Scorpions mourns that drummer James Kottak 2023 has just crossed the 1.5 degree threshold

“Wind of Change” is considered one of the greatest hits written by German musicians, became the unofficial anthem of the reunification and made the Hannover band Scorpions world famous in the early 1990s.

James Kottak contributed his drum beats to the rock classic for twenty years. In 1996, the American musician joined the group led by singer Klaus Meine and was a member until 2016. Now his former bandmates must mourn James Kottak. “Our dear friend and drummer of 20 years has passed away at the age of 61,” the Scorpions announced on their official Instagram account.

“Our ‘Brother from Another Mother’”

«James was a wonderful person, a wonderful musician and a loving family man… he was our “brother from another mother” and will be dearly missed. Rock’n’Roll forever – rest in peace, James,” reads the statement accompanying a black-and-white photo of Kottak on stage.

American media previously reported on the musician’s death. His daughter Tobi confirmed to TMZ that her father died on the morning of January 9 in Louisville, Kentucky. Details about the circumstances of his death are not yet known.

James Kottak struggled with alcohol addiction for decades, which eventually forced him to leave the Scorpions. In October 2022, he had revealed in an interview that he had never managed to quit drinking completely and that it was still an ongoing process.

The drummer, who also co-founded ‘Kingdom Come’ and toured with many other bands, is survived by his ex-wife Athena Lee and three children. He was married to the sister of rocker Tommy Lee from 1996 to 2010 and has sons Matthew and Miles and daughter Tobi with her.