MICHAEL SCHENKER: 'I Dress Like An '80s Rock Star Now, I Drive A Sports Car, And I Celebrate'

Michael Schenker spoke to Eonmusic about the new MICHEAL SCHENKER FEST album "Revelation", his philosophy, and the pending anniversary of his debut recording with the SCORPIONS on the "Lonesome Crow" album.

About "Revelation", he said: "You know, this is the first time I can play the whole album. When I usually go in the studio, I don't really know how to play the songs because you spend so long in the studio, by the time you finish, you've done so many overdubs and stuff you don't really know anymore; you have to actually listen back to it and learn again. I enjoyed it so much, it's really enjoyable to play, and I've ended up learning the whole album. I've never done this in my life."

Regarding how the formation of MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST came about, Michael said: "I realized, 'Wait a minute. I have played the most popular music of Michael Schenker for so long with other singers. Wouldn't it be great to do it with the original singers in one go, all together?' So, I knew with Klaus [Meine, SCORPIONS] and Phil Mogg [UFO], it would have been more difficult, but I thought maybe the '80s guys from MSG would be possible. So we called them up, and it was almost like they were waiting. They were really happy to do it, the same with the musicians."

On the forthcoming 50th anniversary of "Lonesome Crow", Schenker was less than optimistic about the prospect of reconciling with brother Rudolf. Said Michael: "First of all, it has got nothing to do with Rudolf. I jumpstarted the SCORPIONS with 'Lonesome Crow'. It was more about Klaus Meine and myself, because Rudolf was not really doing anything, other than maybe doing a bit of management. He wasn't really a musician — he just wanted to be famous — so he took care of the stuff that would lead towards this. That's how he courted his favorite singer in the neighborhood, and, of course, he knew that his brother was developing into a lead guitarist with worldwide potential."

Finally, on where he is in his life now, Michael said: "Now, in the third part of my life, I can celebrate, because everything has been completed, and the good thing is I get a lot of icing now. In my middle years, I built the foundation, I built the cake, and I can put the icing on the cake. Now I can make up for what I couldn't hold for the '80s; I dress like an '80s rock star now, I drive a sports car, and I celebrate. So, I'm making up. I took care of the necessity first; I build my house on a rock, a good solid thing."

Read the entire interview at Eonmusic.