Scorpions Cancel Remaining 2017 Tour Dates With Megadeth Due to Klaus Meine Illness [Update]
Update: Megadeth's Dave Mustaine also issued a statement on the cancellation of the tour, which reads as follows: “On behalf of Megadeth, I want to express our deepest gratitude to the Scorpions for this amazing opportunity to tour with our heroes. To the fans, old and new, who came out to see these amazing shows, we thank you profusely and hope you dug it as much as we did. Of course to the Scorpions, and their legendary singer Klaus Meine’s, whose health and well being is a ‘top priority’ to all of us, we wish him and his bandmates the very best. If there’s ever a chance to share the stage again with the Scorpions, we’ll be there!"
The Scorpions' North American tour with Megadeth was one of the more dynamic packages to hit the continent this year, uniting two very different schools of heavy metal. The run began on Sept. 9, but unfortunately has been cut short as Klaus Meine has received doctor's orders not to continue due to an illness.
On Oct. 7, the multi-platinum German act announced that the remaining dates on the tour, which was scheduled to wrap up on Oct. 15 in Tampa, Fla. were canceled. Meine was diagnosed with "severe laryngitis" and risked "permanent vocal damage" if he were to grit it out through the tour's end. An official announcement from the group reads,
The Scorpions regretfully announce that due to severe laryngitis, the remainder of the U.S. 2017 tour will be cancelled. Klaus Meine has been advised by top throat specialist in Los Angeles to rest his voice.
If he continues the tour, he could risk permanent vocal damage. The band stated, “that they truly hate to disappoint our fans and hope to come back to America soon, but this time we have no choice but to cancel.” – SCORPIONS
The announcement came after the band's Oct. 7 performance at The Forum in Los Angeles, which featured a full set. The band was slated to be honored by the Los Angeles City Council the day before as the Scorpions' accomplishments were being recognized by the city with a "Scorpions Day," but they had to back down due to an illness within the band that we can now assume was Meine's laryngitis. Earlier on the tour, they enjoyed another honor, performing at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York for the first time since 1984. See photos from that performance here.
When we spoke to guitarist Rudolf Schenker ahead of the tour's kickoff, he commented on sharing the stage with Megadeth, stating, "I think that’s a good thing, especially if you think about how this rock music has a very good family tree. I think Megadeth and also Metallica and Iron Maiden definitely fit within the same tree. So in this case, it’s good to show the young generation more of the old guys and [show] the old generation the new generation. It’s a good family meeting with different generations."
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