Lovedrive

Lovedrive
Studio album by Scorpions
Released	February 25, 1979
Recorded	September 1978-December 1978
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	36:30
Label	Harvest/EMI (Europe) Mercury (US)
Producer	Dieter Dierks
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Scorpions chronology
The Best of the Scorpions (1978) Lovedrive (1979) Animal Magnetism (1980)
Alternative cover

Lovedrive is the sixth studio album by the German heavy metal band Scorpions, released in 1979. Lovedrive was a major evolution of the band's sound, which exhibited a new Van Halen-style energy. Michael Schenker, younger brother of rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker, performed lead guitar on 3 songs. The RIAA certified 'Lovedrive' as Gold on 28 May 1986 and the album ranked 25 on IGN's list of the top 25 metal albums.

Recording

This was the first album to feature Matthias Jabs as the band's new full-time lead guitarist, replacing Uli Jon Roth. During the recording of the album with Jabs, original Scorpions guitarist Michael Schenker exited the band UFO and rejoined Scorpions for the remaining recording sessions, the result being "Lovedrive became a three-guitar-player album".^[1] Jabs recorded the album, but left shortly after completion to make way for Michael Schenker's full time return.

Schenker, coping with drugs and alcohol addiction, missed tour dates repeatedly, with Jabs returning to fill in for him on nights when he was absent. Michael eventually would leave the band a second time after realizing that he was failing to meet their expectations^[2] resulting in Jabs being reinstated once again as the full time replacement for Roth.

Cover art

The cover depicted a man and woman in formalwear seated in the back of a car, with one of the woman's breasts exposed and connected to the man's hand by stretched bubblegum. It was created by Storm Thorgerson of the design firm Hipgnosis. It caused some controversy upon the album's release and was subsequently banned, with later pressings of the album bearing a simple design of a blue scorpion on a black background.^[3][4] The album's artwork was named "Best album sleeve of 1979" by Playboy magazine.^{[citation needed]}

Recalling the cover photo with the girl and the car, Thorgerson remarked, "Not exactly the most politically correct scene you've ever seen. I thought it was funny, but women read a different inflection into it now."^[4]

Track listing

Side one

1. "Loving You Sunday Morning" (Schenker/Meine/Rarebell) – 5:36
2. "Another Piece of Meat" (Schenker/Rarebell) – 3:30
3. "Always Somewhere" (Schenker/Meine) – 4:56
4. "Coast to Coast" (Schenker) – 4:42

Side two

1. "Can't Get Enough" (Schenker/Meine) – 2:36
2. "Is There Anybody There?" (Schenker/Meine/Rarebell) – 3:58
3. "Lovedrive" (Schenker/Meine) – 4:49
4. "Holiday" (Schenker/Meine) – 6:32

Personnel

• Klaus Meine: vocals
• Rudolf Schenker: guitars
• Matthias Jabs: Guitars
• Francis Buchholz: Bass guitar
• Herman Rarebell: drums
• Michael Schenker: Lead Guitar on 2, 4 and 7

• Produced by Dieter Dierks for Breeze-Music

References

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