Michael Schenker is back with an album covering the music of his early days. My Years With UFO is a tribute to his time in that band and features some of the most-talented musicians in hard rock. Guests include Slash, Axl Rose, Adrian Vandenberg, John Norum, and Dee Snider. The disc is a love fest, happily hosted by Schenker.
When your fans hear My Years With UFO, their heads will explode.
It’s been 50 years since I joined UFO, and I wanted to do something special. The remasters had very little information – you get the song title, and that’s it. I thought it would be a good opportunity to educate newcomers. My most-popular music was on Strangers in the Night. I wrote most of those songs, so I thought I could celebrate with musicians who UFO inspired. It’s been an incredible journey to record with these guys. They did fantastic. It was so entertaining hearing them working with my co-producer, Michael Voss. We were all smiling.
Did re-recording the songs bring back memories?
I was 17 when I joined UFO, and the recording process was like a calendar. I can tell you what I did when we released Lights Out, Force It, and No Heavy Petting. I know exactly what I was doing and where I was. It’s my life, going from album to album. From 1970 on, when I was 15, I started to record.
I changed the Scorpions from a dance band into a rock band. When we did Lonesome Crow, I wrote most of the songs. Nobody was writing music, so when I joined my brother Rudolph’s band, Klaus Meine was in my band, Copernicus, where I was writing songs with Klaus. The first Scorpions album looked like it was written by everybody because I didn’t know what rights I had. When I joined UFO at 17, they were a psychedelic band. I turned them into a rock band. I guess I had a rock influence on people (laughs).
I had a very clear direction as an artist. I wanted a distorted guitar sound that was clear, exciting, and tasty. Every band I was impressed by as a teenager had to have an impressive lead guitarist. Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple had the sound that I loved.
How did you decide which songs the musicians would play?
I’ve been working with my co-producer, Michael Voss, for 14 years, and we always start an album without knowing what we’re going to do. I had ideas about My Years With UFO, and he had ideas about who to ask. I never directed anybody. I wanted them to be themselves. I knew the bands Europe and Guns ’N Roses were fans and probably played my music when they were kids. I let them do what they wanted.
I never thought of bringing in Axl Rose. It was Slash, who I knew was a fan. When he came into the studio in Frankfurt, he told me Axl was interested in singing. Him singing “Love To Love” made me so happy. The moment I put the idea out there, the possibilities came from everywhere. Michael met Stephen Pearcy on The Monsters of Rock Cruise. I liked “Round and Round” when it came out and became friends with Warren DeMartini. They were UFO and Michael Schenker fans – same with Europe, John Norum, and Joey Tempest. I was absolutely amazed by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, and Erik Grönwall. Erik is fantastic. So is Kai Hansen of Helloween. Biff Byford of Saxon singing “This Kid’s” was amazing. I was blown away.
There’s a new Gibson Michael Schenker Flying V.
This is the 50th anniversary of me playing the Flying V, so this is the complete cycle. It’s very strange how things show up after a period of time. I’m back with Gibson, and things have fallen into place.
Are there some personal touches on it?
They expected me to tell them exactly what I wanted, but I told them, “I’m more used to doing things by ear.” They are the experts coming up with the latest of the latest. I have the ears. If they have something they think is suitable, I will approve it if I’m happy with it. I had ideas of what it would look like, but when it comes to pickups or technical things, I’m absolutely useless. The one good thing I have is ears (laughs)!
This article originally appeared in VG’s January 2025 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
