more than just a STORY OF A GREAT INDEPEND a story of perseverance , the crowning is a
A very honest and inspirational conversation with Micah Martin and Ace Hendr
Lets talk about the new MSG
record “Immortal”. How did this
album develop from track to
track?
MICHAEL: You know, this whole album is a mystery
because of the virus, All 10 songs were supposed to be
sung by Ronnie Romero, but due to restrictions, me
having problems getting to the recording studio, I had
to go on 42 days quarantine altogether, it was unbe-
lievable. If I had not done that, the album would have
never happened. I’m the leader, I’m Michael Schenker
and I have to do the shitty work. When I finally put all
my songs down in the recording studio in Germany,
and it was time for Ronnie to sing, he wasn’t avail-
able. He was stuck in quarantine and couldn’t make
the trip. We had to get Ralf Scheepers to sing who
did an amazing job the very next day. After that, all
these people started calling wanting to make a con-
tribution to the record including Derek Sherinian on
keyboards and Brian Tichy on drums. Even Joe Lynn
Turner is singing on the record. I couldn’t believe it.
When “Drilled to Kill” was finished with Ralf singing,
I was shocked at what I heard. Even when I still called
Ronnie about the last 4 songs, he was like I’m still in
quarantine, blah, blah, blah. So someone mentioned
Joe Lynn Turner. I’m like Joe Lynn Tuner? I’m such a
fan of his. The next day they were recording. I could
not believe it. It was incredible. What I was trying so
hard to put together and not working out, but in the
end. It worked out the way I wanted to.
Did you ever take a moment and thing
about what I means to be in this industry for
50 years?
MICHAEL: No because Im an artist. Just being myself.
Over the incredible span of records, what
would say is your biggest growth as a song
writer?
MICHAEL: Its a journey, it goes from the beginning until the day I
die. I never stop growing as a writer and player.
There are so many guitarists that
are successful because of you.
Have you ever had a chance to
talk to them?
MICHAEL: Kirk Hammett from Metallica, Slash
and Iron Maiden being such big fans. I live in the now.
I don’t follow trends. I don’t know what’s out there,
BUT I heard about the impact I had on all these people
so much later in my life, I never knew because I don’t
read interviews, I don’t read critiques, I, I live in the
now (emotionally shaken). I don’t investigate on how
well I’m doing, what people think. It’s not important
to me. How well my music is received is what’s
important. I just flow and take thing from time
to time. If you believe in yourself without all the
distractions of fame and fortune, you automati-
cally become original. Many people cannot get
to that well of creatively because they are blinded
by all the trappings of fame and fortune. People
have copied my style and trashed it, but I’m al-
ways a step ahead, because I always get new
inspiration from within which people don’t have
access to unless they decide they want to go
there. It’s up to their people personality in what
they expect from life.
A fan from the UK, Tryston asks this, what was
it like to get your first signature guitar?
MICHAEL: I was very surprised. I was in Chicago on stage doing a sound
check and a representative from Dean guitars came in and presented me that
guitar. I was like WOW! I played it and it was just fantastic. On top of that,
I said to him “I love this guitar” which is my rock bottom guitar. That is
guitar on the album, the one I received. What I was more happy about was
that I promoted Gibson and Marshall for free without any endorsement
from them, so when Dean had a new owner, they started getting all these
guitarists to endorse them and I was an influence for them to pick up a
Dean guitar. It wasn’t so much that my name was on the guitar, but that the
guitar was stable and very compatible for me. I was introduced to the fam-
ily that took over for Dean and Elliot and they showed me the warehouse
and it was SO BIG, I had never seen anything like that before. I was so im-
pressed that every person in the departments was a guitarists. I’ll tell you
I had so much confidence in the product and company. Having that guitar
in my hand meant to me that I had a family.
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