Uli Jon Roth (bornUlrich Roth; 18 December 1954) is a German guitarist who became famous for his work with thehard rock bandScorpions and is one of the earliest contributors to theneoclassical metal genre. He is also the founder ofSky Academy and designer of the Sky Guitar. He is the older brother of fellow guitarist and artistZeno Roth (1956–2018).

Uli Jon Roth
Roth atWacken Open Air 2015
Background information
Also known as	Ulrich Roth
Born	(1954-12-18)18 December 1954 (age 70) Düsseldorf,West Germany
Genres	Heavy metal hard rock speed metal neoclassical metal progressive metal psychedelic rock blues rock
Occupation	Musician
Instrument(s)	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1968–present
Formerly of	Dawn Road Scorpions Electric Sun
Website	ulijonroth.com

Roth formed a band calledDawn Road in the early 1970s. When guitaristMichael Schenker left theScorpions to joinUFO in 1973, the two remaining Scorpions membersRudolf Schenker andKlaus Meine joined the four members of Dawn Road, but decided to use the name Scorpions rather than the less-well-known Dawn Road.^[1] Scorpions released four studio albums during his tenure as lead guitarist, main songwriter and occasional lead singer between 1974 and 1977, as well as their double live album, Tokyo Tapes, in 1978.

Roth formed his own band namedElectric Sun—releasing three albums:Earthquake (1979) dedicated to the spirit of Jimi Hendrix,Fire Wind (1981), dedicated toAnwar Sadat and featured a song called "Enola Gay (Hiroshima Today?)" about the atomic bombing of Japan bya Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber of that name, and his third and final Electric Sun albumBeyond the Astral Skies (1985), dedicated both toMartin Luther King Jr. and to Roth's fans. This final album featured ex-Jethro Tull drummerClive Bunker on drums and timpani.

Roth entered a new phase of creative work after Electric Sun, composing four symphonies and two concertos and sometimes performing with symphony orchestras throughout Europe. Roth used the name "Uli Jon Roth" for all subsequent album releases and concert appearances.

TheG3 European tour of 1998 featured Roth playing withJoe Satriani andMichael Schenker. The show at London Wembley Arena also featured a jam withBrian May.

Roth played at the outdoor rock festival atCastle Donington in 2001 (also featuring original Scorpions lead guitaristMichael Schenker on the bill). This was filmed and subsequently released on DVD.

Roth appeared in concert with Scorpions onstage at theWacken Open Air Festival in 2006 along with two other former members of the band. Billed as "A Night to Remember; A Journey Through Time", the Scorpions played four songs from the Roth era, most of which they had not played live since Roth had left in 1978. This concert was also filmed and released on DVD.^[2]

Although this was meant to be a "one night only" special event, its success meant that the format was repeated on several tours subsequently.

At theRock am Ring festival in Germany in June 2007, Roth joinedThe Smashing Pumpkins on-stage for their epic closing song "Gossamer." He made another appearance with the Pumpkins upon their return to Germany on 26 February 2008, and a short documentary was made (which aired 1 May 2008) named "Corgan und Uli Jon Roth".

Roth had begun working on a new full-length studio album in 2007 which was to be released the following year. The title of the album would be: "Under A Dark Sky" and was going to be the first official release in the long-awaited series of Symphonic Legends (a cycle of music written by Uli for his all-encompassing Sky of Avalon project).

Roth debuted songs from "Under a Dark Sky" on 18 July 2008 in his headline set at theG-TARanaki Guitar Festival in New Zealand. This was his first concert in the country. Roth also took his "Sky Academy" tuition classes toTaranaki,Waitara,Inglewood andŌpunake. Guests musicians includedVernon Reid andGilby Clarke.

"Under a Dark Sky" was released in Japan on 20 August 2008 via Marquee records. The European and USA releases followed a month later on 20 September 2008 on the SPV record label.

Uli Jon Roth released a two-CD studio album entitledScorpions Revisited, which was recorded in 2014 inHanover in early 2015. Roth revisited his personal favourites from the earlyScorpions period.

A tour called The Ultimate Guitar Experience with fellow guitarists Jennifer Batten and Andy Timmons followed. Uli soon thereafter embarked on another world tour: this time playingThe Tokyo Tapes, songs from the Scorpions 1978 tour of Japan and ensuing live album.

A double CD and Blu-ray/DVD were released in December 2016 of a concert Uli and his band played in Japan in 2015 commemorating the anniversary ofThe Tokyo Tapes. Roth concluded a short North American tour in March 2017, highlighting songs from bothScorpions Revisited andTokyo Tapes.

Roth participated a second time at theG3 European tour withJoe Satriani andJohn Petrucci in March 2017.

Roth contributed an afterword to the 2017 bookShredders!: The Oral History of Speed Guitar (And More) by Greg Prato.^[3]

Roth commissioned construction of custom guitars with additional frets fromluthier Andreas Demetriou in the 1980s. Roth has had five of these "Sky" guitars made. To be able to emulate the high notes of a violin, all of the Sky Guitars have more frets than a typical electric guitar. The first Sky Guitar (used on the albumBeyond the Astral Skies) had 30 frets. Later versions of the Sky Guitar overcame the problem of the higher register frets becoming too narrow by widening the frets by whole steps for the highest notes. In an April 2001Guitar Player magazine interview, Roth reported that the guitars are either fretless above the 30th fret or have whole step fret spacing above the 27th fret, with 35 effective (half step) frets. All of the Sky Guitars with frets have scalloped fretboards. The Sky Guitar's pickups are custom 4-coilhumbuckers, made by John Oram, with one guitar having an Oram pickup hidden under the 24th fret.^[4][5] For a time, Roth used a Framus Dragon amplifier, although currently he promotes Blackstar Artisan 100 & Series One 200 Watt heads.^[6] He has also used a stock-mounted Vibesware guitar resonator (sustainer) to introduce infinite sustain as on the instrumental Benediction on hisUnder A Dark Sky album.^[7]Dean Guitars produced 25 Custom Sky Guitars based on Roth's custom models with six and seven strings in 2011.^[8]

Uli founded Sky Guitars in 2017 and since then multiple guitars (10 distinct models as of 2024) have been made in Germany by Master Luthier Boris Dommenget^[9]

Initially, Roth was inspired byThe Beatles,The Jimi Hendrix Experience andEric Clapton's fretwork onJohn Mayall & the Bluesbreakers andCream. He would, later on, reveal his appreciation for fellow 1970 guitar heroes such asPink Floyd'sDavid Gilmour,Deep Purple'sRitchie Blackmore,The Kinks'sDave Davies andJeff Beck, especially hisfusion masterpieceBlow by Blow.^[10][11] In 1971 he began studyingpiano andclassical guitar. His influences broadened, now including spanish guitar virtuosoAndrés Segovia and violinistYehudi Menuhin.^[12]

Roth's solo on Scorpion's "Sails of Charon," off theTaken by Force album, is notable for impressive speed and precision. The solo displayed a number ofclassical techniques, weavingpedal point sequences,harmonic "Middle Eastern" sounding scales and rapid-firearpeggios.^[13][14] Of note,Metallica'sKirk Hammett famously quoted a portion of this solo on "Battery", the opening song ofMaster of Puppets (1986).^[15]

In Roth's early days with Scorpions, his soloing style was based primarily on the blues scale, occasionally incorporating notes from other modes. However, by the time the band recorded theVirgin Killer album, he began incorporating more advanced compositional elements from European classical music: such as pedal tone sequences and intricate arpeggios. Beginning with Electric Sun, the classical influence began to dominate his playing style- notable in songs like "Cast Away Your Chains" and "Still So Many Lives Away". His style eventually became a fusion of blues-based rock with European classical sensibilities. Roth employs major and minor pentatonic, the blues scale, phrygian, harmonic minor, diminished, and the whole tone scale.

Roth was romantically involved with artistMonika Dannemann who was with Jimi Hendrix when he died. Roth and Danneman collaborated on various songs including "We'll Burn the Sky" from Scorpions'Taken by Force.

Danneman also painted the album sleeves for all three of the releases by Electric Sun.

Monika Dannemann was convicted of breaking a 1996 British High Court order not to repeat allegations thatKathy Etchingham was an "inveterate liar" for accusing her of playing a role in Jimi Hendrix's death. Although Etchingham asked the judge to jail Dannemann she was released. Monika Dannemann was found dead in a fume-filledMercedes-Benz near her cottage inSeaford,East Sussex two days later—aged 50. Her death was ruled asuicide,^[16] but Roth publicly stated his opinion that her death was the result of foul play. He dedicated his later works to the memory of Dannemann.

Roth has been living in the UK for several years. His current home (as of 2015^[update]) is inLlansilin inPowys.^[17] Roth performed a charity concert of his interpretation ofVivaldi's Four Seasons atSaint Silin's Church in his home town on 21 June 2019. This was an effort to raise money to help the church.^[18]

Roth has been avegetarian since the Scorpions days.^[19]

Roth has been on the cover of many guitar magazines and has influenced many notable guitar players including:Billy Corgan,^[20]Kirk Hammett,^[21]Marty Friedman,^[22]Yngwie Malmsteen,Gus G,^[23]Andy DiGelsomina,^[24]Michael Romeo,^[25]Wolf Hoffman,^[26]Syu,^[27]Eric Peterson ofTestament,^[28] Hank Shermann ofMercyful Fate,^[29] Joe Stump,^[30] James Byrd,^[31] andFredrik Åkesson fromOpeth and Ghost.^[32]

• Live at Wacken Open Air 2006 (2006) (DVD)
• The Sunflower Jam 2012 (2012) (DVD)
• Angels Cry 20th Anniversary Tour (2013) (DVD)

• Disco Motion (1978) lead guitar on "Rock Tell" by The Original Red Apple Orchestra

• Official website
• Music Legends Interview with Uli Jon Roth