Walk the Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set [Live, Box set, Import]

Michael Schenker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 28, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Live, Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B0021UDIX8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,467 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2009 five disc (four CDs + PAL/Region 0 DVD) box set from the German guitarist and his band, an official 'bootleg' release. Walk The Stage features four different live shows spread across a quartet of CDs (Live At The Hammersmith Odeon 1980, Live At Osaka First Show, September 10th, 1981, Live At Osaka Second Show, September 11th, 1981 and Live At The Reading Rock Festival, August 29th, 1982) plus one DVD: Live At The Hammersmith Odeon 1983. After leaving UFO in 1978, legendary guitarist Michael Schenker returned briefly for a second stint in The Scorpions before deciding to form his own group - settling on a name that left no confusion about the creative force in the group! To date The Michael Schenker Group has released 12 studio albums, amassing two UK Top-10s, and 6 Top-40s in the process. EMI.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Schenker at his best, May 23, 2011

By 

John Cintorino (Queens, N.Y.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Walk the Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set (Audio CD)

I'm going to do this review in 2 parts. First a review of each individual disc, then an overall perspective.

Disc 1 is from Hammersmith Odeon on MSG's first UK tour. If you've got the 2009 remaster series of the first album, one of the live bonus tracks is Armed & Ready from Hammersmith. Well this is that complete show and the band is smoking. Schenker's playing is mind blowing on this show. Guitar wise, this version of Lights Out is possibly be the best one ever recorded, dare I say even better than Strangers In The Night.

Disc 2 is the first of 2 shows on the same day in Osaka, Japan. This is the same tour that produced One Night At Budokan. The Osaka date was the first show on the tour, and the Budokan show was the last of the tour. This early afternoon show is the better of the 2 Osaka shows and the same set as the Budokan show with the addition of Tales Of Mystery and the omission of Covoursier Concerto. The band is tight and Schenker delivers a stellar performance. Great hearing the stage banter that was left off the Budokan disc especially when Barden introduces the Paul Raymond penned Never Trust A Stranger. You'll hear Raymond in the background saying "Great song, the best".

Disc 3 is 2nd of the 2 Osaka shows (the evening one). This show has everything on it including Tales Of Mystery & Concerto. The band is tight once again but there are some technical gliches during the show. During two different songs Schenker's solo's sound very "uninspired" (sounds like a broken string). Then at the beginning of Into The Arena as Paul Raymond is introducing the band he comments that Michael's guitar is "coming apart" which could explain the 2 sub par solo's. Overall a good show. Interesting to hear Schenker play around the broken string issue.

Disc 4 is the show from the Reading Festival when Graham Bonnett was uncerimoniously dumped and Gary Barden brought back into the band. This show has been previously available as "BBC In Concert", but was missing Feels Like A Good Thing, so it's nice to finally have the complete show. Great show for a band that only had 2 hours rehersal time. Barden introduces Rock You To The Ground by it's working title of Heavy Blues, forgets keyboard player Andy Nye's name and introduces him by a completely different name. Funny stuff. Only an hour show due to it being a festival show, highlights are the inclusion of the rarely played Bijou Pleasurette and an absolutely great version of Let Slepping Dogs Lie. In what could have been a total disaster and low point for him, Schenker really shines during this show.

Disc 5 is the complete DVD of the Rock Will Never Die live album/video. Previously the only way you could get the complete version of this show was as a Japanese laser disc. Some really great stuff on here that was only played on this tour, Rock Will Never Die, Still Love That Little Devil, Desert Song, Looking For Love, Rock My Nights Away, Red Skies and more.

Overall this box set is a brilliant collection that ANY Schenker fan will love. Taken from a 4 year period where his solo career was about to take off, it truly is a testament to what a guitar virtuoso he is.
And to the 2 knuckleheads that complained that Armed & Ready was on every disc and that it was too repetative, if you 2 really love Schenker the way you say you do, then you'd welcome Armed & Ready that many times because eveytime he plays it, it's different, along with every other song he plays. Never the same solo twice, always improvising. That's what makes him such a great guitar player.
Even though the songs are repeated on these discs, each show is a unique experience. Kinda like hearing the song for the first time each time you hear it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT SCHENKER LIVE BOX !, September 1, 2010

By 

BASIL - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Walk the Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set (Audio CD)

IF YOU ARE A MICHAEL SCHENKER FAN THIS BOX IS A MUST. THE COMPLETE 1983 SHOW ON DVD IS ALMOST WORTH THE PRICE ALONE. GREAT SHOWS HERE WITH SOUNDBOARD QUALITY AUDIO. NOT PERFECT, BUT THAT IS WHY IT IS TITLED BOOTLEG BOX SET.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Schenker, March 6, 2010

By 

Jeffrey C. Feduik "MetalFed" (Deerfield, FL) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Walk the Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set (Audio CD)

EMI has really done a great job remastering MSG's back catalog. Now this. What a great set. The Cozy Powell material on the first three cd's make this worth it. Wasn't too sure how the video would be, but the show is really cleaned up. Any real fan will be happy with this set.