FRANCIS BUCHHOLZ - Classic Era Bassist Caught In Dream (Tide) Page 2
by Martin Popoff

"We finished mixing the album, Dream And Deliver, consisting of 14 great songs this spring. It got released in Japan this May, where it started in the international album charts at position 14, which - in my judgment - is very good for a German rock band. Of course, we could not outsell MADONNA or other famous international pop artists. In Europe it got released at the end of August 2008. As we have no distribution in America we are selling the album through iTunes as well."

How has your bass playing changed/improved over the last 15 years or so?

"Yes, I believe my bass playing has improved," figures Buchholz. "I feel like a young kid again, when I play. My imagination has grown. I like creating and playing non-predictable bass lines but I am still keeping everything clear and understandable. You will find new bass parts from me on Dreamtide's new album, and they are all quite special and sometimes kind of unpredictable, what I like. Of course, I am building on my past, but my new bass lines have emerged from what I have done in the past."

Looking at your legacy, what would you say were Scorpions strengths and weaknesses? What was your legacy? What was the sound?

"The Scorpions were able to go out on any stage, play great and drive the audience wild. The strength of the band was that we were able to fight through our music. Especially on festivals with many bands, we were fighting to be the best. We went on stage knowing we would win. And we were always truthful to our fans. The Scorpions were a winning team! And in the studio we worked very hard to get the best result possible. Our weaknesses were internal disagreements between the band and management. The sound was the combination of the instruments and voices. Each band member had his own sound and precise ideas how the sound of the band should be."

FRANCIS BUCHHOLZ - Classic Era Bassist Caught In Dream (Tide) Page 3