Even the most successful bands can face challenging periods in their careers. Behind the scenes, they grapple with personal and professional difficulties that can significantly impact their music. One such instance occurred in the history of Scorpions, who experienced a tumultuous time during the early 1980s. Vocalist Klaus Meine, a key member of the band, encountered serious throat problems that led to doubts about his ability to sing again.
Following the release of Scorpions’ seventh album, ‘Animal Magnetism,’ Meine began to suffer from severe throat issues. Simultaneously, the band was already working on their next album, ‘Blackout,’ which necessitated the involvement of Don Dokken to provide guide and backing vocals while Meine recuperated.
In a 2015 interview with Classic Rock, the Scorpions frontman discussed the lowest point of his career, describing how the strain he put on his vocal cords during the 1970s eventually took its toll. He underwent two surgeries, and after the second one, he faced immense difficulty, leading him to doubt his ability to sing the album at hand.
Klaus Meine’s words about his difficult period:
“Through the seventies, I was singing every show like there was no tomorrow, always pushing so hard until my vocal cords couldn’t take it anymore. I had surgery twice, and after that second surgery, it was really hard. That was the moment when I thought it was impossible for me to sing that album.”
Additionally, during a 2005 interview, Meine provided further insight into this challenging period. When asked about the potential outcome if their music had not resonated with audiences, he shared how his voice had faltered in the early 1980s. He wondered if he could ever regain his singing ability during his recovery. Meine expressed gratitude for the strong support he received from his bandmate Rudolf Schenker and his family, who encouraged him to prioritize his vocal health.
The singer said the following further about this issue:
“For me, it flopped big time when my voice was gone! In the early eighties, I lost my voice; I couldn’t sing. I went straight to the hospital and had to have surgery on my vocal cords. I went to see a band at a local venue, and because I was not allowed to speak for a while and it was hard to bring the voice back up, I was thinking, ‘This is what I used to do. Can I ever do it again?’
It was a very difficult time during the recording of ‘Blackout,’ but then Rudolf [Schenker] – and my family, of course, but in the band it was Rudolf – was a very strong support to take me through this thing. [He said] ‘You do everything for your voice, and we’ll wait for you. We don’t want another singer, but you have to work hard on yourself to make it happen.’
It took me six or seven months, and then my voice was back. What kind of future would I have [if it wasn’t]? I don’t know. Maybe I would have been a writer, maybe a music journalist – I never thought about it! – but probably I would’ve gone to do something allowing me to stay in the music business: producing young bands or something like that.”
Therefore, Klaus Meine’s vocal struggles during the early 1980s presented a significant challenge for Scorpions, and the singer even described it as the worst period of his career. However, Meine successfully recovered and regained his singing ability through determination and the support of band members, family, and medical professionals.
