Francis Buchholz
Encyclopedia
Francis Buchholz is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...

 best known as a member of the rock/hard rock band, the Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...

.

Buchholz discovered rock music at the age of 11. His first public appearance as a bass player was at age 15 while in a high school. From then on he played in different rock, blues and jazz bands in his hometown of Hannover. While a mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...

 student at the University of Hanover and taking classes at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover is an artistic-scientific university in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. It dates back to 1897. From 1962 until 2010 it was named Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover , short: Musikhochschule Hannover...

, Buchholz joined Dawn Road, whose lineup included guitarist Uli Roth
Ulrich Roth
Ulrich Roth , more commonly known as Uli Jon Roth, is a Germanguitarist and one of the earliest contributors to the neo-classical metal genre. He is also the founder of Sky Academy and inventor of the Sky Guitar. He is the older brother of fellow guitarist and artist Zeno Roth.-Career:In the early...

. Eventually the musicians from Dawn Road and the Scorpions would merge into a new incarnation of the Scorpions in 1973, with Buchholz on bass. Buchholz' first recording with the band would be 1974's Fly to the Rainbow
Fly to the Rainbow
-Personnel:Scorpions*Klaus Meine – lead vocals*Ulrich Roth – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Drifting Sun" and co lead-vocals in "Fly To The Rainbow"...

. He would record and tour with the band for 18 years and 12 albums during the band's most commercially-successful period. Together they sold over 15 Million Albums in the USA alone and over 65 Million Albums Worldwide. For his success with the Scorpions, Buchholz was awarded with over 100 gold and platinum awards for record sales all over the world. He left the band after a disagreement over band management in 1992. His last album with the band was Crazy World
Crazy World
Crazy World is the eleventh studio album by the German heavy metal band Scorpions released in November 1990. Crazy World peaked at number 21 on Billboard 200 Chart for albums in 1991...

.

Buchholz reunited with Uli Roth for a tour of Europe and the United States in 2005 and 2006. He recorded bass tracks for Dreamtide's 2008 album "Dream And Deliver" and is now a permanent member of their lineup.

Personal

In 1978, Buchholz founded a PA
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...

 and stage lighting
Stage lighting
Modern stage lighting is a flexible tool in the production of theatre, dance, opera and other performance arts. Several different types of stage lighting instruments are used in the pursuit of the various principles or goals of lighting. Stage lighting has grown considerably in recent years...

 rental company, Rocksound, in Germany. The company began as a way to distribute special exponential loudspeaker cabinets Buchholz had developed, but also to provide employment for the Scorpions' roadies
Road crew
The road crew are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians...

 when not on tour. The company thrived in the 1980s and '90's.

Buchholz still lives in Hannover with his wife Hella, a son and twin daughters.

In 1996, Buchholz authored the book "Bass Magic," He currently works as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 and consultant
Media consultant
A Media Consultant is a term used to describe a marketing agent or public relations executive, hired by businesses or political candidates to obtain positive press coverage....

.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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