RockMusicStar.com's Thomas Stanley Orwat Jr. has issued an interview with SCORPIONS guitarist Mathias Jabs. The following is an excerpt:

Q: As far as this being the bands last CD and tour, were you at all reluctant to agree to this, because you’re a bit younger than Klaus and Rudolf? You still could easily do this for another 10 -15 years."

A: "No, not reluctant. It makes sense this whole thing. But if I didn’t agree, it wouldn’t have made a difference I guess. (laughs) I can’t change their age. Because I’m younger, I would have never come up with that thought. But ask Klaus and Rudolf they would have never thought of it either, we would of just continued forever. But it took someone from the outside with a different perspective to tell us that we can’t go on like this. What convinced us was that we want to be remembered as a great live band that’s full of energy and healthy and fit. That’s how we want to be remembered by the fans. Not growing old in the spotlight and limping around on stage. Blues musicians can sit in their chairs like BB King, and play until they are 80. I’m sure that I will always make music, but what comes next, I don’t even want to think of for the moment. I’d rather concentrate on the upcoming tour and enjoy it. What comes after? We will probably still have a lot to do together. But, we will not do what we have done that last 35-40 years and that’s do a CD and go on tour. We want to break out of this cycle."

Read the full interview here.

Scorpions' new album, Sting In The Tail, is out now and has achieved the following chart positions around the world:

Greece: # 1

Germany: # 1

Korea: # 2

Czech Republic: # 3

Swiss: # 6

Austria: # 6

Russia: # 6

Finland: # 6

Sweden: # 14

France: # 16

Portugal: # 21

Canada: # 22

US: # 23

Spain: # 30

Poland: # 41

Belgium: # 47

Holland: # 71

England: # 96

The band - Klaus Meine (vocals), Matthias Jabs (lead guitar), Rudolf Schenker (guitar), James Kottak (drums) And Pawel Maciwoda (bass) - have announced the dates for the North American leg of their Get Your Sting And Blackout world tour in support of the new album. The German rockers will be celebrating 40-plus years in music on this final outing - set to kick off June 18 in Holmdel, NJ - that will take them around the globe through 2012, with special guests supporting along the way, including CINDERELLA who will help jump-start the tour and heavy metal/hard rock band DOKKEN.

“The Scorpions is a live band,“ asserts Meine. “Totally, 200%, this band was always about live concerts. We always wanted to go on stage and play in front of our fans. From the very beginning, from the smallest clubs to the biggest arenas and stadiums around the world, the passion to be a live band has never changed.”

And when asked why the band decided to retire after all these years together, Schenker stated, “We want to celebrate [with] a big party around the world. We've had a really great career, coming out from Germany and showing people that rock can come out of Germany. I think we started as a gang built by friendship and musicality, and going and showing that the Germans can rock."

With over 30 North American shows planned, the two-month summer tour will take the band, known worldwide for their mega, arena hard rock and over 100 million records sold, to such cities as Baltimore, MD, Jones Beach, NY, Toronto and Milwaukee. As they make their way west, they’ll stop in Albuquerque before hitting the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles July 29. (See dates below with more to be announced)

The Scorpions have partnered with I Love All Access to offer a variety of VIP ticket packages, some of which include the chance to meet band members at their shows. For more details, go to www.iloveallaccess.com.

North American dates on Scorpions' Get Your Sting And Blackout Tour include:

June

18 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
19 - Baltimore, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion
22 - Jones Beach, NY - Jones Beach Theater
25 - Quebec City, QC - Pavillion de la Juenesse
26 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
27 - Toronto, ON - Molson Amphitheatre

July

2 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest - TBA via Ticketmaster
24 - Oklahoma City, OK - Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre
26 - Albuquerque, NM - The Pavilion
29 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater
31 - Ontario, CA - Citizen’s Business Bank Arena

August

6 - Roseburg, OR - Douglas County Fairgrounds
7 - Ridgefield, WA - Amphitheatre at Clark County