SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs talks to BraveWords.com correspondent Matthew O’Shaughnessy (from WVOX.com) about their final days stinging on stage, the enduring legacy of the German music institution and his upcoming memoir.

WVOX.com: We’ve all heard the news that the Scorpions will no longer be taking to the great stage forever more. Indeed, the Final Sting Tour 2012 says it all. But, is this really the Scorpions last hurrah?

Matthias Jabs: “Yes, it is.  The tour title is very appropriate. It’s true. It’s the last time the Scorpions are gonna come around.  We’ve been on this this farewell tour since the beginning of 2010 and now in 2012; it is sad on one hand, but we are serious and we are sticking to what we announced and this will sadly be the last time the fans will see us.”

WVOX.com: The Scorpions have such a great arsenal of big hard rock hits and all around mega songs all being showcased on the Final Sting Tour 2012.

Matthias Jabs: “We decided to play all the hits of course; all the songs that made us so popular in the United States like 'No One Like You', 'Rock You Like A Hurricane', 'Still Loving You'. There are some songs we have to play and want to play. The fans are demanding them! But we are also playing songs like 'Loving You Sunday Morning' and 'Send Me An Angel' and all the songs the fans really want to hear.  The shows throughout the country have been going so well. Great actually!  We enjoy it so much even though simultaneously there’s this feeling wow it’s going to be the last time. So there’s a touch of sadness too. But the fans have been enjoying it.”

WVOX.com: In 1965, the Scorpions formed and would become Germany’s most successful hard rock band of all time. The Scorpions forged new ground-breaking territory in the genre. So much has been written about the band over the years – you’ve been in Scorpions since 1978. As you look back, what would you ultimately like to say to your diehard and loyal fans who have always been with you?

Matthias Jabs: “I mean, I can only say the fans – a lot of them are still with us. The ones that were there in the beginning are still with us and it’s amazing what kind of support we are getting and were getting the whole time from fans from around the world every where we play especially on this Final Sting Tour. Everybody comes out.  We have, luckily, many new fans also and young fans – some younger than our songs! The loyalty of the fans who have been there from the beginning or let’s say the early '80’s here in the United States is just amazing.”

WVOX.com: There are many great milestones in the Scorpions career. What aspects of the band are you the most proud of?

Matthias Jabs: “It’s our whole career. Since I joined the Scorpions some 34 years ago we’ve been constantly recording albums and doing live shows without ever taking a break. And I think the band is capable of doing that. I can only be very thankful that this was all possible. It’s been a great life on the road and I can only be very thankful.”

WVOX.com: There are, as we can fathom, many highlights of the Scorpions career such as Blackout and Love At First Sting being two of the most successful album in rock history. Bands such as METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD and BON JOVI got more exposure as support acts on Scorpions worldwide tours.  And in 1988, the band set yet another milestone in their remarkable history by penetrating the Iron Curtain to give ten sell-out concerts in Leningrad for 350,000 soviet fans.  Scorpions were the first international hard rock group to play the former U.S.S.R. And that’s only touching the tip of the iceberg.

Matthias Jabs: “Yes, all those shows come to mind now! The US Festival, The Monsters Of Rock Festival at Giants Stadium with VAN HALEN. Moscow Music Peace Festival. All those shows come to my mind. The Scorpions would love to be remembered as one of the best live bands and this is one the reasons we want to stop now when we are in top form and not like in five years.”

WVOX.com: How do think you are going to feel when you walk off the stage for the very last time once The Final Sting Tour comes to a rocking halt?

Matthias Jabs: “I don’t know yet. It is something I am trying to not think about. But I am afraid it will be a very sad moment. Basically, you think you can go on forever but realistically you can not. As I said before, we want to be remembered as a band in great form.  Even though I would love to play on stage all over the world as we’ve been doing it for the last decades. But, we know, at some point it will show we are not the youngest any more and we want to avoid this. But it will be a very sad moment and I can foresee this already. We are an experienced band but we have no experience with stopping a career. It will be a first and very tough moment.”

WVOX.com: What else would you want to say about the Scorpions rich legacy?

Matthias Jabs: “The Scorpions are maybe the one worldwide-known rock band that played more countries than any other band. Everywhere from Taiwan to Singapore to Russia to Romania. It’s such a worldwide band and it gave us all the chance to see all the world and meet the people.”

WVOX.com:  Once The Final Sting Tour comes to a close, have you ever considered writing a book about your life in rock and roll?

Matthias Jabs: “The thought has crossed my mind. Yes, maybe.  When the time comes, I will focus on this and see if it’s worth doing.  I think a book should be reflecting the things the fans really want to know about what happened in the Scorpions career from like an insider’s point of view but in a way that is really translating to the reader so I think that’s most important.  Maybe I will give it a try!”

WVOX.com: On a final note, what would you like to leave all your worldwide fans with?

Matthias Jabs: “I would just want to say, and this is from my heart, thank you to everybody for supporting the Scorpions throughout our career. It’s been a fantastic time! Unfortunately, it’s coming to an end now. Thank you to everybody…”