Year : 2005 (Japan SHM-CD Deluxe Edition 2026)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 180 mb
Bio:
Michael Schenker (born Michael Willy Schenker on 10 January 1955 in Hannover, Germany) is a German rock guitarist, best known for his tenure in UFO, in addition to his solo band. He first rose to fame as an early member of the Scorpions, then achieved fame in the mid-1970s as the lead guitar player for UFO. Since leaving UFO in 1978, he has been leading the Michael Schenker Group in various incarnations. He has rejoined UFO three times, producing an album each time. He is the younger brother of Rudolf Schenker, who is still a guitarist with the Scorpions. His career has had many ups and downs, partly due to a long history of alcoholism and personal problems; still, Schenker continues to perform and record and to maintain a following, and is called[by whom?] "a legendary figure in the history of metal guitar.Michael Schenker ... a name which still inspires grins of delight amongst fans of first-class hard guitar rock! The list of his successes is an extensive one, after all. As a young man he lent his very special sound, together with his brother Rudolf, to the Scorpions, which later made the band one of the first real international hard rock stars from Germany. In the 70s, he similarly helped the British rock legends U.F.O. to their definitive breakthrough, turning songs like “Rock Bottom” or “Doctor, Doctor” into hits everyone knows.Briefly returning to the familiar fold of the Scorpions, Michael's collaboration helped create possibly their best their album, “Lovedrive”, which includes the perennial ballads “Holiday”, “Loving You Sunday Morning” and “Always Somewhere”. In 1980 it was time for the blonde guitarist to go it alone and form the first band of his own, the Michael Schenker Group, or MSG for short. This is where some of the world's best musicians gathered, cavorting with founding members such as Gary Barden, Don Airey or Simon Phillips. Not forgetting that no one less that Roger Glover from Deep Purple manned the production console for the first record. Since then, the three letters MSG have become a synonym for honest, hand-crafted and impelling premium hard rock. The band leader has consistently demonstrated the highest level of creativity and pluck, also presenting his elaborate compositions acoustically, with and without his band. His career hit a new peak last year in Tokyo, where he gave a sold-out concert to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the band, a concert which has been released by in-akustik as a double CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc.Now, after extensive touring, which also saw the band perform in the USA, and following a well-earned rest, Michael Schenker has returned with his group to add a new jewel to his creative work. And he has produced so many surprises that your senses will be overwhelmed! These surprises bring together Michael Schenker's past AND present perfectly. The old times are reflected in many of the guitarist's contemporaries from the various epochs. Names such as Pete Way, Wayne Findlay, Neil Murray or Chris Slade still represent the highest of standards and get the aficionados' heartbeats racing. One of the biggest treats is his collaboration with the former Scorpions drummer, Herman “the German” Rarebell, as well as his beloved brother Rudolf, on several of the songs. Michael has kept his promise of the “Schenker Brothers”. The fact that Michael not only plays the guitar on “Scene of Crime”, but also the flute as well, will raise quite a few eyebrows. Let's be honest: who would ever have thought that there would ever be another collaboration with Robin McAuley? “Lover's Sinfony” makes many a fan of their most successful period as the “McAuley and Schenker Group” feel that their dream has come true as well. And yet the list is even longer – Doogie White (former member of the Rainbow), Super drummer Carmine Appice or Elliott Tichy have also left their musical calling cards. Nevertheless, one name is missing in 2011, that being Gary Barden. The new voice on the microphone is, however, more than “just” a replacement, because during the last MSG tour, Michael Voss showed impressively just what he is capable of. The experienced producer and singer really doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, because his successes with Mad Max, Casanova or Silver, among others, speak volumes. And his voice is outstandingly suited to the punchy and compelling new tracks on “Temple of Rock”. Whether listening to the unadorned, melodious hard rock exemplified by “Saturday Night” or “How Long”, as well as bluesy sounds such as those on “With You” – the new album is largely distinguished by an immense enthusiasm for playing the guitar, its rich variety and the participation of international superstars. This album will finally induct MSG into the “Temple of Rock”!Michael Schenker says:“The Temple of Rock is within me where I create since I was introduced to the amazing invention of the distorted Guitar which is for me the most enjoyable and the best possible way to express myself. The Rock Guitar Sound that I fell in love with, mostly expressed as Lead break, is what I have nurtured and treasured all of my life. Combined with the infinite spring from within and the amazing musicians around me I keep expressing an ongoing development of my Art(Being). With Temple of Rock I am entering a new stage of my life, a new level of existence enjoying life more than ever, reaping the joy of all sorts of developments from the past.Also, it seems to me that collectively, with true expressive makers of Rock Music, we have been building the external Temple Of Rock for many years and have now come to the point of putting on the roofing and celebrating the almost completion of the Temple. All generations of this period are meeting all over the world on one stage it seems celebrating an Era of ‘Hand Made Rock’ which will never be the same again due to invention of new technology but of course New Temples and New Wonders will arise to enjoy expressions in new ways.”
Album:
Ｍarquee／Avalon Japan will release the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP album “Heavy Hitters” in a deluxe Edition, for the first time pressed on SHM-CD with 5 bonus tracks.The disc includes five newly added bonus tracks, featuring a reinterpretation of his own song ‘Save Yourself,’ originally released under the McAuley-Schenker Group, as well as a cover of Rush’s ‘Finding My Way’ in collaboration with Sebastian Bach.Originally planned by Schenker in 2004 as a collection of covers featuring himself and a “revolving all-star cast of guest musicians,” the album was labeled and marketed as an MSG album.Produced by Bob Kulick who also play rhythm guitar on most songs, Schenker delivers here great versions of rock classics from UFO, Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, Hendrix, and more, helped by fantastic vocalists / musicians including Jeff Scott Soto, Joe Lynn Turner, Gary Barden, Sebastian Bach, Tim “Ripper” Owens, Tommy Shaw, Mark Slaughter, Rudy Sarzo, Tony Franklin, Jeff Pilson, Eric Singer, Vinnie Appice, Simon Wright, etc.The brightest spot on the release is “All Shook Up,” which really sounds nothing like Elvis Presley’s recording. The entire track is filled with melodic soloing and licks by Schenker, some of his finest work of late, while Joe Lynn Turner shines on the mic. “Doctor Doctor” deserves honorable mention due to Jeff Scott Soto’s vocal performance (does this gent do any performance that’s anything less than top-notch?).Additionally, “War Pigs” is an interesting inclusion and interpretation that works, as is Nazareth’s “The Hair Of the Dog” with its rather tongue-in-cheek “a son of a bitch” vocal parlance by the late Paul DiAnno that will bring a grin to your face.And as the ice on the cake, as bonus tracks there’s some terrific instrumental versions of ”Blood Of The Sun” (Mountain), ”Doctor Doctor”, and ”War Pigs”, where Schenker soloing reach the stratosphere.Overall, this is a very polished release that features some great solo work by Schenker. Also, this endeavor features some impressive performances by the stellar guests (a full list of contributing musicians follow this review).Bottom line, as “various artists” CDs go, this is probably one of the best out there. A definite buy for hard rock / Schenker guitar-licks-loving fans.
Line Up:
Bach, Tim “Ripper” Owens, Tommy Shaw, Mark Slaughter – vocals
Michael Schenker – guitars - See also: Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock, ex-Michael Schenker Fest, McAuley Schenker Group, Michael Schenker Group, ex-Scorpions, ex-Viva (live), ex-Contraband, ex-Copernicus, ex-UFO, ex-Ratt (live)
Bob Kulick – guitar
Rudy Sarzo, Tony Franklin, Chuck Wright, Jeff Pilson, Marco Mendoza, Mike Inez, Phil Soussan, Tony Levin – bass
Eric Singer, Mike Baird, Aynsley Dunbar, Brett Chassen, Vinnie Appice, Simon Wright – drums
Edgar Winter – saxophone
Jeremy Rubolino – keyboards, strings production
Tracklist:
01. All Shook Up (feat. Joe Lynn Turner)
02. Blood Of The Sun (feat. Leslie West)
03. Doctor Doctor (feat. Jeff Scott Soto)
04. War Pigs (feat. Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens)
05. I’m Not Talking (feat. Mark Slaughter)
06. Money (feat. Tommy Shaw)
07. Out In The Fields (feat. Gary Barden)
08. Hair Of The Dog (feat. Paul DiAnno)
09. I Don’t Live Today (feat. Sebastian Bach)
10. Politician (feat. Jeff Pilson)
11. Save Yourself (feat. Robin McAuley) (Bonus Track)
12. Finding My Way (feat. Sebastian Bach) (Bonus Track)
13. Blood Of The Sun (Instrumental Version) (Bonus Track)
14. Doctor Doctor (Instrumental Version) (Bonus Track)
15. War Pigs (Instrumental Version) (Bonus Track)
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