Audio CD review:
Michael Group Schenker - Reactivate-Live

Michael Group Schenker - Reactivate-Live

Band: Michael Group Schenker Title: Reactivate-Live Rating: Release Date: 07 November, 2002 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Armed And Ready (Recorded In PA 1980) 2: Cry For The Nations (Recorded In PA 1980) 3: Victim Of Illusion (Recorded In PA 1980) 4: Into The Arena (Recorded In PA 1980) 5: Lost Horizons (Recorded In PA 1980) 6: Doctor Doctor (Recorded In PA 1980) 7: Lights Out (Recorded In PA 1980) 8: Armed And Ready (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 9: Cry For The Nations (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 10: Victim Of Illusion (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 11: Natural Thing (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 12: Feels Like A Good Thing (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 13: Into The Arena (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 14: Rock Bottom (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980) 15: Looking Out From Nowhere (Recorded In Los Angeles 1980)

Customer Review Get Into The Arena With Michael Schenker! This double cd is composed from two shows; disc one was recorded in Erie, Pennsylvania, 11/20/80 and disc two is from the Country Club, Los Angeles, 12/22/80. This is a double live cd derived from the MSG tour for the groundbreaking debut album by Michael Schenker simply titled - MSG. The lineup for both shows is: Michael Schenker - guitar; Gary Barden - vocals; Paul Raymond - guitar, keyboards; Chris Glen - bass guitar; Cozy Powell - drums (RIP). These have to be the proverbial "Holy Grails" of MSG shows! The original lineup BLAZING through the then new MSG material on their first tour of America! MSG initially was brought in as a supporting act sandwiched between the southern hard-rock bands of Johnny Van Zandt and Molly Hatchet! What a motley crew! Indeed, the southern rock audience did not quite know what to make of the MSG, but Michael and boys were able to convert alot of southern good-'ol-boys into the blitzkrieg of German wunderkind Michael Schenker! MSG would leave the southern rock tour and hook-up with Cheap Trick to tour Canada in December 1980 for a few shows. The first show - Erie, Pennsylvania, 11/20/80 - shows MSG blowing the roof off the venue in rural Erie. Michael is ON and he plays with a such a fervor and intensity that must have left the southern rock crowd waiting to see Molly Hatchet slack-jawed in awe! Needless to say, the approving roars from the audience proves that the MSG conquered Erie that night! This show by MSG is superlative! The set list is: Armed and Ready, Cry for the Nations, Victim of Illusion, Into The Arena, Lost Horizons, Doctor Doctor, Lights Out. Of course, besides getting to hear Michael go "lights out" on guitar, we get to listen to the AMAZING Cozy Powell pummel his drum kit into powder! Cozy was one of the forefathers of heavy metal drumming and getting to hear Cozy on the skins in a true treat! RIP Cozy! The second disc and show from the Country Club, Los Angeles, 12/22/80, shows MSG in a headlining gig right at the end of their tour of the States. The anticipation and demand for tickets was so great for this show that MSG could have sold out a weeks worth of shows! The crowd is rabid for Michael and Gary Barden feeds the audience's enthusiasm with his underated ability as front man for the band. Gary was the voice for MSG and his performance on both shows are TREMENDOUS! Of course, Michael's guitar playing will leave you breathless. The set list for this show is: Armed and Ready, Cry for the Nations, Victim of Illusion, Natural Thing, Feels Like a Good Thing, Into The Arena, Rock Bottom, Looking Out From Nowhere. I can't recommend this cd for any Michael Schenker, MSG, guitar player or music fan enough. This is THE BEST live shows of the MSG in existence! The raw, heavy, electric muscle of this band live was staggering! Buy this CD, get "into the arena" and become a victim of the MSG illusion! Lights OUT!. . You can see a complete list of all Michael Group Schenker discography, or go back to the Michael Group Schenker tabs