136. Scorpions / Blackout. 1982. 5/5

Different fans have a different idea on what period of the band’s history would constitute the ‘golden years’ of the Scorpions, and much of that depends on the age of the people being asked. Fans who have been around since the early days of the band often cite the period of the mid-to-late 1970’s as being their favourite, while younger fans will often consider the early 1990’s as when the best material was recorded. Realistically though it would be a period from 1979 through 1985 that represents the best that the band has brought to music fans, and one of the albums that is the main reason for those thoughts is 1982’s brilliant “Blackout”. And seeing as the album celebrates its 40th anniversary since its release this month I have updated this review as of May 2022 for you all to enjoy.

In the previous couple of years leading up to the writing and recording of the “Blackout” album, Scorpions had been on a steady rise in popularity, not only in album sales with the release of big selling albums such as “Lovedrive” and “Animal Magnetism”, but of selling out live shows throughout Europe, the US and the UK. Their stock was on the rise… or at least, so the band thought. During that 1981 tour promoting the “Animal Magnetism” album, Klaus Meine’s vocals began to be strained. Then, once the writing for the new album began, Klaus lost his voice, to the point that he could not even speak properly. Such was the extent of his problems, his doctor actually told him that he should consider another profession. Dangerous times indeed. Instead, with the support of his band mates, Klaus underwent vocal chord surgery – not once, but twice! – and then went through therapy afterwards. The band, unsure of whether or not Klaus would be able to record on the new album, started putting together demos of new songs. Having befriended American vocalist Don Dokken, who was at that time in Germany as he had secured a recording contract in that country, they asked him to come on and help out with some guide vocals on the songs they had written. Dokken stated in a later interview that he sang on three songs – “No One Like You”, “You Give Me All I Need” and “Dynamite” – and that it was only ever as a favour to help out Klaus, and were never done for release. Dokken was eventually credited as contributing backing vocals on the album. Interesting days, as this was before the band Dokken had even recorded or released their first album, “Breaking the Chains”. Thankfully, Klaus’s voice recovered, and he was able to return and take his place in the recording of the album. And when you listen to the album, and you know that Klaus’s vocals had been compromised so completely before the recording of the album, it really is hard to believe when you hear him sing these songs. Because it doesn’t sound like he is protecting them at all, he is still all out there when it comes to singing on this album – and for that matter, every album after this, and then every gig after this…

What strikes me most about the opening to this album is the sheer energy, excitement and joy that comes across in both the music and the vocals. It’s a rip-roaring start to the album, full of fervour and all of the built up fire that you get from the opening of a gig. There aren’t many better opening tracks on an album than the title track here, “Blackout”. Everything about it is sensational, the guitar riff from Rudolph Schenker, the bass line from Francis Buchholz, the perfect drum beat from Herman Rarebell, the scintillating solo from Matthias Jabs, and that incredible vocal from Klaus Meine. It really is impossible to believe that he had surgery prior to this album, such is the ferocity he sings this song at. It has been one of the great Scorpions songs since its release, and even listening to it now 40 years later there is something special about it. Then you have the terrific opening to “Can’t Live Without You”, with the quiet riff leading into Klaus counting in the song “1-2-3-4” and the intro of all the instruments and the ripping riff along with it. And while it rattles along at a great rate, it is then replaced by the equally brilliant “No One Like You” that combines both the brilliant guitaring of both Rudolph and Matthias, with verses that almost sound like they are going to be a power ballad with the clear guitar and softer lyrically, but then explode into the chorus with brilliant harmony vocals, hard hitting drums and the electric riffs again. Far out this is still an awesome song. This is followed up by “You Give Me All I Need”, a song that I often think that if it was done by a band that wasn’t the Scorpions I would be a little bit off side with it. And yet, because it IS done by the Scorpions, it just fits, it just works. Their ability to combine classically acoustic and clear guitar into the hard riffing joy that they are so good at doing just makes this yet another great song in the collection.
Scorps mightn’t be known as a speed metal band, but their entry in this category with their song “Now!” is an absolute pearler, here and gone in 2 minutes and 35 seconds, blitzing along with abandon, charging out of the speakers and closing out the first side of the album in brilliant style. This is another forgotten classic from Scorpions, and is one everyone should absolutely have their eyes and ears open to. I know I say this fairly often, but this is truly on of the best SIDE A’s of an album in the history of metal music.

The second side doesn’t quite match this awesomeness, but it still has its moments. It opens with the dynamite song.. uh.. “Dynamite”! It’s a barnstorming start to the second side, hard core guitars blazing and Klaus firing up vocally, it’s the perfect live setting song, which they proved over several years in their live gigs. “Arizona” changes things up a little from what has come before it, still with that great Scorpions style. “China White” on the other hand delves back into their Uli Jon Roth days of the mid-1970’s, styled of that era and churning out to almost seven minutes in length. I love the song, it sounds great, but it is such a misnomer because it is so different from the other songs on the album. You can almost smell the drugs wafting out of the stereo as you are listening to it. It helps if you’ve had a couple of scotches or a cone or two before listening to it I think.

My first Scorpions album was a taped copy of their “World Wide Live” album from 1985, so when I eventually came back a found a copy of this album I already knew a couple of the songs from that live album. But that still doesn’t prepare you for just how awesome the opening to this album is. It really is a firecracker, just powering off to a brilliant start, and it never ceased to have me jumping around the room as I played it such was that energy it possesses. “Blackout” is still a standout, along with “Can’t Live Without You”, “No One Like You”, “Now”, and “Dynamite”. The five members that make up the best known and most successful formation of the group are all here and firing on all cylinders. Matthias Jabs is stunning on lead guitar, often overlooked when it comes to talk of the greatest ever guitar players. Here on “Blackout” he is again superb, along with Rudolph Schenker who again cements his reputation as one of the finest song writers of the genre. And once again it is prevalent to mention those vocals from the broken Klaus Meine, the man who may never have sung again prior to this album being recorded. And yet here he is still magnificent, restored.

I waited those 40 years to see Scorpions live in concert, given they never toured Australia until not so long ago. They then played a one-off show in Melbourne that I got tickets to but couldn’t attend. They then returned to support Def Leppard in Sydney, but had to cancel their appearance due to – can you believe it – vocal issues that Klaus was suffering from. And then, two years ago last month, they toured again with Whitesnake… and cancelled the Sydney gig AGAIN because Klaus had a kidney stone. I couldn’t believe it, tickets to see the great band three times, and all three I missed… until they rescheduled it for four days later! In all that time, all I had ever wanted to see and hear was “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Blackout” played live by the Scorpions. But all through this short Australian tour, they obviously encored with “Rock You Like a Hurricane”… but they were not playing “Blackout”. It was my son’s favourite song, and we weren’t going to see it. So they played, and it was brilliant. Mikkey Dee played his drum solo, and it was superb. And then… the sirens started, and the band broke into “Blackout”… and it was one of the best moments of my concert going life. Hearing those guitars, and hearing Klaus sing the song like he was forty years younger, and singing along with my best friends and my 12 year old son… it was magnificent…