Longtime Scorpions drummer, and now a core member of Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock, Herman Rarebell not only pounded the skins for the legendary German metal band, but also wrote or co-wrote many of their memorable songs in the 1980s. The drummer has assembled here a host of friends to give some of these memorable songs a re-imagined twist for 2015, and the results, while not meant to usurp the originals, are a fun revisit.
Toto's Bobby Kimball absolutely soars on "Rock You Like a Hurricane", with the guitar wizardry falling into the hands of Michael Voss, who actually handles most of the axe work on the album is really is the star of the show here. He also takes over lead vocal duties on "Loving You Sunday Morning", and sizzles on lead guitar throughout "Make It Real" alongside current Schenker vocalist "Make It Real", who once again shows what a dependable singer he really is. Former Santana vocalist Alex Ligertwood really surprises on "Is There Anybody There"...man, does he still have the vocal chops! "Dynamite" with Johnny Gioeli rocks hard, and former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin wows on the raging "Another Piece of Meat". Another ex-Schenker mate Gary Barden shows up for "Falling in Love", and Michael Nagy sounds almost identical to Klaus Meine on a haunting take on "Animal Magnetism". The bad? Well, Don Dokken sounds positively lifeless on "You Give Me All I Need", and both John Parr ("Passion Rules the Game") and Paul Shortino ("Love is Blind") miss the mark. Al Crespo though does turn in a heartfelt performance on an emotional "Let It Shine", a brand new song written by Rarebell for this album.
Probably not an album that really 'needed' to be made, but it's apparent that Rarebell and his buddies had a good time with this, which I think most longtime Scorpions fans will as well.
Track Listing
01. Rock Of You Like A Hurricane (Bobby Kimball of TOTO)
02. Passion Rules The Game (John Parr)
03. Loving You Sunday Morning (Michael Voss of MAD MAX)
04. Is There Anybody There? (Alex Ligertwood of SANTANA)
05. You Give Me All I Need (Don Dokken of DOKKEN)
06. Make It Real (Doogie White of RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER)
07. Dynamite (Johnny Gioeli of AXEL RUDI PELL)
08. Arizona (Thomas Perry)
09. Love Is Blind (Paul Shortino of QUIET RIOT)
10. Don't Make No Promises (Jack Russell of GREAT WHITE)
11. Falling In Love (Gary Barden of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP)
12. Another Piece Of Meat (Tony Martin of BLACK SABBATH)
13. Animal Magnetism (Michael Nagy)
14. Let It Shine (Al Crespo of UNBREAKABLE)