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Rock My Monkey: Hello, you are listening to the Rock My Monkey netcast on RockMyMonkey.com. Today I am honored and humbled to speak with one of my childhood idols, Klaus Meine of the band Scorpions. How are you doing today?
Klaus Meine: I’m fine. How are you, Mark? How are you doing?
Rock My Monkey: I’m doing great. It definitely made my month, probably my year, talking to you. I got to say this is an interview I’ve wanted to do for many, many years. Now, with classic rock stations being so opposed to playing any new material, how does Scorpions stay so much in the forefront so well?
Klaus Meine: Well, you know, you never give up doing what you’re doing. That means not only touring all over the world, but also going back into the studio and make records that hopefully will find it’s way out there to the fans over the world. So we never left that kind of circle, touring and recording records, even though it’s a different world today as far as it comes to make records and the way they go out there, and the music industry change so much. So fans go and download albums and download single songs, most of them. But we wanted to make an album the old fashioned way, you know, spending a couple of months in the studio, this time with Desmond Child as the producer. We wanted to make a record where hopefully the fans not only go for this one hit single song, but also give the album a chance to listen to the whole body of work. I think we came up with an album with the signature Scorpion sound, the signature sting after all these years, but a very, very current sound and very modern rock record.
Rock My Monkey: Now, me and my wife are huge fans of your last release, Unbreakable, and I have to say that this new one is just as amazing. It seems like the band has had a rebirth of sorts in The States. What do you think caused that?
Klaus Meine: You know, I think when we were thinking about making a decision who would produce this record, so Desmond Child was really on top of our wish list, making an album. And the question is, where do we go from here? After Unbreakable it was clear we wanted to go, we wanted to keep going with what makes The Scorpions The Scorpions, a powerful rock album with riff songs, up tempo, some rock songs, and also a couple of power ballads. So the decision, the main decision was, do we make a classic rock record? Do we want to sound like way back in the 80’s, or do we want to make a record that sounds like 2007? And that was the decision we made, and having Desmond as a producer, it’s not only that you make him a producer, also you welcome him with open arms as a songwriter, too. Because this man is a genius, legendary writer, and he did so many great, great anthems and songs for many bands we respect a lot, like Aerosmith, for example. It was a whole new experience to work with Desmond Child, James Michael, and with some of the best writers in rock music. We collaborated with them in this record in the writing process, and I think this is like what you said. It’s like re-launching The Scorpions in America again. We’re ready to tour. This year it will be like just a few shows between L.A. and New York City, but I’m sure we’ll come back next year for a long tour where we’ll hit all The States.
Rock My Monkey: I notice that one thing that does separate this album from Unbreakable, and you actually alluded to it a little bit before, but there’s actually a couple songs on here that rock harder than Scorpions have rocked in quite a while. Was that a conscious effort, or was that something that Desmond Child or James Michael brought in?
Klaus Meine: You know, I think the combination to have Desmond as a producer was very much focused on the vocals, working with me every day in L.A. in the studio, and James Michael who did most of the guitar with Rudolf & Matthias. I think the combination of the two was fantastic. Of course there were like some guests that came in, like John 5, especially on the opening track, Hour One. You know that track, the album starts pretty hard with that song. It’s right away there’s a signal this is going to be a really rocking album. And so with Billy Corgan as a very special guest on the song The Cross. I think it’s the fact that the songs, there’s a pretty good balance between songs that portray more of a darker side of life and a darker feeling, you know, like The Cross or Armageddon kind of feel. And then there’s songs of hope. Let’s get out of this mess at the end. Hopefully we get out alive. Like The Game Of Life or The Future Never Dies. It’s a pretty good balance. And we wanted to make an album that shows after all these years The Scorpions, we might be pretty popular for very melodic rock songs, but this band, we’re still a very melodic rock oriented band, but this album rocks, and with a lot of energy within, and power.
Rock My Monkey: If you had to pick out of this album, which song do you think has the power to be another legendary classic like Rock You Like A Hurricane or Winds Of Change?
Klaus Meine: Probably the title track, Humanity, because it starts with a beautiful melody, but a ballad-esque kind of feel, like a Wind Of Change kind of feel, and then it goes into the Rock You Like A Hurricane mood with a heavy riff. That song, like you said, that’s a masterpiece, you know? It’s so beautiful, and it’s a song we play like every night, live, with a couple other songs from this new album. But this song seems like it gets an amazing reaction from all over the world, from fans and critics and reviews. It’s a very special song. I think when Desmond came up with the idea of Humanity Hour One to make something like a concept record, where, concept album, a concept album where those songs are all connected with a theme, a global theme of humanity. I think he picked it up where we left with Wind Of Change in a way. To have an album that is more mature, with lyrics that are deeper than ‘Hey, baby, let’s rock’ or chasing girls.
Rock My Monkey: I got to say, personally my favorite on the album is 321, but that’s just me.
Klaus Meine: Ah! (both laugh) Okay. I mean, let me tell you, that’s also one of the songs we play live.
Rock My Monkey: Cool.
Klaus Meine: It sounds really, really good, as well. That’s really like, it has this strong Scorpions riff, trademark sound. It’s a very powerful riff, and it seems like 321, I can imagine like live, it’s like the whole arena goes ‘three, two, one!’
Rock My Monkey: Right, right, right.
Klaus Meine: It’s really cool. It’s really cool. There are a lot of songs on this record, and they are songs that will go down very well on the radio, but there’s many, many songs with lots of attitude. It’s an amazing record, that a lot of people were not expecting this kind of powerful album coming from The Scorpions in 2007.
Rock My Monkey: Many legends that have been around as long as you have blown out their voices. How do you keep those pipes so powerful after all these years?
Klaus Meine: Well, it’s an ugly word when it comes into connection with rock and roll, but that’s what it is, ‘DISCIPLINE’, you know. (laughs) So you have to take care of your voice if you want to record a great record, or if you want to stay on top of your game on a long tour. That’s what we’re doing right now. We’re right now we’re playing a couple shows in Brazil, and now we’re in Mexico and we’re on our way to Canada, and then the U.S. I think in the studio this was very different this time working with Desmond Child. He came up with a vocal coach. He put me up with a vocal coach, and said ‘This guy is amazing, and I want you to work with him throughout this recording session and the next couple of months. And I want you to stay strong every day we’re in the studio working on the vocals. I just want your voice to be just right there.’ I never did this-I had a vocal coach years ago. And for all the touring and singing live I do my workouts, my vocal workouts every other day, or course. But in the studio I never did this. So this was a whole new issue, and I was very open minded. And with Eric Vetro, very professional guy. Lovely guy and I enjoyed a lot to work with in his house or in the studio. He opened me up to a lot of new things, and I think you can hear this in this production very well. So it was very good. And one day I remembered. So finally when I was in his place, in his house, and sometimes he has many clients. And when I just left his place, the door opened, there was one very famous Hollywood actor, you know, ready for his first vocal session, and he went, ‘Hey, Klaus, you don’t need a vocal coach!’ (both laugh) And I go like, ‘Man, you check this out. This is very cool, and you will find out this is amazing.’ So you have to be open minded. For me the most important thing is that I can deliver, either every night live onstage, or on when you make a record. When you work with top people like Desmond Child and James Michael, it’s like a challenge. Every time you make a new record, it really is like a challenge. You have to ask yourself, do I want to go through this? Do you want to go all the way? Do you want to come up with something that is just amazing? Then you got to go and do it, and the answer after all these years is ‘Yes. Let’s do it.’
Rock My Monkey: Cool. Now, you guys switched to Universal this time instead of Sanctuary. Why the switch in labels?
Klaus Meine: Well, because, actually to be honest, with Sanctuary we were not very happy with the release of, and the support we had, or didn’t have, on Unbreakable. So we were looking for a label that hopefully will support this record when it comes out here in The States and in Canada, and really gives it a good chance, and supports it the way it deserves. Because it’s a strong record. It’s so easy these days to come up with something you put so much power, energy, everything in this, and then it just, it goes away. There’s maybe a song on the radio, maybe not, and the album’s over before you know it. There’s so many records out there. And of course every artist is saying with every new release, ‘oh, this is my best work ever, this is it.’ What can you do? Time will tell, and the fans make the decision on that. But we know on this record, and this is what Desmond wants us to do, he wants us to put The Scorpions on the next level of a very long career, and hopefully make this another milestone. It would be really bad if this album doesn’t get the attention it deserves. That’s why we changed and we went back to The Universal family where we enjoyed many, many years of success with so many albums and all those years back in the 80’s. But this is not about the 80’s. This is about now, and The Scorpions are an artist, it’s a band that is not about the past. We have a long and glorious past, but we’re artists, and we want to move on, and hopefully the fans will go along. It doesn’t mean now we come with a big message to change the world. Hopefully this music gets across, and this message of humanity gets across, where it’s like hopefully we get our shit together and make this world a more peaceful place. But still, this album is about to entertain our audience, and when The Scorpions come to town, hits all these places like in the next couple of weeks, or next year when we come hopefully back for a longer tour, you know, it’s still about we rock you like a hurricane, and we enjoy it very much.
Rock My Monkey: Is there any plans for a video single for this release?
Klaus Meine: Actually, there is a video. We did the video already for the title track Humanity. You can check it out on the Scorpions’ website right now.
Rock My Monkey: Oh Cool.
Klaus Meine: I’m sure our people are working to put it out on VH1, or wherever it goes in The States. We hope that a lot of fans can see it, but there is a video done.
Rock My Monkey: Cool, cool. Great. Now, with the artwork, just like with Unbreakable, you guys again went for a very minimalist approach. Was that a conscious decision?
Klaus Meine: A conscious decision?
Rock My Monkey: The decision to go for, instead of something more elaborate, like Savage Amusement, you guys went for more of a minimalist approach. Was that a band decision to do that?
Klaus Meine: Well, it was, first of all, when we were presented with the idea of Humanity, when Desmond Child came with this concept, the cover of the artwork, it was right there. The whole idea was connected with the song, Humanity, and the whole artwork, the cyborg standing in front of a crater and facing the future. Where do we go from here? Is it time to turn around and find back to the road of humanity, to come back to when we had love and respect for each other and this world. And so this artwork was right there. It was an American artist who did it, Liam Carl, and did a very good job. When we saw it, we just loved it. We went with the whole concept.
Rock My Monkey: You guys do have Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins on the song The Cross. What made you want to share vocals with somebody that’s more known for the 90’s?
Klaus Meine: Well, we’re known for the 80’s. Billy’s known for the 90’s. The fact is he grew up with our music. He’s a huge Scorpions fan. And Rudolf Schenker, he met with him. They met before, and Rudolf went out for dinner, and since we’re working in the same studio for quite a while in Los Angeles, at The Village Recorder. So Billy was downstairs with The Pumpkins, working with Roy Thomas Baker, and I was doing vocals upstairs with Desmond Child. So we’re bumping into each other. And Rudolf was the one who asked him, ‘So Billy, do you want to sing a part in a song called The Cross?’ And he was very excited about it. So whenever we met I said, ‘Billy, whenever you feel good about it, come up and we will record your part.’ And that’s what he did. He’s a great guy. Amazing artist. I mean, he’s a big fan of The Scorpions, and I can say the same thing of The Pumpkins. I mean, it’s the media most of the time, they draw this line, and say this is a classic rock band, this is an alternative band. How does it go together? It goes together very well. At the end of the day we’re musicians, and we respect and enjoy each other’s music. So it’s so easy. And that’s also a good part recording, working in Los Angeles because you bump into so many artists, so many great musicians. It’s so easy to get something like this and make it work. We’re very happy to have Billy on that song. It turned out great.
Rock My Monkey: Did he share any of the writing credit, or was that song already done when he was chosen to come in?
Klaus Meine: Well, with this album it was not so much, it was for the entire record. It was not so much this is my song, this is your song. So it was a collaboration, like not only with Desmond, also James Michael, Marti Frederiksen, Eric Bazilian, a couple of people we have been working with before, like with Eric on Unbreakable. So all these songs were worked on and shaped up together. It was an interesting collaboration because it was such a huge pool of creativity. It was not such a big deal when there was a chorus missing, or a C-part. Being a German guy, after all these years, after so many songs, so this was just amazing. I enjoyed it so much because it was ‘da-da-da-da-da’, and here it is. So we came up with something that just worked great. It was a whole different story, the whole way this album was coming on about.
Rock My Monkey: Actually, I was talking about the song The Cross specifically. Did Billy Corgan contribute to the writing at all?
Klaus Meine: No.
Rock My Monkey: Oh, okay. Okay.
Klaus Meine: Actually, I think that that whole part was my idea. It worked so well with this powerful song. We changed the lyrics a bit back and forth, but this part from the music part was my idea. But when Billy heard that part, he really liked it a lot. We checked a few different things, the way he performed it, the way he did it. In the end it turned out really, really powerful.
Rock My Monkey: I hope you don’t mind me asking this next question, but I believe it was on a tour with Scorpions, but Rudolf brother, Michael Schenker, had kind of a little bit of a meltdown. Do you know if he’s all better now? And is the media making more into that than what it really was?
Klaus Meine: Well, you know, I think when we played a couple of shows together lately in the U.K. in England-like there was a festival up in the north, and then we played Manchester, and London’s Hammersmith Apollo, and he was a special guest on those shows with M.S.G., with his own band. He went through a lot of problems back then. The fans, they were all, they were shocked, and a lot of people were disappointed. And I know that Rudolf, his brother Rudolf, he had, he was sitting with him and he really tried to help him. I’m sure right now that’s what he’s doing is I think in some place where it’s really quiet, everything is sorted out, and hopefully he’s back soon and he will be alright. And fans can enjoy this wonderful and amazing and talented player, guitar player, again. But it’s unfortunately it’s true that he’s going through really rough times right now. We all hope he is back soon.
Rock My Monkey: You did allude to the fact, right now the current tour dates that you have posted on your website, it’s kind of a short mini tour, and you’ll be returning soon in the new year. What’s the chance of that being a full coast to coast tour of The United States? And I also heard a rumor that when you return that you might have an opening act named Doro Pesch?
Klaus Meine: (laughs) Oh, that’s news to me. I’ve never heard that. Doro Pesch. I mean, she’s a very powerful singer, and we know each other for way back. A long time. But I haven’t heard about that before. But the fact is that we just now in 2007, since we’ve been all over Europe by now, and we’ve been all over Latin America now. Since the summer season is pretty much over, and what we’re looking for is a very powerful package for next year to hopefully in the summer hit The States again and go from the West Coast to the East Coast, all the way. And I know a lot of fans on the East Coast haven’t seen The Scorpions for a long time. So we hope we find the right package for next year. For this year, though, it’s just, we do a few shows like now in September, we would be in Los Angeles at The Universal Amphitheater, and also we play a show at The Beacon Theater in New York City, and a couple shows in between, like Tuscon, Vegas. A couple places. It’s not a big tour. You’re right. But the album is released the 28th of August, and we hope this time, we got a good support, not only from the label, but also from the radio, and so far I think there’s very good report on the first single, on Humanity. So it’s good that we play a few key places and key cities before we come back next year for more.
Rock My Monkey: I do have one final question. Every year we do choose one final question that we ask every single band, from classic rock legends like yourself, to the most extreme metal bands, at the end of the interview. Partially to stump people, but also to basically be able to compile all the best answers at the end of the year. So please bear with me on this question. It’s a little obnoxious. This year I’m asking people to look into their crystal ball and predict what political figure, world leader, musician, celebrity, anybody well known, anybody world wide famous, who do you think might die before the end of the year?
Klaus Meine: Who will I think might die before the end of the year?
Rock My Monkey: Right. Maybe a political world leader that’s maybe getting on in the years, or maybe a Hollywood celebrity that’s maybe partying too hard.
Klaus Meine: Ah, okay. You mean who, like from wherever world of celebrities, who I think would be dead by the end of the year? Is that the question?
Rock My Monkey: Yes, yes, yes. Anybody world wide famous.
Klaus Meine: World wide famous. What’s the name of the guy that used to date Kate Moss, the model?
Rock My Monkey: Oh, the lead singer of the Babyshambles!
Klaus Meine: What’s his name? Pete?
Rock My Monkey: Pete Doherty is it?
Klaus Meine: Yeah. He’s the guy. He’s got to take care of himself. Hopefully he will sort it out and get back on track. But I think he’s the guy, whenever you see him in the media, he seems like he’s in big trouble.
Rock My Monkey: You’re not the only one to say that answer, so that’s actually maybe a call out to him to start getting healthy and get back on track.
Klaus Meine: Exactly. Hopefully the guy makes it.
Rock My Monkey: Well, I thank you very much for doing this interview. You’ve fulfilled a childhood dream. Anybody that’s listening to this audio version can go to RockMyMonkey.com for the full featured version with clickable links, readable text, and many more wonderful features. I want everybody to click on this album cover above and below this interview to purchase Humanity One from Scorpions, and I do hope to see you guys up on tour in the Northwest sometime soon. Thank you very much for your time, sir.
Klaus Meine: Alright. Thank you, Mark. Good talking to you, okay?
