Schenker Finally Loves Playing Live

Michael Schenker only started enjoying being on stage a few years ago, he’s revealed.

The guitar icon believes his current band, Temple Of Rock, marks the third stage of his career after previous periods included his time with UFO and the Scorpions.

And his new lease of life includes finally having fun during live performances – something he couldn’t say about his past.

Schenker tells Bravewords: “The first stage was to develop as a great guitarist and focus on pure self-expression, and that finished around the end of UFO.

“I opened the doors to Scorpions with Lovedrive, then when I was through I started Michael Schenker Group for experimenting, to develop musically as well as on a personal level.

“Around 2007 I started to develop the incredible liking of being on stage, which I never really had before. I was never keen on being on stage – I was more fascinated with playing guitar.

“I was fragile when I was a teenager, but I guess that’s my design. The beginning is rock’n’roll, the middle I do personal work, and in the end I celebrate my life and my generation’s rock.”

Schenker is gearing up to tour new album Bridge The Gap, featuring singer Doogie White, long-time collaborator Wayne Findlay and fellow ex-Scorpions Herman Rarebell and Francis Buchholz.

And despite being open to the influences of his bandmates, he still doesn’t allow himself to listen to music that comes from outside his direct sphere.

“I still want to be loyal to expressing from within,” he says. “I think this is what I was called to do. It creates a special outcome – I don’t see any reason why I should give that up.”