Michael Schenker (born 10 January 1955) is a German guitarist. He played in the rock band UFO and leads the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). He was an early member of the hard rock band

Scorpions Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...

, a band co-founded by his elder brother Rudolf Schenker. In the mid-1970s, Schenker joined UFO, playing lead and rhythm guitar. He left the band in 1978 to briefly rejoin Scorpions for the recording of '' Lovedrive'', and then to form MSG. He has rejoined UFO three times, producing an album each time. Schenker continues to perform and record. He is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists of the 1970s, and has been called "a legendary figure in the history of metal guitar."

Career

Early career and rise to fame: Scorpions and UFO

Schenker started playing guitar at nine years old. His brother Rudolf got a

Gibson Flying V The Gibson Flying V is an electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1958. The Flying V offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its siblings: the Explorer, which was released the same year, and the Moderne, which was designe ...

guitar for his birthday, which captured his imagination. His main influences were

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English musician. He rose to prominence as the guitarist of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, ...

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

, Leslie West, Johnny Winter,

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English actor, musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London and appeared in the West End, before taking a r ...

and

Rory Gallagher William Rory Gallagher ( ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as "Ireland's first rock star", he is known for his virtuosic style of guitar playing and live performances. He has sometim ...

. He played his first gig when he was 11, with Rudolf and the Scorpions in a nightclub. Schenker played with the

on their debut '' Lonesome Crow'' at the age of 16. After recording their first album, the Scorpions opened for then-up-and-coming UK band UFO in Germany. Schenker was invited to be lead guitarist for UFO (taking over from Bernie Marsden, himself a temporary replacement for

Larry Wallis Larry Wallis (19 May 1949 – 19 September 2019) was a British rock guitarist, songwriter and producer. He was best known as a member of the Pink Fairies and an early member of Motörhead. Biography Early bands In 1968, he formed a band calle ...

who had in turn taken over for the departed Mick Bolton). With Rudolf's blessing, Schenker accepted. Schenker cowrote most of the songs on UFO's major label (

Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records () is a British independent record label that was founded in 1968. The name is both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders' names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis. It started as the Ell ...

) debut ''

Phenomenon A phenomenon ( phenomena), sometimes spelled phaenomenon, is an observable Event (philosophy), event. The term came into its modern Philosophy, philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be ...

''. His career with UFO was turbulent, sometimes walking off mid-song and causing shows to be cancelled. Despite successful albums and tours, Schenker unequivocally quit UFO after their show in Palo Alto, California, on 29 October 1978. During this tour the band had recorded six concerts, from which selected tracks would make up their live album '' Strangers in the Night'', released after he left the band. "'' Phil Mogg'' later claimed that I left UFO over a disagreement about which version of 'Rock Bottom' appeared on ''Strangers''," Schenker recalled, "but don't believe everything you read." Schenker briefly rejoined Scorpions in late 1978, when they were recording '' Lovedrive''. He composed and played lead guitar on "Another Piece of Meat", "Coast To Coast" and "Lovedrive". Although it was believed for decades that those three were Schenker's only contributions to the record, during an interview with satellite radio host

Eddie Trunk Edward Scott Trunk (born August 8, 1964) is an American music historian, radio personality, talk show host, and author, best known as the host of several hard rock- and heavy metal-themed radio and television shows. Biography Trunk was born o ...

, Schenker vehemently maintained that he contributed to the whole album. In 1979, Schenker briefly toured with the band in support of the album. He blamed his very short stay on finding out he did not enjoy playing other people's songs. He was permanently replaced by Matthias Jabs, who had originally joined Scorpions before Schenker's return. Schenker auditioned for

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

in 1979 after Joe Perry left. According to Martin Huxley, Schenker stormed out of the room after producer Gary Lyons made jokes about Nazis. After the death of Randy Rhoads,

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...

's first call was to Schenker to replace Rhoads, as the German guitarist and his iconic Flying V were a huge influence on the latter. But, Osbourne claims, Schenker made too many outlandish demands (including a private jet). Schenker himself, in an interview with

KNAC KBUE (105.5 FM, "Que Buena 105.5/94.3 FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Long Beach, California, that serves the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is owned by Estrella Media and airs a Regional Mexican radio format. Studios an ...

radio, claims he was the one to say "no" to Osbourne: "If I would have joined Ozzy Osbourne, I would have screwed up my life. I was almost about to do it, and something told me: DON'T!!" Schenker has also claimed that at some point he was offered, but turned down joining the likes of

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...

Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...

, Ian Hunter and

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...

in order to focus on his solo career.

Michael Schenker Group, McAuley Schenker Group and UFO Reunion

In 1979, Schenker started a solo career by founding the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). The history of MSG is strewn with personality conflicts and incidents. In 1982, original singer Gary Barden, who sang on the first two studio albums and a live album, was fired in favour of

Graham Bonnet Graham Bonnet (born 23 December 1947) is an English rock singer. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal music, heavy metal bands including Rainbow (rock band), Rainbow, Michael Schenke ...

. Bonnet lasted one album ('' Assault Attack'') and a single gig, at Sheffield University, where he drunkenly exposed himself and was subsequently fired from the band. Barden rejoined MSG for the rest of the tour. He also appeared on the 1983 studio album ('' Built to Destroy'') and the band's second live album ('' Rock Will Never Die''). After Barden's second departure, Schenker reorganized the band around himself and new singer

Robin McAuley Robin McAuley (born 20 January 1953) is an Irish singer. He is best known as the vocalist for the rock band McAuley Schenker Group from 1986 to 1993, during which time the band released three studio albums: '' Perfect Timing'', '' Save Yoursel ...

and renamed it the McAuley Schenker Group. The new incarnation of MSG was steered toward a more commercial hard rock sound. After three albums, Schenker and McAuley parted company. In the meantime, he briefly replaced

Robbin Crosby Robbinson Lantz Crosby (August 4, 1959 – June 6, 2002) was an American guitarist who was a member of glam metal band Ratt, earning several platinum albums in the US in the 1980s. Crosby died in 2002 from a heroin overdose. Early life Crosby ...

Ratt Ratt (stylized as RATT) was an American glam metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum and multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA. ...

, appearing on their 1990

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...

performance. In 1993, Schenker rejoined UFO. He co-wrote (with Phil Mogg) nearly the whole of their reunion album, '' Walk on Water'' (1995), and toured with them briefly. He then resurrected the Michael Schenker Group with all new members and recorded three more albums, '' Written in the Sand'', '' The Unforgiven'', and '' Be Aware of Scorpions'' before rejoining UFO for two further releases, '' Covenant'' and ''

Sharks Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

''.

2000–present

Schenker fell on hard times in the early 2000s, despite his rejoining UFO that year. He later recorded the album '' Arachnophobiac'' and supported it with two years of touring. In 2004, recognition came from

Dean Guitars Dean Guitars, commonly referred to simply as Dean, is an American importer and maker of stringed instruments and musical products with its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida. Its products include solid-body electric guitars, bass gu ...

, which began producing a Schenker signature Dean V (with subtle differences from the Gibson, but with the split black and white trademark Schenker finish). 2005 was the 25th anniversary of the Michael Schenker Group. Schenker put together a new album of songs called ''Tales of Rock'n'Roll'' to celebrate the anniversary and enlisted singers from each iteration of the band to sing on the album. However, in that same year the collection '' Heavy Hitters'', a set of covers featuring Schenker and a revolving group of heavy metal all-stars, was marketed as a Michael Schenker Group album, with the result that Schenker only received a flat fee. After nearly-disastrous North American and European tours in 2007, which included cancelled shows and less-than-stellar performances caused by heavy drinking, Schenker regained his composure and toured in the UK as Michael Schenker & Friends in 2008. Early 2008, Schenker worked with Gary Barden,

Don Airey Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician. He came to prominence as the keyboardist of the rock band Rainbow during 1979–1982. He has been the keyboardist of Deep Purple, the band from which Rainbow was a spinoff, since 2 ...

, Simon Phillips, and Neil Murray on a new MSG album '' In the Midst of Beauty'', which was released in May 2008, followed by touring. In 2009 Schenker toured extensively including Russia, UK and the US with MSG including original members Gary Barden and Chris Glen. In November 2010, Schenker was given the Marshall "11" award in London along with other rock legends including

Ron Wood Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

and

Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash th ...

. The award was presented to Schenker by

Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...

, with

Tony Iommi Anthony Frank Iommi Jr. (born 19 February 1948) is an English musician. He co-founded the pioneering Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader, primary composer, and sole continuous member for over ...

and

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-born naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy", Jones is regard ...

also in attendance. The award is given to "those artists and musicians who represent rock 'n' roll excess and livin' on the edge." In 2011 Schenker released a new album, ''Temple of Rock''. It was supported with a tour of Europe, Japan and the USA. In Europe the line up included

Herman Rarebell Hermann Erbel (born 18 November 1949), known professionally as Herman Rarebell, is a German musician, best known as the drummer for the hard rock band Scorpions from 1977 to 1996, during which time he played on eight studio albums. Aside from pl ...

on drums and Francis Buchholz on bass, both former members of Scorpions (Rarebell also joined the band for the Japanese dates) and

Doogie White Douglas "Doogie" White (born 7 March 1960) is a Scottish rock vocalist who currently sings for La Paz. He has also notably sung for Rainbow (rock band), Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Ma ...

, formerly singer for

Rainbow A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...

and

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, on 30 June 1963) is a Swedish-American guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical metal, neoclassical playing style in heavy metal music, heavy metal, and has ...

. With this line-up he recorded the album ''Bridge the Gap'' which was released in 2013. In August 2012 Schenker received a Lifetime Achievement in Rock and Roll Award from '' Vegas Rocks! Magazine.'' The award was presented by

David Coverdale David Coverdale (born 22 September 1951) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the founder and lead singer of the hard rock band Whitesnake. Coverdale was also the lead singer of Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976; he has had a solo car ...

Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...

. During the award ceremony Schenker performed with

Sammy Hagar Sam Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose before launching a ...

of Chickenfoot, Montrose and

Van Halen Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Credited with restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene, Van Halen was known for their energetic live performances and the virtuosity of their guit ...

. In 2016, Schenker toured Japan under the name of "The Michael Schenker Fest" featuring current and former singers: Doogie White, Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley, bassist Chris Glen, drummer Ted MacKenna and keyboardist/guitarist Steve Mann, releasing one live album "Fest: Live Tokyo International Forum Hall" (2Cd/Dvd) following two more albums, Revelation (2018) and Resurrection (2019). This lineup disbanded after the loss of the drummer Ted Mackenna in January that year. In 2021, Schenker announced the return to the MSG brand, releasing "Immortal" with some of former MSG/ Fest members: singers Michael Voss, Doogie White, Robin MacAuley and Gary Barden, bassist Barry Sparks, guitarist Steve Mann and drummer Bodo Schopp along with special guests: former Rainbow singers Joe Lynn Turner and Ronnie Romero, longtime collaborators Simon Phillips and Brian Tichy on drums. The following year MSG released the album "Universal" featuring a new steady lineup with Mann, Schopp, Romero and bassist Barry Sparks. And as usual some special guest such as vocalists Ralph Scheepers (Primal Fear) and Michael Kiske (Helloween), former Rainbow members, keyboardist Tony Carey, drummer Bobby Rondinelli and bassist Bob Daisley. In July 2022 Dutch bassist Barend Corbois (ex-Blind Guardian) was announced as the new touring bass player. Schenker released an album of UFO cover songs from his initial tenure with that band, titled ''My Years with UFO'', on September 20, 2024. The album includes contributions by

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...

members

Axl Rose W. Axl Rose ( ; born William Bruce Rose Jr., February 6, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and has been the band's sole constant member since its inception in ...

and

, Biff Byford of

Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

, former

and

frontman

Joe Lynn Turner Joe Lynn Turner (born Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito, August 2, 1951) is an American singer best known for his work with Rainbow (rock band), Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Turner joined Rainbow (rock band), Rainbow in the early 1980 ...

Stephen Pearcy Stephen Eric Pearcy (born July 3, 1956) is an American musician who is the founder, singer, songwriter of the heavy metal band Ratt. He has also created the bands Firedome, Crystal Pystal, Arcade, Vicious Delite, and Vertex. He has also reco ...

, Carmine Appice, among others. Schenker also plans to release a pair of new albums in 2025 and 2026.

Instruments and sound

Schenker's main guitar for most of his career was a

, which he typically played through a "cocked"

wah-wah pedal A wah-wah pedal, or simply wah pedal, is a type of effects pedal designed for electric guitar that alters the timbre of the input signal to create a distinctive sound, mimicking the human voice saying the onomatopoeic name "wah-wah". The peda ...

(switched on but left in a single position, around halfway through the travel of the foot pedal, and used as an equaliser to strengthen the midrange "sweet spot") and Marshall amplifiers. Schenker's "unmistakable midrange tone" was emphasised by the partially engaged wah pedal, as exemplified on the song "Rock Bottom" from the live UFO album ''Strangers in the Night'', was listed among the 50 greatest tones of all time by ''

Guitar Player ''Guitar Player'' was an American magazine for guitarists, founded in 1967 in San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francis ...

'' magazine. Since 2004, Schenker has switched to using a signature model Dean V. In 2007 Dean Guitars, after producing Schenker's signature Dean V, also made two acoustic models with the familiar black and white "V" design.

Awards and recognition

* Placed on ''

Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists and fans of guitar-based music and trends. The magazine has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original a ...

'' magazine's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists. *In 2010 Schenker was given the Marshall "11" award. *Schenker accepted his "Rock Guitar Legend" award at the Vegas Rocks! Magazine Music Awards 2012. *On 16 June 2014, Schenker was honored the Golden God Icon Award at the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards at the IndiO2 in London.

Influence

Schenker has been on the covers of many guitar magazines and has influenced many notable guitar players, including Kirk Hammett and

James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his raspy voice and intricate rhythm playi ...

(

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

Dave Mustaine David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the thrash metal band Megadeth and for his time as the lead guitarist of Met ...

and

Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962) is an American guitarist, best known for his tenure as the lead guitarist of thrash metal band Megadeth from 1990 to 2000. He is also known for playing alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony from 1986 until 1989, as well ...

(

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal—alo ...

Dimebag Darrell Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), known professionally as Dimebag Darrell, was an American musician. He was the guitarist of the heavy metal music, heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, both of which he co-founde ...

(

Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...

), Alex Skolnick and

Eric Peterson Eric Neal Peterson (born October 2, 1946) is a Canadian stage, television, and film actor, known for his roles in three major Canadian television series – '' Street Legal'' (1987–1994), '' Corner Gas'' (live-action 2004–2009 and fi ...

(

Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...

Mike McCready Michael David McCready (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician known for being a founding member and lead guitarist of Pearl Jam. McCready was also a member of the side project bands Flight to Mars, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season (band), Ma ...

(

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...

), Gary Holt ( Exodus), Rob Cavestany (

Death Angel Death Angel is an American thrash metal band from Daly City, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. They have released nine studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and three live albums. The band has gone thr ...

), Adrian Smith (

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

, John Norum (

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

Paul Gilbert Paul Brandon Gilbert (born November 6, 1966) is an American hard rock and heavy metal music, heavy metal guitarist. He is the co-founder of the band Mr. Big (American band), Mr. Big, and was also a member of Racer X (band), Racer X, with whom he ...

, Randy Rhoads, George Lynch (

Dokken Dokken is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. It split up in 1989 and reformed four years later. The band has had several hit singles which charted on the Billboard Hot 100, such as " Alone Again", " In My Dreams", and ...

Warren DeMartini Warren Justin DeMartini (born April 10, 1963) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for glam metal band Ratt, which achieved international stardom in the 1980s. Early life DeMartini was born on April 10, 1963, in Chicago, ...

(

John Petrucci John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with Mike Portnoy before Portnoy's absence from the band 2010-2023 ...

(

Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band comprises John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Portnoy (drums), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards). Dream Theat ...

), Michael Amott (

Arch Enemy Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a Supergroup (music), supergroup from Halmstad, formed in 1995. Its members were in bands such as Carcass (band), Carcass, Armageddon (Swedish band), Armageddon, Carnage (band), Carna ...

), Dan Spitz (

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...

Criss Oliva Christopher Michael Oliva (April 3, 1963 – October 17, 1993) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Savatage. During his lifetime, he released seven studio albums and one EP with the band. ...

(

Savatage Savatage () is an American heavy metal band founded by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1979 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The band was first called Avatar, but, shortly before the release of their debut album '' Sirens'' (1983), they changed t ...

), Jeff Waters ( Annihilator), Phil Campbell (

), Kerry King (

Slayer Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...

), and

Syu is a Japanese musician, best known as the leader and guitarist of the power metal band Galneryus. He also performs guitar and lead vocals in Spinalcord (formerly known as Aushvitz) and was formerly a member of Animetal. Under his own name, Syu ha ...

( Galneryus).

Michael Schenker Group band members

Current members *Michael Schenker – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals *

– lead vocals *Bodo Schopf – drums * Steve Mann – keyboards, rhythm and occasional lead guitar, backing vocals *Barend Courbois – bass, backing vocals

Discography

Other Schenker projects

*'' Look at Me Now'' (Bernie Marsden Album) (1981) as guest *'' Legends of Rock at Castle Donington'' (2001, Live) *''Siggi Schwarz & The Electric Guitar Legends'' (2004) *''Siggi Schwarz & The Rock Legends'' (2005) *'' Heavy Metal Thunder'' (2005) *'' Numbers from the Beast'' (2005) *''Agony & The Xtasy ( Gary Barden Solo Album)'' (2006) *''Siggi Schwarz and Michael Schenker – Live Together'' (2004, Live) *''Siggi Schwarz and Michael Schenker – Live Together - The Bonus Edition'' (2004, Liv

*'' We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year, Metal X-Mas (two-CD Special Edition)'' (2010) *''Strangers in the Night'' (2010) *'' Seeking Major Tom'' (2011)

Compilations

* ''The Essential Michael Schenker Group'' (''Best Of''-style compilation, 1992) * ''The Story of Michael Schenker'' (1994, Compilation) * '' Armed & ready – the best of the Michael Schenker Group '' (1994, Music Collection International) * ''The Michael Schenker Story Live'' (1994): see also The Michael Schenker Story Live, the audio recording. * ''Forever And More: The Best of Michael Schenker'' (2003) * ''Guitar Master - The Kulick Sessions'' (200
2
* ''Guitar Master'' (200

* ''Greatest Riffs'' (2009, US-only compilation) * ''Instrumental Intensity'' (2010,

Shrapnel Records Shrapnel Records is an American record label group founded by record producer Mike Varney. The group principally uses the ''Shrapnel Records'' record label, a guitar-oriented label which features shred guitar, hard rock, metal and progressive ...

compilation) * ''Blood Of The Sun'' (201

References

External links

* * *
2015 Michael Schenker Interview on Guitar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schenker, Michael 1955 births Living people People from Sarstedt German Christians German rock guitarists German male guitarists German heavy metal guitarists German lead guitarists Slide guitarists Scorpions (band) members UFO (band) members Michael Schenker Group members McAuley Schenker Group members Ratt members G3 (tour) Contraband (band) members