In a recent interview with Paul Cashmere of Noise11, German guitar legend Michael Schenker, who is currently celebrating the 50th anniversary of his band UFO, shed light on his upcoming musical projects. Schenker, known for his influential work with both UFO and the Michael Schenker Group (MSG), detailed his ambitious plans and collaborations for his new releases.
During the conversation, Schenker revealed that he entered the studio in June 2023 with a clear vision. He mentioned that while the UFO album was already completed, he focused on writing and recording new material for the MSG album and a second project. Schenker elaborated on his approach, explaining that he aimed to produce three distinct albums to showcase the breadth of his work over the past five decades. The projects include a new UFO album, a new MSG album, and an acoustic or electric instrumental album.
For the MSG album, which will be titled *Don’t Sell Your Soul*, Schenker is collaborating with a notable lineup of vocalists. Erik Grönwall, formerly of Skid Row, will provide vocals for most of the tracks, alongside Robin McAuley and Michael Voss, who is also serving as co-producer and contributing vocals. Schenker expressed his enthusiasm for the project, noting the high quality of the material.
In addition to the MSG album, Schenker embarked on an instrumental album project. As he was recording the instrumental parts, Schenker was impressed by Michael Voss’s vocal contributions. This led to a creative shift, transforming what was initially an instrumental album into a vocal project. The reworked album now features Herman Rarebell, the former drummer of the Scorpions, and has become one of Schenker’s favorites.
The album, now titled *Freedom Of Expression*, underwent a unique production process. Schenker and his team decided to tune the album to 432 Hz, a frequency associated with the classic Pink Floyd album *The Dark Side of the Moon*. This choice, along with various other creative decisions, contributed to what Schenker describes as an astonishing final product. He is confident that listeners will be pleasantly surprised by the innovative sound of this new release.
