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Check the exclusive video showing this LP for sale

Check the exclusive video showing this LP for sale

The first Michael Schenker Group line-up had all the big names you could ask for: ex-Montrose drummer Denny Carmassi, future Mr Big bassist Billy Sheehan, drummer Simon Phillips (from Jeff Beck’s band) and legendary session bassist Mo Foster plus current Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey. The album itself was produced by Rainbow’s Roger Glover, after Schenker turned down Mutt Lange. Tough yet anthemic rock songs like Armed & Ready, Victim Of Illusion and the epic Lost Horizons made the album a Top 20 success in the UK. During the making of it, Michael buckled under problems with alcohol and drugs. “I hospitalised myself,” Michael explained. “I’d been taking tablets for stage fright – the same ones that killed Keith Moon – and they were highly addictive. It was a tough withdrawal.” Myriad personnel changes and self-inflicted damage would ensure meant that they never bettered this debut calling card, and MSG had already reached their commercial peak in Britain.

THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP: S/T
Mega classic album. Signed. The first L.P that features classics like Armed And Ready, Into The Arena, and blistering guitar playing. Simon Philips (the God of drums), Gary Burden(vocals, later with Stormtrooper, Praying Mantis), Don Airey (keyboards mastermind), Mo Foster (bass)

Released: August 1980
Recorded: Wessex Studios, London, May – July 1980
Genre: Hard rock, heavy metal
Length: 39:28
Label: Chrysalis CHE 1302

Made #1 on KTUH charts on the week of September 29, 1980.
The song “”Armed and Ready”” is featured in the video game Guitar Hero: Metallica.

Video review of the LP:

hipgnosis cover

Track listing:
Side one
“”Armed and Ready“” – 4:05
“”Cry for the Nations”” – 5:08
“”Victim of Illusion”” – 4:41
“”Bijou Pleasurette”” (Schenker) – 2:16
“”Feels Like a Good Thing“” – 3:44
Side two
“”Into the Arena“” (Schenker) – 4:10
“”Looking Out from Nowhere“” – 4:28
“”Tales of Mystery”” – 3:16
“”Lost Horizons“” – 7:04
All songs written by Michael Schenker and Gary Barden unless otherwise noted.

Michael Schenker Group:
Michael Schenker – guitar
Gary Barden – vocals
Session musicians:
Don Airey – keyboards
Mo Foster – bass
Simon Phillips – drums
Production:
Roger Glover – producer

Michael Schenker es uno de los grandes guitarras del rock de nuestros dins, uno de esas artistas influenciales y magistrales en su instrumento Iniciado en las filas del grupo Scorpions, su posterior paso a UFO le convirtió en uno de los músicos más caracteristicos y personales del rock de nuestro continente. Y es ahora, en solitario yal frente de au banda, cuando michael Schenker ofrece su faceta más genuina mente creativa y espectacular. La música de Michael Schenker es en estos momen tos exclusivamente suya, y no compartida con otros compañeros.
Su primer single en España, al igual que en los mercados internacionales, en esto “Armed And Ready” de fuerza impresionante y de vigor poderoso. “Armed And Ready” as un rock a la antigua usanza británica, con la guitarra del solista llevando todo el tema y abriendo el camino de la labor vocal. Y con esta canción, las posibi lidades de Schenker en solitario se confirman y se asientan. Estamos ante un artis ta que ha bebido en todas las fuentes posibles del rock y que ja puede hacer la música que a él le guata y a la que todos esperábamos desde hace mucho tiempo.
Michael Schenker es la nueva estrella del rock mundial. Su voz y su guitarra son los poderes que exhibe. Y bien es cierto que lo hace con sobrados méritos en este “Armed And Ready” que va a ser su primer impacto en España, al igual que lo es tá siendo de los Pirineos para arriba.