Even the most successful bands can encounter difficult times in their careers. Behind the scenes, they are dealing with personal and professional issues that have a huge impact on their music. One such occurrence occurred in the history of Scorpions, who went through a turbulent period in the early 1980s. Klaus Meine, a crucial member of the band, suffered from serious throat difficulties that made him doubt his ability to sing again.
Following the publication of Scorpions’ seventh album, ‘Animal Magnetism,’ Meine began to suffer from serious throat difficulties. During Meine’s recovery, the band was already working on their next album, ‘Blackout,’ which demanded the presence of Don Dokken to give guiding and backing vocals. The Scorpions vocalist recounted the low point of his career in a 2015 interview with Classic Rock, detailing how the strain he put on his voice cords during the 1970s eventually took its toll. He had two surgeries, the second of which was extremely traumatic, prompting him to doubt his capacity to sing the record at hand.
Klaus Meine’s thoughts on his trying time: “Throughout the 1970s, I was singing every show like there was no tomorrow, always pushing myself to the point where my vocal cords couldn’t take it any longer.” I had surgery twice, and the second time was quite difficult. That’s when I realized it was impossible for me to sing that record.” Meine also shared additional insight into this difficult moment in a 2005 interview. When asked what would happen if their music would not connect with fans, he recalled how his voice had deteriorated in the early 1980s. During his recovery, he questioned if he would ever be able to sing again. Meine expressed his appreciation to his bandmate Rudolf Schenker and his family, who urged him to prioritize his voice health.
The singer went on to say the following regarding the situation: “When my voice was gone, it flopped big time for me!” I lost my voice in the early 1980s and couldn’t sing. I was rushed to the hospital and required surgery on my vocal cords. I went to see a band at a local venue, and because I was not permitted to talk for a while and it was hard to raise the voice back up, I was thinking, ‘This is what I used to do. ‘Can I do it again?’ It was a difficult period during the recording of ‘Blackout,’ but Rudolf [Schenker] – and my family, of course, but in the band it was Rudolf – was a huge help to get me through it.
‘You do everything for your voice, and we’ll wait for you,’ he replied. We don’t want another vocalist, but you have to put forth the effort to make it happen.’ My voice returned after around six or seven months. What type of future would I have if that wasn’t the case? I’m not sure. Maybe I’d be a writer, maybe a music journalist – I never considered it! – but I’d definitely go into something that would allow me to stay in the music business, like developing young bands or something.” As a result, Klaus Meine’s vocal difficulties in the early 1980s posed a big obstacle for Scorpions, and the vocalist viewed it as the worst phase of his career. Meine, on the other hand, rehabilitated and restored his singing skills through perseverance and the support of band mates, family, and medical specialists.