Last summer we were lucky to interview them face to face during the end-of-the-season special program and now we have the chance again to talk to Sergio Maciwoda, bass player in STINGERS (Scorpions' tribute band from Sevilla), one of the tribute bands who are source of much talk lately. We talk with the gratitude and pride for being the first Spanish media to interview STINGERS after their adventure in Germany: Scorpions themselves invited the band to play with them at their museum!
Hi Sergio, we're happy to have you sharing some time with us again. Last time we talked with you, one of the moments that has surely marked your career as a tribute band was still to come: the concert that took place last 18th August in Germany, at Scorpions' Museum, to which you were invited by the band. We take our hats off to such an experience. We know that, tribute band as you are, you've followed Scorpions tours many times and you've had the chance to talk to them, but we imagine this time it's been different. You were in their homeland, invited by themselves, and with them... What comes to your minds, a tribute band's, when you're in front of the original group?
It's a dream come true, a wish that seemed unachievable, but it proves that sometimes wishes come true. What comes to your mind is that you have to give not 100%, like in every concert, but even some more, since you are before the creator of your life's soundtrack.
We suppose for such an occasion, when you have to give your best, the repertoire would be more than prepared. Can you give us a quick review of the setlist? There was some surprise, wasn't there?
The truth is that the setlist was quite tight, because we only had one hour to play. However, all the Scorpions' classics weren't missing, like Bad Boys Running Wild, The Zoo, Make It Real, Still Loving You, Wind Of Change, Rock You Like A Hurricane, Big City Nights or Blackout. Nonetheless, the one we were more thrilled to play, because it's a song the whole band likes a lot, we make a very particular version and Scorpions don't play very often, was Robot Man.
We know you played some song with Scorpions themselves too... Which track was the chosen one? Was it improvised or did you know you'd be playing it? How does it feel to share the stage with a rock legend?
On the day of the concert, in the morning, having a walk in Gronau, we bumped by chance into the Rock Museum. So, once we found it, we went to 'inspect' the place. There, we met Inga, the press agent, who told us that Rudolf Schenker might come for a walk in the afternoon, but it wasn't sure. As the morning passed, we were assured he would come and he wanted to play one song with us, which was going to be Big City Nights, but once we went to do the soundcheck, we were confirmed he'd go on stage for two songs and wanted them to be, Big City Nights and Rock You Like A Hurricane, which make it double pleasure for us, because they're also the two songs we finished the
concert with.
What was the feedback from the audience like?
Amazing, specially when Rudolf came on stage. We enjoyed a lot and it was a unique and unrepeatable moment. People was cheering up since de very first song and we could see many lighters and mobile phones during the ballads, as in the big concerts.
Everytime we've seen you playing, we've realised you have a very prepared staging (decoration, clothing), asides from your attitude, of course. Did you prepare something
different or special for this event?
Yes, Javi Schenker wore new tailored clothes, made by a Sevillian tailor, I also had a new Indian vvest, similar to the one the current bass player wears, Pablo Jabs wore both outfits he has like Matthias's (World Wide Live '85 and Wacken 2006) and Panchi Meine, asides of a new cap bought in USA identical to Klaus's and leather trousers made by a friend, had the pleasure to wear a coat lent by a good friend (Marichu), that she had bought through the Internet and she'd been assured it had been worn by Scorpions's singer himself at a couple of shows they gave in former Soviet Union: the legendary Moscow Musice Peace Festival in 1989.
How did Stingers sound that evening?
Wonderfully well, specially thanks to the great work of our sound technician, Jose, who came with us to Gronau too, and, of course, our manager, Juanma, who is on top of everything. As for what concerns to us, I think it's been one of the best concerts we've had so far, we were very concentrated and knew it wasn't just any moment -it was THE moment. We couldn't fail!
We imagine that an experience like that has been immortalized?
That hasn't been discussed yet, although we do have quite a lot of stuff recorded either from the concert, the trip and backstage. There may be concert images released in a future, since Rudolf came with a cameraman who filmed the whole performance. We were told it was for the upcoming Scorpions's DVD. And we knew all this before going on stage, it was unbelievable.
You know we always make this question, so this time it won't be different: Any anecdote to tell and remember about this very special concert?
Everything was special, but what caught our attention the most was that they made us feel like rock professionals, because, asides of taking charge of the trip and the stay, they also picked us up and took us everywhere in a van, without us needing to move a finger. We also had a backline of spectacular quality just for ourselves, and everything without forgetting the exquisite treatment we had both from Rock Museum staff and Rudolf, who, in the backstage, promised Javi he'd send him a pair of glasses from his personal collection -something he did two weeks later.Now we focus a bit more in your band. When you came for the special program, you commented you had some own material, ready to play for the first time in German lands... Are Stingers working on their own songs? Will you edit something?
We've been preparing our own tracks for some time now, and we have the bases for five of them, but in Germany it was impossible to play any; first, because there was little time for the show and second, because they weren't completely finished, so we decided to play only Scorpions' covers.
Although it may be difficult, could you give us a hint about how those tracks will sound?
Our idea and hope is that they sound like Scorpions. So far, it seems so, but there's still a lot to do.
We know that since the last time we saw you, you've played quite a lot. Are there any other concerts at sight?
Now, for the upcoming winter, we're working on an acoustic set to play at smaller venues, without leaving the electric show aside. We will possibly have a couple of shows until the end of the year, although they are not confirmed and we also want to go back to our own compositions.
We say goodbye again, thanking you for your time and congratulating the whole band for this success. We hope to enjoy those own tracks soon, which, knowing about your good work, must sound great.
A hug and thank you for your interest.
