As requested, here’s this awesome THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP release titled “Walk The Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set” in its Japanese edition pressed on SHM-CD.
Despite its title, this is an official release, and sound quality of the 4 shows features is very good. This is a truly comprehensive listen of MSG, with concerts from 1980 (Hammersmith, UK), 1981 (Osaka, Japan, 2 shows), and 1982 at the legendary Reading Festival.
This was an incredible band, all uber-talented musicians (including the great Cozy Powell), and for many fans, this is Michael Schenker finest moment.
Disc 1 is from Hammersmith Odeon on MSG’s first UK tour. It’s the complete concert and the band smokes. Schenker’s playing is mind-blowing on this show. Guitar wise, the version of ‘Lights Out’ is possibly be the best one ever recorded, dare I say even better than on Strangers In The Night live album.
Disc 2 is the first of 2 shows on the same day in Osaka, Japan. This is the same tour that produced One Night At Budokan. The Osaka date was the first show on the tour, and the Budokan show was the last.
This early afternoon performance is the better of the 2 Osaka shows and the same set as the Budokan show with the addition of Tales Of Mystery and the omission of Covoursier Concerto.
The band is tight and Schenker delivers a stellar performance. Great hearing the stage banter that was left off the Budokan disc especially when Barden introduces the Paul Raymond penned Never Trust A Stranger. You’ll hear Raymond in the background saying “Great song, the best”.
Disc 3 features the second of the two Osaka shows (the evening one). This show has everything on it including Tales Of Mystery & Concerto. The band is tight once again but there are some technical gliches. During two different songs Schenker’s solo’s sound very “uninspired” (sounds like a broken string).
Then at the beginning of Into The Arena as Paul Raymond is introducing the band he comments that Michael’s guitar is “coming apart” which could explain the 2 sub par solo’s. Overall a good show. Interesting to hear Schenker play around the broken string issue.
Disc 4 is the show from the Reading Festival when Graham Bonnett was unceremoniously dumped and Gary Barden brought back into the band. This show has been previously available as “BBC In Concert”, but was missing Feels Like A Good Thing, so it’s nice to finally have the complete set.
Great show for a band that only had 2 hours rehearsal time. Barden introduces Rock You To The Ground by it’s working title of Heavy Blues, forgets keyboard player Andy Nye’s name, and introduces him by a completely different name. Funny stuff.
Only an hour due to being a festival show, highlights are the inclusion of the rarely played Bijou Pleasurette and an absolutely great version of Let Slepping Dogs Lie. In what could have been a total disaster and low point for him, Schenker really shines during this performance.
Overall this box set is a brilliant collection that ANY Schenker fan will love. Taken from a 4 year period where his solo career was about to take off, it truly is a testament to what a guitar virtuoso he is.
The impressive thing is that Schenker never plays the same on the same song. He always adds something different!. As example, we have 4 versions of ‘Armed And Ready’, but all sound different! Never the same solo twice, always improvising with taste and that unique feeling.
Even though many songs are repeated on these discs, each show is a unique experience, different years, different chemistry. Kinda like hearing the song for the first time each time you hear it.
HIGHLY Recommended
Disc I: Live At Hammersmith 25th September 1980
1 – Armed And Ready [Live]
2 – Cry For The Nations [Live]
3 – Victim Of Illusion [Live]
4 – Natural Thing [Live]
5 – Feels Like A Good Thing [Live]
6 – Into The Arena [Live]
7 – Looking Out From Nowhere [Live]
8 – Rock Bottom [Live]
9 – Tales Of Mystery [Live]
10 – Lost Horizons [Live]
11 – Shoot Shoot [Live]
12 – Doctor Doctor [Live]
13 – Lights Out [Live]
Disc II: Live At The Osaka Festival Hall 19th August 1981 (Afternoon Show)
1 – Armed And Ready [Live]
2 – Cry for the Nations [Live]
3 – Attack of the Mad Axeman [Live]
4 – But I Want More [Live]
5 – Victim Of Illusion [Live]
6 – Into The Arena [Live]
7 – On And On [Live]
8 – Never Trust A Stranger [Live]
9 – Let Sleeping Dogs Lie [Live]
10 – Tales of Mystery [Live]
11 – Lost Horizons [Live]
12 – Doctor Doctor [Live]
13 – Ready to Rock [Live]
Disc III: The Osaka Festival Hall 19th August 1981 (Evening Show)
1 – Armed And Ready [Live]
2 – Cry For The Nations [Live]
3 – Attack Of The Mad Axeman [Live]
4 – But I Want More [Live]
5 – Victim Of Illusion [Live]
6 – Into The Arena [Live]
7 – On And On [Live]
8 – Never Trust A Stranger [Live]
9 – Let Sleeping Dogs Lie [Live]
10 – Tales Of Mystery [Live]
11 – Courvoisier Concert [Live]
12 – Lost Horizons [Live]
13 – Doctor Doctor [Live]
14 – Ready To Rock [Live]
Disc IV: Live At The Reading Festival 29th August 1982
1 – Armed And Ready [Live]
2 – Cry For The Nations [Live]
3 – Attack Of The Mad Axeman [Live]
4 – But I Want More [Live]
5 – Rock You To The Ground [Live]
6 – Bijou Pleasurette [Live]
7 – Feels Like A Good Thing [Live]
8 – Let Sleeping Dogs Lie [Live]
9 – Courvoisier Concert [Live]
10 – Lost Horizons [Live]
11 – Doctor Doctor [Live]
Guitar – Michael Schenker
Vocals – Gary Barden
Bass – Chris Glen
Keyboards – Andy Nye (tracks: Disc 4)
Keyboards, Rhythm Guitar – Paul Raymond
Drums – Cozy Powell (Disc 1-3), Ted McKenna (tracks: Disc 4)
THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP – Walk The Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set [Japan 4 x SHM-CD], MP3+FLAC
Leave a Reply