blackout.

Deutschland's deadly delight.

Rock at first sting. The SCORPIONS are on a definite mission. First target-hit, 1980's Animal Magnetism LP and next confirmed objective: the American-market. The anthem-driven machine is proudly fueled by 1,000,000 mega-watts of crystal pure raw rocknroll ...no reason to black-out.

Decibels crack the skull wide-open on the title-track "Blackout", all lights flashes and lightning bursts in a blast. Evenmore C-4 energy emerges from the explosive shockwaves of "Dynamite". The zoo runs wild on "Now !", a sleek nerve-induced sharp-shooter, while it's counterpart, the heavy doom-rock hammering of "China White" is literally 1,000,000 pounds of rock-candy.

1-2-1-2-3-4 ...the rage and wrath of "Can't Live Without You" is a fine mix of metal and rock-hooks ...SCORPIONS are ready to rock and ready to roll, just like the hard FM-friendly show-stopper "No One Like You". The accompanying tragic Alcatraz / dwarf-cop / forks / broken-guitar-by-Ruddy filmed video-single received continuous MTV-rotation throughout the era.

Amongst the cheesiest ZZ TOP and KISS video-clips, hot competition comes in the form of: Arizona, the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBTWoZzZ8B8

Eventually RIAA-certified Platinum, their foot-print was now official on American soil. The year is 1982 and the music is heavymetal. So much that they even took by storm the gigantic stage of 1983's US Festival Heavy-Metal Day, along other hoodlums: VAN HALEN, Ozzy, JUDAS PRIEST ...and the new Los Angeles terror, the devil shouting MÖTLEY CRÜE.

The worldwide live-market shall soon be struck with another deadly puncture, time to super rock with 1984's Love At First Sting LP.

*
No One Like You = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VwbyBGbqPY
Blackout = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGPT1kfaSEs&list=PLi-Y73aIHeoOBF1YIi-3cXK5cmqs54Y1B
Interview and soundcheck in Strasbourg in 1982
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TECAoaOrZOQ
Lip-synch on Spanish TV in 1982
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQd7-9u7GAg

March 27, 1984 - 2024: 40 years of: Love At First Sting.

America was now theirs.

Riding on the success of 1982's red-blooded-hard-hittin' Blackout LP, the lovedrivers could do no wrong. 1984's SCORPIONS was one of the key-players in the hardrock landscape and one of the biggest draw on both sides of the Atlantic.

The eldest hardrock band in history, from their heavier Uli Jon Roth era, to the rock hard power-chords of 1980's Animal Magnetism LP. SCORPIONS were now locked and loaded to break into the US-mainstream with their FM-friendly hardrock-formula ...a pattern still used to this current day.

The party starts with "Bad Boys Running Wild" which exposes life in the city, with all of it's excesses in true 80s fashion. The mandatory guy-love-girl track is found on "I'm Leaving You" while the haunting intro of "Coming Home" sets the mood and the mid-part kicks-off into a fist-pumping lead-guitar frenzy. The up-beat "The Same Thrill" is supported by a thrilling riff while the lyrics trades about dealing with adult matters from an adolescent's point of view.

Statistically, some bands are lucking to have one hit in their entire career, SCORPIONS have been blessed so many times with the later, it's hard to keep track and Love At First Sting is no different. The LP contains not one, but two of hardrock's biggest worldwide hits. Two major anthems that brought pleasure to millions of rabid fans of the genres: the rock power-houses "Big City Nights" and the immortal chest-beating sing-along "Rock You Like A Hurricane" ...monumental mega-hit.

The album slows-down, with the cold and melodramatic powerballad "Still Loving You". A tearful piece showcasing Klaus Meine's incredible vocal spectrum and strips the band, bare-bones to a rhythm & blues-based act. Top shelf class.

After a heated performance at 1983's US Festival, anthems after anthems, hits after hits, powerballads after powerballads ...the SCORPIONS were in the zone. RIAA-certified 3x Platinum, Love At First Sting's blockbuster is just that: anthems, hits and a Chart-topping powerballad that gets the crowd roaring for some more.

Europe's counterpart of the First Wave Of Hard-Rock bands from the mid 70s that sat the blueprint for the decadent decade to come, this madness went alive on the road and all hell broke loose. Rev-up your motorbike, this is gonna be a long hot night ...until 1988's Savage Amusement LP.

*
Rock You Like A Hurricane = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yP1tcy9a10
Big City Nights = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBJQEJKBq-k
Still Loving You = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pOr3dBFAeY
Love At First Sting = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Abx5GDRxQ&list=PLkQsSWlTh59i0Pp56dbBqbOz35zDJVsKd
Interview in 1985
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrEkpowh490
Live at Super Rock in Japan in 1984
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skZ5Dtkrg6I&list=PL9en7rm2nxPSQxCZR5DNa2PMmKFvrBDrc

April 18, 1988 - 2023: 35 years of: Savage Amusement.

The SCORPIONS are back for another sting.

It's been a very, very long time since 1984's global hurricane Love At First Sting LP. The then flourishing Sunset Strip was now the EPCOT Center of hard-rocknroll. Not going away anytime soon, the arachnids of rock were still relevant in this crazy world.

At full torque, the boys are back in the race and they "Don't Stop At The Top". Louder than ever with more crunch and more hooks, this furious attack is a full blown "Media Overkill". With powerage, rock gets a voltage boost as "We Let It Rock... You Let It Roll", intrigued and metalized to current trends, they even try the fast-metal with the high RPM's of "Love On The Run".

Providing enslaving cock-rock and eye-candy for the MTV-generation, the prettiest girls dance to the "Rhythm Of Love" in one of the decade's cheesiest video ...years before Cherry Pie and the BDSM Sister Of Pain.

On the road, the gang took part of the Soviet Union's Woodstock. A hot appearance at the legendary 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival along other rock-hoodlums: Ozzy Osbourne, MÖTLEY CRÜE, BON JOVI, CINDERELLA and SKID ROW. Crowning event of the decadent-decade, to label this trek a real life highway to hell, wouldn't be an understatement.

1988: the height of the hardrock lifestyle and accompanying arenarock business and no-one but SCORPIONS ruled this game. SCORPIONS are back and are here to stay. They will tease us and please us again with 1990's powerhouse Crazy World CD.

*
Rhythm Of Love = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFAf_29KYTs
Passion Rules The Game = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGm6oSPFnXo
Believe In Love = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQSZWAStqcY
Savage Amusement = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUld_xSm4JU&list=OLAK5uy_lZ8xLd6RU0G_eqDbnsUP1rR3U0Nsb6dV0
MuchMusic interview in 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpGUdWPRK8E
Live at the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbYWtmblvYI&list=PLr59YwRmiKrYPy0KpSIaZJLDVrf1pz8GO

November 6, 1990 - 2020: 30 years of: Crazy World.

Out of the zoo ...into the big city nights.

The German panzer, the great hard-rocknroll hit-machine known as the SCORPIONS. From Hanover to your Walkman, from their underground heavyrock beginnings to the arenas of the world, one thing is certain ...the SCORPIONS never had a blackout !

L.A. hit hard in the 80s, an all killers - no fillers era for hardrock from the City Of Angels, but our Deutschland-quintet weren't done yet. After all, they did initiate this very party way back in 1972, at a time when Slash, Nikki Sixx and a certain Edward were still learning the rudiment of their respective instruments.

Look but you can't touch, the temptation is hard on "Tease Me Please Me". A sneaky lick and matching power-rock chorus, press play, it's all here. Rejoice and indulge in European-rocknroll with the title-track, a loud statement were the SCORPS still manage to bring new tricks out of their sleeves.

Ladies don't lie, prove me wrong girl as "Don't Believe Her" rolls down and sets the mood for some "Lust For Love". It's been done a gazillion time, but hey it works, just like sex, drugs and rocknroll ...it all goes along way with "Money And Fame"

And now ...time to: "Tear down this wall"

In one of humanity's most defining historic event, reuniting the East with the West, the bad-boys toned down and let the magic do the talking. In a sea of MTV-friendly powerballads, in a sea of hair-rock excesses, all of it in this delinquent decadent decade, this cut would forever encompass the powerballad-term. If the mainstream still hadn't listened to Patience, Every Rose Has It's Thorn or Home Sweet Home ...they now couldn't look away. The tornading "Wind Of Change" took care of this and to some extent, spearheaded a part of the now classicrock radio-format. A beautiful piece, supported by ringing slightly reverbed overdriven-guitars, "Change" is on both terms: a cry for help and a cry for hope. Hold hands and whistle along.

30 years later, the SCORPIONS are still alive and world wide live. 1990's Crazy World is one of the last RIAA-certified 2x Platinum pillars for true hardrock, before the Seattle-immersion of late-1991 ...hold on for awhile, the 80s-vibe ain't over yet !

*
Tease Me Please Me = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wENdZneWDYs
Wind Of Change = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4RjJKxsamQ
Send Me An Angel = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UUYjd2rjsE
Crazy World = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKRk46gMaVQ&list=PLaGUXDefECuz0yBUe-CdYjIjab7_GLLQR
Interview in 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpaxYBa3UZc
Live in Berlin in 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbbatZ6QNYk&list=PL1UpxsN6ggwDgA95djYmp3QOzZPx2LIim
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rbayaXBd5E

more SCORPIONS:

Frères métalliques
&

US Festival
&

Moscow Music Peace Festival