Following recent dates in both Japan and mainland Europe guitar legend, Michael Schenker will take Michael Schenker Fest on it’s inaugural UK Tour this week.
This retrospective touring project takes a look back on Michael Schenker’s extensive career whilst incorporating key members from his MSG days. Michael tells us how “I thought to myself it would be fantastic if I could, especially at this point in my life play my most popular music with the original singers. So that’s when I approached the singers, I picked the MSG period with Gary Baden, Graham Bonnett and Robin McAuley.”
Not only does Michael Schenker Fest incorporate those key vocalists but also many of his former bandmates. Speaking of how the band’s line-up came to fruition Schenker went on to say “Chris Glenn and Ted McKenna immediately came to mind because they were the original MSG line-up after Cozy Powell and then also they were the original rhythm section of Assault Attack with Graham Bonnett. Then a great one came to mind which is Steve Mann, the great musician and guitarist/keyboard player and we had the connection with Robin McAauley and myself from the McAauley Schenker days. So there it was, and everybody was happy to do it.”
However, this is no static project, and it continues to evolve as time progresses. Michael Schenker Fest recently penned a new record deal with Nuclear Blast with their debut album scheduled for a spring 2018 release. Michael tells us that the band’s new record is already complete – “I was thinking after we made the DVD for the Michael Schenker Fest I thought what next; I said to myself Michael Schenker Fest in the studio. So that actually was supposed to be the album title, but since then I came up with a better name which is Resurrection. So we started in June to record and we are actually mastering the record as we speak.”
Schenker expects an imminent release for the first single from the record which will be titled “Warrior”. This ambitious new studio project brings together the collective strength of this impressive ensemble. According to Michael “The album is not just like each singer is singing three songs. We have got three or four songs where everybody sings together like maybe Robin sings a verse and then Gary sings a bridge and then Graham sings a chorus and it’s fantastic.”
Resurrection will also see a return to the fold for Temple of Rock’s Doogie White, who will be one of the four singers featured on the record as well as joining the band’s touring line-up starting in the US next year. This welcomed addition allows Michael to not only look back, but also take things forward into the future. On the subject of the evolution of the project, Schenker says that “Now after four years of Temple of Rock we have a few classics already. So Doogie is going to sing, and it’s great because it’s the current – Doogie was the most current thing and now he is going to be on the CD. So we have the past and the current altogether on one and of course, we are playing songs from the new album, but all of that starts next year.”
Michael hasn’t completely ruled out the option of extending this project by incorporating former members of both The Scorpions and UFO. Speaking of the 50th anniversary of his recording career Michael goes on to say that “Who knows in 2020 … maybe by then, people are more open to the idea especially Klaus [Meine], maybe to celebrate with me 50 years of recording. So that’s something that may happen and the same goes for Phil Mogg. If he wants to, he can keep his UFO and his name (laughing) I am not interested – be happy, make the most of it. But you know, if he wants to at some point to join in and perform co-written music between Phil and myself stuff like “Rock Bottom” and “Doctor Doctor” and “Let It Roll” and all that good stuff he is more than welcome. But it doesn’t need to be with UFO, it can be done just with Phil.”
Therefore, when Michael Schenker Fest hits the road across the UK, it will be both the first and last time to see the band perform live in this current format. The tour featuring original MSG vocalists Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley, will be calling in at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Nov 2), O2 Academy Sheffield (Nov 3), O2 Ritz, Manchester (Nov 4), and Hull City Hall (Nov 5). Tickets are on sale now.
Tickets – www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.michaelschenkerhimself.com
MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST “LIVE”
NOVEMBER 2017 UK TOUR
Thursday 2nd November 2017
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
O2 Priority Pre-Sale (12 noon on Friday 17th March 2017):
https://tickets.o2priority.co.uk/listings/michael-schenker-fest/44677
On general sale from 10am on Monday 20th March 2017:
www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/IEH0211M
Friday 3rd November 2017
O2 Academy Sheffield
O2 Priority (12 noon on Friday 17th March 2017):
https://tickets.o2priority.co.uk/listings/michael-schenker-fest/44676
On general sale from 10am on Monday 20th March 2017:
www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005270B87B778E
Saturday 4th November 2017
O2 Ritz, Manchester
O2 Priority Pre-Sale (12 noon on Friday 17th March 2017):
https://tickets.o2priority.co.uk/listings/michael-schenker-fest/44675
On general sale from 10am on Monday 20th March 2017:
www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005270DEE6A248
Sunday 5th November 2017
Hull City Hall, Hull
On general sale from 12 noon on Friday 17th March 2017:
www.hullboxoffice.com/events//michael-schenker-fest-featuring-original-msg-vocalists-gary-barden-graham-bonnet-and-robin-mcauley
Michael Schenker
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Photos: Emili Muraki