The Michael Schenker Group - The Chrysalis Years (1980-1984) (2012) [5CD Box Set]

UK five CD set from the guitar hero and former UFO and Scorpions member. After leaving UFO in 1978, legendary guitarist Michael Schenker decided to form his own group - settling on a name that left no confusion about the creative force in the group! Chrysalis Years 1980-1984 collects together all six of Schenker's albums recorded for Chrysalis Records including bonus live tracks and more. Features his eponymous 1980 debut featuring vocalist Gary Barden, 1981's MSG featuring Cozy Powell on drums and UFO's Paul Raymond on keyboards and guitar, and the legendary Japanese double live One Night at Budokan, recorded in Tokyo on MSG's 1981 tour. Released the same year, 1982's Assault Attack was the sole recording to feature former Rainbow vocalist Graham Bonnet, before Barden's return for 1983's Built to Destroy. This set is rounded off by MSG's second live album, Rock Will Never Die which effectively became the swan song for this era of the band.

DISC ONE

01. Armed And Ready (Michael Schenker Group) (4:08)
02. Cry For The Nations (Michael Schenker Group) (5:11)
03. Victim Of Illusion (Michael Schenker Group) (4:43)
04. Bijou Pleasurette (Michael Schenker Group) (2:16)
05. Feels Like A Good Thing (Michael Schenker Group) (3:46)
06. Into The Arena (Michael Schenker Group) (4:12)
07. Looking Out From Nowhere (Michael Schenker Group) (4:29)
08. Tales Of Mystery (Michael Schenker Group) (3:17)
09. Lost Horizons (Michael Schenker Group) (7:10)
10. Armed And Ready (Live At Manchester Apollo) (4:30)
11. Cry For The Nations (Live At Manchester Apollo) (6:19)
12. Victim Of Illusion (Live At Manchester Apollo) (5:52)
13. Rock Bottom (Live At Manchester Apollo) (10:29)
14. Tales Of Mystery (Live At Manchester Apollo) (3:56)
15. Lost Horizons (Live At Manchester Apollo) (9:21)



DISC TWO

01. Armed And Ready (Live B-Side / Bonus Track) (4:41)
02. Into The Arena (Live B-Side / Bonus Track) (4:16)
03. Cry For The Nations (Radio Edit / Bonus Track) (3:33)
04. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Sounds Flexi Edit - Previously Unreleased On CD / Bonus Track) (2:51)
05. Ready To Rock (MSG) (3:27)
06. Attack Of The Mad Axeman (MSG) (4:20)
07. On And On (MSG) (4:45)
08. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (MSG) (5:23)
09. But I Want More (MSG) (7:00)
10. Never Trust A Stranger (MSG) (4:27)
11. Looking For Love (MSG) (4:03)
12. Secondary Motion (MSG) (3:46)



DISC THREE

01. Introduction (One Night At Budokan) (1:32)
02. Armed And Ready (One Night At Budokan) (4:53)
03. Cry For The Nations (One Night At Budokan) (5:31)
04. Attack Of The Mad Axeman (One Night At Budokan) (5:05)
05. But I Want More (One Night At Budokan) (7:22)
06. Victim Of Illusion (One Night At Budokan) (6:15)
07. Into The Arena (One Night At Budokan) (4:54)
08. On And On (One Night At Budokan) (5:35)
09. Never Trust A Stranger (One Night At Budokan) (5:37)
10. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (One Night At Budokan) (7:11)
11. Courvoisier Concert (One Night At Budokan) (3:36)
12. Lost Horizons (One Night At Budokan) (7:30)
13. Doctor Doctor (One Night At Budokan) (6:19)
14. Ready To Rock (One Night At Budokan) (6:42)



DISC FOUR

01. Assault Attack (Assault Attack) (4:19)
02. Rock You To The Ground (Assault Attack) (5:47)
03. Dancer (Assault Attack) (4:42)
04. Samurai (Assault Attack) (5:16)
05. Desert Song (Assault Attack) (5:51)
06. Broken Promises (Assault Attack) (6:21)
07. Searching For A Reason (Assault Attack) (3:48)
08. Ulcer (Assault Attack) (3:55)
09. Girl From Uptown (B-Side / Bonus Track) (5:22)
10. Rock My Nights Away (Built To Destroy / Side One) (4:07)
11. I'm Gonna Make You Mine (Built To Destroy / Side One) (4:16)
12. The Dogs Of War (Built To Destroy / Side One) (4:22)
13. Systems Failing (Built To Destroy / Side One) (4:24)
14. Captain Nemo (Built To Destroy / Side One) (3:23)



DISC FIVE

01. Still Love That Little Devil (Built To Destroy / Side Two) (3:25)
02. Red Sky (Built To Destroy / Side Two) (5:14)
03. Time Waits (For No One) (Built To Destroy / Side Two) (3:58)
04. Rock Will Never Die (Walk The Stage) (Built To Destroy / Side Two) (5:53)
05. Captain Nemo (Rock Will Never Die) (3:54)
06. Rock My Nights Away (Rock Will Never Die) (4:14)
07. Are You Ready to Rock (Rock Will Never Die) (4:12)
08. Attack Of The Mad Axeman (Rock Will Never Die) (4:57)
09. Into The Arena (Rock Will Never Die) (4:15)
10. Rock Will Never Die (Rock Will Never Die) (5:26)
11. Desert Song (Rock Will Never Die) (5:50)
12. I'm Gonna Make You Mine (Rock Will Never Die) (5:26)
13. Doctor Doctor (Rock Will Never Die) (7:34)
14. Armed And Ready (Radio Remix - As featured in Guitar Hero: Metallica / Bonus Track) (4:08)

The Band

• Bass - Chris Glen (tracks: 1-10 to 5-14), Mo Foster (tracks: 1-1 to 1-9)
• Drums - Cozy Powell (tracks: 1-10 to 3-14), Simon Phillips (tracks: 1-1 to 1-9), Ted McKenna (tracks: 4-1 to 5-14)
• Guitar - Michael Schenker, Rudolf Schenker (tracks: 5-13)
• Keyboards - Andy Nye (tracks: 4-1 to 5-14), Don Airey (tracks: 1-1 to 1-9), Tommy Eyre (tracks: 4-1 to 4-9)
• Keyboards, Rhythm Guitar - Paul Raymond (2) (tracks: 1-10 to 3-14)
• Rhythm Guitar - Derek St. Holmes (tracks: 5-1 to 514)
• Vocals - Gary Barden (tracks: 1-1 to 3-14, 4-10 to 5-14), Graham Bonnet (tracks: 4-1 to 4-9), Klaus Meine (tracks: 5-13)



Notes

MSG feast for binge rockers!

When charismatic German guitarist Michael Schenker left UFO in 1978, it was clear that he had been one of the main reasons for the band’s international success. At the same time, however, his reputation for being temperamental – along with his alcohol problems – made the future of Schenker’s career less than a sure thing; indeed, his discography sometimes suffers from the same lack of identity as that of many star guitarists.

Nevertheless, the early 80s output of The Michael Schenker Group showcased just what a talent UFO had lost. In comparison with his old band, MSG’s self-titled debut sounded fresh and contemporary, in tune with – though not part of – the harder-edged NWOBHM bands then emerging. Central to the album’s success was Schenker’s songwriting partnership with vocalist Gary Barden, producing classics such as Armed And Ready and Victim Of Illusion. Schenker’s softer, almost classical side can also be heard in the instrumental Bijou Pleasurette, and was to influence bands such as Metallica every bit as much as his rock riffery. The album is here bolstered by six previously unreleased live tracks, showcasing Schenker’s incendiary, sometimes romantic guitar playing at its best, but failing to upstage the album itself.

Disc Two begins with more bonus material: live tracks and the Sounds flexi disc edit of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, before launching into the sophomore album, MSG. This again shows the band at its peak, though the recording process almost bankrupted Schenker and left the band with crippling financial problems. No sign of these troubles can be heard on the album which, again, is a hard rock masterpiece, adding drummer Cozy Powell to an already powerful line-up. This incarnation of the band had its swansong with the double live One Night At Budokan (Disc Three here), essentially a live best of, preserving the band’s chemistry perfectly.

Following Barden’s departure, Schenker hired ex-Rainbow screamer Graham Bonnet for 1982’s dubiously-titled Assault Attack. Though the result is a sparkling hard rock album with many highlights, it often sounds more Bonnet than Schenker, and is accordingly radio-friendly. The disc here adds classic B-side Girl From Uptown before heading straight into Side One of Built To Destroy, the band’s last studio album until 1996, featuring the return of Gary Barden.

Built To Destroy has aged less well than its predecessors, suffering from some very 80s arrangements that rob the songs of some of their power. Still, it’s a fitting farewell, showing that Schenker never lost his knack for anthemic tunes. The final disc continues Built To Destroy and adds the lacklustre live Rock Will Never Die, where Barden in particular sounds less engaged than previously. The set is rounded off somewhat ignominiously with the tinny remix of Armed And Ready featured in the computer game Guitar Hero: Metallica.

Post-Built To Destroy, Schenker only sporadically recaptured his muse and, really, for those coming to the Mad Axeman for the first time, this is really all the MSG you will ever need.

Reviewed by William Pinfold







Many thanks to the original uploader: ALLexxess