SCORPIONS Are Waiting For 'The Right Time' To Work On New Music

During an August 13 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", SCORPIONS frontman Klaus Meine and guitarists Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs were asked if there are any plans for the band to work on the follow-up to 2022's "Rock Believer" album. Rudolf responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "If Klaus has enough lyrics for us to [work with], because this was a very good idea when we did 'Rock Believer'. Klaus came, [for] the first time, with a package of lyrics like this and said, 'Rudolf, look inside, what you can find. Maybe there's something.' And I was at a studio in [Thailand] and I was driving around. [I was in the] studio doing some demos, getting our engineer over. And [I was able to] get everything in form [and] send it to the guys.

"Today, everything is possible to get in form what the songs are all about," Rudolf continued. "And I think this new way of working and composing, it's great because if you go into a routine, you get into the boring direction. But if you have now lyrics and you know, 'Ah, this is great,' that's fantastic."

After Klaus chimed in, "I sent [Rudolf some new] lyrics quite a while ago, but I still haven't heard back," Rudolf clarified: "[He sent me] one lyric. One song. And the song is supposed to be a really kick-ass kind of [track]. But the point is you have to get the right momentum. That's the important point… But I think the time will be right in the right time. On the other hand, [SCORPIONS' classic power ballad] 'Still Loving You' was waiting for seven and a half years until the band was ready to play it. Because [former SCORPIONS guitarist] Uli Jon Roth didn't wanna play it because it was too much… I don't know what. We talked about it, but it was not the right moment… And then [we eventually recorded it]. This was the time where everybody was ready to make it, and that's the important point to have the patience, to wait long enough."

Referencing the fact that he is 77 years old while Rudolf is 76, Klaus added: "But back then, seven years was no big deal. But now it's a whole different story."

This past February, Meine told Scorpions Brazil that "there are many good reasons why we maybe should [create new music], because it's so much fun, and to write new songs and to give it a try. And we have such a great team working with us. And our co-producer, engineer, Hans-Martin Buff, just received a Grammy in L.A. for his working with Peter Gabriel on 3D sounds. He is very specialized on 3D productions now, and he is really, really good, and it's always fun to work with him in the studio, record vocals, record new songs. And we have such a great setup.

"So there are a million good reasons to go back into the studio sometime soon," he continued. "But, on the other side, these days, it's not the time anymore really to make albums. It might be good to record a few songs; that would be a good thing. But it's always a good option to go back and to wake up your creativity. That's always something great, and we enjoy this always. So I don't know. But let's see how it goes this year. And there's so many shows coming up, and, yeah, we've gotta bring it on first before we make plans for what might come up in '26."

"Rock Believer" was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

SCORPIONS originally intended to record "Rock Believer" in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.

SCORPIONS' latest album marked their first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of new and classic material.

SCORPIONS' previous full-length collection of new recordings was "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.

In January, SCORPIONS postponed their 2025 Las Vegas residency due to Dee's recovery from his recent hospitalization. Promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, "Scorpions - Coming Home To Las Vegas 60th Anniversary Las Vegas Residency" was scheduled to kick off on February 27, 2025 at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. SCORPIONS.

The new dates are as follows: August 14, August 16, August 19, August 21 and August 23.

BUCKCHERRY will still provide support for the new SCORPIONS Las Vegas residency dates.

In celebration of SCORPIONS' 60th anniversary, the new show follows the band's two previous sold-out residencies at the venue — "Scorpions - Love at First Sting Las Vegas" in 2024 and "Sin City Nights" in 2022.

Earlier in January, Mikkey, who was previously a member of MOTÖRHEAD for 23 years, revealed that he was recovering after spending most of the holiday season battling a "very serious blood infection (Sepsis)."

Photo credit: Marc Theis (courtesy of Wilful Publicity)