Matthias Jabs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matthias Jabs
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Jabs with the Scorpions in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Born | 25 October 1955 Hannover, West Germany |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1978–present |
Matthias Jabs was born on October 25, 1955. He is a German musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for the famous hard rock band Scorpions. He has played on almost all of their albums since 1979. Matthias also owns his own music store called MJ Guitars in Munich.
Joining the Scorpions
Matthias Jabs joined the Scorpions in 1978. The band's bassist, Francis Buchholz, first found him. Buchholz had even helped Matthias with mathematics when he was in school. When the Scorpions' first lead guitarist, Uli Roth, left the band, Buchholz suggested Matthias for an audition. Before joining Scorpions, Matthias played in other bands like Lady, Fargo, and Deadlock.
Changes in the Band
After their album Taken by Force, the Scorpions' guitarist Uli Roth decided to leave. He wanted to try a different musical style. He played on the band's tour in Japan. But he left before their live album Tokyo Tapes was released. The Scorpions then looked for a new guitarist. They auditioned about 140 guitarists! Finally, they chose Matthias Jabs to join the band.
Recording Lovedrive
After Matthias joined, the Scorpions moved to new record labels. They started recording their next album, Lovedrive. For a short time, Michael Schenker, an earlier guitarist for the band, also returned. This meant the band had three guitarists for a bit. However, Michael only played on three songs for the album.
Lovedrive became a very important album for the band. Many fans love songs from it, like "Loving You Sunday Morning" and "Holiday." The album mixed hard rock songs with beautiful ballads. This mix became a signature sound for the Scorpions.
Matthias Becomes Permanent
After Lovedrive was finished, the band thought about keeping Michael Schenker. This would have meant Matthias Jabs had to leave. But in April 1979, after only a few weeks of touring, Michael left the band again. Matthias was quickly asked to come back and stay permanently.
Matthias Jabs' guitar playing brought a fresh, heavier sound to the Scorpions. This new sound helped the band become very famous in the 1980s.
In 2000, Matthias received two special awards. He got a plaque from the city of Hanover. He also received the Cross of Merit on Ribbon from the Lower Saxony Order of Merit.
