Former Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell shared his thoughts about the band’s recent work in an interview with Talking The Talk With Don.
“For me, the band has been over since 1996,” Rarebell stated. “There was nothing which they released after I left which knocked me out, where I said, ‘Wow, this is amazing.'”
‘Even the last album, Rudolf [Schenker, Scorpions guitarist] told me, ‘It’s gonna be like the ‘Blackout’ album,'” he continued. “I said, ‘It has nothing to do with ‘Blackout.’ You should have got Dieter Dierks back with the band and me writing some lyrics for you. Then we’d have a great album.’ But otherwise, what is this? Why you do this?’ No answer.”
Rarebell addressed the passing of former Scorpions drummer James Kottak. “The last drummer they had was James Kottak. He passed away. I’m very sad about this because he was a good guy,” he said. “I wrote an e-mail to them. I said, ‘Why don’t we do something together again?’ And you know what? I didn’t even get an answer. After 20 years being with those f*ckers, not even an answer. I said, ‘Okay, f*ck you. Fine.'”
“Because I can do my own thing — no problem. They can’t. Because the chemistry we had was unique,” Rarebell explained. “And if you f*ck that up, it’s gonna be hard to replace. And the people out there, the fans, they’re not stupid. They can hear it immediately. They wrote me so many e-mails: ‘What happened?’ I don’t wanna explain all the time. Everybody can do in life what they want. That’s why we have a free will. And so I respect this.”
These comments stem from Rarebell’s extensive history with the band during their most successful period.
Records from historical documentation showed that Rarebell’s 1995 departure marked the end of an era for Scorpions. He had played a crucial role in crafting their signature sound during their peak years, especially on landmark albums ‘Blackout’ (1982) and ‘Love at First Sting’ (1984).
Metal Storm documented the band’s continued releases after his exit. Their 2004 album ‘Unbreakable’ earned praise for its return to heavier rock roots. The album failed to match the commercial success of their earlier work.
James Kottak stepped in after Rarebell’s departure. Band archives confirmed Kottak’s first recording with the group was ‘Pure Instinct’ (1996). He maintained a steady presence in their lineup through numerous tours and recordings.
The relationship between classic lineup members and their replacements became a frequent topic among fans and critics. Rarebell’s recent comments highlighted the challenges of preserving a band’s signature sound through personnel changes.
