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.
Time
Michael Schenker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Breaking everybody's rules
Same mistake as the last time
Everything was easier
I didn't have to worry no
Now it's all gone
Suddenly I find myself
Can't it be that I must find my way
And so it goes
Oh! Nothing will be clear anymore
Time and there's so much left to say
Still I can't find the words
When you need just one more day
Time and there's so much left to say
But I just can't find the time
So many reasons to despair
I needed help but no one was there
I should have known I should have known
What was I supposed to do
The only one to understand me now was you
But I never knew
And so it goes
Oh! now nothing will be clear anymore
The lyrics of Michael Schenker Group's song Time express the regret of a person who feels that they have made mistakes in life, and now they are facing the consequences alone. They believe they should have made different choices and regrets breaking the rules. They remember a time when life was easier, and they didn't have to worry about the future, but now everything is gone, and they feel lost. They acknowledge that they must find their way, but they are struggling to do so. The song speaks of the feeling of wanting to say more, but not being able to find the words, the desire for just one more day, and the realization that nothing will be clear anymore.
The theme of the song is relatable to many as everyone has had moments in life where they regret the choices they have made or feel that they could have done better. The struggle to find one's way and to find the right words to express things are also common themes that many people can relate to. The song's message is that time is fleeting, and one must take every opportunity to live life to the fullest without regrets.
Line by Line Meaning
I was just another fool
I acted foolishly
Breaking everybody's rules
I was disobeying the rules that were set
Same mistake as the last time
I repeated the same mistake as before
Everything was easier
Things were simpler before
I didn't have to worry no
I didn't have to worry about anything
Now it's all gone
Everything that was good is now gone
Suddenly I find myself
Without warning, I am now in a situation
Can't it be that I must find my way
I need to figure out a way to move forward
What more can I say
I have no more words to express my feelings
And so it goes
This is the way things happen
Oh! Nothing will be clear anymore
The future is uncertain
Time and there's so much left to say
I have a lot to say but not enough time
Still I can't find the words
I am unable to express what I want to say
When you need just one more day
If I had one more day, I could express everything I want to say
But I just can't find the time
I am unable to find the time to do what I need to do
So many reasons to despair
There are many reasons to feel hopeless
I needed help but no one was there
I required assistance, but no one was present to assist me
I should have known I should have known
I should have realized what the outcome of my actions would be
What was I supposed to do
I didn't know what to do in that situation
The only one to understand me now was you
At present, you are the only person who understands me
But I never knew
But I didn't realize it before
And so it goes
That is what happens
Oh! now nothing will be clear anymore
The future is now ambiguous
Lyrics © DistroKid, CONSALAD CO., Ltd., BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: MICHAEL SCHENKER, ROBIN MC AULEY *, ROCKY NEWTON *
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind