Michael Schenker

[Tone Slinger]

'Force It' is my fav UFO album all around. They played MORE tracks from it on 'Strangers In The Night' than any other, so I guess the band agree's with me . If only Ron Nevison had recorded it.

'Obsession' has the BEST lead guitar tone that I've ever heard. Michael was using a particular 50 watt top, it seems, that just had 'IT'. Listen to the live '77 stuff from the Roundhouse in London. There are 3 video's from this show, 'Lights Out', 'Let It Roll' and 'Too Hot To Handle'. Michael seems to be getting the same tone (minus all the plate reverb) that he got on 'Obsession'. Back then, I guess guy's didnt think too much about stuff, either giving up on an amp in need of repair, or just 'getting rid' of stuff due to vintage. Had Schenker continued to have gotten those late '70's era UFO tones, his solo career may have blossomed more. Gear IS VERY IMPORTANT. We know that now.

"Strangers In The Night" is awesome, but the tone was a touch more mid middy, whereas he got a brighter upper mid previously. Michael was using new '78 1987 50 watt tops on that tour, though the two TOTAL studio tracks (Mother Mary and This Kids) seem to have a slightly different tone.

[Did J]

Hey Tone Slinger, have heard this one http://rockantology.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... .html#more" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'm big fan too, my favorite is Venus

Did J

[awangotango]

NO HEAVY PETTIN is my fav album.

The solos from 'on with action' and 'i'm a loser' . I refer to the technique he uses on these 2 as the 3-finger-death-roll. If you ever learn them, you'd see why !

[Tone Slinger]

Yeah, I like that type lick as well. Using that blue note as the last fretted note on the g string, while fretting the b string next, in a constant rolling fashion. I think Michael was the first I heard play that riff. Adrian Smith seemed to have picked that one up as well as LOTS of others.

I have heard that Michael used a Les Paul on 'No Heavy Pettin' ? That album sure has a very chunky tone for sure. 'On With The Action' and 'Reasons Love' have my fav. Schenker solo's from that album. I love the SONG 'I'm A Loser' best though. Phil Moggs vocal was excellent. Love the build up vocally at the first "The Pain And Lies They All hand You, I'm A Loser etc, etc.

Great stuff.

[Capt Vemo]

Yeah I have to say that Michael is my favorite guitar player. I especially love the old UFO stuff I wish I could find more of the old songs in tab form. So many I want to learn especially the ones that made it on the SITN album.

[Tone Slinger]

So, what song do you want tabbed ?

Back in my teens I had a transcription (tablature) of 'Rock Bottom' off of 'SITN'. I got alot of my ideas from that solo.

Nowadays I can pretty much pick all of it out by ear, but the actual TONE and FEEL of old Schenker isnt as easy as that though.

[Capt Vemo]

Hi tone slinger basicly the solos to This Kid, Shoot Shoot, and Mother Mary. I found the tab for the rythm parts online but those 3 songs for some reason nobody tabed out the solos. I got complete tabs for alot of Schenker and UFO songs but those 3 I unfortunatly dont.

[Talpa]

but some cat has the 2nd MM solo down in spades..i watch it just for inspiration, found it a couple years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAqmOygSjkk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

that is sick my brothers - like i posted there, an important solo at the time..u had to have been there in that particular timeline

[bdc]

I just saw MSG a couple weeks ago and Michael was amazing- at the top of his game....Robin McCauley is singing but the music was about half UFO half early MSG with a couple Scorp tunes thrown in......I wasn't a McCauley/Shenker fan but Robin has a strong voice and did an amazing job on the Barden and Mogg stuff.....Barden constantly struggles with his voice these days....As evedence by boots and the 30th anniversary show I attended. I highly reccomend seeing one of these shows.

[wntbtw]

Check this out--great playing by him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a_pQtOkCUM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tone Slinger]

Thanks for that vid ! He just wrings that amazing brown midrangy tone right out of that guitar.

bdc, Schenker just never plays North Carolina. I will be 41 the 11th of this month, and has NEVER seen Schenker live yet. I have seen or met EVERYBODY that has been a main influence over the years. I just met Ace Frehley a week ago at a convention (I asked him which Les Paul he used to record the 'Calling Dr. Love' solo with, he said "That was 35 years ago, I dont remember") He was cool to me and my oldest son.

I have yet to see or meet the guy's in UFO (Mogg, Way, Parker, Raymond) Scorpions (R. Schenker, Klaus Meine, Francis Bucholz, Herman Rarebell, Matthias Jabs) and Uli Jon Roth. Those guy's, along with Michael Schenker are about all that is left for me to see or meet.

Oh yeah, Michael will be on an upcoming 'That Metal Show' episode as a guest guitarist. It has already been taped.

[Tone Slinger]

I loved seeing Michael recieving props from 'That Metal Show'. He was the guest guitarist on two shows (Adrian Smith taping, and Lemmy taping), as well as the most recent guest. He gave Eddie Trunk a Dean 'Michael Schenker flying v'. He , himself, was playing a real cool looking custom Dean V. Had one of his JCM 800 2205's right there with him. There was some interesting current facts going on, like Michael saying how he, Pete Way, Hermann Rarebell and Phil Mogg, all live down the street from one another at an English beach town, but none realized it at first,

Michael even was a bit more of a 'showman' on these tapings, holding the guitar up over his head wailing on some fast legato licks. I Always love his tone/s.

[bdc]

Schenker used the Wha on ONLY these tracks off of 'Strangers', The solo in ' This Kids' (which wasnt live at all) 'Lights Out' and the LAST part in the 'Rock Bottom' extended solo, after the real fast solo part. Thats it !

I got into UFO in 1982 after going to a show that year not knowing the band and it's music. I went to the show based upon hear say of their reputation as a live bad, and I was certainly not dissapointed. After this I had heard about Schenker and went out and bought Strangers in the night, and at the time it was noted among myself and friends how awesome and mistake free Schenkers playing was. All these years later I always thought it to be a true live album....Next time I listen, I'll be listening for edits....any light to shed on this?

[bdc]

Thanks for that vid ! He just wrings that amazing brown midrangy tone right out of that guitar.

bdc, Schenker just never plays North Carolina. I will be 41 the 11th of this month, and has NEVER seen Schenker live yet. I have seen or met EVERYBODY that has been a main influence over the years. I just met Ace Frehley a week ago at a convention (I asked him which Les Paul he used to record the 'Calling Dr. Love' solo with, he said "That was 35 years ago, I dont remember") He was cool to me and my oldest son.

I have yet to see or meet the guy's in UFO (Mogg, Way, Parker, Raymond) Scorpions (R. Schenker, Klaus Meine, Francis Bucholz, Herman Rarebell, Matthias Jabs) and Uli Jon Roth. Those guy's, along with Michael Schenker are about all that is left for me to see or meet.

Oh yeah, Michael will be on an upcoming 'That Metal Show' episode as a guest guitarist. It has already been taped.

Theres a good Video out there of the 2-24-2012 Corona Ca. show at dime. I've briefly met a couple of my heros, Mineketti/Uli Roth... but not much more than hello/goodbye...I like to take my time and chat so I don't get much out of the brief meetings...Michael offers packages where you can spend a little time backstage with him for a little extra $...I passed because there were just too many people lined up for it....That and I was busy reliving the great show in my mind...

Cool bro--your range in taste.....I like everything from the Beatles to Mahavishnu Orc to Nirvana....but I havn't found a lot to like in big new name artists in the last ten years....Kind of sick of baritone and cookie monster voices - high gain guitars

[Tone Slinger]

Yeah, I agree, not much to like over the past 20 yrs.

As far as 'Strangers In the Night' being a 100% live record, well that just isnt the case. Paul Chapman (who played with UFO along with Michael briefly in '74, as well as 'filling in' some on tour in '77, then ultimately replacing Schenker in late '78), stated online back in 2000 or 2001, that 'This Kids' and 'Mother Mary' were both done via mobile recording unit. He said they were not live. He also said that he himself did a couple of bass guitar 'touch ups' for Pete Way. He said all the guitar was 100 % Michael. Chapman said that other than that, the album was 'pretty much' live.

This 'Pretty Much' statement sums it up, cause this implies that MAYBE other parts were fixed. The 'Rock Bottom' version on there has been rereleased with alternate solo parts. This would imply that maybe some of it was 'fixed' after the fact by Michael ? You can pull it up on Youtube.

I think that 'Strangers In The Night' was pretty much 'done' by the time Michael decided to quit. In other words, any GUITAR overdubs were completed. Obviously Chapman joined before the album was released, which is why he said he fixed a bass part, but no guitar.