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==Background==
==Background==
In the first half of 2003., Scorpions lead guitarist [[Matthias Jabs]] revealed that band is working on a new album that will be released in early 2004. Band made a list of the potentional producers for the next album. Those were: [[Bob Rock]], [[Rick Parashar]], [[Max Martin]] and [[Dieter Dierks]]. To write and record the songs, band converted the back lounge of a tour bus into a studio. Matthias said that new material will be the [[classic rock]]. He explained: "We are classic rock, and most radio stations don't play that. But a lot of things are changing, so you never know."<ref name="the_scorpions_to_record_new_album">{{cite web|title=The Scorpions To Record New Album|work= [[Blabbermouth.net]]| date= 2003-04-12| url= http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-scorpions-to-record-new-album/| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref>


After the success with [[cross-over]] album [[Moment of Glory]] recorded with [[Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra]] and the unplugged album [[Acoustica]], Scorpions started to work on a new album while touring in 2002. James Kottak said: "We would sit in the back of the tour bus late night, playing each other songs each of us had written, writing, listening to new stuff on the radio, and brainstorming what each one of us thought which direction should the new CD take".<ref name="the_making_of_unbreakable">{{cite web|title=The Making of "UNBREAKABLE"|work= [[jameskottak.com]]| date= 2004-03-01| url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040508214502/http://www.jameskottak.com/news/2004/index.htm| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref> To write songs and record the [[Demo (music)|demos]], band converted the back lounge of a tour bus into a studio. Matthias said that new material will be the [[classic rock]]. He explained: "We are classic rock, and most radio stations don't play that. But a lot of things are changing, so you never know."<ref name="the_scorpions_to_record_new_album">{{cite web|title=The Scorpions To Record New Album|work= [[Blabbermouth.net]]| date= 2003-04-12| url= http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-scorpions-to-record-new-album/| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref> After finishing the [[North America|North American]] tour with [[Whitesnake]] in late March of 2003., band members went to Scorpio Sound Studio to record first batch of demos. They demoed total of 16 songs and none of those songs made the album. Second demo session started in June. During that session band demoed songs that [[Klaus Meine]], [[Rudolf Schenker]], Matthias Jabs and James Kottak wrote individually. In the late July and early August, Scorpions embarked on three week tour where James spent majority of his time writing, demoing, and playing guitar. He explained: "On some songs I only play for Matthias, some only for Rudolf, and the sensitive ones I play for Klaus". On the September 1st, 2003. band members came back again in Scorpio Sound Studio for two week demo session. They demoed another 20 songs. Kottak said about the songs: "We now felt we have the meat of the record...8 to 10 "good ones"".<ref name="the_making_of_unbreakable">{{cite web|title=The Making of "UNBREAKABLE"|work= [[jameskottak.com]]| date= 2004-03-01| url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040508214502/http://www.jameskottak.com/news/2004/index.htm| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref> Once demos sessions were concluded, Scorpions have sent their demos to producers they planned to work with. At the top of their list were: [[Bob Rock]], [[Rick Parashar]], [[Max Martin]], [[Dieter Dierks]] and Erwin Musper. Bob Rock couldn't produce the album because he was on the vacation and resting after two-year production of the [[Metallica]]'s album [[St. Anger]] and Dieter Dierks was scrapped after the financial disagreement between him and members of Scorpions.<ref name="the_making_of_unbreakable">{{cite web|title=The Making of "UNBREAKABLE"|work= [[jameskottak.com]]| date= 2004-03-01| url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040508214502/http://www.jameskottak.com/news/2004/index.htm| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref><ref name="the_scorpions_to_record_new_album">{{cite web|title=The Scorpions To Record New Album|work= [[Blabbermouth.net]]| date= 2003-04-12| url= http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-scorpions-to-record-new-album/| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref><ref name="crazyScorps_dieter_dierks_interview_exclusive">{{cite web|title=CrazyScorpS|Dieter Dierks – Interview exclusive!|work= [[Crazyscorps]]| date= 2015-03-30| url= http://www.crazyscorps.com/?p=2444| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref>At the end they chose to work with Erwin and booked the studio for October 15, but they weren't prepared recording because they didn't have a bass player and none of the auditioned bass player didn't have availability to the demos recorded by the band. Since there were no bass player during the demo sessions, all bass lines were laid down by Matthias Jabs.<ref name="the_making_of_unbreakable">{{cite web|title=The Making of "UNBREAKABLE"|work= [[jameskottak.com]]| date= 2004-03-01| url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040508214502/http://www.jameskottak.com/news/2004/index.htm| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref> James invited [[Jeff Pilson]] and [[Jimmy Bain]] for the recording sessions, but they couldn't come due the scheduling. Five days later band entered the Pepermint Park Studio in [[Hannover]] and after four to five days of setting up the equipment, they started the recording process without bass player. Rudolf's assistant, recommended [[Pawel Maciwoda]]. Pawel learned the bass parts from bands demos and came in studio on the first day of recording sessions. After three days, he recorded total of 11 songs. After those recording sessions have finished, band members have done another recording session with [[Barry Sparks]] on a bass with whom recorded 5 songs. After total of 16 recorded songs, band still felt they are missing some songs to complete the album. At the very end of the recording sessions, Rudolf came with the song "If You Could See Inside My Eyes" (which became "Through My Eyes" on the album), Klaus presented "Maybe I, Maybe You", James came with "Can You Feel It", and Matthias came with a song "This Time". After those 4 songs were recorded, finally the band had a foundation of 12 songs to make a album.<ref name="the_making_of_unbreakable">{{cite web|title=The Making of "UNBREAKABLE"|work= [[jameskottak.com]]| date= 2004-03-01| url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040508214502/http://www.jameskottak.com/news/2004/index.htm| accessdate = 2015-12-31}}</ref>

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-scorpions-to-record-new-album/#KY7fHGzzMKIzqtr3.99


==Track listing==
==Track listing==

Revision as of 20:49, 31 December 2015

Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

Unbreakable is the fifteenth studio album by the German rock band Scorpions, released in 2004. In this album, Scorpions return to their original style of music after many concept albums and experimenting with different styles. This was the first album with Pawel Maciwoda on bass guitar. Despite critical acclaim and extensive touring of the album, it was not a big hit on the charts.

Background

After the success with cross-over album Moment of Glory recorded with Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the unplugged album Acoustica, Scorpions started to work on a new album while touring in 2002. James Kottak said: "We would sit in the back of the tour bus late night, playing each other songs each of us had written, writing, listening to new stuff on the radio, and brainstorming what each one of us thought which direction should the new CD take".[3] To write songs and record the demos, band converted the back lounge of a tour bus into a studio. Matthias said that new material will be the classic rock. He explained: "We are classic rock, and most radio stations don't play that. But a lot of things are changing, so you never know."[4] After finishing the North American tour with Whitesnake in late March of 2003., band members went to Scorpio Sound Studio to record first batch of demos. They demoed total of 16 songs and none of those songs made the album. Second demo session started in June. During that session band demoed songs that Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs and James Kottak wrote individually. In the late July and early August, Scorpions embarked on three week tour where James spent majority of his time writing, demoing, and playing guitar. He explained: "On some songs I only play for Matthias, some only for Rudolf, and the sensitive ones I play for Klaus". On the September 1st, 2003. band members came back again in Scorpio Sound Studio for two week demo session. They demoed another 20 songs. Kottak said about the songs: "We now felt we have the meat of the record...8 to 10 "good ones"".[3] Once demos sessions were concluded, Scorpions have sent their demos to producers they planned to work with. At the top of their list were: Bob Rock, Rick Parashar, Max Martin, Dieter Dierks and Erwin Musper. Bob Rock couldn't produce the album because he was on the vacation and resting after two-year production of the Metallica's album St. Anger and Dieter Dierks was scrapped after the financial disagreement between him and members of Scorpions.[3][4][5]At the end they chose to work with Erwin and booked the studio for October 15, but they weren't prepared recording because they didn't have a bass player and none of the auditioned bass player didn't have availability to the demos recorded by the band. Since there were no bass player during the demo sessions, all bass lines were laid down by Matthias Jabs.[3] James invited Jeff Pilson and Jimmy Bain for the recording sessions, but they couldn't come due the scheduling. Five days later band entered the Pepermint Park Studio in Hannover and after four to five days of setting up the equipment, they started the recording process without bass player. Rudolf's assistant, recommended Pawel Maciwoda. Pawel learned the bass parts from bands demos and came in studio on the first day of recording sessions. After three days, he recorded total of 11 songs. After those recording sessions have finished, band members have done another recording session with Barry Sparks on a bass with whom recorded 5 songs. After total of 16 recorded songs, band still felt they are missing some songs to complete the album. At the very end of the recording sessions, Rudolf came with the song "If You Could See Inside My Eyes" (which became "Through My Eyes" on the album), Klaus presented "Maybe I, Maybe You", James came with "Can You Feel It", and Matthias came with a song "This Time". After those 4 songs were recorded, finally the band had a foundation of 12 songs to make a album.[3]

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."New Generation"Klaus MeineRudolf Schenker5:51
2."Love 'em or Leave 'em"James Kottak, MeineSchenker4:04
3."Deep and Dark"Meine, Matthias JabsJabs3:39
4."Borderline"MeineSchenker4:53
5."Blood Too Hot"MeineSchenker4:16
6."Maybe I Maybe You"MeineAnoushiravan Rohani3:32
7."Someday Is Now"KottakSchenker3:25
8."My City My Town"MeineMeine4:55
9."Through My Eyes"MeineSchenker5:23
10."Can You Feel It"Kottak, MeineKottak3:49
11."This Time"JabsJabs3:36
12."She Said"MeineMeine, Christian Kolonovits4:42
13."Remember the Good Times (Retro Garage Mix)" (bonus track)Meine, Eric BazilianSchenker, Bazilian4:24
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
14."Dreamers"Meine, BazilianMeine, Schenker, Bazilian4:47
15."Too Far"Meine, JabsJabs3:08

Personnel

Band members
Additional musicians
  • Koen van Baal - keyboards and keyboard arrangements, arrangements on "Maybe I Maybe You"
  • Ralph de Jongh, Joss Mennen, Alex Jansen - backing vocals on "New Generation" and "Borderline"
Production
  • Erwin Musper - producer, engineer, mixing, arrangements on "Maybe I Maybe You"
  • Phantom Brothers - mixing on ""Remember the Good Times" (Retro Garage Mix)
  • Darius van Helteren - mastering at Wisseloord Studios

Charts

Year Chart Position
2004 German Albums Chart[6] 4
Swedish Albums Chart[7] 14
Finnish Albums Charts[8] 15
Portuguese Albums Charts[9] 15
Swiss Albums Charts[10] 19
Austrian Albums Charts[11] 30
Polish Albums Charts[12] 32
Oricon Japanese Albums Charts[13] 41
French Albums Charts[14] 42
Ultratop Belgian Charts[15] 74

References

  1. ^ "Unbreakable Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  2. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Scorpions Unbreakable review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-12-13.
  3. ^ a b c d e "The Making of "UNBREAKABLE"". jameskottak.com. 2004-03-01. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  4. ^ a b "The Scorpions To Record New Album". Blabbermouth.net. 2003-04-12. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  5. ^ "CrazyScorpS". Crazyscorps. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2015-12-31. {{cite web}}: Text "Dieter Dierks – Interview exclusive!" ignored (help)
  6. ^ "Album – Scorpions, Unbreakable". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  7. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable (album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  8. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable (album)". Finnishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  9. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable (album)". Portuguesecharts.com (in Portuguese). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  10. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable". Hitparade.ch (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  11. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable (album)". Austriancharts.at (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  12. ^ "The Scorpions - Unbreakable". acharts.us. Retrieved 2012-12-23.
  13. ^ "スコーピオンズ - スコーピオンズのアルバム売り上げランキング". Oricon. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  14. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable (album)". Lescharts.com (in French). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  15. ^ "Scorpions – Unbreakable". Ultratop (in French). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
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