Michael Schenker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Schenker
Schenker in 2015
Background information
Born	(1955-01-10) 10 January 1955 (age 70) Sarstedt, West Germany
Genres	Hard rock heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Guitarist
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Nuclear Blast

Michael Schenker (born January 10, 1955) is a famous German guitarist. He played in the rock band UFO and also leads his own band, the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). He was one of the first members of the hard rock band Scorpions. His older brother, Rudolf Schenker, helped start the Scorpions.

In the mid-1970s, Michael joined UFO as their lead and rhythm guitarist. He left UFO in 1978 to briefly rejoin the Scorpions. He helped record their album Lovedrive. After that, he formed his own band, MSG. Michael has returned to UFO three times, making a new album each time. He still performs and records music today. Many people see him as one of the most important guitarists from the 1970s. He is known as a "legendary figure in the history of metal guitar."

Michael Schenker's Music Journey

Starting Out: Scorpions and UFO

Michael Schenker began playing guitar when he was nine years old. His brother Rudolf received a Gibson Flying V guitar for his birthday. This guitar really caught Michael's eye. He was inspired by guitarists like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.

Michael played his first concert at age 11. He performed with Rudolf and the Scorpions in a nightclub. At 16, Michael played with the Scorpions on their first album, Lonesome Crow.

After their first album, the Scorpions opened for the UK band UFO. UFO then asked Michael to be their lead guitarist. With his brother Rudolf's support, Michael joined UFO.

Michael helped write many songs for UFO's first major album, Phenomenon. His time with UFO was sometimes difficult. Despite making successful albums and touring, Michael left UFO after a show in California in 1978. The band recorded six concerts during this tour. These recordings became their live album Strangers in the Night. This album was released after Michael left.

Michael briefly rejoined the Scorpions in late 1978. They were recording their album Lovedrive. He wrote and played lead guitar on several songs, including "Another Piece of Meat" and "Coast to Coast." Michael toured with the Scorpions in 1979. He soon realized he didn't enjoy playing other people's songs. He was then replaced by Matthias Jabs.

Michael was also asked to join other famous bands. He auditioned for Aerosmith in 1979. After Randy Rhoads passed away, Ozzy Osbourne asked Michael to join his band. Michael decided not to join these groups. He wanted to focus on his own music career. He also turned down offers from bands like Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy.

Michael Schenker Group and UFO Reunions

Schenker in 1981

In 1979, Michael Schenker started his own band, the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). The band's history had some challenges. In 1982, the first singer, Gary Barden, left the band. Graham Bonnet became the new singer for one album, Assault Attack. Gary Barden later rejoined MSG for tours and another album, Built to Destroy.

After Gary Barden left again, Michael changed the band's name to the McAuley Schenker Group. This new version of MSG had a more commercial hard rock sound. They released three albums: Perfect Timing (1987), Save Yourself (1989), and M.S.G. (1991). After these albums, Michael and singer Robin McAuley went their separate ways.

In 1993, Michael rejoined UFO. He helped write almost all the songs on their reunion album, Walk on Water (1995). He also toured with them for a short time.

He then brought back the Michael Schenker Group with new members. They recorded three more albums: Written in the Sand (1996), The Unforgiven (1999), and Be Aware of Scorpions (2001). After this, he rejoined UFO two more times for albums like Covenant (2000) and Sharks (2002).

Michael Schenker's Recent Work

Michael Schenker officially left UFO for good in 2003. He then released his album Arachnophobiac. He toured for two years to support this album. In 2004, Dean Guitars started making a special "Schenker signature" guitar. It looked like his famous black and white "V" guitar.

In 2005, the Michael Schenker Group celebrated its 25th anniversary. Michael created a new album called Tales of Rock'n'Roll. He invited singers from different periods of the band to sing on it.

After some difficult tours in 2007, Michael got back on track. He toured the UK in 2008 as Michael Schenker & Friends. In early 2008, he worked with Gary Barden, Don Airey, and others on a new MSG album, In the Midst of Beauty. This album was released in May 2008, followed by more touring.

In 2009, Michael Schenker toured a lot. He visited Russia, the UK, and the US with MSG. Original members Gary Barden and Chris Glen joined him.

In November 2010, Michael received the Marshall "11" award in London. This award honors artists who represent rock 'n' roll. Alice Cooper presented the award to him. Other rock legends like Jimmy Page and Slash were also there.

In 2011, Michael released a new album called Temple of Rock. He toured Europe, Japan, and the USA to support it. The band included former Scorpions members Herman Rarebell and Francis Buchholz. They also had Doogie White, who used to sing for Rainbow. With this group, he recorded the album Bridge the Gap, released in 2013.

In August 2012, Michael received a Lifetime Achievement in Rock and Roll Award. This award was from Vegas Rocks! Magazine. David Coverdale from Whitesnake presented the award. Michael performed with Sammy Hagar at the ceremony.

In 2016, Michael toured Japan with "The Michael Schenker Fest." This show featured current and past singers like Doogie White, Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, and Robin McAuley. They released a live album from this tour. They also released two more albums, Resurrection (2018) and Revelation (2019).

In 2021, Michael announced the return of the MSG band name. They released "Immortal" with many former MSG and Fest members. This included singers Michael Voss, Doogie White, Robin MacAuley, and Gary Barden. The next year, MSG released the album "Universal." This album featured a new steady lineup. It also had special guests like vocalists Ralph Scheepers and Michael Kiske.

Michael Schenker released an album of UFO cover songs on September 20, 2024. It is called My Years with UFO. This album includes contributions from famous musicians like Axl Rose and Slash from Guns N' Roses. He also plans to release new albums in 2025 and 2026.

Michael Schenker's Guitars and Sound

Schenker in 2022

For most of his career, Michael Schenker's main guitar was a Gibson Flying V. He often played it through a "cocked" wah-wah pedal. This means the pedal was turned on but left in one position. It helped make his guitar sound stronger in the middle range. He also used Marshall amplifiers.

His unique sound, especially with the wah pedal, is famous. The song "Rock Bottom" from the UFO live album Strangers in the Night shows this sound well. Guitar Player magazine listed his tone as one of the 50 greatest of all time. Since 2004, Michael has used a special Dean V guitar made just for him.

In 2007, Dean Guitars also made two acoustic guitars. They had his well-known black and white "V" design.

Awards and Special Recognition

• Michael Schenker was listed in Guitar World magazine's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists.
• In 2010, he received the Marshall "11" award.
• In 2012, he accepted the "Rock Guitar Legend" award at the Vegas Rocks! Magazine Music Awards.
• On June 16, 2014, Michael was honored with the Golden God Icon Award. This was at the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards in London.

How Michael Schenker Influenced Others

Michael Schenker has been on the covers of many guitar magazines. He has inspired many famous guitar players. Some of these include:

• Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield from Metallica
• Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman from Megadeth
• Dimebag Darrell from Pantera
• Alex Skolnick from Testament
• Mike McCready from Pearl Jam
• Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden
• Slash
• Randy Rhoads
• John Petrucci from Dream Theater
• Kerry King from Slayer

Michael Schenker Group Members

Current members

• Michael Schenker – lead guitar, backing vocals (1979–1984, 1986–1993, 1996–present)
• Steve Mann – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1986–1987, 1988–1991, 2016–present)
• Bodo Schopf – drums (1986–1987, 1988–1991, 2007–2008, 2019–present)
• Barend Courbois – bass, backing vocals (2021–present)
• Erik Grönwall – lead vocals (2025–present)

Michael Schenker's Albums

Here are some of the albums Michael Schenker has been a part of:

Images for kids

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  Schenker in 2015

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  Schenker in 1981

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  Schenker in 2022

See also

In Spanish: Michael Schenker para niños