The Michael Schenker Group - Live in Hamburg 1981

The Michael Schenker Group (or shortly MSG) is a guitar-oriented hard rock band formed in 1979 by the former Scorpions and UFO guitarist Michael Schenker. It is best described as mostly melodic hard rock with progressive undertones. Schenker is famous for his half-black, half-white Gibson Flying V and is sponsored by Dean guitars and for his unorthodox approach to lead guitar, and is well known in the neo-classical history of MSG is strewn with personality conflicts and incidents between band members. In 1982, original vocalist Gary Barden, who sang on the first two studio albums, The Michael Schenker Group and . as well as the band’s third release (the live album One Night at Budokan) was fired in favor of Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Alcatrazz). Bonnet lasted one album (Assault Attack) and was fired from the band because he often lost his voice during shows, although the actual firing happened after dropping his pants in a warm-up gig in Sheffield before the Reading Festival. Barden was called in at the last minute and did the show with only a few hours rehearsal and opening the appearance with the words: “surprise surprise“. Although many fans proclaimed Assault Attack as being MSG’s best recording, Barden was enticed back to the band for Reading and stayed with MSG for the recording of a new studio album (Built to Destroy) and the band’s second live album (Rock Will Never Die). In 1990 Schenker briefly played guitar for the band Ratt appearing on their MTV Unplugged performance, filling in for a sick Robbin Crosby. After Barden’s second departure, Schenker reorganized the band around himself and new vocalist Robin McAuley as the McAuley Schenker Group and steered the group to a more commercial hard rock sound. After three albums with the lineup, Schenker and McAuley parted company. Tracklist : 1. Armed And Ready 2. Cry For The Nations 3. Victim Of Illusion 4. Natural Thing 5. Feels Like A Good Thing 6. Into The Arena 7. Rock Bottom 8. Looking Out From Nowhere 9. Lost Horizons 10. Doctor Doctor 11. Lights Out Line-up : Voice : Gary Barden Axeman : Michael Schenker Axeman/Keyboards : Paul Raymond Bass : Chris Glenn Drums : Cozy Powell