Michael Schenker Group
The Michael Schenker Group ( MSG short ) is a Founded in 1979, hard rock band. Its founder and namesake is the German guitarist Michael Schenker, who is also the only constant of the otherwise characterized by a frequent member changes group. In fact, it is a solo project donor, in which his guitar playing is in the foreground. After the group disbanded in 1985, he founded it in 1996 new. The style is rooted in the 1980s hard rock, which is continued basically unchanged to this day. The striking band logo consists of the intertwined letters M, S and G.
- 3.1 Studio albums
- 3.2 Live albums and compilations
Career
Phase 1: 1979-1985
After leaving his previous band UFO and a short stint with the Scorpions Michael Schenker In 1979 he founded his own band in which he had not have to compromise. The founding members were apart from him nor the bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Denny Carmassi (later Whitesnake ) and the then unknown singer Gary Barden. The cast, which grossed more ( published on the remastered version of their debut album from 2009) Demos, however, lasted only one month. Then Schenker suddenly disappeared, leaving his band return loss. When he wanted to make a few months later, his bandmates Sheehan and Carmassi had no more desire. Schenker went on with bards and then recruited a new band from the studio musicians Simon Phillips (drums, later Toto ), Mo Foster ( bass) and Don Airey (keyboards, ex- Rainbow ). ( At the same time, Philips and Foster formed the rhythm section with Jeff Beck with which they recorded the album " There And Back". ) With this line in 1980 released their first album "The Michael Schenker Group " was recorded. However, the studio musicians were available for the subsequent tour, and were not available by the drummer Cozy Powell ( ex- Rainbow ), bassist Chris Glen ( Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Ex ) and the keyboardist and guitarist Paul Raymond replaced. With the latter, Michael Schenker had already played together from 1977 to 1978 with UFO. This band incarnation is often regarded as the strongest. Also the only one in this cast rehearsed 1981 studio album "MSG ", which contains many live classic, many consider the best album of the group. The new band feeling was thus documented that the entire band was featured on the cover and not - as yet the debut - only the namesake of the group. Subsequently, it was before the publication of the studio album rehearsed the same cast live album " One Night At Budokan ", which was initially intended only for the Japanese market, published worldwide.
Of long duration this band incarnation was not anyway. At the instigation of management and Cozy Powell, Gary Barden was dismissed in 1982, to become replaced by a better singer. As the new singers were David Coverdale of Whitesnake and Graham Bonnet, who had played with Airey and Powell Rainbow, to choose from. Schenker decided against the wishes of his manager Peter Mensch for Bonnett. During the recording of the next disk first and then Raymond Powell (the latter direction Whitesnake ) left the band. In their place came the drummer Ted McKenna and keyboardist Tommy Eyre, who followed Chris Glen of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, the band. Together they released the 1982 well received by the critics album " Assault Attack ". After a disastrous warm-up gig two days before the Reading Festival Bonnet was fired and replaced by his predecessor Gary Barden. This lent itself within two days the new band repertoire, so that the concert in Reading could be completed successfully.
In 1983 the album " Built To Destroy". The band were at this time on the new keyboard player Andy Nye and the guitarist and backing vocalist Derek St. Holmes, who had been promoted to full-fledged band member. St. Holmes was already on the previous tour as second guitarist here who had "invisible" played the second guitar amplifier behind the towers. The album contained due to his poor mixes scathing reviews. The bad mix was already noticed Schenker, who had then been in the U.S. a remix in order. To his surprise, the original mix but had been already published. The remix was released until 2009 in the U.S. only; in 2009 both versions were released as remastered recordings together. Following saw the band, sometimes along with Iron Maiden, an extensive tour, with the album "Rock Will Never Die " was documented in 1984. Because of in-band differences bards and Glen left the band in 1985. Then his band broke Schenker frustrated and founded instead with Robin McAuley the trading under the same logo McAuley Schenker Group.
Phase 2: 1996-2007
After Michael Schenker in 1995 renewed his collaboration with UFO, 1996, he founded the Michael Schenker Group new. In the same year the comeback album was released " Written In The Sand". MSG was in those days, Michael Schenker from the singer Leif Sundin, bassist Barry Sparks and drummer Shane Gaalaas. Guest keyboard player was Claude Gaudette. The following year, the live album "The Michael Schenker Story Live " was released on the 25th anniversary of the Michael Schenker music recordings. In the meantime, had joined the band as a keyboardist Seth Bernstein and second guitarist, and David Van Landing as a second vocalist. MSG leads on this album not only his own pieces on, but also titles from all periods of Michael Schenker and of bands in which he had played. The album gave it as a fan-club edition by mail order, with two additional songs and the bonus album "Live With The Enervates ", the donor's father at one of the very first appearances of that time had recorded 11 -year-olds. In 1999, the album "The Unforgiven " on the market. Meanwhile, Kelly Keeling was the reigning singer and John Onder the new bass player. During the subsequent tour, Barry Sparks had returned to the band and Kelly Keeling been replaced by Keith Slack, and Seth Bernstein by Wayne Findlay.
The year 2001 marked an incision. Schenker joined from the entire band. Beside him, the band now belonged to the drummer Jeff Martin, had previously played with the Schenker in UFO, the singer Chris Logan and bassist James " Reverend " Jones. They brought out the album " Be Aware Of Sorpions ", the first of the band's history without the involvement of a keyboardist. In 2003, " Stu " Stuart Hamm played bass and Jeremy Colson the drums. This occupation released the album " Arachnophobiac in the same year. However, they broke up before the subsequent tour in 2004, which was denied by the returnees James Jones and Wayne Findlay and the new drummer Pete Holmes.
Under the name of Michael Schenker Group was released in 2005 the album " Heavy Hitters ", which contains only cover versions of popular rock songs. It is not, this is an official MSG album, but it was released against the wishes of Schenker of Bob Kullick and Brett cantor as MSG album. The only connection to MSG is that Michael Schenker on all the songs and plays guitar Gary Barden sings on one song. That same year, the recording of the album released in 2006 "Tales Of Rock'n'Roll", with the Michael Schenker celebrated the 25th anniversary of MSG began. The members of the band had again changed completely. Only Schenker and Findlay had remained. The former drummer Jeff Martin returned. The group was accompanied by the singer Jari Tiura and Michael Schenker's longtime companion in UFO bassist Pete Way. The special feature of the album is that all former MSG singer Robin McAuley and participate as a guest singer.
Phase 3: since 2008
In 2008, the band was again changed radically. Again there were only Schenker and Findlay. But joined a circle, as Schenker album "In The Midst Of Beauty " without the participation of Findlay grossed along with Gary Barden, Simon Phillips, Don Airey and bassist Neil Murray (ex Whitesnake ). This was almost back together the cast of the first album. As early as 1980 were Phillips, Airey and Murray for the tour is not available, so that cooperation was limited to a studio album again. History repeated itself a third time by Chris Glen came for the tour as the bassist for the band. For Phillips was Chris Slade ( Ex-AC/DC ). Findlay was one of the band anyway yet and played again the keyboards and second guitar. In August 2008, just Ted McKenna took over at the Japan concerts drums by Chris Slade. Thus, the development of the band from 1980 to 1982 in 2008 was almost repeated. 2009, the Group was changed again. With the Rückkehreren James Jones on bass and Pete Holmes on drums was now with the exception of the singer Gary Barden again the band incarnation from 2004 at the start. But this was short-lived. The performances in September 2009 again took over the bass and Chris Glenn Chris Slade drums.
For conducted in 2010 under the title " 30th Anniversary Tour " tour of bass hence the development of the band from 2008 to 2009 is first again with Neil Murray and the drums again occupied with Simon Phillips, and was again reversed. During the tour Schenker, Barden and Findlay, however, have collaborated with various musicians. On drums, Simon Phillips, Carmine Appice, Chris Slade and Pete Holmes Neil Murray and Elliott " Dean" Rubinson took turns, the bass is alternately by Chris Glen, Reverend Jones, have been served ( the owner of " Dean Guitars "). In the " 30th Anniversary Shepperd 's Bush Empire " show on June 2, 2010 in London to guest appearances by Herman Rare Bell (ex - Scorpions ) and Doogie White, it is also come (ex - Rainbow ).
Find out more
One of the greatest live band is the classic song "The Attack Of The Mad Axeman ". In this ambiguous title, it could be either a crazy lumberjack and a crazy guitar player. The song brought Michael Schenker nicknamed occasionally used in the trade press "Mad Axeman " one. At the concert of the 1984 tour at London's Hammersmith Odeon worked with the Scorpions musician Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine on the song " Doctor Doctor ". On the album " Arachnophobiac " a guest Jeff Watson, the guitarist of Night Ranger, with four titles. As part of the 2002 tour, the MSG concert was interrupted for a few songs from the existing Michael Schenker, Pete Way and Jeff Martin trio " The Plot ".
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums and compilations
German -language literature
- Michael Schenker Group, Herbert Chwalek, Tolga Karabagli, Andreas Jur
- Lights Out ... Spot on: UFO, by Martin Popoff
- Michael Schenker Group - 25 Years Celebration (Official Tour Book ) by Herbert Chwalek, Tolga Karabagli, Andreas Jur, Jowita Kaminska