Hitting the airwaves with their first album Lonesome Crow back in 1972, Scorpions spent several decades releasing songs like “Still Loving You” and “Wind of Change.” Still performing, the band revealed their recent album Rock Believer in 2022. Continuing to leave their mark on the heavy metal genre, Scorpions looked to honor the band’s rich history with a 60th-anniversary celebration. Although Michael Schenker performed alongside the band for several years, the guitarist admitted he would not take part in the celebration due to his brother Rudolf Schenker being a “Bully.”
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Sitting down to discuss his time in music on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Michael insisted he wanted no part in the celebration, scheduled to take place on July 5, 2025, in Hannover, Germany. Not just saying “No”, the musician explained his reasoning. “I just know that I have been a very big part of creating Rudolf as a musician. I don’t think without me, he would have been there, and maybe the other way around the same way. But the thing is that I have to protect myself from Rudolf. Every time he wants to do something with me or every time they wanna do something big and they need my name, he misuses me.”
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Michael Schenker Declares “I Don’t Know What’s Wrong With Him”
Trying to understand the relationship he has with Rudolf, Michael noted how he constantly bullied him. “[Rudolf is] seven years older than me. He’s a bully. He has been abusive to me for many, many years. He has distorted my image for many years, and he just pretends as if nothing ever happened. I guess, because I asked other people, ‘Hey, how does your older brother treat you?’ And they say, ‘Oh, exactly the same.’ So I think it’s just the thing they do. They think they own you, they can do with you whatever they want.”
Not placing the blame on any members of Scorpions, Michael simply reiterated the toxic nature that followed his brother. “Rudolf is just a crazy, weird person. I don’t know what drives him. But I don’t wanna be connected to it. So I don’t wanna be distracted with my vision every time I give in and say, ‘Okay, I’ll do something with Rudolf,’ and then he abuses me or uses me disrespectfully.”
While Michael and Rudolf aren’t the first brothers to disagree, the guitarist appeared confused as to why his brother continues the mistreatment. “I don’t know why he keeps going like that, but it’s just kind of very, very strange. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
(Photo by C Brandon/Redferns)
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