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Michael Schenker (born January 10, 1955) is a hard rock and heavy metal
guitarist of UFO and a founding member of the Scorpions. He signed with
Chrysalis Records in autumn 1979 after leaving UFO. He is the younger
brother of Rudolf Schenker of Scorpions fame.
Michael was born in Sarstedt, Germany. He started playing in his early teens
when his brother Rudolph brought home a Flying V guitar, which captured
Michaels' imagination. His playing style is unusual in that he seems not to
use conventionally practiced guitar scales but seems instead to improvise.
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Schenker joined UFO under unusual circumstances. The band left the UK to
play some dates in Germany. Their guitarist at the time; Bernie Marsden,
forgot his passport and was unable to make the first gig. At the venue UFO
spotted Michael playing a soundcheck with the Scorpions and managed to
persuade him into playing that evening's show. Despite the language barrier;
he spoke no English and they spoke no German, something clearly "clicked"
and Schenker brought the ellusive X factor to the band and took them to
another level musically.
Schenker has had a turbulent career with UFO, often walking out mid song and
causing the tour to be cancelled. He is evidently as temperamental as he is
gifted. Schenker says his playing with UFO is like chocolate: fantastic for
a while but once you've had enough....
Inspirational and clearly a musical prodigy, Schenker is one of the 1970s
most inspirational guitarists, influencing later musicians such as Kirk
Hammett from the band Metallica.
Michael was offered gigs with Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones but decided
he wanted to play his own music and not be a hired hand in another group. In
1979, he founded the Michael Schenker Group (M.S.G). The history of the
Michael Schenker Group has been strewn with personality conflicts and
"incidents" between band members. In 1982, original vocalist Gary Barden was
sacked in favor of Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Alcatrazz) who lasted one album
and was fired from the band after dropping his pants in a warm-up gig before
the Reading festival. Gary Barden was enticed back to the band for Reading
and stayed with M.S.G. for the recording of a new studio album (Built to
Destroy) and a live album (Rock Will Never Die). After the second departure
of vocalist Gary Barden after the Built to Destroy album, Michael
reorganized the band around himself and vocalist Robin McAuley as the
McAuley Schenker Group. After three albums in that configuration, Michael
and Robin parted company.
Michael next rejoined UFO for the album Walk on Water. A short tour
punctuated by a fight between Michael and vocalist Phil Mogg ended the
reunion.
Michael resurrected the Michael Schenker Group with all new players and
recorded three decent albums and toured yearly to appreciative
Schenker-heads around the United States and Europe.
Michael fell on hard times in the early 2000's after his divorce in which he
lost rights to his own music, his Mercedes and his prized Flying V guitars.
Michael picked himself up and got back to the business of making and
performing music. The recording of the album Arachnophobiac and the
resulting two years of touring got Michael back in rocking form.
2005 brings the 25th anniversary of the Michael Schenker Group. Michael is
putting together a new album of songs called Tales of Rock and Roll honoring
that anniversary. Singers from each iteration of the group have been
enlisted to sing on a track or two.
A new Michael Schenker Group album is as much about finding out who is left
in the band as it is about the music. Devoted fans love him regardless of
his personal and personnel problems. |
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MICHAEL SCHENKER PICTURES |
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