Michael was born in Sarstedt, Germany. He started playing in his early teens when his brother Rudolph brought home a Flying V guitar, which captured Michael's imagination. His playing style is unusual in that he seems not to use conventionally practiced guitar scales but seems instead to improvise.
Schenker joined UFO under unusual circumstances. The band left the UK to play some dates in Germany. Their guitarist at the time; Bernie Marsden, forgot his passport and was unable to make the first gig. At the venue UFO spotted Michael playing a soundcheck with the Scorpions and managed to persuade him into playing that evening's show. Despite the language barrier; he spoke no English and they spoke no German, something clearly "clicked" and Schenker brought the ellusive X factor to the band and took them to another level musically.
Schenker has had a turbulent career with UFO, often walking out mid song and causing shows to be cancelled. He is evidently as temperamental as he is gifted. Schenker says his playing with UFO is like chocolate: fantastic for a while but once you've had enough....
Clearly a musical prodigy, Schenker was one of the 1970's most inspirational guitarists, influencing later musicians such as Kirk Hammett from the band Metallica.
Michael was offered gigs with Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne but decided he wanted to play his own music and not be a hired hand in another group. In 1979, he founded the Michael Schenker Group (M.S.G). The history of the Michael Schenker Group has been strewn with personality conflicts and "incidents" between band members. In 1982, original vocalist Gary Barden was sacked in favor of Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Alcatrazz) who lasted one album (Assault Attack) and was fired from the band after dropping his pants in a warm-up gig before the Reading festival. Gary Barden was enticed back to the band for Reading and stayed with M.S.G. for the recording of a new studio album (Built to Destroy) and a live album (Rock Will Never Die). After the second departure of vocalist Gary Barden after the Built to Destroy album, Michael reorganized the band around himself and vocalist Robin McAuley as the McAuley Schenker Group. After three albums in that configuration, Michael and Robin parted company.
Michael next rejoined UFO for the album Walk on Water. A short tour punctuated by a fight between Michael and vocalist Phil Mogg ended the reunion.
Michael resurrected the Michael Schenker Group with all new players and recorded three decent albums and toured yearly to appreciative Schenker-heads around the United States and Europe.
Michael fell on hard times in the early 2000's after his divorce in which he lost rights to his own music, his Mercedes and his prized Flying V guitars.
Michael picked himself up and got back to the business of making and performing music. The recording of the album Arachnophobiac and the resulting two years of touring got Michael back in rocking form.
2005 brings the 25th anniversary of the Michael Schenker Group. Michael is putting together a new album of songs called Tales of Rock and Roll honoring that anniversary. Singers from each iteration of the group have been enlisted to sing on a track or two.
A new Michael Schenker Group album is as much about finding out who is left in the band as it is about the music. Devoted fans love him regardless of his personal and personnel problems.
Broken Promises
Michael Schenker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But all your broken promises, Heartache through and through
Looking for directions, Should I go or stay
All your broken promises Getting in the way
You're the right kind of lover, You're looking for cover
Falling over losing, Try to understand
All your broken promises Getting out of hand
Running out of patience, Losing ground for speed
You're the right kind of lover, But you're looking for cover
You're the right kind of lover, But you're looking for cover
Head to head, face to face
Out of time,Out of place
Back to back, we can fall
Your broken promises can lose it all
Undecided things, While waiting in the wings
For the start of the show
To make a move and let it flow over me
In and out my life
It cuts me like a knife
Heal the wound stop the pain
Let out spirits flow with the rain
Oh wowwow,
Feeling I could hold you If you want me to
All your broken promises, Breaking me in two
What's the right direction, Shall I go or stay
All your broken promises Getting in my way
You're the right kind of lover And I want you to cover
You're the right kind of lover, But you're looking for cover
Head to head, face to face
Out of time,Out of place
Back to back, bound to fall
With broken promises we lose all...
The song "Broken Promises" by Michael Schenker tells the story of a relationship that has been marred by disappointment and unfulfilled promises. The lyrics convey a sense of betrayal, confusion, and frustration as the singer grapples with whether to stay or leave. The opening lines suggest a desire for intimacy and connection, but the theme of broken promises is introduced immediately, indicating that trust has been broken in the past. The chorus repeats the phrase "All your broken promises getting in the way," reinforcing this central conflict.
The second verse adds a layer of complexity to the relationship, suggesting that the singer recognizes the positive qualities of their partner but is put off by their inability to follow through on promises. The imagery of "falling over losing" and "getting out of hand" suggests that the situation is spiraling out of control, and the singer is losing patience. The imagery of being "out of time, out of place" and "head to head, face to face" conveys a sense of being cornered and overwhelmed.
The chorus repeats, with the addition of the line "May just kill the need." This line suggests that the singer recognizes that the broken promises are not only hurting them but also eroding the desire to be in the relationship.
The bridge introduces a moment of reflection and introspection, with the singer contemplating whether to make a move or let things unfold naturally. The lines "In and out my life, it cuts me like a knife" suggest that there have been multiple instances of disappointment, and the wounds are deep. The line "Heal the wound, stop the pain" suggests that the singer is seeking closure and resolution.
The final chorus repeats, with the added line "Breaking me in two" suggesting that the singer is at a breaking point.
Line by Line Meaning
Feeling I could hold you, And you want me to
The singer feels like they have a chance with their partner, and their partner seems to reciprocate the feeling.
But all your broken promises, Heartache through and through
However, the partner has been breaking promises and causing pain in the relationship.
Looking for directions, Should I go or stay
The singer is uncertain about the future of the relationship and whether they should continue or end things.
All your broken promises Getting in the way
The broken promises are hindering the relationship and creating obstacles for the artist and their partner.
You're the right kind of lover, You're looking for cover
The partner seems like a good match for the artist but is afraid to fully commit.
Falling over losing, Try to understand
The partner's fear of commitment is causing problems and the singer is trying to make sense of it.
All your broken promises Getting out of hand
The broken promises are escalating and becoming more of an issue in the relationship.
Running out of patience, Losing ground for speed
The artist is growing tired of the situation and losing hope for progress.
All your broken promises, May just kill the need
The broken promises are jeopardizing the relationship and making it difficult for the artist to continue with their feelings.
Head to head, face to face
The artist and their partner are confronting each other.
Out of time,Out of place
The relationship is lacking direction and stability.
Back to back, we can fall
If the artist and their partner cannot work through their issues, the relationship will inevitably fail.
Your broken promises can lose it all
The partner's broken promises can ultimately destroy the entire relationship.
Undecided things, While waiting in the wings
The singer is unsure about what to do regarding the future of the relationship and feels like they are on standby.
For the start of the show, To make a move and let it flow over me
The singer is waiting for something to happen and hopes to let things unfold naturally.
In and out my life, It cuts me like a knife
The inconsistency of the relationship is causing the artist pain and discomfort.
Heal the wound stop the pain, Let out spirits flow with the rain
The artist wants the pain of the broken relationship to disappear and to let their emotions out.
Oh wowwow, Feeling I could hold you If you want me to
The singer still has feelings for their partner and is open to holding onto the relationship if their partner is willing.
All your broken promises, Breaking me in two
The partner's broken promises are causing the singer to experience emotional turmoil and conflict.
What's the right direction, Shall I go or stay
The artist is still unsure about what to do regarding the future of the relationship.
All your broken promises Getting in my way
The partner's broken promises are hindering the artist's ability to move forward in the relationship.
You're the right kind of lover And I want you to cover
The artist believes that their partner is a good match for them and wants them to fully commit to the relationship.
Head to head, face to face
The singer and their partner are still confronting their issues.
Out of time,Out of place
The relationship is still lacking direction and stability.
Back to back, bound to fall
If things don't improve, the relationship is destined to fail.
With broken promises we lose all...
Broken promises are the main cause of the relationship's downfall.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS GLEN, MICHAEL SCHENKER, GRAHAM BONNET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind