Michael Schenker Group [Import]

Michael Schenker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Disky Records
• ASIN: B000071JR2
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #406,216 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Armed and Ready

2. Cry for the Nations

3. Victim of Illusion

4. Bijou Pleasurette

5. Feels Like a Good Things

6. Into the Arena

7. Looking out from Nowhere

8. Tales of Mystery

9. Lost Horizons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic solo debut from Michael Schenker, August 17, 2006

By 

R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Michael Schenker Group (Audio CD)

THE BAND: Gary Barden (vocals), Michael Schenker (guitars), Mo Foster (bass), Simon Phillips (drums & percussion), Don Airey (keyboards).

THE DISC: (1980) 9 tracks clocking in at approximately 39 minutes. Included with the disc is a 6-page booklet containing song titles/credits/times (no lyrics), a brief intro from Jerry Ewing ("Classic Rock Magazine"), and some vintage pictures of Schenker. All songs written by Schenker and/or Barden. Now an import, this 1980 release is hard to find in stores. Digitally remastered (in Holland)... sadly, no bonus tracks. Label - Chrysalis Records.

COMMENTS: My introduction to the man named Schenker was in 1981 with the "MSG" album featuring the hit "On And On". From that point on, I've been collecting his material... old and new. Back in 1981, I remember searching and finding this '80 release on vinyl and wondering - why isn't this guy more popular? All Schenker's albums with UFO were next to purchase. 30+ years later Schenker still manages to squeeze out albums. In my opinion, Schenker is one of the all-time great rock guitarists... an underrated legend if ever there was one. He was clearly on a roll - playing on some of the great rock albums of the 70's and continuing into the 80's... with UFO - "Lights Out" (1977), "Obsession" (1978), "Strangers In The Night" (1978); and with MSG - this self titled album (1980), "MSG" (1981) and his best live album with MSG, "One Night In Budakon" (1981). In my book Schenker could do no wrong. I put him on the perch right below Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page... that lofty place where Ritchie Blackmore, Eddie Van Halen, Tommy Iommi, Randy Rhoads, David Gilmour, and Alex Lifeson are sitting. Yet, somehow, with all the music Schenker was appearing on, the popularity escaped the man. Rarely do you hear his material (specifically his solo and MSG material) on the radio. Perhaps it was the constant line of musicians entering and exiting his band... no consistency (?). On the flip side - maybe that is/was part of the appeal - you never knew what you were going to get on his albums. This "Michael Schenker Group" release started his solo career off with a bang. He put out numerous albums during the 80's and 90's but none were better than this first one... with "MSG" (1981) in a close 2nd place. This album starts off with one of my favorites in his entire catalog... a great rocking opener with a blistering guitar solo, "Armed And Ready". A solid one-two punch - track 2 is "Cry For The Nations" - a downright pleasant 30 second intro, followed by an explosion and the rest of the band kicking in... a slow rocker with meaning (another classic from his vast catalog). Other highlights include the 2 instrumentals - the acoustic "Bijou Pleasurette" and the heavy shredding "Into The Arena", "Looking Out From Nowhere", the acoustic power ballad "Tales Of Mystery", and the heavy 7 minute album closer "Lost Horizons". The album is solid all the way through - no filler tracks to be found. If you're looking to add some Michael Schenker to your collection, start with ANY of the UFO/MSG albums mentioned above. This is classic Schenker (5 stars).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The majestic beggining of the Wonder Boy solo career!, May 17, 2004

By 

M. Fonseca "carmarthen" (Thunder) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Michael Schenker Group (Audio CD)

This is where it all started for Michael's solo career. It is a career that would see an endless stream of musicians to work with Michael's difficult temper, and a career with many high and lows, including the infamous "hair pop metal phase" of MAcAuley Schenker Group (ugh!)

For this debut, the line-up included singer Gary Barden (whose capability to write good lyrics was never his strong point, unfortunately. The lyrics here are a real let down...) master session drummer Simon Phillips, bassist Mo Foster and keyboard man Don Airey. It was produced by Deep Purple man Roger Glover. The album is close to perfection in terms of hard rock / metal, the songs flow in a great manner, Schenker is playing like hell and, definitely, this is not like "UFO PART II". It has Schenker's trademark all over it, of course, but not UFO's trademark compositions. It is Schenker's own thing, no doubt about that.

It's a highly recommended gem.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Three songs of highest quality, May 7, 2004

By 

L. B. Ivarsson (Rock City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Michael Schenker Group (Audio CD)

In 1979, Michael Schenker's time as UFO's guitar wizard had come to an end, but Schenker didn't slow down though. He formed his own band under the name of Michael Schenker Group (MSG), and together with Gary Barden (vocals) among others, he released his first (solo) album in 1980. Some people (Schenker fanatics?) consider this to be a real heavy metal masterpiece.

Among the nine tracks, there are two instrumental ("Bijou pleasurette" & "Into the arena"), a slow ballad ("Tales of mystery") of average standard, and two heavy mediocre tunes by the name of "Victim of illusion" and "Lost horizons". That leaves us with the really excellent stuff - "Cry for the nations", "Feels like a good thing", and "Looking out from nowhere" are all in world class, while "Armed and ready" is more or less a blue print number when it comes to heavy metal. Although it's a good song, it doesn't have the ability to really reach the sky.

The debut M.S.G album is without doubt one of the classic albums from the heyday of traditional heavy metal, and it can almost compete with the finest from UFO.