Michael Schenker - Early Career: Scorpions, UFO

Early Career: Scorpions, UFO

Michael Schenker started playing guitar at an early age, after his brother Rudolf brought home a Gibson Flying V guitar, which captured his imagination. He played his first gig when he was 11, with Rudolf and the Scorpions in a nightclub. Schenker debuted with Scorpions on their debut album Lonesome Crow at age 17.

The Scorpions went on tour after recording their first album, opening up for upcoming UK band UFO in Germany. Schenker was offered the position of lead guitar player for UFO (taking over for Bernie Marsden, himself a temporary replacement for Mick Bolton) and, with the blessing of his brother, accepted (the Scorpions replaced him with Uli Roth), even though he didn't speak English.

Schenker wrote the music for most of UFO's major label (Chrysalis Records) debut album Phenomenon. His career with UFO was turbulent, sometimes walking off mid-song causing shows to be canceled. Despite having a series of successful albums and tours, Schenker finally left UFO soon after the last show of their US tour in Palo Alto, California, in October 1978; during this tour, the band recorded their seminal live album Strangers in the Night, which was released after he left the band.

Schenker's playing with UFO attracted attention from music critics and especially from the guitar community; in fact, according to some writers, UFO is only to be distinguished for having had Schenker in their ranks.

Schenker briefly re-joined the Scorpions in late 1978, when they were recording the album Lovedrive (he plays lead guitar on three songs, "Another Piece Of Meat", "Coast To Coast" and "Lovedrive"). In 1979, Schenker toured with the band in support of the album, but left the band 3 months later, following occasions when he could not perform on stage due to fatigue and alcohol problems. He was permanently replaced by Matthias Jabs, who had originally joined the Scorpions before Schenker's return.

Schenker was one of many guitarists to audition for the lead guitar spot in The Rolling Stones in the mid-1970s following Mick Taylor's dismissal. He also auditioned for Aerosmith in 1979 after Joe Perry left. According to Martin Huxley, Schenker stormed out of the room after some Nazi-jokes were made. After the death of Randy Rhoads, Ozzy Osbourne's first call was to Schenker to replace Rhoads, as the German guitarist and his iconic Flying V were a huge influence on Randy. But, Ozzy claims, Schenker made too many outlandish demands (including a private jet). Schenker himself, in an interview with KNAC radio, claims he was the one to say "no" to Ozzy: "If I would have joined Ozzy Osbourne, I would have screwed up my life. I was almost about to do it, and something told me: DON'T!!"