Former Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell recently reflected on the band’s legendary performance at the US Festival, revealing how a surprising twist helped them dominate the night. In an interview with Metal Mayhem ROC, Rarebell shared how the energy kicked in from the very first song.

“I remember in the US festival we started with ‘Can’t Get Enough,’” Rarebell said. “So everybody went completely nuts from that moment.”

But what gave the Scorpions an unexpected edge that night was the condition of a fellow rock legend—Van Halen’s David Lee Roth.

“And as you remember Van Halen’s David Lee Roth was completely drunk that night for our advantage,” he continued. “So we took over. We got fantastic critics from that day and basically got both the bands in America on that level.”

The US Festival, held in 1983, was one of the biggest rock events of the decade, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans and featuring a lineup of top-tier bands. For the Scorpions, their performance that night was a game-changer.

Rarebell’s account paints a clear picture: while Van Halen faltered, Scorpions seized the moment—and the headlines. Their electric set and crowd reaction helped solidify their status in the American rock scene.

The event became a pivotal turning point for the band’s U.S. breakthrough, laying the groundwork for future success throughout the 1980s.