Michael Schenker definitive album?

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axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
I know of MS, and have heard odd snippets here and there over the years but I don't know his music/paying at all really.

I got a free CD with some mag years ago. One track was Rock Bottom live (about 8 mins long I think?) and I really enjoyed it at the time - then forgot about it! 

Is there a single, definitive Schenker album? Studio, live, with any band or solo?
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Comments

  • PhilW1PhilW1 Frets: 941
    Strangers in the night  - UFO live, one ,if not the , best live albums.
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  • gordijigordiji Frets: 782
    Obsessions. Not a bad song on the album.
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  • SidNewtonSidNewton Frets: 660
    All his work from his first stint with UFO is worth a listen along with the early MSG albums up to and including Built To Destroy. After that it all goes a bit tits up for me. But that's still a good 10 or 11 albums worth of quality stuff.
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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4028
    From the UFO period it's probably going to be Strangers in the Night.
    Although I probably listen to Walk On Water most.
    From the ongoing MSG project the first two imaginatively titled I and II are good as albums. 
    For me all the other albums are somewhat patchy and Schenker went through a long wilderness, always with a few good tracks but a lot of iffy stuff too.
    Funnily enough I think he's found his way again with the last three albums, especially Immortal.  They style of soloing has changed but I like it.  His vibrato is very distinctive and it's actually my favourite of any guitarist, ever. 


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  • GrangousierGrangousier Frets: 2621
    Strangers in the Night
    Obsession 
    Michael Schenker Group (The first one with the dentist's chair)
    Lights Out

    He is, or has been, one of the most underrated guitarists in rock. 

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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Strangers in the Night
    Obsession 
    Michael Schenker Group (The first one with the dentist's chair)
    Lights Out

    He is, or has been, one of the most underrated guitarists in rock. 


    I saw UFO on the Lights Out and Obsessions tours (Strangers In The Night is from then), and MSG on the first tour.

    Strangers In The Night is their best album (though there was some question about its "live"ness vs overdubs added) and Lights Out is IMHO their best studio album, with Obsessions being a bit of a follow-up. Force It (with the cover being a play on "faucets") is darned good too and Phenomenon has the original Rock Bottom and Doctor Doctor on it.

    For MSG, the first album was a bit of an eye-opener, as people were saying there was no way he could write songs, until it came out. It also had Simon Philips on drums which is no bad thing, though only on a session and Cozy Powell was in for the tour.

    From later on, there's The Unforgiven and the McAuley Schenker Group Perfect Timing ones.

    Schenker's playing is very Germanic, with the scales and Bach-isms he does.

    Another great album with him on is The Scorpions Lovedrive (I also saw them on that tour!).
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  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2739
    edited May 2021
    No-one appears to have mentioned it, but of the MSG era, One Night at Budokan is a good live album.


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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited May 2021
    sev112 said:
    No-one appears to have mentioned it, but of the MSG era, One Night at Budokan is a good live album.


    I was just about to.

    I didn't know anything about Schenker and only just knew about The Scorpions and Rudy Schenker and I heard this live album in HMV, Sutton. The track was 'Attack of the Mad Axeman' and I bought it straightaway and loved the rest of it.

    I then went back and listened to solo stuff and the UFO years. When he's on form and not off his face, he's so good.

    His sister, Barbara, had a rocking/singing budgie  that she tried to promote

    https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/658545.the-famous-sammy-iii-is-safe-from-bird-flu/

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  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    It's not got as many fans as his other albums, but I love Assault Attack.
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  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
    One night is where I started.  
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    edited May 2021
    Strangers in the Night and the first MSG album for me - it was the latter which made me want to play guitar (not that I ever got very far with that project...).

    I still love that old stuff but his recent work does nothing for me.
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  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
    The first Scorpions is incredible but his style is different. It sounds more like Iommi playing for Amon Duul 2
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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4028
    Reverend said:
    The first Scorpions is incredible but his style is different. It sounds more like Iommi playing for Amon Duul 2
    I love that album.  Good call on that comparison too. 
    Its scratchy and loose and he hasn't quite found his style yet -- such a good snapshot. 
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  • FelineGuitarsFelineGuitars Frets: 11496
    tFB Trader
    Ah - my favourite subject 

    To get a taste of what he is about 
    Get UFO - strangers in the night and MSG - One Night at Budokan 

    For deeper diving get 
    UFO ; Force It, No Heavy Pettin, Lights Out, Obsession, Walk on Water
    MSG - The first 7 studio albums with Barden, Bonnet and McAuleyas vocalists


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  • JayceeJaycee Frets: 287
    I saw MSG years ago In newport centre iirc, I have  " Cry for the nations" on clear vinyl ........ just found it on you tube ...not heard it for years......
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Phil Mogg used to joke about albums & song titles ("This is from the Corset album.") and also deliberately muck about with words (eg. the lyrics to "Out In The Street").

    We stayed behind to meet them after a gig on the Obsessions tour in Nottingham; Michael Schenker went off and sat in a car on his own whilst they chatted with us; they were all high as a kite!
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