McAuley Schenker Group – Perfect Timing

Details:

• Year of release : 1987
• Label : EMI EMC 3539
• Review format : Vinyl

A bit of career rethink for Michael Schenker here following a few albums that failed to win the acclaim of his early solo releases. An EMI contract and a subtle name change to the McAuley Schenker Group saw the German guitar hero share the spotlight for a few albums with the ex-Grand Prix and Far Corporation singer Robin McAuley, a fine singer chosen I’m sure not just because his surname fitted the MSG moniker! Indeed he’s recently returned to the fore somewhat fronting the current incarnation of Survivor.

These days, this period of Schenker’s career get either maligned for his dalliance with mainstream, FM friendly rock or even largely ignored even by the man himself when compiling set-lists however to my mind this is pretty unfair as I think they accomplished what they set out to achieve, producing some decent arena rock that would appeal to the mainstream rock listener of the period.

My opinion is I admit somewhat fashioned by the fact that I had the opportunity to see this version of MSG in concert a couple of times when they guested for label-mates Whitesnake on the packed-out “1987″ tour, but even now tracks like Gimme Your Love, the stomping arena-rocker that opens the album, or the strong singalong chorus boasting Here Today Gone Tomorrow bring back great memories. Schenker’s trademark licks are here in places but are perhaps less remarkable and certainly more refined and less the centrepiece of the songs that they perhaps should have been but he hasn’t lost it completely here. Don’t Stop Me Now was a decent, mid-paced track with a jangly guitar motif whilst No Time For Losers a superb heavier track with a tremendous opening guitar riff, although arguably as good as it is here, it failed to capture the energy on vinyl that it possessed in concert. In fact, it’s not until the fifth and final track on side one that we get decidedly main stream with the big arena anthem Follow The Night. Surely intended as a cue for lighters to be raised with it’s big chorus and layered vocals it still strikes me as one of the better ’soft-rock’ anthems of it’s time.

There is a stark reminder of the MSG of old with the stirring guitar introduction to side two’s memorable heavy rock opener Get Out. This one stills sounds great and the memories of it’s live outing are stirred as it plays however it is interesting to note on the sleeve that second guitarist Mitch Perry played a key role on this track. A fine, young guitarist tipped by many to go onto greater things, I sometimes wonder what happened to Perry as he left MSG soon after the tour was completed.

Love Is Not A Game represents an attempt to score a radio hit I think, maybe prompted by EMI, and owes something to the Scorpions output of the era, whilst Time proves itself the albums’ big-ballad that I recall was well received in concert and would certainly make a refreshing change if included on the next 80’s rock ballad compilation that’s bound to appear soon. To my ears though, I Don’t Wanna Lose has never quited worked and sounds a little awkward around the chorus. The acoustic opening and the verses are fine, outstanding even, but here is a good example where straying from the traditional verse, chorus structure could have improved a song greatly.

It’s interesting to note just how close the McAuley and Schenker collaboration came at times to the sound of the Scorpions of the late 80’s and that’s once again audible on album closer Rock ‘Til Your Crazy. A decent enough rocker if exceptionally cliche ridden it’s leads me to think that anyone who enjoyed the likes of Savage Amusement and Crazy World by the Scorpions would get something out of this version of MSG. It’s also no surprise when the sleeve notes credits Rudolph Schenker “…for his time, attention and inspiration”.

Summary : Although this doesn’t measure up against the early “MSG” releases that boasted the likes of Cozy Powell in the line-up and Schenker himself on fine form, it is still an album I enjoy greatly. In it’s day this polished, arena friendly version of MSG provided a welcome alternative to a lot of the second rate rock that MTV Europe were serving up and in my opinion all of the Robin McAuley era MSG releases are well worth a listen. The Whitesnake/MSG tour package made for excellent value and the success of this album, though not anything like the level EMI or the band would have hoped for, ensured the collaboration survived for a few years and a further couple of albums. They deserve all they get for those hair styles though!

If You Listen To One Track Listen To : Get Out

Score : 3/5

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The promo clip for “Gimme Your Love“. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore!

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BL