Why I left Scorpions, regrets & re-union thoughts - ULI JON ROTH
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2024
- Uli Jon Roth reveals all about his reasons for leaving Scorpions, whether he has any regrets about his decision, what the relationship is like these days with his former bandmates and whether he would welcome the idea of a reunion with the band he first found fame with in the 1970s. Throughout the conversation, Uli answers a popular question from listeners about why he left the band after their tour of Tokyo. Uli provides insight into the artistic reasons behind his departure and his desire to explore music in a more free and creative way. Despite parting ways, Uli maintains a strong bond with his former bandmates Klaus and Rudy, emphasizing the family-like atmosphere they shared during their time together. The episode also addresses whether there will be a reunion tour with the Scorpions, with Uli expressing openness but acknowledging the potential unlikelihood of such an event.
During his time in the band, Uli contributed to iconic Scorpions records like In Trance, Virgin Killer and Taken By Force as well as starring on the bands live release Tokyo Tapes. Uli later went on to push the boundaries of guitar music with his band Electric Sun and later with his solo work.
If you are a podcast listener, you can hear the full interview with Uli - just search for VRP Rocks on your podcast app of choice! - Hudba
Uli is one of the greatest guitarists in rock history
I agree 👍🤘
Roth is by far, my favorite guitar player for the group, but Jabs taking his place made perfect sense for the direction the band was going, and his playing led to their commercial success during the 80s.
It's cool that their friendship has remained after all these years.
They display what real musicians should be. Normally there's so much drama and substance abuse and other nonsense in bands, its refreshing to see relations are still great and alive with them
My favorite guitar player of all time. Bar none. As much as the Sky guitar has its merits, the things Uli did with a stratocaster is the stuff of legends. A strat just sings in his hands.
I think the Strat was a dramatically better sounding guitar ya.
Surely he's been told many many times.
When you guys getting married
He's my favorite too. Nobody was playing the guitar like he did in the 70s and even early 80's. I think alot of guitarists in the 80's ripped him off without giving him credit. He played for a German band that didn't get any airplay here in the US. Guys here were incorperating what he did into their style and nobody knew.
Agree absolutely, listening to stuff like Polar Nights on the strat and the air guitar, there's just no comparison.
It's interesting that Uli was ready to leave Scorpions after finishing up Tokyo Tapes and Schenker was ready to move on from UFO after Strangers in the Night. Grateful for both of those double live albums!
Me too
That’s True most guitarist can lack creative control in mixing and making live albums which they usually have no creative control or final say,also live albums have been known to be a cripple at a retail level!!!!!!
Uli was ready to leave right after the European tour for Taken By Force. He had to be persuaded by Klaus Meine to do the Japanese tour.
I love that Uli says that eventually he was not success driven or goal driven. That has (kind of) changed the way I think about things now.
Good observation Donny. I'll be sure to mention that on the rare occasion I'm talking with friends who are Scorps / Schenker fans about it. :)
His Scorpions' period is the best of this band, in my opinion. I have the both first vinyles of electric sun. PURE JEWELS ! He's a fantastic guitar player. At this time, German People had the chance to have two exceptional guitar players with Uli Roth and Michael Schenker
I agree... Even though they had much more commercial success in the 80's, the 70's were there best work.
I remember reading an interview in 1984 where Klaus and Rudy said their writing was so different from Uli's that it felt like two different bands.
Indeed. Klaus didn't even bother to sing on Uli's songs in the end. Or maybe Uli didn't want to let him ? Anyway, that was hard to keep a real cohesive identity in these conditions.
Roth and Blackmore leaving their bands at the height of popularity. Amazing
Bold moves indeed!
I remember reading somewhere that Ritchie Blackmore didn't even show up for the mixing sessions of Made in Japan. Don't know if that is true or not, but it blew my mind.
Sorps height was when Jabs came in, guy is grossly overlooked and the best decision the Scorps ever made and today even as they should retire, he's carrying them. If Jabs was up to Uli coming on for some songs good, otherwise a hard no. Imo it's Jabs call, 40 years and taking them to new heights and carrying the load today... he deserves that.
@@TUTruth You speak the truth. I remember at one point reading a short interview with Uli, and he dissed Matthias Jabs. I was a bit surprised to read that.
I met Uli after a G3 gig in Birmingham many years back. Such a lovely guy..
I met him too after a show in Cleveland in 2019. He is so laid back and mild mannered.
Uli and the Scorpions were pretty much two separate visions. His songs were more exploratory on life. They were writing songs about getting laid, partying and ballads.
Well, you are right about the ballads but nearly all the songs about partying and getting laid were lyrics by Herman Rarebell, who only overlapped with Uli for Taken By Force (and TT). Klaus' lyrics are usually pretty contemplative and a lot of non Uli songs from the early days have an outside lyricist to help Klaus who started with very limited English.
He's a Woman, she's a Man is really the first Scorpions song in that vein (Herman's lyrics). Uli has said he really thought that was a stupid song.
I guess "Backstage Queen" is a Klaus lyric that could qualify, nut there aren't many from the early days.
Agree, but when it worked, they produced some of most memorable hard rock ever commited to vinyl. Listen to 'Catch Your Train' and try to think of any band before or since who've produced anything as memorable.
@@byronwilliams6388
It’s like the Scorpions were right on the edge of creating something brilliant when Uli left. I’m guessing they were shooting for commercial success and Uli was going for art.
You always get EVH, Jimi Hendrix, Blackmoore and Yngwie for changing electric guitar forever. And I always say, just listen to Uli who is basically all of them and almost before all of them (apart from Jimi I suppose). In my top 5 ever easily....
Great as Uli is, he did the right thing when he left as he/they had grown apart musically and they would have held each other back
Could you imagine if they got back together for tour and played all their old albums and some of the new albums. With Uli playing their hit songs as well. That would be worth a couple hundred dollar a ticket from me.
As much as I would love to see that. I don't think it will ever happen. Matthias would have a fit. It would be great if both guitarists toured with them and they each did like an hour to an hour and half set each. It would bring out the best in Matthias and Uli because you know they would try to out play each other.
Nothing but Tons of Respect and Admiration for this ARTIST and the Choice he made!
He influenced me a lot back in the mid 70s and when he went solo it was very exciting for me I loved everything he has done.
Ulrich Roth is one of my fave all time players... His sense of melodicism and intensity are mind blowing.. I copied his and Michael Schenkers vibrato a lot.. It's still part of my guitar DNA.. Thank you , Ulrich!
Tokyo Tapes is by far my favorite album of all time.
I wouldn't say it was my favorite album of all time, but right near (or at) the top of my favorite live albums. It was great to get the new remastered & bonus features releases and the full concert a few years ago.
He’s a master, a legend
He is the Maestro..he inspired all the great guitarists of this genre..he still is a major influence... A thinker a Philosopher a great musician..a Legend....
Tokyo Tapes is so great.
Tokyo Tapes was my introduction to Scorpions, and I loved it, but instead of exploring their history, I moved forward with the band, and my favorite era was “Lovedrive” through “Blackout.”
Jabs call imo, he deserves that on many levels, Uli is also playing his songs today with his own group and watching this he's totally cool with how it all played out, no regerts. What makes more sense is he opens for the Scorps.
Great Inter view
The times of psychedelia were leaving and Uli wouldn't cope with commercialism. The Scorpions would never be the same again, although some tracks ("Yellow Butterfly" comes to my mind) did remind us of the old days...
It's a pity that Uli's days in the Electric Sun were short too - as if to remind us that the precious things in life are always in shortage.
Uli we love you and we thank you from the very depths of our soul. God bless you and keep you safe!
Creative genius way ahead of his time.
Scorps should go on tour with both Uli and Michael Schenker...... those tickets would disappear faster than Taylor Swift gig
To be absolutely honest his Scorpions time means the most to me his Electric Sun stuff means absolutely nothing to me at all i dont mean to sound disrespectful but thats just how i feel
Paul, have no idea how you line up great guests. Thank you.
No pain no gain indeed!
Uli is a wonderful guy to talk to, so friendly
The best ever!!
Scorpions are doing a Las Vegas residency. How about a week with Uli?
I had a tape of Scorpions first US tour with Jabs.playing Uli stuff and he did great! Pictured life,In trance backstage Queen, good stuff.
Matthias is an excellent guitarist but nowhere near Uli's level. Uli's lead on "We'll Burn the Sky" is a mini symphony, I have several recordings from that '79 tour and what Jabs does on that song is just some basic rock licks nothing like Uli's masterpiece.
I love UJR so much! "Catch your train" is where he shines. I plan on seeing him in Boston in April 2024. I'm glad that you had a speedy recovery Ulrich Roth!!!
I saw him in November, he was superb!
Uli rules
A one off performance at a festival that can be recorded and preserved would be awesome
Uli still an amazing guitarist and seems a very straight up but classy guy!
Tokyo tapes excellent
One of my favourite guitar players, along with Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Schenker Criss Oliva ...
I always thought that some of the material on Taken By Force would have sat well on Earthquake or Firewind, the first two Electric Sun albums that Uli recorded. There was a synergy with songs like Riot Of Your Time, I've Got To Be Free and Your Light that started to show the direction Uli wanted to move in, and I think he was right to leave.
Scorpions went on to huge success, but musically, they never moved beyond the likes of Blackout. They became a totally different band.
I think Scorpions evolved way far beyond the Blackout album musically. They’re still making albums they’re a legendary band in my book and Uli was part of that journey in the beginning of they’re career.
Just a thought, and since Roth is up there in age, not an insult since I'm older as well lol. So..one final tour. During Roth era songs u get the original members only, so it feels like Tokyo tapes era. And of course newer songs follow with mathias on guitar with schenker only. That way gramps can go back stage, have a toke, hang with fans etc. Just a thought!
Michael Schenker, Francis Buchholz and Herman Rarebell need to be there too!
Why do you insist on it being a "one final tour"?? They don't have any plans to do one final tour. And who should Matthias, who's been the guitarist for the majority of the band, be pushed to the side?
Scorpions 70's music was hit or miss. Sails and Speedy were two of my favorites from that era. Schenker's lead on the beginning of I'm Goin Mad from Lonesome Crow was pretty good.
In light of the Scorpions direction musically it made sense. I do think it would be a good time for reunion. I would like to see Michael return with them all, but that would be unlikely due to differences of opinion.
Scorpions are playing on Wacken 2024 ! That would be a reunion time !
I would love that that a final reunion of Scorpions with Uli would happen where Scorpions playing some of his best songs of the Uli's era! What do you think?
It would be amazing to see that again. Scorpions don't play much from that early period anymore which is sad.
I can’t see him playing big city nights or rock me like a hurricane.. Better he stays on his solo career.
I think TOKYO TAPES is the greatest live album of all time.....
The guitar playing in it is unbelievable.
per rudolph and klaus they had to move on because Uli couldnt provide the music for some of their lyrics, Uli didnt leave they didnt want him
any way, mathias jabs was definitely the right guy for that band
Uli couldn’t stand Herman rarebell’s writing, citing ‘he’s a woman she’s a man’ as a song he could not stand, didn’t want to play on, and with regret, put a solo on it he called ‘the worst one I ever did.’ That was part of the reason he left. You could not find two more diametrically opposed lyric writers as Roth and Rarebell. It’s unfortunate that Scorpions became more popular with the spinal tap lyrics of Rarebell. The path to success? Lowest common denominator. Ironically, ‘he’s a Women she’s a man’ is hilariously topical in 2023, even more than 1977. Maybe Rarebell could see into the future.
Yes, good point, the Rarebell writing was at odds with Uli's work
I’ve heard this also. As well as this I also read that Uli wasn’t happy with the studio direction of the producer Dieter Dierks, not sure if this is true or not….
That’s ridiculous
@@dkpitt3912what’s ridiculous? It’s all FACT.
@@shatnershairpiece what’s ridiculous is reducing Herman’s lyric writing to spinal tap. I’m not saying Uli wasn’t at odds with that style, I’m saying, os Uli’s lyrics are nothing to write home about. It’s not like Herman’s were lowbrow and Uli’s were amazing. I listen to all of the Scorps music 1 million times and the worst part about the early scorpions os Uli Roth’s singing and lyric writing
What a class guy. Fantastic musician
Absolutely! I finally got to see him live a couple of weeks ago and he blew me away! Phenomenal! 👍🤘
I’ve always been under the impression that Uli went somewhere and did an Ayuhasca journey and fell off the planet for a bit.
I dont think any of Scorpions 70s albums went gold . Ive looked deep into it , no evidence other than Lovedrive. And they weren't very popular in the states then . Europe a little bit but they were huge in Japan. Ive always wondered if the Japan tour was to save them financially. Kind of like bands today , heavy bands do well in Europe or even South America. Not so much in the states unles you are brand name like metallica.
With that, they should have been bigger . The 70s stuff was off the hook. To me , they were what Deep Purple wish they could have been . Ahead of their time .
One of them said RCA wasnt really promoting them so much but Polygram really got behind them for lovedrive .
Its nice having the two eras to enjoy.
Uli is amazing but.... Scorpions would never have seen anywhere near the success they achieved had he stayed. Both got what they wanted in life.
Now he is playing a bowling alley in ohio and Scorps have residency in Vegas
Watching Scorpions early recordings I saw 2 bands battling for one spot, Uli's band and the Scorpions, After Uli left the Scorpions blew up. I disagree with Uli that the Scorpions sold out.
The final question and answer is so poignant.
I think Roth left Scorpions because he wanted to be in a band where he was on lead vocals. Pity nobody told him he couldn't sing or maybe they did but were ignored.
I went to school together with Ulrich Roth in Großburgwedel near Hannover, but I don't like the music.
Under: Rory Gallagher - Philadelphia 1978 I recommended Christian music 🙏
Uli is a great guitarist but a lousy singer. Just sayin
I like his vocals on Sun In My Hand from In Trance. Great singing? No, but it's a good song with all parts together.
On Polar Nights.
Great song but Uli sucks on vocals. Just sayin@@walterevans2118
Yeah, kind of like the bands version of Keith Richards singing lead. "Hellcat" off Virgin Killer is pretty cringe. lol
Actually I like to have a break from Meine on those 70’s albums.