Scorpions
Crazy World

Once in a while, it's nice to rummage through old cassettes, kept in some hidden drawer, in the attic, or perhaps in plain sight near the stereo, as a testament to a bygone era. It was among these dusty tapes that I rediscovered this old cassette tape, which belonged to my aunt and was purchased exactly 20 years ago "because Wind Of Change was on it." It became my property about 10 years ago and immediately sparked my curiosity, especially due to its enigmatic cover and the internal artwork, depicting a series of half-open doors unrealistically set against a melancholic countryside landscape. Who were these Scorpions, portrayed against an urban wall in leather pants and denim jackets?

It didn't take long for me to realize that they couldn’t be summed up only in the aforementioned ballad— a huge radio hit, a symbol of a generation and undoubtedly the group's most famous song— which, however, for many people was the main reason for purchasing. Surrounding it was a no-frills rock, aggressive, attentive to melody, marked by the fine voice of Klaus Meine and the sharp guitars of Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, enjoyable to listen to and capable of immediately capturing the listener's soul. This tape was what led me to the discovery of one of the greatest European bands, authors of genuine hard rock milestones.

The Scorpions have always been able to continuously reinvent themselves and have virtually withstood the various musical eras that have occurred over the last 40 years. The first part of their career is considered their most prestigious, capable of producing keystones like "In Trance" and "Lovedrive" (to name just two). In the eighties, there was a commercial shift, with works more focused on audience appeal but always rock-solid and consistent with the past: the huge success of "Blackout" and "Love At First Sting", but also their first misstep in their career, "Savage Amusement". It is this latter that represents the new turning point for the Scorpions, not so much for its lesser value and its blatantly easy listening setup compared to their other works but because the band realized they had lost the boundaries of their sound.

The result of this awareness is "Crazy World": a change of producer (Keith Olsen replacing the historic Dieter Dierks) and a return to the hard and raw sounds of the past, with a renewed energy from both guitarists and a robust rhythm section entrusted to veterans Francis Buchholz and Herman Rarebell.

The album was launched by the single Wind Of Change/Send Me An Angel, two ballads in perfect Scorpions style, delicate and energetic at the same time, in which once again—particularly in the latter—the outstanding vocal qualities of Klaus Meine are highlighted. But the main attractions are others, starting with the aggressive Tease Me Please Me, where the renewed spirit of the band is immediately noticeable: excellent guitar work and a spirited Matthias Jabs, along with the classic "ladies' man" themes (the music video is entertaining and leaves little to the imagination); and again, the adrenaline-fueled Kick After Six and Hit Between The Eyes, interspersed with slightly more relaxed atmospheres (but not too much) of Don’t Believe In Her, To Be With You In Heaven, and Lust Or Love. Great riffs and peak inspiration, the feeling is like being back in the golden days. There's also room to express a kind of indictment against modern society, inflated by the rush of profit and career, with Money And Fame and Crazy World, which close this hard & heavy ride in an excellent manner with very few moments of respite.

This album ultimately represents the last masterpiece of the Scorpions' second "classic" lineup: angry, rock-solid, embellished by the outstanding performance of all the members. The decade that would follow is perhaps the most lackluster period in their career, with lineup changes and attempts at modernization, with results falling below expectations.

But the Scorpion will still have the strength to react and sting…