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.
On and On
Michael Schenker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the coldness of sun
I got no place to hide, nowhere to run!
When the wind gets high and the mountains sigh
I've got to get back home the wind don't wait for
No one, no one at all
Moves on and on etc.
Blood on the streets, when the black skies shout
And then people cry no more
Dreams just fade away, realities soar
The only crime is his fate
Can't think, can't relate
Illusions seized His mind
The key to all the answers are locked in his eyes!
Moves on and on,etc
Look behind the Window, Winter's coming?
The lyrics of Michael Schenker Group's song On and On describe the feeling of helplessness and fear when facing the forces of nature and the inevitability of fate. The song starts with a metaphorical kiss of the wind, symbolizing the sudden and unpredictable nature of life. The singer realizes there is nowhere to hide or run when confronted with the power of nature. The wind is a force that moves on and on, without waiting for anyone, making the singer feel trapped and powerless. The lyrics suggest that winter is coming, a metaphor for a difficult and challenging time ahead.
The second part of the song takes a darker turn, describing the violence and tragedies that occur when fate takes its toll. Blood on the streets and black skies shouting represent chaos and destruction, while people stop crying as they lose their hope and dreams. The only crime is fate, which is beyond anyone's control. The lyrics hint that the cause of the suffering might be a person whose illusions have seized their mind, preventing them from seeing the truth. The answers to the problems are locked in their eyes, but they cannot access them. In the end, the song concludes with the idea that life moves on and on, without regard for individual desires or dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
A kiss of the wind, then the spirits let fly
The gentle breeze carries with it the energy of unseen beings
To the coldness of sun
To the harsh reality of the world
I got no place to hide, nowhere to run!
I am powerless, with no escape
When the wind gets high and the mountains sigh
When the world is tumultuous and even the immovable objects show signs of struggle
I've got to get back home the wind don't wait for
I must return to the safety of my own home, as the winds of life will not wait for anyone
No one, no one at all
No one can escape the flow of time
Moves on and on etc.
Life moves forward, despite our desires or wishes
Look behind the window winter's come?
Is the world becoming darker and colder?
Blood on the streets, when the black skies shout
Violence and chaos reigns, even the heavens seem to cry out in protest
And then people cry no more
The suffering of people has become so common that they no longer even react to it
Dreams just fade away, realities soar
The hopefulness of dreams gives way to harsh, unforgiving reality
The only crime is his fate
The only thing that can be blamed is the inevitable destiny of the person
Can't think, can't relate
Cannot understand or connect with others or the world around us
Illusions seized His mind
False notions or ideas have captured the person's thoughts
The key to all the answers are locked in his eyes!
Only the person themselves has the answers to the questions of their life
Moves on and on,etc
Life progresses without pause, regardless of what anyone does
Look behind the Window, Winter's coming?
Is the world truly becoming darker and colder?
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: GARY BARDEN, MICHAEL SCHENKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind