MICHAEL SCHENKER THE MAD AXEMAN ATTACKED AGAIN IN 2010

 

MICHAEL SCHENKER is one of the great hard rock guitarists, besides EDWARD VAN HALEN nobody in the early 80`s come close to equalling the heroics of the german born virtuoso. 

Following a critically acclaimed tenure in the UK band UFO which ended just as that band released the definitive live double STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT, which happens to be one of the greatest hard rock headbanging boogie album of the 70`s, he formed his own band under the title of MSG, an acronym for MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. 

The first two albums, titled THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (1980) and MSG (1981) are still the best to this day, with classic heavy rock guitar courtesy of Schenker on both being equally inventive and entertaining. GARY BARDEN was the original lead singer in MSG, but it's up in the air who drummed, played bass and played keyboards in MSG at any one time during the early 80`s, or for that matter, from then until now. 

MICHAEL SCHENKER has a reputation for being a difficult crout who's hard to work with, I think he's proven that if you consider all the bandmates who have come and gone out of MSG between 1980 and 2012. He's gone through more lead singers than RON JEREMY has women. 

For this 30th anniversary concert in 2010, I am not sure who the lead singer is here, but an ageing but still dazzling Michael Schenker is in stellar form, backed up perfectly by newcomer drummer SIMON PHILIPS, who just so happened to replace the legendary JEFF PORCARO in AOR band TOTO following his shock death in 1992. 

The first two MSG albums threw up some great songs, such as ARMED AND READY, VICTIM OF ILLUSION, INTO THE ARENA, READY TO ROCK, ON AND ON and this soft metal blockbuster shredder - ATTACK OF THE MAD AXEMAN. 

Thirty years after recording it, Schenker proved just what a crazy german he still is whenever he has a guitar in his hands.