When we made Eye II Eye (Scorpions' 1999 album), everyone said that classic rock was dead. We were stupid and believed it. The fans said, "This is not our Scorpions." Then we realized that you have to do what you do best, Matthias Jabs, the band's lead guitarist, told Louder Sound magazine in August 2024. The musician turns 70 today.
Jabs was born in 1955 in Hanover. On his 13th birthday, he received his first guitar from his parents - an acoustic instrument from the old German brand Klria. Soon after, he acquired his first electric guitar - a 1963 Fender Stratocaster, "which at the time was not considered vintage because it was 1969," Jabs said in an interview with Guitar World magazine.
The guitarist played in the bands Lady and Fargo before winning the lead guitarist competition for the band “Scorpions“ in 1979. That same year, Jabs participated in the recording of Lovedrive (1979) and all of the band's subsequent albums. Lovedrive was the first “Scorpions“ album to achieve international success, becoming a gold-certified artist in the US.
Jabs learned the band's entire repertoire in one night while preparing for their tour of Germany, in which they support for „Genesis“.
The guitarist played on all of the band's hits, including Still Loving You, Send Me An Angel, Rock You Like A Hurricane and Wind Of Change.
„Scorpions“ finally found their first guitarist, whose creativity, virtuosity and enthusiasm continue to contribute significantly to the band's success“, „Scorpions“ says of Yabs.
The band was at the height of their fame in the 1980s. In 1984, they sold out „Madison Square Garden“ for three consecutive dates. Yabs took his parents to the States to see the performance.
„Then my mother asked me „When are you thinking of starting something "reasonable?". That's what mothers are like," Yabs said in an interview with Louder Sound magazine.
The musician's most memorable concert took place in 1982. Then the Scorpions played two dates in Bangkok, where as a gesture of gratitude, fans threw live scorpions onto the stage. "It was a real adventure," says the guitarist.
Yabs' favorite book is the Bible, otherwise he prefers the historical genre, the band's website says. His favorite movie is "2001: A Space Odyssey," and his favorite place is his bed at home. The guitarist loves Italian cuisine, and what motivates him are positive emotions and creativity.
In August 2024 The Scorpions have cancelled their September shows, the last of their Love At First Sting tour, due to an accident in which Jabs fell down the stairs at his home and broke his left heel and little finger on his left hand, making it impossible for him to play guitar until the bones healed. The band returned to the stage in July of this year to celebrate their 60th anniversary with a performance in their hometown.
The German hard rock band Scorpions have visited Bulgaria several times. In 2023, they opened the third edition of the "Midalidare Rock In The Wine Valley" festival. In 2016, they played at the capital"Arena Armeec" as part of a tour celebrating their 50th anniversary on stage. The band also visited Sofia in 2013, 2010 and 1993. In 2009 and 2005, “Scorpions“ performed concerts at Kaliakra Stadium in Kavarna.