Former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth has announced his 50th Anniversary Stage Tour with six UK dates planned for the tail-end of the year.
It has been a busy year for Roth, having already been part of the G3 European and UK Tour with Joe Satriani and John Petrucci, and most recently establishing a new company. UJR Sky Guitars, offering a select range of instruments for the discerning guitarist and collector.
In recent times, the guitarist has revisited the early music of his celebrated Scorpions days, resulting in the Scorpions Revisited double CD and Tokyo Tapes Revisited DVD/Blu-Ray releases. The two hour-plus programme for his 50th Anniversary set will include the best of that timeless material, such as ‘The Sails of Charon’, ‘In Trance’, ‘Fly to the Rainbow’ and others alongside carefully selected highlights from Roth’s entire musical career, that – by now – is spanning no less than five decades!
Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, Ulrich Jon Roth fell in love with the sound of the electric guitar back in 1968 and played his first concert later that year at the age of 13 as a member of the band Blue Infinity. Studying classical guitar, the piano and violin at school he would perform with several bands from Hanover, notably Dawn Road. In 1973 members of Dawn Road and The Scorpions joined forces to continue under the latter’s name, leading to a five year contract with RCA.
The Scorpions began to establish an international career, with Roth as one of the band’s main songwriters and singing on at least one track an album as well gaining a reputation for his innovative neo-classical guitar playing. From 1974 to 78 the band released Fly To The Rainbow, In Trance, Virgin Killer, Taken By Force and the double live album Tokyo Tapes, after which the guitarist left to form Electric Sun.
Electric Sun released three albums, with Roth developing his original inspiration of Jimi Hendrix’s work alongside his love of classic music to create a progressive rock sound imitated by many since. Since then he was worked with orchestras, played concerts and festivals while continuing to record – with a new album currently in development. He has also returned to guest with The Scorpions in recent years.
Having developed his Sky guitars – that feature nearly twice the tonal range of a conventional guitar – he established his Sky Academy in Los Angeles and has continued this putting on seminars across the world where he shares his musical philosophy towards finding artistic depth through the instrument, and is currently preparing a book on the subject.
Uli Jon Roth’s 50th Anniversary Tour begins in November and tickets can be purchased via www.seetickets.com, stables.org and www.ulijonroth.com/tourdates
ULI JON ROTH – 50th ANNIVERSARY UK TOUR
Corporation, Sheffield Thursday 29 November
ULU, London Friday 30 November
Kasbah, Coventry Saturday 1 December
Academy 3, Manchester Sunday 2 December
Òran Mór, Glasgow Monday 3 December
The Stables, Milton Keynes Wednesday 5 December
