Tag: Humanity

Scorpions – ‘From The First Sting’ (2025) – Album Review (The Scorpions Collection Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic17 Comments

60 Years! Think about how long that number is. That is how long Scorpions have been a band and a band that is still going strong. Quite impressive! To celebrate that length of services, they have released a new greatest hits compilation that goes all the back to the first sting and one of the most recent stings. Musically, the band has released material since 1972 which isn’t quite 60 years, but the essence of the band goes back to 1965 when it was started by Rudolf Schenker. Their first album, ‘Lonesome Dove’, came out in 1972 and their last studio album so far, ‘Rock Believer’ came out in 2022. And they have a brand new live album coming out on December 5, 2025 called ‘Coming Home Live’ that was recorded on July 5, 2025. Can’t wait.

This compilation came out on October 17, 2025 and I have both the CD version and the Amazon Exclusive Gold Vinyl which also comes with a Scorpions Patch. The album on vinyl is a 2 LP set while the CD is only a single disc. Hard to put 60 years of songs on a single disc that only has 16 tracks. I think a 2 CD or even 3 CD set would’ve been a more appropriate and better way to celebrate 60 years. 60 years, did I mention that yet? They do cover some great songs on here and we even get 2 previously unreleased versions of a couple of their songs so that is cool at least.

As far as band members go, there have been quite a few, but Rudolf Schenker has been in there since the beginning, singer Klaus Meine since 1969 and Mathias Jabs joined around 1978. Currently, there is Pawel Maciwoda who has been on bass since 2004 and the most recent member is the great Mikkey Dee on drums who joined back in 2016. Throughout the years we have seen some great players like Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell and James Kottak to only name a few. What a career these guys have had as they have survived through every genre change that music business has seen and each time they stayed true to themselves and survived. They are all legends and one of my favorite bands. Let’s get to the music.

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Scorpions – ‘Icon’ (2010) – Album Review (The Scorpions Collection Series)

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Back in November 2010, Scorpions were on their first farewell tour…and as we know now, it wasn’t their last farewell tour. To help capitalize on that tour, Mercury released a compilation for the band called ‘Icon’. The ‘Icon’ compilations have been around a while and numerous bands have these such as Kiss, Poison and so many more. The single disc version, what we have here, is simply a 12 track compilation that covers the biggest hits of their career. It is not very comprehensive, but there is a 2 Disc version that gives you a little more meat. This release covers mostly the 80’s with a few other timeframes sprinkled around as well. If you only have time for a handful of Scorpions classics, then this disc might fit that bill nicely.

The album kicks off with one of the band’s most famous songs, “Rock You Like A Hurricane” which is off their 1984 release ‘Love At First Sting’. Every band needs a signature song and Scorpions did that on their 9th album with the song “Rock You Like a Hurricane”. It only went to #25 on the Top 40 chart, but it has lived on and given the band one of the quintessential 80’s rock songs ever made. There is no one that doesn’t know this song the second that opening riff kicks in. It is a rock anthem like very few achieve. For ever how many songs the album sold, most were sold because of this track. With heavy riffs, killer solos and one of the most catchiest choruses ever, this song took the band to a level they probably never thought they would see.

Then we get one of the best songs ever by the band, “No One Like You” off the 1982 album ‘Blackout’. The band’s first #1 in the U.S. on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. The song is legendary. A power ballad like no other. With strong guitar playing by both Mathias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker, it is a most impressive opening riff and a solo that plays so well for the song. Klaus Meine’s vocals are so clean, smooth and even tender at times. The verses keep it soft and the chorus explodes with passion. What more could you want. As close to perfection as any band could get.

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My Sunday Song – “Ghost In The Machine (Feat. Phoebe Bridgers)” by SZA

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For My Sunday Song #363, we are tackling Morgan’s Choice song #3 with SZA’s “Ghost in the Machine” which features it girl Phoebe Bridgers. The song was released on December 9, 2022 and is off SZA’s 2022 album ‘SOS’. The song cracked the Top 40 going to #40 and I am sure my daughter found the song on TikTok like so many of the songs she listens to every day.

The song is about the digital age and how we are losing our humanity due to being wired in all the time. For SZA, it is longing for that human connection that we can’t get through our devices. She wants to love and get hurt and basically live. For Phoebe, that Ghost in the machine is the long, lonely days in airports and hotels being far away from the people you love. People are using social media to connect with people, but you aren’t your true self this way. You can’t really look in to another’s eyes and see who they really are and connect to their soul. It is a wonderful truth that it would be nice if we’d wake up and realize that we are losing ourselves thanks to technology.

Musically, this isn’t my normal cup of tea, but it really is a great song. There is a lot electronica in the song as most everything is done through a keyboard or programmed through a computer which I find interesting considering the topic of the song. The singing is soft, gentle and filled with loneliness. There is a great groove to it as well and has a modern R&B vibe along with an indie sound. It is multiple genres rolled in to one. The music is sullen and dripping with sadness as the person feels lost. It isn’t a happy song at all, but it works.

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