Yeah - it was a bit ike when Cozy Powell replaced Carl Palmer in ELP, the suspicion that the main reason he got the job was because his surname began with the right letter.
I saw MSG in concert prior to Bonnet's arrival, and it was a wild night. My top, which I'd tied round my waist, was torn off and thrown onto Paul Raymond's keyboard. I never saw it again. I take issue with your withering assessment of MSG: for me, that first album can compete with plenty of releases from their more famous peers. And Schenker is an ace guitarist of his type. All that aside, how fabulous to fire up the laptop and find yet another curious story from the hazy days of the 80s. Good job.
Obviously, my take on the band is a personal one - the albums didn't speak to me and while I might have been a BIT harsh about the live show, my abiding memory was of multiple solos that halted momentum and general disappointment from all of us, including the kid who was the big fan. But it might have just been an off night - I've seen plenty of bands I love and who were usually great live deliver a lacklustre show.
*Note* edited for context and clarity. I liked the first album by MSG. I was in high school in Los Angeles and had been a Scorpions and UFO fan for many years and as you called it "a vanity project" by Michael was highly anticipated by fans and rightly so. Michael really deserved more recognition in the U.S. beyond the music geeks and metal nerds. MTV had been on air for about a year or so and hadn't really made its rotation to include metal yet. And with the decline in '70s rock and the rise of new wave and punk, for those of us in LA, the metal scene had become a parody of itself in a sense. Out were the bell bottom jeans and hair down your back and In was Spandex and hair that went up with cans of Aquanet and makeup, or the Gay biker leather look was the other choice. The Sunset Strip looked like a circus or Halloween every night. I think the industry was trying to figure out where rock and metal were going and at the top of the labels they were seeing blood in the water and were not jumping in with both feet until they saw which direction the kids were going and then they'd push the market in that direction. We all know now where rock and metal found firm ground and made its way back with bands like Hanoi Rocks, Motley Crue, Ozzy's solo projects, etc... and the Glam Metal scene was king at that time. Then there was the leather studed speed metal of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Saxon, etc... and Judas Priest regaining momentum. Some of the regular rock bands were still hanging in there with Van Halen, Rush, Journey, Eddie Money, ZZ Top, Springsteen, Molly Hatchet, still holding court in the mainstream radio friendly rock scene. MSG got lost in the transition of rock music of the early '80s and Michael couldn't sell records or keep a cohesive band together. It's a shame because his talent was incredible. IMO, he should have gone back and played full-time with Scorpions. But they didn't need him. They were selling millions of albums without him at that time.
@joemiller9931 ---- I had to re read my comment. It kinda seems like I may have but it was not how it can be read. I said the Glam Metal scene was king with the speed metal scene building up and revitalizing Judas Priest etc.... I wasn't quoting myself just now either. Maybe I will make an edit or maybe not. LOL
Stopping the gig for a guitar solo is fine (or at least was in 1983); if you are a big guitar hero, maybe doing it twice is acceptable. More than that, and it feels like self-indulgence. Even Blackmore managed to work his additional solos into a jam of sorts.
When Robin McAuley was the vocalist for MSG the abreviation also stood for McAuley Schenker Group.
Yeah - it was a bit ike when Cozy Powell replaced Carl Palmer in ELP, the suspicion that the main reason he got the job was because his surname began with the right letter.
I saw msg live at 5th golden summernight in west germany in '82
The picture @ 4:49 is the most metal I have ever seen.
Assault Attack is a great album
I'll admit that I haven't heard it since 1983. My opinion of it may have softened over the years.
@overlookedhotel It's a gem in my book except for the one hit Dancer. That song is weak but the rest of the album is strong
HA!
"Waving his critter around" is just a regular show for a weird-o like Iggy Pop.
Tough break?
I always found Graham one of the very best ever in hard rock,singer or vocals he still is incredible. 😊
I saw MSG in concert prior to Bonnet's arrival, and it was a wild night. My top, which I'd tied round my waist, was torn off and thrown onto Paul Raymond's keyboard. I never saw it again.
I take issue with your withering assessment of MSG: for me, that first album can compete with plenty of releases from their more famous peers. And Schenker is an ace guitarist of his type. All that aside, how fabulous to fire up the laptop and find yet another curious story from the hazy days of the 80s. Good job.
Obviously, my take on the band is a personal one - the albums didn't speak to me and while I might have been a BIT harsh about the live show, my abiding memory was of multiple solos that halted momentum and general disappointment from all of us, including the kid who was the big fan. But it might have just been an off night - I've seen plenty of bands I love and who were usually great live deliver a lacklustre show.
*Note* edited for context and clarity.
I liked the first album by MSG. I was in high school in Los Angeles and had been a Scorpions and UFO fan for many years and as you called it "a vanity project" by Michael was highly anticipated by fans and rightly so.
Michael really deserved more recognition in the U.S. beyond the music geeks and metal nerds.
MTV had been on air for about a year or so and hadn't really made its rotation to include metal yet. And with the decline in '70s rock and the rise of new wave and punk, for those of us in LA, the metal scene had become a parody of itself in a sense. Out were the bell bottom jeans and hair down your back and In was Spandex and hair that went up with cans of Aquanet and makeup, or the Gay biker leather look was the other choice. The Sunset Strip looked like a circus or Halloween every night.
I think the industry was trying to figure out where rock and metal were going and at the top of the labels they were seeing blood in the water and were not jumping in with both feet until they saw which direction the kids were going and then they'd push the market in that direction.
We all know now where rock and metal found firm ground and made its way back with bands like Hanoi Rocks, Motley Crue, Ozzy's solo projects, etc... and the Glam Metal scene was king at that time. Then there was the leather studed speed metal of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Saxon, etc... and Judas Priest regaining momentum. Some of the regular rock bands were still hanging in there with Van Halen, Rush, Journey, Eddie Money, ZZ Top, Springsteen, Molly Hatchet, still holding court in the mainstream radio friendly rock scene.
MSG got lost in the transition of rock music of the early '80s and Michael couldn't sell records or keep a cohesive band together.
It's a shame because his talent was incredible.
IMO, he should have gone back and played full-time with Scorpions. But they didn't need him. They were selling millions of albums without him at that time.
Did you call Metallica, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Saxon, and Judas Priest glam metal???
@joemiller9931 ---- Hahahaha, No. They weren't included in that genre. That was reserved for Hanoi Rocks, Motley Crue, etc...
@joemiller9931 ---- I had to re read my comment. It kinda seems like I may have but it was not how it can be read. I said the Glam Metal scene was king with the speed metal scene building up and revitalizing Judas Priest etc....
I wasn't quoting myself just now either.
Maybe I will make an edit or maybe not. LOL
Never heard of the guy.🤣
Barden was the voice of MSG imo. Disturbing the peace was the best thing Bonnet ever did
When he was in Rainbow .He looked like a refugee from Saturday Night Fever. Not like a rocker at all.
Gary was a good singer too both had the talent
😂😂😂..... Excellent
hell of a voice. this makes me laugh though.
Yeah, MSG would have been a lot better without those tiresome guitar solos. Laugh out loud.
Stopping the gig for a guitar solo is fine (or at least was in 1983); if you are a big guitar hero, maybe doing it twice is acceptable. More than that, and it feels like self-indulgence. Even Blackmore managed to work his additional solos into a jam of sorts.