I'm fascinated by creating music and what can be done with a single string, and that's where my passion lies.”

Michael Schenker: Hello?

Wikimetal (Nando Machado): Hello, is this Mr. Michael Schenker, please?

MS: Yes, that's him speaking!

W (NM): Great, Michael. This is Nando, I'm with Daniel, we're the hosts of a show called Wikimetal, how are you?

MS: I'm fine, thank you. How are you all?

W (NM): We are very happy to have you on the program, thank you very much for your time, it is an honor for us to speak with a legendary guitarist like you.

MS: Oh, thank you.

W (Daniel Dystyler): It's really good, Michael, this is Daniel.

W (NM): To start the interview, what can you tell us about the Lovedrive Reunion Tour shows in Brazil and what was it like playing with big names like Uli Jon Roth, Francis Bucholz, Herman Rarebell, and Doogie White?

MS: First of all, I'm going to Brazil with my own group, "Temple of Rock," which includes Francis Bucholz, Herman Rarebell, Doogie White, Wayne Findley, and myself. We're going to play Michael Schenker's most popular songs, ranging from the UFO album "Strangers in the Night" to "Budokan," "Lovedrive," and some new stuff. We just finished recording a great album that's coming out in November, "Bridge the Gap," and we're already playing a new song of his live, called "Horizons." Uli will also be doing his own show with his band, and then he'll join us on stage because he also played with Herman and Francis, so we'll play some songs together with Uli, so the show will have a great variety of things going on.

W (DD): It's going to be fantastic, Michael. Let's go back to the beginning of your career, is it true that you played your first show with the Scorpions when you were only 11 years old?

MS: Yes, my brother was 17 at the time, he was six and a half years older than me, and I had already been playing for two years. My parents took me to one of his first shows, I think. So I already knew some songs and I jammed with them on some tracks.

W (NM): Well, we interviewed your brother a few months ago and it was one of the best interviews ever. He's a really cool guy and we're very happy that you're on the show too. You were only 15 when the first Scorpions album came out, right? What do you remember from that time?

MS: Well, I was 15 when we recorded it, and it was probably released a year or two later. I remember almost everything. I remember it was in Hamburg, it was recorded with Corny Plank, the producer; he also produced groups like Can and Kraftwerk. And it took us seven days, we were in the studio in Hamburg, and we were all prepared. We made the album, and not long after, we heard it on the radio. It was an incredible experience.

W (DD): Unbelievable, incredible. Michael, we have a classic question on our show that we ask all our guests, which is: imagine you're listening to your iPod with a bunch of heavy metal music or the radio, and suddenly a song starts playing that makes you lose your mind, you feel like you need to headbang immediately. What song would that be for us to play on the show right now?

MS: The problem is that I don't listen to music; I focus all my energy on creating music. But obviously, when I was younger, there was a lot of music that I really liked, and it was all the best guitarists of the '60s. But some stood out, like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter… to name a few, but there were a lot of good guitarists who inspired me to pursue this distorted Metal, this more Heavy Rock sound. So I would say " Scenes from an Imaginary Western " by Mountain; it's a slow song, but it has a beautiful guitar part. And, of course, "The Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin; I would say one of those two.

I don't listen to music, I focus all my energy on creating music.

W (NM): Michael, do you remember the first time you saw or played with Phil Mogg, Pete Way, and Andy Parker, and how did the invitation to play in UFO come about?

MS: We were on tour, Scorpions and UFO, and UFO didn't have a guitarist. I don't know what happened, but for a few days they played without one, and the only way to avoid canceling the shows and for us to continue was for me to play in both bands – Scorpions and UFO. And when the tour ended, UFO called me to join their band.

W (DD): Hey Michael, you've influenced many important bands and guitarists worldwide, and you still do. How does it feel to be a role model for such important and talented artists?

MS: I'm fascinated by creating music and what can be done with a single string, and that's where my passion lies. It's what I love to do, play, and discover. But of course, it's the icing on the cake when you start to be recognized at this level, which I never imagined. I never thought about anything, I was just being myself, creating music and loving it. And, of course, when you hear things like this, it's fantastic, it's the icing on the cake, it's something extra.

W (NM): Hey Michael, let me ask you something: when Joe Perry left Aerosmith and Mick Taylor left the Rolling Stones and Randy Rhoads died, you were the first choice of all these artists to join their bands. How did you feel at the time, and how do you feel about having been the first choice of all these great talents?

MS: Well, actually Deep Purple also called me, before they called Joe Satriani. The truth is, I was always tempted to accept part of it and go, but something always told me: “Don’t go, don’t go, you have your own thing, you have to fulfill your own version and your dreams, and you have to experiment with your music, you have to develop and experiment” and all that, which I couldn’t have done with them. But I was very flattered that I left that impression on those guys. What can I say? I was flattered.

W (DD): And on the same topic: what did it mean to receive the Marshall 11 award, an award given to artists and musicians who represent the excess of Rock n' Roll and always live on the edge?

MS: Again, it's something you don't expect. It happens out of nowhere, suddenly, and it's an extra, an addition. I love playing music and that's already my reward. But winning something like this is the icing on the cake, it's an extra, it's incredible.

W (NM): So, Michael, tell us a little about your future projects. Do you have anything, any studio albums on the way?

MS: Well, we're releasing a new album in November, that's the latest news we have. We also recorded a DVD that was released in March, but before that there was the album "Temple of Rock". So, this album that's coming out in November is the newest one we have and it's going to be called "Bridge the Gap".

W (NM): So I hope we can interview you again in November, okay?

MS: Yes, we are planning a world tour after that.

W (DD): And now, looking at this incredible and successful career you've had, is there still something you want to achieve?

MS: Well, what I'm doing now is celebrating the era of handmade rock. It's something very enjoyable to do.

When I get together with new musicians, and with great musicians, it's always a pleasure, it's always incredible and exciting.”

W (NM): Michael, can you choose another song, one from your career, for us to listen to on the show?

MS: Okay, I choose Before the Devil Knows You're Dead .

W (DD): Michael, there have been many incredible musicians in the MSG lineup so far, such as Carmine Appice, Herman Rarebell, Francis Buchholz, Pete Way, Billy Sheehan, Don Airey, Graham Bonnet… to name a few. Can you share some memories of having had the opportunity to play with these guys and what that meant to you?

MS: Well, it was never planned, it just happened gradually, one thing led to another. You don't realize these things are happening until you look back and see that they actually happened. So when I join new musicians, and great musicians, it's always a pleasure, it's always incredible and exciting to play with them, but it doesn't all happen at once, it happens in stages. So looking back it's amazing, I don't know how it happened, but it happened and it's great. When it actually happened, it was one thing at a time, so it's not as impressive as when we look back.

W (NM): Oh yes, we can imagine. So, Michael, I don't know if you know, but before every Iron Maiden show, they play Doctor Doctor on the loudspeakers, and the lights go out and everyone starts screaming, it's a really good song. Have you ever seen that happen?

MS: I've never seen it, but I've heard of it.

W (DD): It's an incredible experience being in the audience when Doctor Doctor starts, before an Iron Maiden show. You should witness it, it's amazing.

MS: Yeah, it's amazing that people do that, it's awesome.

W (NM): We're almost at the end of our interview, but I'm curious about one thing: you released one of the most iconic live albums of all time, UFO's "Strangers in the Night." What do you remember about those nights? If I'm not mistaken, the album was recorded in Chicago and Louisville, right?

MS: Yes, it was something like that. Chicago for sure, and somewhere else.

W (NM): And what were those nights like? I still listen to this album and it's amazing to see how fit the band was.

MS: Well, what can I say? I always tried to stay in shape. It's the chemistry and especially the producer, Ron Nevison, he was a very important part of UFO.

W (DD): Great, Michael, thank you so much for your time. Can we invite all Brazilian Rock n' Roll fans to these amazing shows you'll be doing here next month?

MS: Yes, everyone, come see this show! It's going to be soon, so "Rock on!"

W (NM): OK, Mr. Michael Schenker on Wikimetal, thank you very much, you are one of the most important guitarists in the history of rock. Thank you very much for talking to us.

MS: Thank you very much.

W (DD): Bye, bye, Michael.

W (NM): See you in Brazil!

MS: Bye, bye!

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