Simon RushworthMcAuley Schenker Group — Bad Boys 1987-1992 (HNE Recordings)
Michael Schenker had all but disappeared off the face of earth by the mid 80s and rock’s shifting sands suggested it would be a long road back for the flamboyant German.
A period of self-imposed exile following the release of 1983’s Built To Destroy puzzled fans of the ridiculously talented Teutonic trailblazer. Pals in the music business were just as baffled.
Rumours abounded that he’d entered rehab but Schenker always refuted that. In any case, by the time he’d started pulling together a new set of songs in 1986, hair metal ruled.
And surely even Schenker couldn’t do hair metal…
Or maybe he could. At least if he had former Grand Prix frontman Robin McAuley in his corner.
Putting the hair into hair metal, the impressively coiffured Irishman was the talk of rock after playing his part in star-studded collective Far Corporation.
And Schenker was champing at the bit to get back in the game.
Perfect Timing? The name of McAuley Schenker Group’s 1987 debut suggested both of the key players sensed the stars had aligned.
And if die-hard Schenker acolytes baulked at the former UFO and Scorpions man chasing the MTV dollars then that impressively polished record and its equally sparkling follow-up proved to be two of the finest examples of a genre that’s comfortably stood the test of time.
McAuley’s melodies and Schenker’s solos were a match made in heaven at a time when the competition for airplay was intense.
As a five-year experiment in wild reinvention, McAuley Schenker Group remains a fascinating case study.
And this action-packed four CD set captures every magical moment.
Unplugged and unsurpassed
By the time 1992’s Unplugged Live marked McAuley Schenker Group’s last hurrah, grunge was on the march.
Its ability to eradicate all but the biggest of hair metal hitters was unmatched and the genre’s scene leaders knew it.
But the brief crossover between MTV Unplugged’s ratings peak and the emergence of Nirvana, Pear Jam, Soundgarden et al allowed bands like McAuley Schenker Group one final flourish.
And as flourishes go Unplugged Live was a swaggering triumph.
Capturing the true strength of McAuley’s vocal range and the legendary versatility of six stringer Schenker, it proved to be a fitting tribute to an unlikely partnership.
And if Save Yourself’s MTV-approved ballad Anytime was the perfect fit to kick off an acoustic-led tour de force then the punchier Bad Boys and Gimme Your Love (from Perfect Timing) also worked a treat.
But what about McAuley and Schenker joining forces on vibrant covers of Doctor Doctor and Lights Out? Two hard rock standards never sounded better.
Perfect Timing — featuring the Rushonrock favourite Love Is Not A Game — 1989’s Save Yourself (skip past the dreadful Get Down To Bizness) and Unplugged Live deserve a prominent place in any self-respecting hair metal afficionado’s collection.
But 1991’s M.S.G.? It’s a rather patchy, frustrating affair that lacks the sheen of its five-star predecessors. The quest for that post-Anytime MTV-ready hit feels a little too forced on the record that always threatened to damage the McAuley Schenker Group legacy.
Even four versions of the wonderful When I’m Gone can’t save the least impactful of the four discs here. Then again, three out of four ain’t bad.
If you never imagined Schenker as a bona fide hair metal hero then there’s never been a better time to discover the truth.
Alongside Robin McAauley, one of rock’s greatest guitarists was reimagined as a pretty boy pop star primed for mainstream success. We enjoyed the ride first time around — 40 years down the line and the return trip’s just as much fun.
