Everyone knows when Iron Maiden are due to take the stage, as the song played through the PA immediately before they do so is “Doctor Doctor” by UFO, taken from one of the most important live albums of all time, ‘Strangers In The Night’. Everyone into rock and metal at school had that album, and from there I discovered Scorpions, and then of course came MSG. The link on all of these is of course Michael Schenker, who is now back with his latest studio album. In 2016 he came up with the idea of having Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley all come together onstage, supported by Ted McKenna (drums, Chris Glen (bass) and Steve Mann (guitar, keyboards) a full history of his solo career. From there a decision was made to record an album, but sadly McKenna passed away at the age of 68 just a month before he was due to go into the studio. Schenker again looked into the past and brought in two drummers, Simon Phillips who played on the Michael Schenker Group’s self-titled debut album from 1980 and Bodo Schopf who was a member of the McAuley Schenker Group, fronted by Robin McAuley, in the late ’80s. For some reason they then added Doogie White (Rainbow) to the vocal mix, and each singer gets two songs on their own plus there is one where they take it in turn.

Unfortunately, I found the concept and history way more interesting than the album itself, which is generic and cliched and okay while it is playing yet is soon forgotten. It doesn’t matter who is involved if the songs aren’t up to scratch, and some such as “Sleeping With The Light On” are simply embarrassing both lyrically and musically. Everyone can really play, and everyone can really sing, but with songs like this it just becomes rather tedious and boring. I prefer to think of all those involved for different projects, not this one, as even Schenker’s lightning skills appear to have left him for pastures new at times. I’ll pass on this and just get back to ‘Strangers In The Night’, as although it is well over 40 years old, it is more relevant to me than this.

Rating: 6/10

Links:
https://www.michaelschenkerhimself.com/
https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/