RUDOLF SCHENKER Looking Towards Non-SCORPIONS Future

Guitarist Rudolf Schenker tells Billboard.com that the prospect of ending SCORPIONS is indeed "really sad, and I don't even want to think about it." But he explains that the band and its management ultimately feel it's the right move to end the band on a high note with its new album, "Sting in the Tail", rather than risk a slow decline.

"You can't think about SCORPIONS at 70, not moving on stage, playing 'Rock You Like a Hurricane' — but on stage it's not like a hurricane, it's a very small wind," he says. "There's no stinger, and that's not good. You're going back down hill, from big hall to small how, small how to club...Everything has it's end; the question is it a good end or bad end? In this case we want to do these things and make it a good end."

Regarding the SCORPIONS members' future plans, Schenker says that guitarist Matthias Jabs has a musical instruments store in Munich, while drummer James Kottak has his own band, KOTTAK. Rudolf himself intends to publish his book, "Rock You Live", in the U.S. and plans a collaboration with his brother a Michael Schenker — which may include SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine on some songs.

Read more at Billboard.com.