Notes
In a candid interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series, KINGDOM COME guitarist Danny Stag revealed some fascinating behind-the-scenes details about a nearly successful reunion of the band's classic lineup. Fans have long wondered if the original group—who abruptly disbanded in August 1989—ever came close to reuniting. As it turns out, they did… but it all fell apart at the last minute.
"In 2014, we were all set to bring the original five back together," Stag shared. "We had an agent, shows were being booked, and we were ready to rehearse in L.A. Lenny [Wolf, original vocalist] even flew out from Germany. But after one rehearsal, it all came crashing down."
The reason? James Kottak, KINGDOM COME’s drummer, had to honor his commitments with the SCORPIONS. According to Stag, SCORPIONS had given Kottak their blessing to pursue KINGDOM COME as long as it didn't conflict with their tour schedule, but things took an unexpected turn when Klaus Meine (SCORPIONS frontman) had surgery. "Klaus had a change of heart," Stag explained. "He told James he couldn’t continue with KINGDOM COME because the SCORPIONS decided to record a new album and tour again."
The timing couldn't have been worse. With plans in motion and shows lined up, Kottak’s decision left the band with no choice but to call it off. Stag recalled how deeply it affected Kottak: "He was in tears. He felt really bad, but he didn’t want to leave a lot of money on the table or screw over SCORPIONS. So Lenny went back to Germany, and that was the end of the reunion."
For fans of KINGDOM COME, it's a bittersweet revelation. They were on the brink of something special, only to have it slip away. Do you think there's still hope for a future reunion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!