Hollywood
Scorpions celebrate 50 years of rock with 19th album
MUMBAI: The most successful export from continental Europe with more than 100 million records sold, Scorpions are celebrating 50 years of rock with the release of their 19th studio album, Return To Forever on 11 September, 2015.
Produced by Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen, the 19-song collection will be available in various formats including digital, Deluxe CD, and vinyl.
The North American configuration boasts three exclusive tracks alongside four bonus tracks previously available only in specific territories. The first single, ‘We Built This House’releases digitally on 3 July, and will be available to fans as an instant-grat for the album preorder, available at Amazon:http://smarturl.it/Scorps_RTF_Amzn and iTunes:http://smarturl.it/scprns_rtf_itns. Scorpions embark on a 16-city North America tour this fall.
“We have been overwhelmed with the amazing response to our new album across the globe and can’t wait to finally release Return To Forever in North America. We have always had such a special connection with our incredible fans and are so excited to get them the new album and return to play live this fall,” said Klaus Meine.
Scorpions have also launched an official D2C store with exciting offerings for fans featuring brand new t-shirt and sweatshirt designs coupled with the CD and Vinyl versions of Return To Forever. Also included in each bundle is an exclusive ‘fanified’poster that will feature every fan’s name on it who pre-orders Return To Forever through the D2C site by 14 August.
Return To Forever celebrates a global return for Scorpions as the album is already available in many parts of the world breaking and remaining in the Top 10 in multiple markets including Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Japan and Switzerland, with continued chart activity in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
When Klaus Meine (vocals), Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar) and Matthias Jabs (lead guitar) conceived this record, the idea was to revisit their past, recording updated outtakes and unfinished song ideas from their most famous 80’s sessions.
Jabs explains, “There had been quite a few unused songs over the years that were really good, but in the end didn’t make the cut back then due to the limited space on vinyl. We focused on eight songs, which were partly finished which we then recorded from scratch. During the work, new song ideas were
added. We were having so much fun we suddenly found ourselves in the middle of the songwriting process once again. And in the end, it turned out to be a brand-new Scorpions album after all.”
“In the end, it tells our story. We’ve built this house called Scorpions brick by brick and often quite arduously. From the first days in Hannover, the first concerts abroad, until this very day. We’ve weathered severe storms, but the house withstood everything, turned out to be weatherproof and stable. However, building the house was never just cumbersome, but joyful as well. The joy of music, the joy of having experienced and still experiencing it all, the joy of and the thankfulness for the fan’s affection,” said Meine.
The fact that the 50th band anniversary was coming up, hit Rudolf Schenker rather accidentally. “Not long ago I found an old cash account book of my mom’s, in which she meticulously recorded the earnings and expenses of the band from fifty years ago. My parents had lent me the money for the first equipment back then, so they kept a of record of my earnings so I could pay them back in installments. Fifty years is a long time for a working band. Apart from us, only the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and The Who have managed to do it. So the timing for the new album is perfect; We’re celebrating half a century of Scorpions with the record and the upcoming tour,” he said.
Founded in Hannover, West Germany in 1965, Scorpions were part of the first wave of metal in the 1970S with their debut album, Lonesome Crow, released in 1972. The band rose to arena status with seminal releases Lovedrive, Virgin Killer and Animal Magnetism. In the 80S, Scorpions amassed a string of Billboard chart toppers from Love at First Sting and Blackout, including multiple Top 10 singles ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’and ‘No One Like You’, as well a string of successful singles such as ‘Send Me an Angel’,’Still Loving You’ and ‘Winds of Change.’
Celebrated across the globe, the iconic rock act have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and have received multiple honors including World Music Award winners, a postage stamp in Brazil, their Star on Hollywood Rock Walk, Echo honors, most recently they were honored with the Lower Saxon State Award.
Scorpions Return to Forever 50th Anniversary Tour, featuring longtime members Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, alongside James Kottak (drums) and Pawel Maciwoda (bass), kicks off in September 2015 with dates in four continents. For these milestone shows, Scorpions have built a career-spanning setlist of Scorpion’s hits, anthems, ballads and vintage classics. North American dates also feature special guests Queensryche.
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
