Temple of Rock Michael Schenker

• 1Intro01:12
• 2How Long03:55
• 3Fallen Angel04:11
• 4Hanging On04:01
• 5The End of an Era03:56
• 6Miss Claustrophobia04:46
• 7With You04:44
• 8Before the Devil Knows You're Dead04:39
• 9Storming In04:43
• 10Scene of Crime03:55
• 11Saturday Night03:30
• 12Lover's Sinfony04:15
• 13Speed04:12
• Total Runtime51:59

Info for Temple of Rock

Michael Schenker ... a name which still inspires grins of delight amongst fans of first-class hard guitar rock! The list of his successes is an extensive one, after all. As a young man he lent his very special sound, together with his brother Rudolf, to the Scorpions, which later made the band one of the first real international hard rock stars from Germany. In the 70s, he similarly helped the British rock legends U.F.O. to their definitive breakthrough, turning songs like “Rock Bottom” or “Doctor, Doctor” into hits everyone knows.

Briefly returning to the familiar fold of the Scorpions, Michael's collaboration helped create possibly their best their album, “Lovedrive”, which includes the perennial ballads “Holiday”, “Loving You Sunday Morning” and “Always Somewhere”. In 1980 it was time for the blonde guitarist to go it alone and form the first band of his own, the Michael Schenker Group, or MSG for short. This is where some of the world's best musicians gathered, cavorting with founding members such as Gary Barden, Don Airey or Simon Phillips. Not forgetting that no one less that Roger Glover from Deep Purple manned the production console for the first record. Since then, the three letters MSG have become a synonym for honest, hand-crafted and impelling premium hard rock. The band leader has consistently demonstrated the highest level of creativity and pluck, also presenting his elaborate compositions acoustically, with and without his band. His career hit a new peak last year in Tokyo, where he gave a sold-out concert to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the band, a concert which has been released by in-akustik as a double CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc.

Now, after extensive touring, which also saw the band perform in the USA, and following a well-earned rest, Michael Schenker has returned with his group to add a new jewel to his creative work. And he has produced so many surprises that your senses will be overwhelmed! These surprises bring together Michael Schenker's past AND present perfectly. The old times are reflected in many of the guitarist's contemporaries from the various epochs. Names such as Pete Way, Wayne Findlay, Neil Murray or Chris Slade still represent the highest of standards and get the aficionados' heartbeats racing. One of the biggest treats is his collaboration with the former Scorpions drummer, Herman “the German” Rarebell, as well as his beloved brother Rudolf, on several of the songs. Michael has kept his promise of the “Schenker Brothers”. The fact that Michael not only plays the guitar on “Scene of Crime”, but also the flute as well, will raise quite a few eyebrows. Let's be honest: who would ever have thought that there would ever be another collaboration with Robin McAuley? “Lover's Sinfony” makes many a fan of their most successful period as the “McAuley and Schenker Group” feel that their dream has come true as well. And yet the list is even longer – Doogie White (former member of the Rainbows), Super drummer Carmine Appice or Elliott Tichy have also left their musical calling cards. Nevertheless, one name is missing in 2011, that being Gary Barden. The new voice on the microphone is, however, more than “just” a replacement, because during the last MSG tour, Michael Voss showed impressively just what he is capable of. The experienced producer and singer really doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, because his successes with Mad Max, Casanova or Silver, among others, speak volumes. And his voice is outstandingly suited to the punchy and compelling new tracks on “Temple of Rock”. Whether listening to the unadorned, melodious hard rock exemplified by “Saturday Night” or “How Long”, as well as bluesy sounds such as those on “With You” – the new album is largely distinguished by an immense enthusiasm for playing the guitar, its rich variety and the participation of international superstars. This album will finally induct MSG into the “Temple of Rock”!

Michael Schenker says: “The Temple of Rock is within me where I create since I was introduced to the amazing invention of the distorted Guitar which is for me the most enjoyable and the best possible way to express myself. The Rock Guitar Sound that I fell in love with, mostly expressed as Lead break, is what I have nurtured and treasured all of my life. Combined with the infinite spring from within and the amazing musicians around me I keep expressing an ongoing development of my Art(Being). With Temple of Rock I am entering a new stage of my life, a new level of existence enjoying life more than ever, reaping the joy of all sorts of developments from the past.

Also, it seems to me that collectively, with true expressive makers of Rock Music, we have been building the external Temple Of Rock for many years and have now come to the point of putting on the roofing and celebrating the almost completion of the Temple. All generations of this period are meeting all over the world on one stage it seems celebrating an Era of ‘Hand Made Rock’ which will never be the same again due to invention of new technology but of course New Temples and New Wonders will arise to enjoy expressions in new ways.”

Michael Schenker, guitar
Michael Voss, vocals
Herman Rarebell, drums
Pete Way, bass
Wayne Findlay, keyboards
Additional musicians:
Robin Mcauley, vocals
Doogie White, vocals
Rudolf Schenker, guitar
Michael Amott, guitar
Leslie West, guitar
Don Airey, keyboards
Paul Raymond, keyboards
Chris Glen, bass
Neil Murray, bass
Elliott Dean Rubinson, bass
Carmine Appice, drums
Simon Phillips, drums
Chris Slade, drums
Brian Tichy, drums

Michael Schenker
It goes without saying, that the legendary and award-winning guitarist Michael Schenker has led a truly amazing rock’n’roll life. Born in Sarstedt near Hannover in 1955, Michael's career took off when he was just a teenager. At the age of nine, he was already listening to the Beatles and the Stones. By the age of 14 he was looking to learn from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Mountain and Black Sabbath.

He got off to a flying start: from 1969 to 1973 he played with his brother Rudolf Schenker in Germany's most successful rock band – the Scorpions. It was Rudolf who introduced him to the Gibson Flying V. When the Scorpions supported the British hard rock band UFO, Michael had the opportunity to switch bands.

For six years, Michael was a driving force behind the UFO sound. Some of his earliest compositions such as “Rock Bottom” and “Doctor Doctor” have become timeless rock classics.

After his departure from UFO in 1979, he briefly returned to the Scorpions to record their legendary “Lovedrive” album. Then he decided it was time to go solo. Enter the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). “It was only when I started playing with this band that I could really put what I had learned and what I stand for into practice,” reflects Michael.

The first two albums became instant classics. “The Michael Schenker Group” (1980) and “MSG” (1981) contained songs like “Into The Arena”, “Armed And Ready”, “Ready To Rock” and “Attack Of The Mad Axeman” – all of which have become standards in Michael Schenker's concerts. Schenker soon developed the nickname - the “Mad Axeman”.

MSG enjoyed many triumphant moments but also numerous lows which they endured stoically. The only person who has stayed with the band through the decades is Michael himself, the boss and master puppeteer.

This list of his former band mates reads like a who's who of hard rock: As founder members, Michael recruited Simon Phillips (drums), Gary Barden (vocals), Mo Foster (bass) and Don Airey (keyboards). Later members included rock luminaries such as bassist Neil Murray, drummer Cozy Powell and Carmine Appice, singer Graham Bonnett and guitarist Wayne Findlay.

In 1985 the Michael Schenker Group mutated into the McAuley Schenker Group with new singer Robin McAuley. This incarnation of the MSG lasted for three albums: “Perfect Timing” (1987), “Save Yourself” (1989) and “M.S.G.” (1992). In 1995, Michael rejoined UFO for their comeback album “Walk On Water”. Afterwards he revived the Michael Schenker Group – and in 2008 he reached new heights with the album “In The Midst Of Beauty”. He was accompanied in the studio by a host of familiar faces: Gary Barden, Simon Phillips, Don Airey and Neil Murray. These four are also present among the impressive array of musicians who took turns on stage in the MSG's “30th Anniversary Tour”. The band was greeted with a thunderous reception wherever they played during their world tour.

Full of creative power, dynamism and ideas, in 2011 Michael Schenker entered a new phase of his life – both creatively and personally – with his new band “Temple Of Rock”. He can be heard to be enjoying life more than ever before and reaping the artistic rewards from his previous achievements. The band members included Michael Voss (vocals), and Schenker’s trusty band mates Wayne Findley (guitar, keyboards), Pete Way (bass) and Herman Rarebell (drums). On the following extended “Temple Of Rock” world tour, Doogie White took over vocal duties and Francis Buchholz played bass.

The amazing chemistry of this band can be heard on the live recording “Temple Of Rock – Live in Europe” (2012).

This album contains no booklet.