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Thread: Michael Schenker- Essential CDs?

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    Michael Schenker- Essential CDs?

    I just bought a ticket to see Michael Schenker perform during January 2014 at the Sellersville Theatre which is generally in the Philadelphia area. What is to be said about Michael Schenker's career? I know that he has been a member of the Scorpions and UFO as well as having recorded a ton of solo albums. Here is my question. Where do I start with him? Essential CDs? Best CDs? Worst CDs? I really am looking to pick up CDs that would properly prepare me for the concert. I see that Doogie White is touring with him and doing the vocals. I own the Rainbow CDs that he sang on. Where is a good place to start with him as well? Advice, please.

    Library Jon

  2. #2
    facetious maximus Yves's Avatar
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    My personal favorite album of his was the live "One Night At Budokan", which is fairly representatrive of his earliest solo output. I have no idea what he plays live these days so I can't help there, but if you're going to listen to his music beyond the show then I'd recommend the early albums, up to and including "Assault Attack".
    "Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."

    -Cozy 3:16-

  3. #3
    Half his band is the original Scorpions so expect a fair amount of the 'Lovedrive' album! I would also go for the expanded Budokan album with the great Cozy Powell on the drum kit. I lost interest during the Macauley/Schenker era but his latest album is getting good reviews. Schenker has been sober for a few years now & he's back to his blazing best! Enjoy the show!

  4. #4
    facetious maximus Yves's Avatar
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    So can he expect the entire "Lonesome Crow" album?
    "Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."

    -Cozy 3:16-

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Yves View Post
    So can he expect the entire "Lonesome Crow" album?
    Na but Uli Jon Roth is currently touring songs off the first five Scorps albums!

  6. #6
    As far as best albums, I have four words for you: One Night At Budokan

    Michael was one of the original members of Scorpions. He's only on two albums, really. Lonesome Crow was their first album, and is more of a psychedelic/Krautrock type of thing. Great record, but there's not much else in the Scorpions catalog that's similar.

    Michael then left the band because he was offered the UFO gig. A few years later, after Uli Jon Roth left the band, Michael came back and played on a few songs on Lovedrive. That one is closer to the early 80's Scorpions records, though there's plenty of good music on it.

    As for the solo albums, I never got the first album, but the second MSG album, which I think was just called MSG, that's a pretty good record, and as I said above, One Night At Budokan is brilliant.

    I never really heard his mid 80's albums, though I've heard that Assault Attack and Built To Destroy are pretty good records. I do remember that Built To Destroy was released in two different versions, with the keyboards apparently being pushed up in the mix on the US release. Oh, and for the record, yes that was his "number one" Flying V that he's smashing across the rear window of the car on the cover of Built To Destroy (or at least, that's what Michael himself claimed a decade later, explaining "I was a different guy back then").

    After that, I think he got sucked into the "glam metal" thing, and the results weren't pretty. I haven't heard his records since the bottom dropped out of glam metal, but I've heard that some of them are supposed to be pretty good.

    As for what he plays in concert, I saw him back in 96, and at least at that time, he was playing stuff from throughout his career. I remember he did Another Piece Of Meat off Lovedrive and I think he might have done something off Lonesome Crow...might have been Action, but I really don't remember. I think he's always done UFO songs with MSG, typically Doctor Doctor, Lights Out and I think also Rock Bottom.
    Last edited by GuitarGeek; 12-02-2013 at 04:22 PM.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Rufus View Post
    Na but Uli Jon Roth is currently touring songs off the first five Scorps albums!
    Uli's been playing Scorpions songs for years, at least since 2006 (which was when I saw him), if not earlier.

  8. #8
    It sounds like you're asking about his complete discography, not just his MSG/solo output. Given that, the answer on the very first thing to pick up is UFO's Strangers in the Night, which is simply the best live album ever released. Michael's extended solo on "Rock Bottom" is a religious experience if you like guitar. After that, I'd suggest the first three MSG albums, all stone-cold classics. Assault Attack, the third, features Graham Bonnett on vocals. As suggested, the live album One Night in Budokan is outstanding as well. As far as Scorpions' output, the only full album Michael was on, as a 16 year old, was Lonesome Crow. It's an interesting album, but certainly an outlier in terms of style. But I do love the guitar playing. He appears on about half of Lovedrive, IIRC.

    Doogie White is a very good, if somewhat generic, singer. He was a member of a really excellent melodic rock band called Cornerstone that put out some outstanding albums...I highly suggest checking them out.

  9. #9
    Marklar Jimmy Giant's Avatar
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    His first 2 MSG albums in the early 80's were self titled and are my favorites along with the Budokan live. I prefer the 2nd album best and it is a killer. Gary Bardon on vocals. Great!

    Later on MSG stood for Mcauley Schenkar Group which I didn't like. Saw them live. Didn't like the voice.
    JG

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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by mitchgx View Post
    Doogie White is a very good, if somewhat generic, singer. He was a member of a really excellent melodic rock band called Cornerstone that put out some outstanding albums...I highly suggest checking them out.
    He was also in the short lived mid 90's version of Rainbow. I remember thinking at the time that was one of the dumbest stage names I'd ever heard of, though it was later explained to me that's actually how his first name, Douglas, is pronounced. He's Scottish, and I guess in Scotland, it's pronounced "Doo-glas" not "Dug-las". So "Doogie" was his means of indicating how he preferred to hear his name pronounced.

    Hey, he should be thankful his surname wasn't "Cockburn", which is correctly pronounced as "Co-burn", but obviously Americans aren't going to pronounce it that way!

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    Uli's been playing Scorpions songs for years, at least since 2006 (which was when I saw him), if not earlier.

    Not a full sets worth which he is currently touring!

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Giant View Post
    His first 2 MSG albums in the early 80's were self titled
    I think technically, for catalog purposes, at least, the first one is called Michael Schenker Group, the second is called MSG.


    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Giant View Post
    Later on MSG stood for Mcauley Schenkar Group which I didn't like. Saw them live. Didn't like the voice.
    The story I remember hearing was after Built To Destroy, Michael disbanded MSG, and intended to form a new band with a new name. When he went to work with Robin McAuley, and they started talking about what their new band should be called, Robin mentioned that he always liked the MSG logo. So the group name became McAuley-Schenker Group so that they could keep the old logo.

    BTW, my friend Steve told me of seeing MSG back in the early 80's, and apparently, the night before the show he saw, there was some big blow up between Michael and his bassist at the time (which I think might have been Chris Glen). So the upshot was the show Steve saw, they literally played without a bassist. I gather whoever was playing keyboards in the band at the time had to cover the basslines for the entire show.

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    Member Jay G's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rufus View Post
    Not a full sets worth which he is currently touring!

    Correct. I have seen Uli numerous times the most recent being this past February at the Sellersville. It was 2.5 hours of almost entirely Scorpions music except for 2 Hendrix tunes. Far and away the best tour I have ever seen him do.

  14. #14
    Member Jay G's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rufus View Post
    Half his band is the original Scorpions so expect a fair amount of the 'Lovedrive' album! I would also go for the expanded Budokan album with the great Cozy Powell on the drum kit. I lost interest during the Macauley/Schenker era but his latest album is getting good reviews. Schenker has been sober for a few years now & he's back to his blazing best! Enjoy the show!
    Herman Ze German and Francis Buchholz are unfortunately not joining Mikey for the US tour. The bass player will most likely be Reverend Jones who splits his time with Leslie West and the drummer is most likely the guy from Steelheart.

  15. #15
    In terms of song quality, I like Assault Attack the best of all the albums Michael has done, followed by the preceding album, MSG. I rate both of those over any of the UFO albums he did. As good as Strangers In The Night is from a performance and energy standpoint, most of the songs are still lackluster.

  16. #16
    Marklar Jimmy Giant's Avatar
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    There were a few live albums from the 70's that are just phenomenal to me. Strangers In The Night is one of them.
    JG

    "MARKLAR!"

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    I realized after I started this thread that I came across as someone who knew absolutely nothing about Michael Schenker. Let me list what I already own from him on CD. I own the following UFO CDs: Strangers, Phenomon, and Lights out. I own all three Scorpions CDs that he played on. I own the following MS solo CDs: The Chrysalis Years (1980-1984) Box set (which compiles his first 5 albums with bonus tracks), Temple Of Rock: Live in Europe, and Greatest Riffs. I plan to buy his newest CD when it comes out. Right now, it has only been released in Japan. So I guess that you guys can tell that I do know something about his career. However, is there anything else that I am truly missing out on when it comes to his career?

    Library Jon

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Library Jon View Post
    I realized after I started this thread that I came across as someone who knew absolutely nothing about Michael Schenker. Let me list what I already own from him on CD. I own the following UFO CDs: Strangers, Phenomon, and Lights out. I own all three Scorpions CDs that he played on. I own the following MS solo CDs: The Chrysalis Years (1980-1984) Box set (which compiles his first 5 albums with bonus tracks), Temple Of Rock: Live in Europe, and Greatest Riffs. I plan to buy his newest CD when it comes out. Right now, it has only been released in Japan. So I guess that you guys can tell that I do know something about his career. However, is there anything else that I am truly missing out on when it comes to his career?

    Library Jon
    UFO's Obsession is a must & The Michael Schenker Story live CD that came out a few years back, in fact I prefer it to the Budokan!

  19. #19
    Lonesome Crow (1972)
    Michael Schenker Group (1980)
    MSG (1981)
    Assault Attack (1982)
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  20. #20
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    Essential?

    MSG -81
    One Night at Budokan - 82

    That said I haven't listened to any of his post-80s stuff.

    His work with UFO was okay, nothing more than that really, that was no fault of his though, because it was UFO not MSG, so he couldn't "let fly" to his full extent, 'cos he wasn't the boss, plus he was still very young.
    BUT if you want to examine his UFO work there is only one album you need listen to Lights Out from 77.
    Personally I prefer UFO before and after MS. Not keen on the direction he took them. I think their music is better without him.

  21. #21
    Sounds like the One Night At Budokan album is the one to get.

    Let me ask a question of everybody. Usually the thing I don't like about metal is the vocals. I hate hair metal for example. But what are Schenker's instrumental albums like? Are they any good? I like Uli Jon Roth's instrumental albums. Are Schenker's like that?

    Bob

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by bobg56 View Post
    Sounds like the One Night At Budokan album is the one to get.

    Let me ask a question of everybody. Usually the thing I don't like about metal is the vocals. I hate hair metal for example. But what are Schenker's instrumental albums like? Are they any good? I like Uli Jon Roth's instrumental albums. Are Schenker's like that?

    Bob
    Did he make an instrumental album? I know he made some acoustic albums that went by the monikor of 'Thank You".
    One things for sure is that his best work was with UFO & he knows thats what the fans want to hear. I saw him earlier this year & his set was at least 60% UFO! They also got the loudest applause & the audience was shouting for UFO songs. The fact that he's closed his set over the last umpteen years with the same two UFO classics is proof in the pudding!
    Last edited by Rufus; 12-04-2013 at 04:52 PM.

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    Thanks, guys. I now own all of the clearly essential Michael Schenker CDs and I like them a lot. what is to be said of his releases from about 1990 to the present? Is there anything from that era worthy of buying?

    Library Jon

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    The Sellersville Michael Schenker concert is Monday night (tomorrow). I post my thoughts on the show in a few days.


    Library Jon

  25. #25
    facetious maximus Yves's Avatar
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    Enjoy! I just checked out his "Temple Of Rock" DVD from the library over the weekend. He put together a pretty solid line-up, esp his rhythm section ! I think I'll have to purchase that DVD. Michael looks like a man who's been to hell and back, but his playing was excellent.
    "Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."

    -Cozy 3:16-

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