New interview with Klaus Meine (audio in English)

[RobertaForster]

There is a new interview with Klaus Meine http://www.scorpionsbrazil.net/br/notic ... 1358709163

You can scroll the page down to reach the link to hear the interview in English. This intervirew will also be available on one of the greatest Brazilian websites about rock’n’roll http://www.whiplash.net (where I also work as photographer), and I’m also trying to publish it in KISS FM website.

This interview was very special to me because I could ask somethings fans wanted to know and translating this interview, with help of some friends (including Adriana, from Argentina), I was managed to get my english better, when I missed some word, I had to listen to it again, and again, and again… and then, I needed to read more about the Cold War to understand he was talking about Checkpoint Charlie, in Friedrichstraße. I didn’t know it was the crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War.

Anyway, Klaus talks about what they will do after this Final Sting Tour, the band will not retire, of course not. They will just have a break, they will stop these massive tourings and it was not a plan or marketing strategy. It’s a long interview and I hope you can enjoy it. What he says about the fans at the end of the interview is really touching.

[fos daddy]

Nice work Roberta

[YNWA]

Wonderful, Ro! Thanks a lot!

I`ve been watching/reading Scorpions Brazil fb page every day (yes, Google Translator hates me), waiting impatiently for it, and here it is And again, I was so impatient (when I saw it posted in facebook) to read it, that I`ve noticed there is an English video version at the bottom of the page, right after I "raped" Google Translator again!

Amazing! Thanks again!

Some fresh air for the sleeping forum...

[adriana]

Congrats Roberta !!!

[Kasarific5]

Awesome job Roberta!

At YNWA:

[Gabi6912]

Ro, thank you for posting the audio interview.

Klaus, it's always so good to hear your voice, and words.

[JüZe]

Great job again, Roberta, thx!!
But no news in these days and nobody believe it, that the retirement was NOT a business joke like KISS or RollingStones . . . Sorry, it was idea of the magement and management is for money . . .
But in my heart as a scoeps fan, i think that it was a good idea for the band to retire . . . But i hear from a people from the inner circle, that the band don't know how they have to retire They can't!
So i'm looking for the new CD, some new concerts and other projects . . .

[fantasy]

to retire to do what ? stay at home ? singing alone,, playing guitar alone? to do whatttt ??

they are right to continue ! 1 album from old sessions of course, and 2 or 3 of new stuff with the scorpions 's feeling : many and crazy soli + emotional voice + cutting riffs !!!

they should trry to compose just after to have listened to the old stuff or SITT! in the same room !
or

[WioletaScorpionsForever]

Thank you for this great interview!! I just couldn´t stop listening it, after this greatest interview i was just bewitched of what Klaus said and your questions!

[RobertaForster]

You are all welcome.
I think this explains a lot: “We’ll take a deep breath and see what life will bring. So, we don’t screw up with the band. I never actually said that we’d be screwed up, I said that we’ll stop touring, there will be plenty of work for all of us to do and, of course, after 40 years of our career, it’s impossible that you go home and there is no work, your artistic work waiting for you, it is! […] I know there will be people saying ‘Oh, come on guys, this was a plan from the very beginning…”, it’s not, it was not a plan, not at all.’ I know we are not the first artists that was saying ‘this is it’ for a while and then come back and keep on going forever… I don’t know what the story of the Scorpions will be the end of the day, but I know that, from the heart, all of us believe that this is the right step this (??) of time, and we’ll take it from there, for now, I tell you: there are no concerts plans at all.”

(My transcription may not be perfect because sometimes I'm not sure if I got the word right and there is one I couldn't get anyway)

The thing is: the Scorpions were being compared to Kiss, at least here in Brazil. I've seen some news talking about that and that's why we wanted to know what they think about these kind of comments. But, in fact, we can't say they are just like Kiss. Kiss IS, without a doubt, a comercial band... don't get me wrong, I really like Kiss, I even attended their concert in november last year and it IS amazing, spetacular! But they are comercial, this is what it is. I mean, they are there mainly for the money. Are the Scorpions there for the money? Of course they are, or the Brazilian fans wouldn't need to pay R$600 (about $300) to be able to be in front of the stage, but, there is something more important than that and we can feel it.

So, even if it was part of a plan, a Peter Amend's plan, it was not like Kiss (that once said "we love playing in São Paulo because the Brazilian fans pay to see us doesn't matter the price"). I just can't imagine the Scorpions being like Kiss. I do believe they are being honest and we must not forget that the Scorpions, after all, are also business and we live in the capitalism system.

[JüZe]

hm, i don't know what i have to think about the retirement . . .
First of all: i'm really happy, that the don't retire!!
I'm happy for the upcoming projects: movie, new CD, some concerts and so on
BUT: if you not a fan and read the newspaper, what do you think about this? Aha, money makes the world goes around and it was a marketing idea . . . Okay, maybe from th management....
I have the newspaper in front of me and read: THIS WILL BE OUR L A S T CD AND TOUR
Than they release COMEBLACK . . . (??)!
The tour ( massive ) was succsesful - everybody want to see the Scorps for the last time and than?
We don't retire, we make some projects like a new CD and so and who knows, we made some concerts ( last weekend in moscow, not official, only acoustic. For fun??
I love the scorps since 1979 and i hope they never,never retire, make some more great new CD's, DVD's and so on . . .
But in the public??? Everybody say it's the same
And to explain that we live in the capitalism system? Sorry, this made it not better . . .
The future will show the true story . . .!!
In this way: Rock on!

[Lorelei Scorps]

GREAT JOB ROBERTA , THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING !!! THESE GOOD NEWS MAKE US SMILE !!!

[Scorpions Fos Finland]

BTW here`s that official statement about retiment, that they released on this official webpage back in 2010.

A statement on the band's website January 24, 2010

"It was always our pleasure, our purpose in life, our passion and we were fortunate enough to make music for you - whether it was live on stage or in the studio, creating new songs."

"While we were working on our album these past few months, we could literally feel how powerful and creative our work was - and how much fun we were still having, in the process. But there was also something else. We want to end the Scorpion's extraordinary career on a high note. We are extremely grateful for the fact that we still have the same passion for music we've always had since the beginning. This is why, especially now, we agree we have reached the end of the road."

"We finish our career with an album we consider to be one of the best we have ever recorded and with a tour that will start in our home country Germany and take us to five different continents over the next few years. We want you, our fans, to be the first to know about this. Thank you for your never-ending support throughout the years!"

So unlike Klaus and Matthias have said on interviews in the last few monts, they indeed sayed back then that they are retiring full, after this last tour.

I personally have to admit, that I have little bit of mixed emotion about this "retiment canceled thing". Of cource I`m so very happy that there is maybe that "reworked songs from eighties" album coming in the future and maybe even full new songs album and shows here and there...but somehow....from 2010 I kind of mentaly started to prepare that they really are ending their amazing career, and kind of accept it in my mind...but now that the retiment is cancelled....like I said I feel little bit strange....

But of cource I`m so exited to hear all those new plans from our favourite musicians
I think it just need to hear that first new song from them, and then BAM....thats so great stuff, and then we dont even remember that there was that retiment statement back in 2010

So just have to make clear that I`m not missundersood about this mixed emotinons subject,
Rudolf, Klaus, Matthias, James and Pawel, I love your work SO MUCH and this band have given so much happiness to me personally and millions other fans of the band around the world...so I dont really want to complain this subject Just need time to understand that they are continuing. And BTW back in 2010 there was one wish Ihoped the most: That Scorpions dont retire, so I got just what I actually wanted back then

SCORPIONS ROCKS THIS PLANET!

[Scorpions Fos Finland]

The thing is: the Scorpions were being compared to Kiss, at least here in Brazil. I've seen some news talking about that and that's why we wanted to know what they think about these kind of comments. But, in fact, we can't say they are just like Kiss. Kiss IS, without a doubt, a comercial band... don't get me wrong, I really like Kiss, I even attended their concert in november last year and it IS amazing, spetacular! But they are comercial, this is what it is. I mean, they are there mainly for the money. Are the Scorpions there for the money? Of course they are, or the Brazilian fans wouldn't need to pay R$600 (about $300) to be able to be in front of the stage, but, there is something more important than that and we can feel it.

.... I just can't imagine the Scorpions being like Kiss. I do believe they are being honest and we must not forget that the Scorpions, after all, are also business and we live in the capitalism system. [/color]

Roberta,I have also seen those compared messages to Kiss on many places, so that your guestion was totally ok. And thats true about Kiss being very commercial. I have to say that I love also Kiss music and have seen them live 2 times, but like you Roberta said, Scorpions is very different case compared to them:)

Also I believe Klaus, when he said on this your interview, that it was really the plan back in 2010 that they retire...but like Matthias sayed on that "Moment of clory" or was it "Acoustica" bonus stuff, that if they one day say, Ok this is it, we are retairing....then after few months they get bored and just cant stop totally...thats exacly what is happening now...altought there is one difference, it didnt took that long to realise, that Scorpions is too good to stop just yet

[JüZe]

. . . don't like KISS ;o)

[Scottss8]

Roberta i think you mean "not splitting up" instead you wrote "screwed up"..

[RobertaForster]

Roberta i think you mean "not splitting up" instead you wrote "screwed up"..

Well, it can be! I didn't know this expression so, that's why I didn't underatand the word LOL I just got he meaning of what he was saying.

[adriana]

Oh , come on !! have anyone of you changed your mind over some plans when you where next to the deadline ?

You might feel the weariness after a long tour , and actually think so . But then after some time you miss the excitment of the road...

I remember having said so many times ... okay , no more exams, I`m done...only to find myself signing up for another course.

[fos daddy]

. . . don't like KISS ;o)

I like Kiss .. as long as theres a women attached to it

[Stormchaser]

Great interview Roberta, it cut off at the end but that was the most extensive interview I’ve ever heard with a band member. Your questions were well thought out and they provoked thoughtful answers that seemed genuine and honest.

It’s easy to be cynical about motives surrounding the possibility that what was previously proclaimed to be the final album/final tour will not be such. It was all a scam, a way to pump up album sales and sell out arenas. Personally, I don’t think so, things change and life goes forward in a different direction then planned. It happens in business, it happens in life and it’s happened to every single person reading this post.

If it was a marketing ploy it didn’t achieve much. Nobody is going to buy an album just because it’s a final album, they’re going to buy an album because it has music they like and want to enjoy. In reality not many people bought SITT (as compared to the successful albums) and anyway I don’t recall ever reading about SITT being a final album.

You can argue that a final tour would bring out more people who wouldn’t want to miss a last chance to see Scorpions but I was going to “The Final Sting” tour regardless if it was the final tour or just simply another tour. I bet the same also holds true for most fans. If another tour comes along will I feel betrayed or manipulated? Hell no, I’ll be glad to have another opportunity to see the band won’t really give a damn that “The Final Sting” was not what is was billed to be. But I don’t think another full scale tour will happen, I think tours on a much smaller scale would happen if any are to happen at all.