Michael Schenker joined his brother’s band, Scorpions in 1971.
The group opened for UFO on one of their early German tours and UFO were impressed enough that they asked Schenker to join them.
From 1974 to 1979 he helped develop UFO into an excellent hard rock band, culminating in a brilliant live LP, Stranger In The Night (1979). By the time the album was released, Schenker had left the group.
Briefly touring with Scorpions again (and playing on their Long Drive LP), he finally struck out as a solo act.
Following jam sessions with Aerosmith in September 1979, Schenker began rehearsing his debut solo LP with Gary Barden on vocals and Denny Carmassi on drums as well as Billy Sheehan on bass.
Schenker then went into hospital because of personal problems and the project fell apart.
Within a year, though, he had formed the Michael Schenker Group, hired Roger Glover as producer, and released his first solo album.
He changed the line-up for his touring band, bringing in Chris Glen on bass and famous session drummer Cozy Powell, along with guitarist Paul Raymond – who had been his own replacement in UFO.
This line-up struggled to produce a second studio LP, MSG (1981), which was regarded as an expensive flop. The line-up changed again shortly thereafter.
Raymond returned to UFO and Graham Bonnet stepped in as vocalist to perform at the Reading festival and on their Assault Attack album. Barden then returned on vocals, while Ted McKenna replaced Cozy Powell.
There were multiple further personnel changes and MSG finally broke up in 1984.
Schenker formed a working relationship with Irish singer/songwriter Robin McAuley, releasing some records and touring the US (as support to Rush) and the UK (with Whitesnake).
Michael Schenker
Lead guitar Gary Barden
Vocals
Mo Foster
Bass
Don Airey
Keyboards
Simon Phillips
Drums Chris Glen Bass Cozy Powell Drums Paul Raymond Guitar, keyboards, vocals Graham Bonnet Vocals Ted McKenna Drums Andy Nye Keyboards Derek St Holmes Guitar Ray Kennedy Vocals Dennis Feldman Bass
Related Posts
Night Ranger Night Ranger were an okay hard rock band with a few good licks and a few bad hairdos who suddenly…
Extreme Extreme formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1985 around Gary Cherone (vocals), Nuno Bettencourt (guitars and keyboards), Paul Geary (drums and…
Holly & The Italians Holly Beth Vincent was born in Chicago but grew up in Los Angeles. It was there she formed Holly &…
Au Pairs, The Formed in Birmingham (England) in 1979, The Au Pairs matched driving, guitar-led rock to lyrics (mostly by Woods) that dissected…
A Certain Ratio A Certain Ratio (the name is a pointer to a Brian Eno song) formed in Manchester in 1977. The band's original members…
Mr Big (UK) British band Mr Big began life as a group called Burnt Oak in the sixties. The new name was first…
Breakfast Club, The The Breakfast Club's drummer, Stephen Bray, helped write and produce several hits for his former college friend, Madonna, including True Blue and Into the Groove.…
Merlin Merlin formed in late 1973 and released a self-titled album on CBS in 1974. The group also released a handful…
