The Michael Schenker Group (often abbreviated as MSG) are a guitar-oriented hard rock band, formed in London in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist Michael Schenker.[1] In 1986, Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley formed the McAuley Schenker Group, which lasted until 1993.[1] Afterwards, in 1996, the Michael Schenker Group was reformed.[2] After the release of their second live album, 1984’s Rock Will Never Die, its members began to have serious discussions that caused a two-year hiatus, and Michael ended the band in 1986.
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Michael Schenker Group | |
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![]() MSG performing in 2022 | |
Background information | |
Also known as | MSG |
Origin | London, England |
Genres |
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Years active | 1979 (1979)–present |
Labels |
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Spinoffs | McAuley Schenker Group |
Members | Michael Schenker Ronnie Romero Barend Courbois Steve Mann Bodo Shopf |
Past members | Billy Sheehan Denny Carmassi Gary Barden Don Airey Mo Foster Simon Phillips Paul Raymond Chris Glen Cozy Powell Graham Bonnet Tommy Eyre Ted McKenna Rocky Newton Andy Nye Mitch Perry Bodo Schopf Jeff Pilson James Kottak Chis Logan Stuart Hamm David Van Landig Jeremy Colson Kelly Keeling John Onder Shane Gaalaas Pete Way Andy Parker Neil Murray |
The group has repeatedly expressed an excellent interpretation, generated by the technique of its leader, representing one of the cornerstones of the history of hard rock. Their symbol is a Flying V, half black and half white, an instrument that has always captured Schenker's imagination. In the history of the band, dozens of musicians have passed through both keyboardists, rhythmic guitarists, drummers, bassists and vocalists.
The band was formed in 1979, following the breakup of Michael Schenker from UFO, in an attempt to have a band that better suited his needs. He therefore decided to move to London; a few weeks after his arrival in the British capital, he joined Gary Barden, vocalist of Fraser Nash, who, with bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Denny Carmassi founded a new band, simply called Michael Schenker Group.[3]
The following year they recorded their second album, MSG, which placed at No. 14 on the UK charts. During their promotional tour, they played at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan in Japan, where their first live album was recorded titled One Night at Budokan. It was released in 1982 with great success in the UK where it was certified silver after exceeding 60,000 copies sold.
In October 1983, the band released Built to Destroy, the first with keyboardist Andy Nye and which also featured Derek St. Holmes, known at the time as Ted Nugent's vocalist. To promote it, they gave several concerts in the UK and later went on tour to other European countries as the opening band of Iron Maiden. Their farewell concert was held on December 18, 1983 at the Dortmund festival, after which the band disbanded, and the guitarist founded the McAuley Schenker Group.[4]
After deciding to wrap up the McAuley Schenker Group project, Schenker decided to re-found the band in 1996 with Leif Sundin on vocals, Barry Sparks on bass and Shane Gaalaas on drums with whom he recorded Written in the Sand. Two years later, they released The Unforgiven, with Kelly Keeling replacing Sundin and with John Onder replacing Sparks.
Schenker Barden Acoustic Project
Michael Schenker Group
Lead vocals:
Keyboards:
Rhythm guitar:
Bass:
Drums:
Role | Album | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Michael Schenker Group (1980) |
MSG (1981) |
Assault Attack (1982) |
Built to Destroy (1983) |
Perfect Timing (1987) |
Save Yourself (1989) |
M.S.G. (1991) |
Written in the Sand (1996) |
The Unforgiven (1999) |
Be Aware of Scorpions (2001) |
Arachnophobiac (2003) |
Tales of Rock'n'Roll (2006) |
In the Midst of Beauty (2008) |
Heavy Hitters (2005) /By Invitation Only (2008) |
Gipsy Lady (2009) |
Temple of Rock (2011) |
Bridge the Gap (2013) |
Spirit on a Mission (2015) |
Resurrection (2018) |
Revelation (2019) |
Immortal (2021) |
Universal (2022) | |
Band | Michael Schenker Group | McAuley Schenker Group | Michael Schenker Group | Schenker Barden Acoustic Project | Schenker's Temple of Rock | Michael Schenker Fest | Michael Schenker Group | |||||||||||||||
Guitar | Michael Schenker | |||||||||||||||||||||
Lead vocals | Gary Barden | Graham Bonnet | Gary Barden | Robin McAuley | Leif Sundin | Kelly Keeling | Chris Logan | Jari Tiura & various musicians |
Gary Barden | various musicians |
Gary Barden | Michael Voss | Doogie White | Gary Barden Graham Bonnet Robin McAuley Doogie White |
Ronnie Romero Joe Lynn Turner Michael Voss Ralf Scheepers |
Ronnie Romero Michael Kiske Ralf Scheepers | ||||||
Rhythm guitar | no-one | Mitch Perry | Steve Mann | no-one | Wayne Findlay | no-one | Bob Kulick Pete Fletcher |
no-one | no-one | Wayne Findlay | no-one | Steve Mann | no-one | |||||||||
Bass | Mo Foster | Chris Glen | Rocky Newton | Jeff Pilson | Barry Sparks | John Onder | Reverend Jones | Stuart Hamm | Pete Way | Neil Murray | various musicians | Pete Way | Francis Buchholz | Chris Glen | Barry Sparks | Bob Daisley Barry Sparks Barend Courbois | ||||||
Keyboards | Don Airey | Paul Raymond | Tommy Eyre | Andy Nye | Steve Mann | Jesse Harms | Claude Gaudette | Seth Bernstein | no-one | Wayne Findlay | Don Airey | various musicians | Wayne Findlay | Steve Mann | Steve Mann Derek Sherinian |
Steve Mann Tony Carey | ||||||
Drums | Simon Phillips | Cozy Powell | Ted McKenna | Bodo Schopf | James Kottak | Shane Gaalaas | Jeff Martin | Jeremy Colson | Jeff Martin | Simon Phillips | various musicians | Herman Rarebell | Ted McKenna | Bodo Schopf Simon Phillips |
Bodo Schopf Simon Phillips Brian Tichy |
Bodo Schopf Simon Phillips Brian Tichy Bobby Rondinelli |
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Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock |
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Solo albums | |||
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Studio albums |
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Live albums | |
Compilations | |
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General | |
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National libraries | |
Other |
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