James Kottak was born in 1962. He is a drummer who has played with many artists over the years and his first recording was with the group Kingdom Come. He was their drummer from the beginning, playing on two albums. He next moved on to playing on Michael Lee Firkins self-titled release and followed that up with a project with L.A. Blues Authority. Kottak also performed with the Michael Schenker Group that same year. In 1997, he was part of a band called Cage, playing drums for their self-titled album. By 1999, he had moved on to the group Black Sheep, recording with them. Then, that same year, when longtime Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell left that group, Kottak took up the sticks for them. ~ Gary Hill, Rovi