FuryRocks has issued an interview with SCORPIONS guitarist Mathias Jabs. The following is an excerpt:

Q: You have a hit CD, a well publicized and anticipated world tour, what was the catalyst for the decision to retire now?

A: "Well, it came at the end of production for Sting In The Tail. The day after we played the rough mixes to management and record company people, our manager said maybe you should think about this being the last CD. Klaus and Rudolph are going to be 62 (I’m 8 years young), if we tour for 3 years they will be 65. It’s hard to image going back into the studio after that to do a follow-up CD and another tour. Do the math. So we thought about it and decided that this will be the last studio CD for us."

Q: Any plans for a live CD or DVD from the tour?

A: "Definitely and maybe even from our last show, which nobody knows where it will take place."

Q: What do you think you will be feeling on that last night?

A: "I don’t know? I think it’s going to be really sad. Maybe a mix of emotions part sad and part ok. We want to be remembered as powerful and great live band. We are still young, fit, and energetic but in 5 years, no one knows."

Read the full interview at this location.

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