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Francis Buchholz is dead. The former bassist of the Scorpions died of cancer at the age of 71. Not only here, but also abroad, people are mourning the death of the musician from one of the most successful bands to ever come from Germany.
Kory Grow writes in an obituary for Buchholz: Francis Buchholz, the Scorpions’ bassist during their greatest successes with songs like “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Wind of Change,” died Thursday after a battle with cancer. His family announced this in a social media post. He was 71 years old.
“He left this world peacefully. Surrounded by love,” his family wrote. “During his battle with cancer, we stood by him and overcame every challenge together, just as he taught us.”
Farewell to a formative musician
“To his fans around the world. We thank you for your unwavering loyalty, love and trust you have given him throughout his incredible journey,” it continued. “You gave him the world. And he gave you back his music. Even though the strings have now fallen silent, his soul lives on in every note he played. And in every life he touched.”
Buchholz’s powerful, yet controlled bass playing contributed significantly to the sound of “Rock You Like a Hurricane” from 1984. He used unusual restraint in a genre known for excesses. His powerful, tasteful playing also complemented other hard rock hits such as “No One Like You,” “Big City Nights” and “Blackout.”
The sound behind the classics
Although “The Zoo” features all five band members, it is Buchholz’s bass that drives the song’s slow, menacing pulse. Likewise, his reserved playing left room for a ballad like “Wind of Change” to reach number one in the charts worldwide.
When Buchholz joined the band, the Scorpions had already had a different bassist for several years. He was born on January 19, 1950 in Hanover, West Germany. His first album with the band was their second LP “Fly to the Rainbow” from 1974.
Breakthrough after difficult years
Throughout the 1970s the band struggled to reach a large audience. It wasn’t until 1979 that the Scorpions found the right formula with the album “Lovedrive” – the first with lead guitarist Matthias Jabs. Better international distribution of the records and a clearer sound also played a decisive role in this.
Buchholz had studied lighting and sound engineering at the University of Hanover and had co-founded the company Rock Sound a year earlier. There he provided bands, including the Scorpions, with stage and backline equipment.
Rise to metal dominance
The combination of powerful riffs, frontman Klaus Meine’s distinctive vocals and Buchholz’ rock-solid rhythms paved the way to the heavy metal dominance of the 1980s. Each album sold better than the last in the US: “Blackout” (1982) reached number 10 and was certified platinum, “Love at First Sting” (1984) went to number 6 and was certified triple platinum, and “Savage Amusement” (1988) reached number 5.
That same year, the Scorpions became the first metal band to tour the Soviet Union. In 1989 they returned and performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival alongside Bon Jovi and Ozzy Osbourne.
The farewell after “Wind of Change”
Ironically, despite the worldwide success of “Wind of Change” in 1990, “Crazy World”, the band’s last album with Buchholz, only reached number 21 on the US charts. The song was also released in Russian and led to a meeting with then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.
In 1992 Buchholz left the band. Among other things, he had taken care of the Scorpions’ business affairs and later explained in a 2008 interview that the exit was a mutual decision, triggered by a complete change in the management, legal and tax team. Unsatisfied with the situation, he decided to retire and focus on his family.
Return to music and late appreciation
In the mid-2000s, Buchholz returned to music, touring with former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth and eventually joining the band Dreamtide, which released the album “Dream and Deliver” in 2008. He later worked again with a former companion: Michael Schenker, with whose band “Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock” he toured and recorded.
In the 2008 interview, Buchholz expressed pride in his legacy. He particularly remembered the Scorpions’ performance at the 1983 US Festival. “I listened to my bass lines and realized, yes, I had played them exactly the way they needed to be played,” he said. “Watching this live recording, I felt the positive power of those days and the unity we were able to create on stage. Seeing it on television was a moment of great pride for me all these years later.”