MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP‘s new studio album, titled “Don’t Sell Your Soul”, will be released on October 3 via earMUSIC. The official music video for the LP’s title track can be seen below.
Schenker and his band performed the “Don’t Sell Your Soul” title track live for the first time on July 31 at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.
“Don’t Sell Your Soul” is the latest studio album by the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and the second part of an album trilogy that began with 2024’s “My Years With UFO”.
“Don’t Sell Your Soul” was produced by Schenker and Michael Voss, and recorded with Schenker‘s longtime allies: Bodo Schopf (drums),Barend Courbois (bass) and Steve Mann (guitar, keys). On vocals is the impeccable Erik Grönwall, former SKID ROW singer and undoubtedly one of the best rock voices of his generation. There are also guest vocal appearances by Robin McAuley, Roberto Dimitri “Lia” Liapakis and Voss.
There are guitar gods — and then there’s Michael Schenker. From his early breakthrough with SCORPIONS and his groundbreaking work with UFO to the formation of the michael schenker group in 1979, Schenker has been a benchmark for the evolution of hard rock and metal. Decades later, MSG remains a vehicle for his uncompromising artistic vision, and “Don’t Sell Your Soul” is its latest manifestation.
“Don’t Sell Your Soul” track listing:
01. Don’t Sell Your Soul
02. Danger Zone
03. Eye Of The Strom
04. Janey The Fox
05. I Can’t Stand Waiting
06. Sign Of The Times
07. The Chosen
08. It’s You
09. Sixstring Shotgun
10. Flesh And Bone
11. Surrender
Schenker is a former member of UFO and the SCORPIONS and a founding member of the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG). He is the younger brother of Rudolf Schenker, guitarist with the SCORPIONS.
Michael joined UFO under unusual circumstances. The band left the U.K. to play some dates in Germany. Their guitarist at the time, Bernie Marsden, forgot his passport and was unable to make the first gig. At the venue, UFO spotted Michael playing a soundcheck with the SCORPIONS and managed to persuade him into playing that evening’s show. And the rest is history. Eventually, Schenker decided he wanted to play his own music and not be a hired hand for another band. In 1979, he founded the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, and the band has been recording and touring as numerous incarnations ever since.
Although Michael Schenker‘s era with UFO spanned only six years, his influence as a young songwriter and exceptional guitarist had already left a lasting mark on rock. During these meteoric years, the UFO albums “Phenomenon”, “Force It”, “No Heavy Petting”, “Lights Out”, “Obsession” and the seminal live album “Strangers In The Night” were recorded, each contributing significantly to the genre. “Strangers In The Night” particularly stands out as one of the most influential live rock albums of all time and is still regarded as a cornerstone in any rock enthusiast’s collection.
