Scorpions early catalog. Best/worst versions?

I know sometimes with the bigger bands it seems like there are a myriad of different issues on different labels. I am planning to start exploring the early Scorpions discog. I already know Lovedrive, Animal Magnetism and Blackout. I want to explore the stuff before that.

So are there any issues or reissues to stay away from, or that are especially good? I don't care about bonus tracks, just the original tracks with a sound that is good.

Also, are any of them especially hard to find/expensive?

Thanks

From the very early stuff, I only own Lonesome Crow and Fly To The Rainbow on CD (the others are still on tape). I know Lonesome Crow was just reissued as a digipack, but there were no bonus tracks at all. And as far as I know, they haven't gotten that sort of deluxe reissue treatment. If anything, just remasters.

Check the official Scorpions website; it's got a pretty extensive discography. I've used it many times researching one thing or another. I wish more bands had that much info.

In Trance, Taken By Force, & especially Virgin Killer are all outstanding.

mc666 wrote:

In Trance, Taken By Force, & especially Virgin Killer are all outstanding.

outstanding places to start....ya gott dive into Tokyo Tapes as well. The swan song by a great line up

I have Taken by Force and it's great!

Start with "Taken by Force" excellent songwriting which straddles styles between the more adventureous style they had with Uli Jon Roth to what they would become in the 80's, also contains their best ballad "Born to Touch Your Feelings'. Avoid " Lonesome Crow" one of the worst debuts in rock history, this one is for completist only or if your curious to hear what Spinal Tap would have sounded like as flower children.

http://www.amazon.com/Trance-Virgin-Killer-Black-Collection/dp/B000N3AWGQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1218896978&sr=1-2

I suggest starting here, unfortunately, it seems it has gone out of print now, but the sellers prices aren't much more than what it cost originally. You get their two best early albums (In Trance & Virgin Killer) completely remastered on a 2 disc set with the complete Fly To The Rainbow album (also remastered) as bonus tracks split up between the two discs.

Another vote for Taken By Force.

manny wrote:

Start with "Taken by Force" excellent songwriting which straddles styles between the more adventureous style they had with Uli Jon Roth to what they would become in the 80's, also contains their best ballad "Born to Touch Your Feelings'. Avoid " Lonesome Crow" one of the worst debuts in rock history, this one is for completist only or if your curious to hear what Spinal Tap would have sounded like as flower children.

I'm coming to the party a little late with my Scorpions collection. I was so burned out on their "hits" that I never want to hear Rock You Like a Hurricane again in my lifetime. That being said, I'm going backwards and looking to beef up my collection with all their pre-80's-hits cd's. I recently picked up Lonsome Crow and thought it was brilliant. Manny, you're correct. It is absolutely NOTHING like their later albums, but I love it.

I own the digi pack version of Lonesome Crow, it sounds fine. A good bit different than the
rest of the catalogue, as others have previously posted, but a good listen nonetheless, imho.
Also, Taken By Force is a great album. Peace.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

manny wrote:

Start with "Taken by Force" excellent songwriting which straddles styles between the more adventureous style they had with Uli Jon Roth to what they would become in the 80's, also contains their best ballad "Born to Touch Your Feelings'. Avoid " Lonesome Crow" one of the worst debuts in rock history, this one is for completist only or if your curious to hear what Spinal Tap would have sounded like as flower children.

I'm coming to the party a little late with my Scorpions collection. I was so burned out on their "hits" that I never want to hear Rock You Like a Hurricane again in my lifetime. That being said, I'm going backwards and looking to beef up my collection with all their pre-80's-hits cd's. I recently picked up Lonsome Crow and thought it was brilliant. Manny, you're correct. It is absolutely NOTHING like their later albums, but I love it.

Metalguy your post has inspired to pull Lonesome Crow out of the archieves I still have it on cassette, since I never bothered replacing it with a cd version, but I will listen to it hopefully with a fresher pair of ears see what maybe I missed the first time around

mc666 wrote:

In Trance, Taken By Force, & especially Virgin Killer are all outstanding.

Yup! My favorites. Uli Roth is an outstanding and unique player. These records are VERY different from Animal Magnatism, Lovedrive and Blackout.

ultmetal wrote:

mc666 wrote:

In Trance, Taken By Force, & especially Virgin Killer are all outstanding.

Yup! My favorites. Uli Roth is an outstanding and unique player. These records are VERY different from Animal Magnatism, Lovedrive and Blackout.

ULT, I think you have the same "Axe Killer Warrior's Set" of the Scorpions. I purchased that set this past summer, and it was easily my best purchases. It contains the albums "In Trance" and "Virgin Killers". As a bonus on Disc 1 it has the first three songs off "Fly To The Rainbow", and on Disc 2 it contains the next four songs off of "Fly To The Rainbow". Everything is remastered, and comes with a nice poster of the "In Trance" album. This is a limited edition, so if you have the funds, check it out.

I also have "Taken By Force", which was also remastered. I think the other stuff is outstanding, but this is where the Scorpions were at their pinnacle.

metalinmyveins wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

mc666 wrote:

In Trance, Taken By Force, & especially Virgin Killer are all outstanding.

Yup! My favorites. Uli Roth is an outstanding and unique player. These records are VERY different from Animal Magnatism, Lovedrive and Blackout.

ULT, I think you have the same "Axe Killer Warrior's Set" of the Scorpions. I purchased that set this past summer, and it was easily my best purchases. It contains the albums "In Trance" and "Virgin Killers". As a bonus on Disc 1 it has the first three songs off "Fly To The Rainbow", and on Disc 2 it contains the next four songs off of "Fly To The Rainbow". Everything is remastered, and comes with a nice poster of the "In Trance" album. This is a limited edition, so if you have the funds, check it out.

I also have "Taken By Force", which was also remastered. I think the other stuff is outstanding, but this is where the Scorpions were at their pinnacle.

Actually, I suggested that set. Bought it when they first put it out