James Kottak, the drummer best known for his 17-year tenure with Scorpions and later work with Kingdom Come and his own band Kottak, died in January 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky at age 61 after years of publicly battling alcoholism, his former Kingdom Come bandmate Rick Steier told The Hair Metal Guru.
- Name: James Kottak
- Age: 61
- Location: Louisville, Kentucky (January 2024)
- Claim: Rick Steier says Kottak “drank himself to death” after years of alcoholism
- Official cause: No public, formal medical cause announced; longtime substance struggle well documented
In a frank interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, Kingdom Come guitarist Rick Steier laid out how Kottak’s alcohol dependence progressively destroyed his health and career — and how the band quietly tried to manage a crisis that grew impossible to stop.
What Rick Steier says happened
Steier described watching a close friend unravel: missed cues, onstage impairment and secret drinking between songs. He recalled the band’s chaotic Sweden Rock Festival set in June 2022 — which critics called a disaster — as a visible example of how Kottak’s condition had affected live shows. “He was drunk day and night,” Steier said, adding that attempts to intervene and to get Kottak sober ultimately failed.
Steier also revealed that the Scorpions had made efforts to help Kottak, including sending him to a secluded treatment program. “They even sent him to Eric Clapton’s Crossroads [treatment center],” Steier said, but the relief was temporary. After repeated problems on tour and at rehearsals, Kingdom Come made the painful decision to replace him on the road. Steier described staging an intervention and, later, arranging for family to take Kottak back to Kentucky — a move he said was driven by a grim ultimatum: get help or risk dying.
The Sweden Rock Disaster
The Sweden Rock performance became shorthand for the late decline: bar staff warned not to serve him, fans would unknowingly supply drinks, and onstage he sometimes played “half time” or fell silent mid-song. Steier said that while the band still completed the set, the show was emblematic of how alcohol had sapped Kottak’s stamina and reliability.
The Legacy
Despite the tragic end, Kottak left an enduring musical legacy. Highlights include:
- 17-year tenure with Scorpions: Kottak was the drummer for Scorpions for nearly two decades, touring globally and contributing to the band’s live resurgence.
- Frontman of Kottak: He led his own band, releasing material and continuing to perform across the rock circuit.
- Work with Kingdom Come and other acts: A respected rock drummer who appeared onstage and on record with multiple groups, Kottak’s presence shaped late-period hard rock lineups and festival bills.
Social proof — reactions and tributes
News of Kottak’s death and Steier’s blunt account sparked an outpouring across social media and music press. Fans, fellow musicians and outlets like Blabbermouth and Rocknytt shared memories of Kottak’s thunderous playing alongside sober reflections about addiction’s toll on artists. Tributes ranged from gratitude for his live energy to sorrow over missed opportunities for recovery; many former bandmates publicly acknowledged the pain of watching a long-time colleague struggle.
Steier’s comments add a raw, personal layer to public coverage: they are the testimony of a friend who watched a career and a life erode in real time. While no official medical cause has been posted, Steier’s account — that Kottak “drank himself to death” — frames the drummer’s final chapter as one defined by alcoholism and the failed attempts to stop it.
For fans mourning the loss, the focus now is on remembering Kottak’s contributions to hard rock performance and on the broader conversation about addiction in the music industry.
Sources: Interview with Rick Steier for The Hair Metal Guru, coverage by Blabbermouth and contemporaneous festival reports.
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