InkSpired Magazine Issue No. 39 | Page 94

Words: Candies Deezy Liu Photography: Sean Hartgrove As the drummer of a legendary rock band that forever changed the face of rock ‘n’ roll, James Kottak has become an iconic figure in the world of music. As The Scorpions recently celebrated their fiftieth anniversary, Kottak holds the record as the band’s longeststanding drummer. Formed in 1965, The Scorpions have not only rocked faces all over the world for decades, they have been deemed “the heroes of heavy metal” by Rolling Stone, as well as “Ambassadors of Rock” by MTV. With over 85 million records sold, 35 platinum and 100 gold awards, and more than 5,000 shows played in over 80 countries, such honorary titles seem more than appropriate. The German rock band continues to sell out shows on their current world tour. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Kottak got his first drum set when he was only nine years old and he was instantly obsessed. By the time he was fifteen, he was doing his first U.S. tour. James was first introduced to The Scorpions in 1988 when he was playing with Kingdom Come at the Monsters of Rock festival. They remained friends since then and eventually became the drummer for one his idol bands. Before joining The Scorpions, James has been in numerous bands, including his own, Kottak, previously known as KrunK. Though he is recognized as one of the most iconic drummers of rock ‘n’ roll, Kottak has always actively connected to various other elements of music. He was a significant trumpet player in high school, and also loves to play the guitar, as well as sing. As a multi-talented icon of music, Kottak represents everything rock ‘n’ roll...so much so that he has “ROCK & ROLL FOREVER” tattooed on his back. James’ drum riffs are an ode to long live rock ‘n’ roll, and generations of rock music enthusiasts look forward to decades more of The Scorpions continuing to rocking the world like a hurricane. Twitter: @JKottak 92 InkSpiredMagazine.com