SCORPIONS Guitarist Talks 'Comeblack', Farewell Tour

SCORPIONS released "Comeblack" on November 4 via Sony. The CD features 13 tracks, seven of the band's biggest hits re-recorded, plus a half dozen cover versions of songs by some of the artists who inspired the legendary German rockers.

"We started to work out the songs last year in January and February and we noticed that there was one idea from somebody in the band saying, 'Why are we not making it half and half, meaning SCORPIONS classics and then bands which inspired us like THE BEATLES, ROLLING STONES, YARDBIRDS and THE KINKS?'" guitarist Rudolf Schenker tells AOL's Noisecreep.

The SCORPIONS tried between 20 to 25 different songs before choosing the final six, indluding THE BEATLES' "Across The Universe" and "Tainted Love", the track written by Ed Cobb and originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965, but best recognized from SOFT CELL's '80s synthpop rendition.

"Klaus was always a big BEATLES fan, I'm more on the side of the STONES and PRETTY THINGS," Schenker says. "That's really a good situation for the SCORPIONS, give something a different vibe. I give the edge and Klaus gives the melody, that's the reason why we make for a great combination. 'Across The Universe' is not so well known but it's a fantastic song and Klaus sings the song fantastically."

He adds, "I brought in 'Tainted Love' because I liked the song and it's also one of the oldest compositions. I'm the guy coming in from Elvis and Little Richard and all the old rock and roll guys. For me 'Tainted Love' was always a song that I thought was a very good song to make a rock version out of it."

SCORPIONS are planning to release a film of their final concert already slated for the 2013 Berlinale (Berlin's International Film Festival). In addition, the band is sitting on a "warehouse" filled with old concert footage and previously unreleased material — including songs from 1982's "Blackout" and 1984's "Love At First Sting" sessions — which will also eventually see the light of day.

"The SCORPIONS will not fall apart, we are not finishing the SCORPIONS because we want to break up, but we really want to deliver something else to the fans," Schenker says. "We have over 900 hours of film material, in front of the Pyramids, in the rain forest in Brazil, in front of Red Square and, and, and, and so on. We have so many possibilities to create great films and the bonus track thing.

"We're not thinking about the end because we're right in the middle of the party and we want to enjoy the party," he adds. "When it's sold out and the fans are really celebrating it's unbelievable. That's a fantastic way to finish your career. Forty years ago to now it's been amazing, it's better that than to fade away."

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