The world of rock guitar has always been illuminated by a few virtuosic stars who shine brighter than the rest, and among them, Michael Schenker stands out as a comet blazing across the night sky.
His tenure with the British hard rock band UFO during the 1970s remains one of the most celebrated periods in the annals of rock, elevating UFO from underground sensations to rock legends.
Now in 2024, Michael Schenker is set to celebrate those glory days with his new album
‘My Years with UFO’ alongside today’s rock elite.
Produced by Michael Schenker and Michael Voss, the new album marks the 50th anniversary of Schenker’s era with UFO, spanning from 1972 to 1978. The ‘German Wunderkind’ joined UFO at just 17 years old. Touring the globe as a teenager, Schenker became a driving force behind some of UFO’s most loved tracks, such as ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘Rock Bottom’, and ‘Only You Can Rock Me’.
The first single off the new album, ‘Mother Mary’, breathes new life into this classic, bringing together Michael Schenker’s and Slash’s unmatched guitar work with Erik Grönwall’s soaring vocals.
Listen to Mother Mary here
Although Michael Schenker’s era with UFO spanned only six years, his influence as a young songwriter and exceptional guitarist had already left a lasting mark on rock. During these meteoric years, the UFO albums ‘Phenomenon’, ‘Force It’,
‘No Heavy Petting’, ‘Lights Out’, ‘Obsession’, and the seminal live album ‘Strangers in the Night’ were released, each contributing significantly to the genre. ‘Strangers in the Night’ particularly stands out as one of the most influential live rock albums of all time and is still regarded as a cornerstone in any rock enthusiast’s collection.
In this celebratory album, Michael Schenker presents 11 of UFO’s greatest hits from this magical era with an impressive lineup of guest stars. Joining Schenker on this journey are
Derek Sherinian on keys, Brian Tichy on drums, and Barry Sparks on bass.
The stellar roster of guest artists includes Axl Rose, Slash, Kai Hansen, Roger Glover, Joey Tempest, Biff Byford, Jeff Scott Soto, John Norum, Dee Snider, Joel Hoekstra, Joe Lynn Turner, Carmine Appice, Adrian Vandenberg, Michael Voss, Stephen Pearcy, and Erik Grönwall.
This album is the introduction to an upcoming trilogy, as Michael Schenker has signed an exclusive three-album deal with earMUSIC, with additional albums to follow in 2025 and 2026.
The release of ‘Mother Mary’ sets the stage for what promises to be one of the most exciting rock albums of 2024.
‘My Years with UFO’ will be released worldwide on September 20, 2024,
Pre orders are available now https://schenker.lnk.to/MYWU
Tracklisting:
Natural Thing feat. Dee Snider & Joel Hoekstra
Only You Can Rock Me feat. Joey Tempest & Roger Glover
Doctor Doctor feat. Joe Lynn Turner & Carmine Appice
Mother Mary feat. Slash & Erik Grönwall
This Kids feat. Biff Byford
Love to Love feat. Axl Rose
Lights Out feat. Jeff Scott Soto & John Norum
Rock Bottom feat. Kai Hansen
Too Hot Too Handle feat. Joe Lynn Turner, Adrian Vandenberg & Carmen Appice
Let It Roll feat. Michael Voss
Shoot Shoot feat. Stephen Pearcy
