Guitar icon Michael Schenker was recently interviewed on Eddie’s Sirius/XM show, Eddie Trunk Live. Highlights from the discussion appear below as transcribed by blabbermouth.net.
On the recent release of the 50th-anniversary deluxe editions of Scorpions’ classic albums:
“It’s not 50 years. It’s actually 50 years in 2020. I would count when the first Scorpions album was made, not when the first time somebody had an idea, ‘Oh, I’ll make a band called the Scorpions,’ They played the hit parade [with] completely different people in the band; [it had] nothing to do with the Scorpions who recorded the first album. So it’s rubbish to have a Scorpions box 50-year celebration. It’s not 50 years yet. 50 years is in 2020.”
Discussing his strained relationship with his brother, Scorpions guitarist, Rudolf Schenker:
“I’m happy that Rudolf enjoyed his success. I always supported Rudolf’s success. I always said to people, ‘As long as Rudolf is happy…’ He got what he wanted, I got what I wanted, [and] that’s all fine.
Look, you put all the pieces together. [Scorpions] released a 50-year box; it’s not 50 years. Then they tell the people they’re gonna stop playing, and then all of a sudden they make a record [2015’s ‘Return To Forever’]. It’s all bulls–t. They have become numb and dumb, and old and bald. It has nothing to do with music anymore.
You know, Rudolf never knew how to write music. [On] Lonesome Crow, I was the only songwriter; I wrote basically all the music. And Rudolf learned everything from me that I did. I’m seven years younger than him. When I was 23, Rudolf was 30 and they hadn’t even started in America. When he was 33 years old, Blackout became a hit.
“When I left the Scorpions, I went to UFO, and basically the Scorpions copied everything UFO did. If you listen back to the records, you can hear very clearly that always every time we did a record…. They even hired the same art designer. Rudolf completely adopted my image and he is going overboard with it. He wants to distort reality…He’s playing a game — a really stupid game. If you study this whole thing, you will clearly understand what happened.
Why would Rudolf ask me if he can play the black-and-white guitar? And why would he ask me if I would give my songwriting credit of Coast To Coast to him? And then he plays those two songs on every concert for the next 35 years. Figure it out. I was generous enough to give him that, because he’s my brother. But I’m finding out that they fabricated a story on what happened [during] the Lovedrive period, which is a lie.”
He continues:
“He’s a wannabe and a trick master…But, if you are so addicted to success and if you have screwed up in such complicated ways to become a success — if you have to cheat and stuff like that, or fabricate in order to get to where you wanna get — it’s nothing to do with me. I play music; I’m an artist. For me, it’s all about music. Scorpions don’t write their own songs. They have lost it completely. For the last 23 years, they’re cutting out [formerdrummer] Herman [Rarebell]. Herman and Francis [Buchholz, former bassist], they are responsible for [their] ’80s commercial success, the political success that they had with Wind Of Change; Herman and Francis were part of it. They’re cutting them out wherever they can. They don’t make them part of awards — nothing. They are just three greedy people. For the last 23 years, they haven’t done anything that is worth talking about. All they have done is…milking the past…
I’m very disappointed in Rudolf…And so I stay away from him as far as I can, because I don’t know what else he’s got up his sleeve to justify things. He’s a trick master, and he’s a wannabe. And that’s it. He can do whatever he wants. He can enjoy his life on every level that he wants. But I stay away from him. I’m his younger brother. He’s basically bullying me and he’s doing with me whatever he wants.”
Eddie’s interview with Michael Schenker is now up as a podcast, and can be downloaded, here.
Michael Schenker’s Temple Of Rock’s CD, DVD and Blu-ray, On A Mission: Live In Madrid was released on April 27th in Japan, April 29th in Europe, and May 6th in North America through Inakustik.
additional source: blabbermouth.net
8 Responses
Young head here. Michael fuckin’ who?… Never heard of this dude until I stumbled upon this article hahaha. He comes across a little butt hurt that he didn’t get the spotlight! Like Johnny D mentioned that if this dude wasn’t involved with those albums, then why give a fuck about what he says lol. Yeah he’s Rudolf’s brother, I didn’t know this dudes name until now. He uses / used a flying v just like Rudolf xD. UF what now?
Is this Craig/George? Your “ha, ha” always gives you away. If that is not you, then “Dumpster,” your youth needs some hard rock education.
Michael Schenker influenced countless guitarists including Randall Rhoads, Michael McCready of Pearl Jam, who even has a UFO tribute band, Paul Gilbert, George Lynch, etc.
UFO was also a HUGE influence on many bands, Iron Maiden‘s opening song is Doctor Doctor. The band was also revered by bands like Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Metallica, Tesla, Dio, Megadeth, Pantera, Testament, Slayer, among countless others.
Fretprints: Michael Schenker: The UFO Years: https://www.vintageguitar.com/46275/fretprints-michael-schenker/#:~:text=UFO%2DSchenker%27s%20influence%20on%20rock,are%20on%20the%20short%20list.