«Rock Your Life» - the review, or The Conversation Came Out Well!
*At once sorry for my “good broken English”!*
«After the years of my literary work I have a rule – write that way like you’re sitting and talking with your reader in front of the same table»
M. Svetlov
Not so long ago the Russian edition of the book “Rock Your Life” (Rudolf Schenker with Lars Amend) finally came out. If to talk about my own expectations, I was waiting “life philosophy” of the founder of my favorite band Scorpions. No, not a philosophical work about the life and it’s sense, written with Paulo Coelho’s language (though he wrote the foreword to the book), but the story about how Rudolf treats his life, how he thinks it is right to behave and, finally, what’s his secret. I was standing by him no more than minute at the signing session in Hamburg, and I was amazed to feel so strong stream of positive energy from him, to see how he smiles and how his eyes are burning. Firstly I couldn’t believe my eyes: how, HOW can 62-years-old man be not an “old man”, but real energetic rocker, who has much more life power than those who are twice younger than him?!
This secret was opened a little with the “rockumentary” about Scorpions which came out in 2004. After this film I was happy to recognize Rudolf as the person who holds the same opinions about the lifestyle as I do – about the right motivation, believing in dreams and absence of the “white flag” - and how these things can make anything come true. But one thing is to believe in this idea and to fight the thought “but maybe it is all are ravings”, and the opposite one is to see the “alive example” of how does it work during the whole life.
Really, I didn’t expect to see a philosophic book (“I’m not a philosopher who can tell you the whole truth about the life – I can’t do it” – honestly said Rudolf in the introduction) or the rewritten story of the band from his founder’s position (the name of the book don’t make to expect this). I wanted to read more about the life’s mood that I want to gain myself.
So, I’m opening the book. Frankly speaking, I expected to see reasoning of a wise man that won’t stand any objection, but after some pages I had a strong feeling that I have a conversation with a person who is not too older than me but somehow has much more life experience. I didn’t see the usual position of adult people (like “When you will live till my age, so we will talk”) at all. It is like a conversation with a very friendly and pleasant person through the book, and he doesn’t impose his points of view, but just offer to see them and, if liked, to pick something up to your own life.
«Rock Your Life» is not a literary work that pretends to be the best in artistry, this is really a talk to the public through the pages. And it doesn’t really matter that there are not too many astounding metaphors and epithets in the speech and the plot goes after the thought, not after the rules “how you must write”. It is really easy to read suddenly mixed story about the idea to name one of the albums “Blackout” – it’s like Rudi, sitting in front of you, says: “Hey, I just remembered one funny story… Do you want to hear?” It is normal to read first about some actions that took place in the last century and after – about something which happened nine years ago. These jumps don’t make confused or angry – all in all, this is a conversation! And who does a conversation with a plan?
I can say that Rudolf does really good thing: he doesn’t hide his “success secret” from everyone, he shares it with all of us. He uses his fame in a really right way: of course, there will be many readers of this book , and that is a chance to make more people be aware of how great their life can be.
I read the story about the man who hadn’t much on the start. Perhaps he could stay there till this time, but some things couldn’t leave it like this. Firstly, he looked at life not like the most of people. Secondly, he believed in idea that nothing is impossible. And thirdly, he was always tuned up on positive. This list can be continued, but the readers may do it themselves.
So, electrician from small town - in the first point, and the guitarist of the most successful German band of all times - in the other. What helped to be replaced so far? That is what about Rudolf and Lars write – how it was in the very beginning, how no one believed in the band which is now famous all over the world, how sometimes there was not enough money and how catastrophes on the music way happened sometimes. And how – with strong faith in himself, in his power, in “why, surely, can’t I do it?” Rudolf gained the everything we can see now.
Rudolf tells about his opinion about the life, upbringing, education, work. He really doesn’t beat on the table with his fist and shout “Do it like that!”, he just share with us his thoughts and points of view that he collected during the years of his life (here we can remember that Schenker is older than the main part of the readers). To agree or not, to take something for yourself or to say “No, I won’t” – that’s the choice of everyone, no one is forced.
All in all, the whole book is a point of view. I have much in common with the things I’ve read about. In one moment I even kissed a page in the book, because I was too happy to know I’m not alone in some thoughts. I picked up from the book many things for my life and felt colossal support from “uncle Rudolf”.
And, of course, I had a great pleasure to have this conversation through the book, which doubtless came out well! I hope, the rest of the readers has (or will have) the same good feelings.
Rock your life, people!!!
Dasha aka Engel-Wegweiser
