Spirit on a Mission

MICHAEL SCHENKER IS A DEEP MAN ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL.ONCE CONFUSED AND SCARED OF FAME AND FORTUNE HE DISAPPEARED AFTER THE LIGHTS OUT RELEASE.IN A RECENT INTERVIEW MICHAEL DISCLOSED HIS VIEW OF LIFE AND VISIONS OF THE FUTURE.HE RECOGNIZES 3 DISTINCT LEVELS OF HIS LIFE .FIRSTLY FROM AGE 9 WHEN HIS BROTHER RUDOLF GOT A GUITAR FOR HIS 16th BIRTHDAY AND FORBIDDING ANYONE IN HIS FAMILY TO TOUCH IT.MICHAEL GRABBED IT WHILE RUDOLF WENT TO WORK.AND HE TAUGHT HIMSELF THRU A PROCESS HE DEFINES AS "PLAY AND DISCOVER" ,RUDOLF FOUND OUT AND INSTEAD OF YELLING AT HIS BROTHER , ASKED MICHAEL TO SHOW HIM WHAT HE HAS LEARNED .RUDOLF WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HIS YOUNGER BROTHER AND PAID MICHAEL TO TEACH HIM TO PLAY.SO FROM AGE 9 RIGHT UP THROUGH THE SCORPIONS "LOVEDRIVE" ALBUM WAS HIS FIRST STAGE OF LIFE.AS OF AGE 16 MICHAEL STOPPED LISTENING TO ANYBODY ELSES REGORDS.THAT IS 43 YEARS OF HIS OWN CREATIVITY ,CALLING IT ENERGY DRAINING ON HIM.NOW ENTERING STAGE TWO .HE CALLED THIS HIS SELF DISCOVERY PERIOD PRACTICING ACOUSTIC ,ELECTRIC ,AND RECORDING WITH THE SCORPS ,WHO INCIDENTALLY DRAFTED HIM FOR LONESOME CROW AT 15 YEARS OF AGE.HE DRIFTED TO UFO AND BECAME FRIGHTENED OF HIS FAME AND FORTUNE ,HE THEN RELEASES ALMOST 4 CD's IN THREE YEARS.HE CALLED IT QUITS WITH UFO AFTER "STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT " , UFOs DELERIOUSLY AWESOME ALBUM DONE IN ONE TAKE AND ONE NIGHT PLAYING A GONCERT.NOT MANY BANDS CAN WRITE THIS IN THEIR DIARIES.HE SPEAKS DEARLY OF HERMAN AND FRANCIS OF THE SCORPIONS ,AND THEY HAVE RECORDED A FEW DVDs ,AND CDs WITH MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP ,McCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP ,AND NOW HIS TEMPLE OF ROCK.BUT MICHAEL ADMITS HE LOVES THE NEW BAND AND CD RELEASE ,AND HE IS ON A DIFFERENT FUTURE VISION AS IS EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYS .HE HAS ACHIEVED FAME ,IS VERY WEALTHY , AND ADMITTEDLY UNHAPPY. THAT IS WHERE HE STANDS ,OR RATHER STOOD WHILE WRITING THIS CD.HE WANTED THE ATTACK METHOD CONSTANT DUAL PEDAL DRUMMING ,AND HIGH OCTANE RIFFING , AND GOOD OLD CLASSIC HARD DRIVING ROCK THUS BEGINS THE 3rd PHASE IN HIS LIFE . HE HAS ACHIEVED THAT HERE WITH "SPIRIT ON A MISSION". A MUST HAVE CD FOR EVERY UFO ,SCORPION ,MSG , TEMPLE OF ROCK BANDS FANS. IT INCLUDES A DVD WHICH I HAVE YET TO LISTEN TO, BUT THE CD IS GETTING WORN KWIKLY.....IT IS A GREAT CHANELLING OF THE SCHENKER ENERGY. IT DRIVES YOU FROM TRACK ONE THROUGH TO THE END.

Always great to hear something new from Doogie White, but I'm not too crazy about Michael Schenker's guitar wizardry for some reason. Something is missing there for me.I think Doogie's best records are last 3 Cornerstone albums and Empire "Chasing Shadows. Those actually are even better than Rainbow "Stranger In Us All" in my opinion.

From the opening track to the last. this is classic Schenker . Great songs delivered by amazing players . This disc ROCKS . If you"re into Michael Shenker than YOU NEED THIS DISC. Five stars.

Aaah, Michael Schenker. I'll start by saying he's been my favorite guitarist for 40 years now. That said, I will give an honest review, because Michael has had a few clunkers over the years. However, this is not one of them. About 5 years ago he got over his stage fright, and he's been soaring ever since. Michael is a true Spirit. He has very limited social skills, so his only way true way to express himself is through his playing. With his third Temple Of Rock album, he has found the right band mates, and the way they gel here reckons back to 1983's Assault Attack. A phenomenal heavy rock (maybe Heavy Metal is more fitting) album, it opens with a real quirky opening that blasts into a killer signature Michael Schenker riff. The song is Live And Let Live and it just smokes. Being reunited with Francis Bucholz and Herman Rarebell from their Lovedrive sessions together really form an incredible backbone. Rarebells double bass attack is in your face and never lets up. Longtime sideman Wayne Findlay (who by now, has been with Michael longer than anyone else...by far) has mastered the 7 string guitar, and Michael really wanted to use that to add a heaviness to this recording. Man, did it work BRILLIANTLY! Vigilante Man was the first video single they released and it too, just kills it! Great riff, great vox, and a signature blazing, clean and melodic solo. I could review every song for you, but just buy it. If you liked the mid to late '70's UFO, or the early to mid '80's MSG, you're going to LOVE THIS. Saviour Machine, Something Of The Night, Bulletproof, All Our Yesterdays, and Let The Devil Scream are just a handful of truly GREAT SONGS. Wicked closes out the album and since I first wrote this review I've listened to the disc at least 20 more times. The beauty of this brilliant guitar player is that the more you listen, the more you find new favorites. Thus the case with Wicked. It has this super heavy riff that just expands, and you're off. Off to the stratosphere with Michael and band. I can't stop rockin' this killer track. One more thing I didn't mention in the initial review. The production is brilliant also. Very heavy sound, which I believe Wayne Findlay should get credit for with the 7 string, this album should be played LOUD. As in, STUN! Hooks that stay with you, lyrics that bring back Ronnie James Dio, it's all here. Or maybe I should say, it's all hear! Michael, our Spirit guide, takes us on a great musical journey. Do not miss out. I would give it more stars if I could.

Product was exactly as described!!

Oh well, this album is wrapped up in a big beautiful bow of perfection. Not only does this band jell together the lyrics are fantastic. Doogie`s voice is great and it brings me back to the good ole 70`s. Michael is awesome too. The song GOOD TIMES is a classic that brings you back to great times of yesteryear. It took me 25 years to get out of the 70`s and this song along with the lyrics brings me right back. While driving back and foruth to work I pop my hearings aids out and blast this album,its great. The last song WICKED is another classic. I`ll be going to see Schenker April 18th at the "Stone Pony" Asbury Park NJ. "Where have all the good times gone,making love was just for fun". That line says it all to us old timers,,,keep on rocking boys, see you soon.

great album. schenker on top of his game and having fun.if you like hard rock this is a great purchase

oh yeah this is the good stuff. get it here cuz it's really good

You know how it is, you listen to the man for years in his various guises.....then you just stop, for no other reason than the playing was getting samey...and then you return to Mr Schenker as he's put out some good stuff once more, but decry the vocalist/s chosen...and so it was that I stopped listening to the man again...but then heard a couple of tracks from Spirit On A Mission, which I thought were pretty impressive...and although not making the album an essential buy, I did eventually get hold of my copy at a knock down price! And what we have here is a very much rejuvenated version of Mr Schenker with vocalist, Doogie White, pulling out all the stops to present us with, what, in my opinion, is a classy rock album, that we've not heard from the man in an awful long time...but just knew he still had it within him!Turn this up to number 11 and truly feel the noise with rockers and ballads beautifully dovetailed together that will leave you with a big fat grin on your face or else have you singing along at the top of your lungs in the car - truly wonderful album and really what rock is supposed to be all about! Favourite tracks, nope, love 'em all and I've played this album through now a couple of dozen times and still have not felt the urge to hit skip!Just buy and immerse yourself in good old fashioned rock recorded with modern day recording technology...

Great album, mixing old and new influences. Varied songs. Love it. Better than 'Bridge...' (which was good). Several tracks which will sit in live set nicely. But CD deserves to be listened to on fairly decent audio system and proper speakers, not mp3 via earphones, in order to get a good depth of sound. Lately, I've fallen into the trap of buyind CDs and the just listening via Amazon cloud on earphones, and need to get back to playing the actual disc. Believe me, it's a much better experience!

His best album since the eighties glory days.High quality rock album with catchy riffs and melodic soloing. The lyrics, singing , the rest of the band and production are all great. The dvd features Vigilante Man video , one day in Paris , press conference and road trail. If new to Schenker's work I would recommend the live album Temple of Rock live in Europe or his first two solo albums . I don't think any fan will be disappointed with this work.

Getting better and better, this is really a great band and I hope they stick together for a long time. The companion DVD is largely useless, except for the Paris interview, where MS explains in detail where he stands in his career and even his mind. The band is very strong and the songs are of high quality: very good stuff and highly recommended.

Bought after attending superb Temple of Rock Concert which blew me away. Outstanding guitar work from Michael Schenker. He doesn't dominate the tracks but comes in with some amazing original performances which go straight inside you & won't let you go. And the whole band gels perfectly. Sheer quality as you would expect from such talented & experienced musicians.