Rudolph and Michael Schenker on Van Halen

April 25, 2011 48 Comments

Rudolph Schenker (Scorpions) and brother Michael Schenker (Scorpions, U.F.O., Michael Schenker Group, etc) discuss Van Halen. From the book, Van Halen 101, by Abel Sanchez.

Rudolph Schenker

I have known Edward since 1979, when Van Halen played in Hamburg while supporting Black Sabbath (a great concert). Klaus and I were sitting in the fourth row, and Eddy came directly to us and immediately took us backstage, where we had a great time with the other band members. We then found out that during their club days in Los Angeles, they covered a few of our songs, like “Speedy’s Coming” and “Catch Your Train.” At midnight, we celebrated David’s birthday with the other members of Van Halen in the club, where David got the cake in the face from the band. It was a fantastic evening, and we enjoyed it very much. Ten years later, in 1988, we were invited to their studio in L.A. to talk about the “Monsters Of Rock” tour, where we were slotted as the special guest. The tour was a great success, and we had many great times talking about guitars and guitar techniques.

Michael Schenker

Edward has been my favorite guitarist since the release of Van Halen’s first album.

MICAL VEE

The Scorpions played right before VAN HALEN at the US Festival! I got to see the Scorpions in concert. Good show!
phillster

nice story, it`s even funnier when you read it out loud with a german accent.lol
temple5150

I like Van Halen, too. They are good. Thank you.
In A Simple Rhyme

Nice read, was hoping that it was new and they like had heard what the new tune sounded like. But still nice to read. Was getting teird of The airdrumming article.
Top Jimmy

Michael Schenker, not a big talker.
ben

I met Rudolph once and talked about Van Halen and Eddie, and he told me that they are good friends and loved Eddie’s style.
JACK N SAM

Scorps are great. I had heard this same stuff from an Ed interview a long time back. You can definitely see how they would have influenced VH or how they would have liked them. There weren’t too many bands playing fast hard rock like that in the early ’70′s – and what great vocals!
spinblastr

I went to that day of the US festival too. I remember that it was super hot out. Absolutely awesome, though.
Tommy Boy

Michael has always been a man of many words.
Tommy Boy

Maybe this post further indicates a future “touring relationship” between the Scorpions and VH…. I dunno, just thinkin….
freddiegirl

Love Michael Schenker. Cool article to read! I remember the Scorpions at the US festival…they were so good, such a tight band! They are one of the few bands that I’d rather see live than listen to.
J5150C

Scorpions are my second favorite rock band. I think Klaus Meine has one of the best voices in rock.

I’d like to hear what Matthias Jabs (Scorpion’s lead guitarist, and very under rated) would say about VH. I know he and Ed spent alot of time together noodling on guitar – at hotels and backstage – during the monsters of rock tour in 1988.

I saw the US Festival back in 1983 and I have to tell ya that the Scorpions put on a hell of a show right before VH. I honestly think that they had more energy than VH and kept the crowd going from start to finish. I love VH, but I have to admit that the Scorps blew VH away that night.

Nice read.

OUT!!
Dooley

I was thinkin that too Tommy Boy

Other German bands that have sounded good at times:

Rahmstein (Du Hast Meche!!!)

Nena (99 Luft Ballons)

any others?
Dooley

Oh Yeah Steppenwolf with John Kay. The original line-up
was two/fifths German as I recall.
Rocker

Rudolph and Michael Schenker Rock!!! Germany has produced a lot of Power Metal and it Rocks!!!!
Tater Salad

Love the Scorps! Have their World Wide Live album, and I have to say it sounds really good compared to some other live stuff Ive heard. They’re another band I want to see live but probably never will because of money.
wayne

I recall reading Alex Van Halen’s funny account (Guitar Player mag me thinks) of Scorpions visit to studio in 1988 when he played “Feels So Good” for them. It seems Scorpion member not wanting to let on what they really thought of song responded by saying “Jah, jah dis is good” for which Alex joked come on guys you don’t have to pretend you like it.
MarviN

van halen huge in bigness!! Germany like a thunder cat come down big as van halen is for ROCK! new album will have greatness of large eagle flying to the sky at midnight!

Everybody will rock!
TearItUp

@wayne,

Haha what they were probably thinking was, “Jah,jah dis is god awful…enough of zee love ballads.”

Scorps are a great band & even better live. I was too young to catch them at the US Festival but I’ve heard many people say the same thing…the Scorpions were better than Van Halen that day.
David713

Love the Scorpions! Went to The Monsters Of Rock concert in Miami. It was NOT a “great success”. The stadium was not even close to half full. Kingdom Come, Dokken, Metallica, Scorpions, and VH. The few that were there only wanted to see Metallica. The group I was with left after Eddie’s solo. It was an experience, but not a successful tour!
jeff adams

Soooo, the Scorps out played VH @ the US FEST? I was there along w/ a few others on here and the Scorps were good, but by no means did they out play VH. I would think 299,999 other people probably thought the same.
Tommy Boy

Dooley…one of my all-time favorites….Accept, “Balls to the Wall” MAN!
MICAL VEE

They say the Scorpions wet the crowds appetite at the US Festival but VAN HALEN with a drunk off his ass David Lee Roth stole the show! That’s why they got paid the big bucks!!!!!!!!!
Dooley

Tommy Boy, yeah, that’s a good one, didn’t know Accept were
German.
Mike

It’d be hypocritical of the Scorps to diss VH for ballad-type songs – they were doing the same at the time (Still Loving You, Believe in Love, Send Me An Angel, Wind of Change).
Denny

MarviN: One of the funniest posts ever, keep up the good work! Rock needs Van Halen like Van Halen needs to rock, I say.
http://hubcapdave.blogspot.com HubcapDave

Candlestick Park was full when Monsters of Rock was held there. Scorps rocked hard that night, and so did the mighty VH!!!!
TMH

I’ve always wanted to hear Arnold Scwarzenegger introduce the Scorpions
littledreamer99

I agree w/ Denny … well done MarviN!
jmc

The Scorps are great. I converted a lot of people to heavier music in the 80′s by playing them World Wide Live. I would love to have heard what Michael Shenker thought of Edward when VH opened up for UFO at the Goldenwest in 76. With all due respect to Michael, that couldn’t have been fun.
Aftershock

Actually, I think “Finish What Ya Started” was the song they played for the Scorpions in the studio that they were laughing about later. It wasn’t that it was a ballad, it was just a completely different style that one wouldn’t normally expect from a band like Van Halen. As I recall the story, the Scorps were kind of sheepishly looking around and saying that they liked it, but the VH guys could tell that they were surprised by it and maybe that it wasn’t their favorite. A lot of fans probably had the same reaction when they first heard it, too. After a few listens, though, it would probably grow on you.

Scorpions are also one of my favorite bands — and the great thing is that they are very cool and fun in person. Very nice, fun-loving guys. They always deliver in concert, too. I think a VH-Scorps tour, as has been rumored, later this year would be fantastic.

Personally, I would love to hear a Van Halen version of “Coast to Coast” — or even see Eddie join them onstage for that tune.
http://www.gemproductionsinc.com kapp

Does this prove anything about Edwards greatness…? Even the great schenker bends the knee to Edward the king. I like this article!
Jones

This is funny. My DVD of the US Festival shows the Scorpions and Triumph as having the tightest shows.

There are accounts of the place being half empty by the end of the Van Halen set (yes I know they went on last, and blah blah blah)

And there are accounts that Van Halen ‘stole the show’.

JMC: I wouldn’t go ‘dissing’ Michael Schenker…….
Crazies on my block

I love Van Halen always did always will. But Jones I was there at the US festival, and your are right. Triumph suprised me, they were really good. Scorpions came on stage at the perfect time, the sun was going down poeple were geared up and they tore that place down!! By the time Van Halen came out lots of energy was lost , it seemed like the band wanted to get to it but Dave kept stopping in the middle of songs staring at the crowd, Eddie seemed a little annoyed , if memory serves me at one point he put a baseball cap on Eddie’s head and he took it off and threw on the ground. But one part of the show had Eddie and Alex on stage playing together by themselves and to me that was the highlight of their set. But just my opinion…
jeff adams

So half the crowd left @ the US FEST when VH went on? Well, that wasn’t the show I was at. There must have been another US FEST that VH headlined that I wasn’t aware of. The show I was at the crowd went nuts. First song VH broke into, Romeo Delight, still dark on stage and as soon as the lights went on Dave takes a fly’in leap from the drum rise and the crowd went f’n nuts and it was louder than anything I had ever heard. It sure sounded and felt like 300,000 people. Every other band that played that day and night you got to stand there comfortably and watch the show, but when VH came on it was like a wave of people trying to position themselves for a better veiw. Again it sure felt like 300,000 crazy fans (freinds). That day was 100+ degrees in the middle of the San Bernadino mountains. It was survival of the fitest. What a beautiful day.
Jammin’ John

Somebody threw the hat at Ed to wear.
eric

No idea what US festival the guy who said half the crowd left went to, the one I saw was the most amazing, awesome concert and Van Halen blew everyone away. Sorry but VH OWNED that night. Now I’ve seen VH play to half empty arenas but NOT at the US festival and never with Dave (or Sammy).
freddiegirl

Umm no. I too, was at the US festival and my pops wanted to leave but we didn’t because I threw a temper tantrum and we stayed. I did see large numbers of people leaving but trust me, there were plenty of fans who did stay! I’m so glad I was one of them! It wasn’t like there was only 200 people left by the end of VH’s show; there was a whole swarming, partying mass!
yeahright

I saw the Monsters of Rock Tour in 88 at Oxford Plains raceway in east po-dunk, Maine. Rainy, cold, one road in, one road out, had to drive 40 miles to find a hotel, but it was quite packed even tho it was raining and 45 degrees! They squeegeed the stage every few minutes, we were actually waiting for someone to get electrocuted! Everyone tore it up even tho conditions were bad. I think it is great that both of the Schenker bros (who are no slouches themselves mind you) have such respect for Edward, and it shows once again what a true guitar icon he is. I would love to see them play with the Scorps again, especially seeing as the Scorps are in the midst of a farewell tour anyway.
MarviN

littledreamer and Denny, You are of much wonderfulness such that VAN Halen! will shout G-chord to house of pain, but tiny cricket will explode from loudness. may the spirit of DLR electrify your synapse!
Tater Salad

Aftershock, that’s what I thought it was too. I remember being surprised when I heard that story because I think Finish What Ya Started is an awesome song. I think that he got a really cool strat tone on it, and I just like the vibe it has. But it is really something you wouldn’t expect from VH. Actually I was surprised it was VH when I first heard it lol.

I am soo jealous of anyone who got to see the Us Fest!!! I’ve seen some of the footage on YouTube, VH1 specials, etc and that is one show I really wish I could have seen!!! And anyone who left before VH is laaame!!! Haha. From what I saw on you tube those who stayed enjoyed it pretty well(ha, that’s an understatement!)
RockOn

Like the rest of you, a die-hard VH fan (only with DLR)…But it is true that loads of people were leaving during the VH set…I still raz my stoner brother for leaving me (I was only 15–what in the hell were my parents thinking to let me go????)…

For those of you who were acutally there, may I remind you of the buses that took you back to parking in the middle of b-f EGYPT…there were LITERALLY thousands of people jumping in lines buses when Dave was obviously drunk off his ass and forgetting words…it was a miracle that masses of people didnt get stomped to death!!! Best day ever!!!!
Marcin

Anybody remembers rumors of Scorpions leader Klaus Meine approaching Eddie Van aHalen to join Scorpions somewhere around 2000? I think I happened, but I might have been mistaken?
Peter Wolf

I saw VH & Scorpions at Monsters of Rock at Tampa Stadium ’88. Also on the card was Kingdom Come, Metallica & Dokken. It was a very hot day, and the show seemed to last forever. KC came on at 1p, and VH ended around 10:30. Eddie has been a huge scorpions fan since the days of Uli Roth… one of his creative influences. Sammy sung “Where Eagles Fly” on an acoustic by himself with thousands of lighters and a breeze in his hair. Scorpions were a little over the top doing “The Human Pyramid” etc… A Young Metallica rocked the house and Dokken’s George Lynch’s guitar solo was amazing.
Denny

MarviN you are truly a rock n roll fool! I hereby bestow upon you the position of honourary Vancouver Canuck. DLR or Sammy, Mike or Wolf it’s all good.
Anthony Whiteman

Hey VHND are you throwing us a bone? Rumor has it that The Scorpions are going to open up for VH in the Fall. At least part of the tour.
MarviN

Thank you Denny! You heve most excellent restaurant! After next VH concert I buy you Denny’s after all night party in sky or in 1978 Dodge conversion van! We get pancakes and cheezbergers and write “VH Rules!” with hot fudge on them! But only we have first had many shots and glugs of whiskey and wine! All friends are invited! Yah!
drop dead legs

Rudolph and Michael both are amazing for a guys who are both almost 70!!
I’m sooooo pissed that the Scorps (I’ve been a longtime fan since the late 70′s) never made it down to Oz during their last (and I mean FINAL) World Tour….I adore Rudolph (King of the flying V) and Mathias(OMG those piercing baby blues), I have a recording of their gig at the 83 Us festival – I love ‘the Zoo’ I have 3 versions; from the album, live at Wacken and the Us festival – all 3 rock!!!! (even my Mum loves it)
TMH… have you heard “Austrian Death Machine”???……f’n awesome!!!! (imagine Arnie S as lead vocal of a thrash metal band!!)
Dooley… another couple of Deutchlander bands for you (not necessarily Rock per-se) Laibach (a strange mixture – their versions of Queens ‘One Vision’ and the Beatles ‘Across the Universe’ are about as diverse as they can get!)very Nuremburg drum rally and also a group called Propaganda (1980′s – ‘Jewelled’)
I’ve seen the footage from the Us festival – needless to say to make an informed decision you need to look at all the facts – while I wanst there in person (I was 20,000 miles away)I’ve seen the footage, Van Halen could have been way better, if poor Diamond Dave hadnt off his gourd stoned/drunk/high/wasted – in his book he claimed his knee gave him alot of crap – I think it was more a case of ‘overindulgence’ on his part of the wonderous things pharmeceutical available backstage…..shame (aint dissing here I just calls it as I sees it) Scorps were great, but it was to a very pro-American audience they were playing – I’m thinking if they tried to do the Us Festival again….would it work in 2011???