Anniversary concert in Hanover: 60 years of Scorpions: That is why they are such world stars

You are a guest in Las Vegas with concerts and are in a row with Elvis, Elton John or Adele. Deutsche Post gives the group from Hanover its own stamps for the 60th Birthday – an honor that will be given a few during his lifetime. The Scorpions Hallen fill on all continents and have fans worldwide.

What makes the Scorpions so successful? For the only stadium concert in Germany in 2025 this Saturday the attempt to explain the rock phenomenon:

“Wind of Change” as a wall case:

In September 1989, Scorpions singer Klaus Mein composed the song, whose music video has now been called up more than 1.1 billion times on YouTube. The ballad stands for the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. Because he had no guitar at hand, he whistled the intro.

A podcast published in 2020 pursues the rumor that it was not mine, but the US secret service CIA “Wind of Change” composed to inspire the Eastern Bloc for Western lifestyle and to siege the communism. The singer laughs at this theory.

Rather, the appearance at the Moscow Music Peace Festival inspired him in front of 250,000 spectators. After a boat trip on the Moskwa river, he got the idea, says mine. “Wind of Change” is the “soundtrack to Glasnost and Perestroika”, to the reforms in the east. The Scorpions played as one of the first western bands in the Soviet Union.

Visionary and persistent:

Rudolf Schenker is the strength center of the Scorpions. In 1965 he founded the band as a 17-year-old. This is evidenced by a recently rediscovered cash book of his mother, because he borrowed the money for instruments from his parents.

As early as 1969, the trained power electronics technician announced in an interview that the Scorpions will be one of the best 30 bands in the world. “Rock ‘n’ roll is about energy. The energy is that welds a whole concert together,” said Schenker in the dpa interview 45 years later. In 1969 my singer became the band. In 1978 guitarist Matthias Jabs was added and shaped the typical Scorpions sound.

The band celebrated their greatest success after a setback: at the beginning of the 80s, the front man lost his striking, clear voice, and it was unclear whether he could ever sing again. My pause for a year. After his recovery, world hits such as “Still Loving You” or “Rock You like a Hurricane” followed in 1984.

Down -to -earth and close to home:

For a long time there was long unnoticed that the Scorpions are world stars. This may be due to the fact that they live between their now 5,000 concerts near Hanover. “The north German mentality helps us, which we ground,” says mine. “This” I am a star “is nonsense. I am a singer, musician, songwriter. We have already seen too many would-be stars come and go.”

The 77-year-old Gabi recently made a declaration of love on the TV talk show “3 after 9”-both have been married for 48 years. They went through all ups and depths that this was “such a great love and so a strong feeling of solidarity”.

Schenker (76) is also a family man, he has a son and grandson of first marriage and with his partner a son of primary school age. His everyday life has long been part of strength training, yoga and meditation.

Rockstars no longer retire:

The Scorpions are not the only rock stars in retirement age that stand on large stages. The most famous example: The Rolling Stones have canceled their tour for this year, but have not yet announced their career end. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are both 81 years old. The Heavy Metal band Judas Priest with singer Rob Halford (73) and US music star Alice Cooper (77) are expected as guests at the Scorpions concert in Hanover.

It is strange that the Scorpions announced their resignation around 15 years ago, but decided this after their farewell concert in 2012. Now the end is open. The concerts around the globe with thousands, often much younger fans are a potion for the five musicians, a potion. “Tours keep young in the heart,” says Klaus mine. Schenker now formulates as a motto: “As far as the feet wear.”