Former Scorpions Bassist Francis Buchholz Passes Away at 71
Sad news to report today, as former Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 71 years old. The news was shared by his family on Buchholz’s Facebook page.
“He departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love,” they wrote. “Our hearts are shattered. Throughout his fight with cancer, we stayed by his side, facing every challenge as a family – exactly the way he taught us. To his fans around the world – we want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty, your love, and the belief you placed in him throughout his incredible journey. You gave him the world, and he gave you his music in return. Though the strings have gone silent, his soul remains in every note he played and in every life he touched.”
Buchholz was born in Hanover, West Germany in 1954 and discovered his love of music at 11 years old. His first gig on bass was at 15. It wasn’t long before he joined Dawn Road, a hard rock band that also featured Uli Roth. The group merged with Scorpions in 1973. He was featured on every album from 1974’s Fly to the Rainbow to 1990’s Crazy World. That includes their 1984 multi-platinum record Love at First Sting and its smash hit, “Rock You Like a Hurricane.”
Disagreements over band management caused him to quit in 1992, a move now seen as ending the group’s peak era. He wrote an instructional bass book, Bass Magic in 1996. Throughout the 2000s, he would work with Roth as well as former Scorpions lead guitarist Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock band.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Francis Buchholz.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
