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Rudolf Heinrich SchenkerGerman musician, founder of the Scorpions group, its guitarist and composer.
Date of Birth: 31.08.1948
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Biography of Rudolf Henrik Schenker
- Formation of Scorpions
- Further Musical Journey
- Success and Style Evolution
- Return to Classic Style
Biography of Rudolf Henrik Schenker
Early Life and Musical InfluencesRudolf Henrik Schenker is a German musician, best known as the founder, guitarist, and composer of the band "Scorpions". He was born into a family of musicians and grew up with classical music played by his father on the violin and his mother on the piano. Despite the classical music surrounding him, he developed a love for rock music from an early age and listened to bands like The Beatles. At the age of five, he picked up his first acoustic guitar, a Höfner.
Formation of Scorpions
After some time, Rudolf suggested to his younger brother, Michael, to learn how to play the guitar. At the age of 16, Rudolf formed his first band called Nameless, but later renamed it to Scorpions after being influenced by the popular album "Attack of the Scorpions". Initially, Rudolf was the vocalist of the band but felt overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being both the guitarist and vocalist. He began searching for another candidate to fill the role of vocalist.
Meanwhile, Michael had left Scorpions to join the band Copernicus, where vocalist Klaus Meine was also a member. Rudolf managed to convince his rebellious brother to return to the band, along with Klaus Meine. The revamped lineup of Scorpions recorded their first album, "Lonesome Crow".
Further Musical Journey
After the release of several albums, Uli Jon Roth, a guitarist in the band, left due to musical differences. He had a more experimental style influenced by artists like Jimi Hendrix, while the band leaned towards hard rock. Following an unsuccessful audition process, Rudolf met Matthias Jabs and invited him to play a few songs with them. Eventually, Rudolf called Jabs and informed him that he was the new lead guitarist of the band.
Success and Style Evolution
The 1980s marked a golden period for Scorpions as they found their own style. Rudolf continued to write music, while Klaus Meine and drummer Herman Rarebell contributed with the lyrics. In the mid-1990s, Rudolf and Klaus decided to experiment with different styles. During the preparation of the album "Pure Instinct", Herman Rarebell left the band as he refused to "play this crap".
Return to Classic Style
In the 2000s, the band returned to their classic style, symbolized by the album "Sting in the Tail". After retiring from the stage, Rudolf plans to collaborate on projects with his brother. There are rumors of the creation of a "Schenker Brothers" band. Rudolf is known for playing the Gibson Flying V and Dean V guitars. On the "Acoustica" DVD, he played a custom-made acoustic Flying V guitar. He has also used Dean acoustic V guitars made specifically for him. For many years, he and Matthias Jabs have played electric guitars made by Dommenget, including the Ferrari and Mercedes Flying V models.
Rudolf is an energetic performer on stage, often incorporating jumps, squats, and other movements while playing the guitar. At the end of the song "Still Loving You", he usually kisses the neck of his guitar while sitting down. In a video interview, Rudolf Schenker stated that his goal was not to become the best or fastest guitarist but to be the best composer. On April 26, 2011, his book "Rock Your Life" was released in Russia in the Russian language.
