2009 was the year of the Scorpions: they received the German lifetime achievement ECHO, collected many other awards, and undertook a grand tour through Russia, the U.S. and Europe. However, it is 2010 that will set a milestone for the career of the most successful international rock band from Germany. The Scorpions will be touring the world for the next 2 years and performing in the largest venues and stadiums that cross their path. The mammoth tour will be launched for the first time in many years in Germany. “It was important for us to give our fans a chance to celebrate a never-to-forget party with us”, said band founder Rudolf Schenker. Klaus Meine stated, “2010 is going to be a very special year for the Scorpions, so it is an especially good feeling to be able to start this tour at home”.
To top it all off, the Scorpions are planning on releasing a sensational statement this January at a press conference.
The performances in Germany will be followed by concerts in the U.S., South America, Asia, Russia and various countries in Europe. Matthias Jabs remarked about the tour, “we are very excited to be touring the globe for the next two years. The Scorpions want to rock the world once again!”
Momentarily, the band is in the recording studio working on their upcoming album "Sting in the Tail" that will also be released in 2010. The brand new DVD “Amazonia” - a live recording of the Scorpions concerts in Manaus and Recife, Brazil - is in stores now.
Tickets are available at all noted ticket stands. You may also call the ticket hotline: *49 1805 570099 (14 cents a minute, Mobile phone prices may vary) or visit the website www.semmel.de.
Tour host Semmel Concerts GmbH
For interviews and photo requests please contact: lanz-unlimited communications, Tel. +49 89 478167, E-Mail: com@lanz-unlimited.de
Greenpeace International Website:
www.greenpeace.org
In August 2007, Germany’s most successful music export worldwide, the Scorpions, already ventured deep into the Brazilian jungle for a sold out show – in front of 40,000 enthusiastic fans the band played a concert in Manaus, the metropolis on the Amazon river. A cooperation with Greenpeace was already existent at this point and when the band returned to South America the next year, they happily intensified it. Kaus Meine, lead singer of the Scorpions, recollects, “Due to the unbelievable success we returned to Manaus in 2008, but we also played Rio, Sao Paulo and Recife again. During the show in Belem we accepted Greenpeace’s invitation to participate in a three-hour flight across the rainforest in order to get a picture of the proceeding destruction (an area twice the size of Germany has been destroyed by fire so far). We wholeheartedly supported Greenpeace with large banners saying “Stop the deforestation” during these shows and part of the proceeds from this DVD will consequently be given to this organisation that is commited in so many parts of the world.” For many years, Greenpeace has been fighting against the rapid deforestation of the amazon rainforest and for the preservation of the habitat of numerous animal and plant species and also of more than 180 native peoples counting more than 200,000 people altogether. Scientists assume that the rainforest will be gone by 2050 – given a constant “deforestation speed”. The consequences would be disastrous: People would lose their homes, animals and plants would become extinct and the impact on the world climate would be bomb-like. The Scorpions have now also commited themselves to protecting this unique ecosystem. The rock icons’ DVD “Amazonia – Live In The Jungle” does not only include the complete show played in Recife on 7 September 2008 and a “Special Feature – supported by Greenpeace” consisting of five live videos from their legendary concert in Manaus in 2007, but also a Greenpeace documentation of the Scorpions’ legendary flight across the amazon rainforest. Royalties of DVDs sold in Brazil and Mexico predominately go to Greenpeace Brazil’s projects to protect the ancient forest.
Musically, the DVD is a highlight as well. Meine says, “During the 2008 tour we had the pleasure to perform with Brazilian guest musicians. It was a wonderful experience and demonstrated very well how music builds bridges and brings people from different cultures together.” In a closing statement, the musician addresses his South American fans and says, “We want to thank our Brazilian fans for the support and the incredible enthusiasm. To quote James: ‘3 words: You kick ass.’ Brazil rocks!!!” And so do the Scorpions.
The DVD “Amazonia – Live In The Jungle” will be released on 20 November 2009.
The clock is ticking - there is not much time left if we want to avoid a climate catastrophe: for this reason, former UN secretary general and Nobel peace prize winner Kofi Annan invited world renowned artists to come together and record a song for the next upcoming climate conference this December in Copenhagen. Just to name a few, stars such as Duran Duran, Lily Allen, Jamie Cullum, Youssou N’Dour and Mark Ronson collaborated on a special interpretation of Midnight Oil’s 1987 hit “Beds are Burning” –a song about preserving nature. Germany’s invitation went to none other than Klaus Meine. “It was a huge honor to be invited by Kofi Annan. There are not only a dozen worldwide respected musical artists involved in the project, even Nobel peace prize winner Bishof Tatu was in the studio!”
For more information and a free download of the song go to:
www.timeforclimatejustice.org
Book Website:
www.rockyourlife-yeah.com
We will keep you up to date as soon as we have more information on releases in other countries and languages on this and the website mentioned above!