In a latest interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal’s Steel International, legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker was requested if he nonetheless does not hearken to any new bands or concentrate to what’s occurring within the rock world. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Yeah, I did [in the past]. At first, after I was jumpstarted, [I was] impressed by all of the late ’60s guitarists. However then, [when I was] 15 years previous, I already subconsciously knew that that was one thing I wished to do. And after I was 18, I made that call to avoid [listening to new] music to self-express. As a result of after I heard the guitarists within the late ’60s, all of them had their very own fashion. And it was actually good — every thing was, like, ‘Wow, that is nice. Oh, that is nice.’ All completely different. However [in] the ’80s, every thing was the identical. And that was mainly watered-down ’70s; [they] made it easy and commercialized it [to] earn cash. However the ’70s [and] late ’60s guitarists, it was artwork; [they were] pure artists.”
Earlier this yr, Schenker informed Traditional Rock journal that he does not hearken to different individuals’s music. “By no means,” he mentioned. “I’ve by no means had a file participant, nothing. I simply watch the information and that is it. Listening to music can be poison for me. I should be utterly empty in an effort to create what I must create.”
In a 2019 interview with Decibel journal, Michael was requested for his preliminary impression of Eddie Van Halen. Schenker replied: “I have not listened to any music for half a century now, as a result of my imaginative and prescient was pure self-expression and nonetheless is, and I do not hearken to music so I do not get uninterested in it and get consumed. I knew intuitively what I needed to do in an effort to preserve recent for so long as attainable. By writing from inside, I am not a part of any development. Simply the alternative: I am a development maker. Within the ’70s, that was my task. I created a development for the ’80s. However I have to inform you one factor: When VAN HALEN did the primary album, I could not ignore it. Eddie Van Halen, I by no means knew him till he made the primary album, and I used to be blown away by it. In fact I did not know he had a particular strategy of tapping. [Laughs] I did not know what that was, so I used to be fairly confused about how he was making that noise with a [guitar] decide. That was clearly very complicated for many individuals. How can he sound like this? However even no matter a tapping approach, he’s a really melodic, implausible participant, and considered one of my favorites, truly. And I can not evaluate him to many individuals, as a result of I by no means listened to anyone.
“The one different individual I could not assist however overhear was Yngwie Malmsteen, as a result of he was enjoying quicker than lightning — quicker than the pace of sunshine — and that was sensational. Based mostly on that, I had to concentrate to him, however I came upon in a short time that it was very repetitive. These are the one two guitarists on my entire journey of fifty years that I paid consideration to apart from, in fact, the those who I regarded as much as and that impressed me like Jeff Beck and Leslie West, all the good guitarists from the late ’60s.
“I used to go guitar looking, attempting to find new guitar riffs — one thing extraordinary. Then after I turned 17, I finished listening to music altogether. I knew I needed to do it the way in which I see it, so I did it from inside. In consequence, it turned out distinctive, as a result of no person is aware of what goes on in anyone else’s head. Every considered one of us holds very distinctive concepts that aren’t identified to different individuals till we launch them. I in some way knew intuitively that that is what I wanted to do. So, no matter got here out of me, it was very engaging to different musicians or different individuals, as a result of it was at all times one thing, like, ‘I by no means heard that earlier than. What is that this?'”
Michael Schenker first appeared on SCORPIONS‘ 1972 album “Lonesome Crow”, earned acclaim within the Seventies on traditional UFO albums comparable to “Phenomenon” and “Lights Out” earlier than rejoining SCORPIONS for 1979’s “Lovedrive”. He departed quickly thereafter to launch MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. And whereas his sometimes-erratic habits have derailed components of his profession, Schenker stays considered one of laborious rock and steel’s most influential axemen.
Schenker not too long ago introduced a spring 2025 European tour in assist of his “My Years With UFO” album celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Michael‘s years with UFO. Becoming a member of him on the trek will likely be former SKID ROW frontman Erik Grönwall, who’s the featured singer on the “Mom Mary” tune on “My Years With UFO”, which additionally features a visitor look by GUNS N’ ROSES‘ Slash on guitar.