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.
N
Michael Schenker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost a life along the way
Left home everything I own
As I headed to join the charade
Got caught up with the wild and the madness
I may have gone too far I must confess
I must confess
Got my money hid away in the gas tank
Yeah I'll be telling you to hold on
Strapped in my four forty Hemmy burning
[Chorus]
Long live Fat City
Got nothin to lose
White / blue
Down the avenue
You're worth everything I know
Long live Fat City
Out blowing a fuse
Set this town alight
I found my way out the backstreet
Glad to be alive
A hundred more miles I'll be long gone
No more fighting or scrapes to survive
Up ahead says rest for riders
Headlights maybe red lights beware
Look into my rear view mirror
They're closer than they do appear
Another minute I'll be far away
Another second I'll be shifting gears
[Chorus]
I've paid a lot for my freedom
I never wondered why
My memory's clear and reminds me daily
It was so close but I passed them by
There was a space by the policeman
Gun shots all around over my head
They'll never arrest me man...yeah right
So I look into my rear view mirror
They're closer than they will appear
Another minute I'll be far away
Another second I'll be shifting gears
Long live fat city New Orleans
The lyrics of "Fat City N.O." by Michael Schenker tell the story of the singer's journey towards freedom and independence as he leaves everything behind and hits the road, facing danger and excitement along the way. The opening lines poignantly evoke the high cost of such a journey: "I've gone through a lot for my freedom/Lost a life along the way." The singer admits to some reckless decisions, as he got "caught up with the wild and the madness," which may have gone too far. Despite it all, he remains defiant about his choices and will continue to pursue his dreams: "I've paid a lot for my freedom/I never wondered why."
Musically, the song is a classic hard rock anthem, with driving guitar riffs and pounding drums creating a sense of urgency and momentum. The chorus, "Long live Fat City/Got nothin to lose/White/blue/Down the avenue/You're worth everything I know," is a catchy refrain that suggests a celebration of risk-taking and adventure.
Overall, "Fat City N.O." is a powerful and visceral song about the cost of personal freedom and the exhilaration it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
I've gone through a lot for my freedom
I have undergone many trials and tribulations to attain my freedom
Lost a life along the way
I had to sacrifice life to achieve my freedom
Left home everything I own
I abandoned all my material possessions and left my home behind
As I headed to join the charade
I joined the group of people with an ulterior motive
Got caught up with the wild and the madness
I got carried away by the chaotic and uncontrollable world I was in
I may have gone too far I must confess
I feel like I may have taken things too far and now I must admit it
Got my money hid away in the gas tank
I have hidden my money in the gas tank of my vehicle
Gotta keep it steady no joke no mistake
I must be careful and make no mistakes to ensure that the money remains hidden
Yeah I'll be telling you to hold on
I am warning you that the ride may be bumpy
Strapped in my four forty Hemmy burning
I am driving my 440-cubic inch Hemispherical-engine car very fast
Long live Fat City
May Fat City live forever
Got nothin to lose
I have nothing to lose
White / blue
The colors of the city are white and blue
Down the avenue
Going down the street
You're worth everything I know
You mean everything to me
Out blowing a fuse
I am losing control
Set this town alight
I am causing chaos in the town
I found my way out the backstreet
I escaped using the backstreet
Glad to be alive
I am happy that I am still alive
A hundred more miles I'll be long gone
I will be far away in a hundred miles
No more fighting or scrapes to survive
I no longer have to fight to survive
Up ahead says rest for riders
The sign ahead indicates that there is a rest stop for riders
Headlights maybe red lights beware
Beware of the possibility of red lights ahead
Look into my rearview mirror
I am checking my rearview mirror
They're closer than they do appear
The things behind me are closer than they seem
Another minute I'll be far away
In another minute, I will be far from here
Another second I'll be shifting gears
In another second, I will be changing gears
I've paid a lot for my freedom
I have put in a lot of effort to gain my freedom
I never wondered why
I never questioned why I needed to be free
My memory's clear and reminds me daily
I have a clear memory that reminds me every day of my past experiences
It was so close but I passed them by
My enemies were close, but I managed to escape them
There was a space by the policeman
There was a gap between me and the policeman
Gunshots all around over my head
Multiple gunshots were being fired near me
They'll never arrest me man... yeah right
I doubt they will ever catch me
Long live Fat City New Orleans
May Fat City New Orleans live forever
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-xf7kz1sl7l
Are you high tonight, are you feeling right,
Cause I need you now, like I never did before,
Is it hard enough, is it loud enough
Cause if you don't approve,you can use the door
Armed and ready, I gotta gun sight trained on you
I'm in overdrive,and I feel alive,
Got everything I need, and that ain't all,
Got a thing to do, I want to do for you,
I want to see you jump like hell when I call
Armed and ready, I gotta spotlight trained on you
Armed and ready, don't let me down tonight
Are you high tonight, are you feeling right,
Cause I need you now, like I never did before,
Is it hard enough, is It loud enough
Cause if you don't approve,you can use the door
Armed and ready, I got my gun sight trained on you
Armed and ready, don't let me down tonight
Are you high tonight, are you feelin' right,
Is it hard enough, is it loud enough,
Are you high!
@WilsonEatsASMR
Man, Micheal wrote some of the tastiest riffs and leads in rock guitar...Damn what a talent! Love this album!
@marlahart2060
🎸💁♀️Me too!
@GrampsD63
I will never forget the first time the needle hit the vinyl on this album. Waiting so long between the release of Lovedrive and this. What magic. Schenker is still my all time favorite.
@zeppmann9333
Was that when he left Scorpions?
@GrampsD63
@@zeppmann9333 Yes. I believe he only played live for a few shows on the Lovedrive tour, London and Paris if I remember correctly, then quit and went solo.
@zeppmann9333
@@GrampsD63 oh sweet! Yeah man this stuff is wicked.
@marlahart2060
🎸🙋♀️My all time favorite guitarist too!
@jerryherrera2833
I'm glad he left the Scorps Schenker right behind Hendrix greatest RockHeroes 🐐 🐐
@dennykern125
It's still so damn good so many years on. Just proves that great songs are timeless.
@marlahart2060
🎸💁♀️Agreed!