MSG
Michael Schenker Group
South American Tour
2/22/2011 - Well we are in Mexico City and today, it is the first day of the mini MSG Tour. We have only had one day
of rehearsal but all in all, it went well. I have been having a hard time sleeping, not quite sure why but I should be ok
vocally. I will get back on here as soon, the internet is not as readily available as it is in the U.S. The next 2 shows are in Brazil...have a good one!
Picture takin' from the balcony at the
Teatro Metropolitan Theater in Mexico City
2/23/11 - Well last nights show in Mexico City was amazing! The crowd was so into it and I would come back here in a minute. We are leaving for Brazil for 2 shows so I have to get going. I will post more pictures as soon as I can.
2/24/11 - In Goiania, Brazil getting ready to play tonight, thought that I might add more pictures from Mexico City before and after the show
  
2/26/11 - Ok the show in Goiania, Brazil was a good show, very responsive crowd but the smallest stage we have played thus far. The fans a very polite and a lot of them are very familiar with what I have done in my career...I signed many live c.d's & DVD's that I did with MSG. Vocally, I did ok...I was very tired and jet-lagged but the show must go on. Well the second show was in Sau Paulo, Brazil and it was not my best show...I have never used in-ear monitors because I am old school but I gave it a shot in one ear...very odd sensation I must say...I spent a lot of time pulling it in and out of my ear. I found myself screwing up lyrics when I was doing this so I eventually just pulled it out for good. Still interested in using them just have to take it one step at a time. Here are a few more pics.
  
2/27/11 - We had a day off yesterday...Good & Bad...we spent most of the day travelling but we didn't have a gig so I we got to rest. I feel like I could sleep for days! Looking forward to tonights show...these last 2 shows, the fans are the ones who are making it enjoyable!! and also playing with the guys is the best part!!
See! you didn't believe me, I am in South America!
2/28/11 - Well our last show from this mini tour in South America was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We had a great soundcheck and I was looking forward to the gig but when we started to play, I had only one monitor and I could hardly hear at all. I was so bummed and I could feel myself pushing my voice to hard. I had two monitors in front of me and the one that was working, wasn't working well. Anyway, it really bummed me out but I honestly have to say that the the enthusiasm of the crowd got me past my problems!!! I finally said in my mind "Screw It"...the fans are digging it and I was pretty much on auto-pilot through the remainder of the show hoping that all my years on stage, I was singing in key and I just had fun from there! The best part of the show was when we tried to walk off stage and the crowd started chanting "Doctor, Doctor"...we didn't even make it off...Michael did something I have never seen him do before and instead of leaving the stage, he turned around, got his guitar and started the song. I got the entire crowd to start jumping down together, it is something I will never forget and I wished I could of got it on video...it was freakin' awesome!! Long after the show was over, I came out front of the venue and many fans were waiting for us. I signed autographs and took pictures. The fans here are the best by far...extremely polite and appreciative...I want to thank them for making my South American experience something I will never forget!!
  
3/1/28 - Well after 9 flights, 15,000 miles, 4 shows in 9 days, I am finally home!!! We the band and Michael gave each other big hugs and got on planes to fly back home from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have to honestly say, in all my years of touring, I haven't felt this comfortable with a group of guys like MSG since Mannekin. Let me start with Elliott Dean, I have said it before and I will say it again...he was freakin' awesome! Here is a man who owns Dean Guitars, a huge and well respected company and he is out here on the road with us hoofing it from country to country just for the love of the music and playing on stage. PEOPLE!!! he doesn't need to do this, he does it because he is one of us! By the end of this short tour, he made me feel like I had been in the band for years! Seriously, I couldn't ask for more than that!! Ok, now Carmine Appice...what can I say about Carmine he hasn't already said about himself (just kidding bro)...the man is without a doubt a legend and still to this day a smokin' drummer!! Again, another guy who made me feel welcomed and spoke to me like an equal when for a fact I am not. This man's career has spread over decades and his contribution to rock compared to others is overwhelming. If I was having a bad moment on stage, I would turn around and he either would be smiling or would say something to get me out of my funk. I apologize if I sound like a publicist or something but walking into the situation I did, taking someone's place who I respect with one day of rehearsal, I was nervous as hell and Carmine helped me through it and I couldn't asked for anything more than that!! Alright now my buddy Wayne Findlay...I have said it before, Wayne was very instrumental in making sure that I had what I needed for the tour. When it comes to getting the right material & lyrics, it can be tricky. Michael has had many singers and everyone sings the songs there own way so Wayne helped me make sure that I had the right stuff right down to getting the right power converter for South America...lol. So when I walked into rehearsal, I was prepared. Wayne is a true professional with every sense of the word as well as being spiritually grounded...I do hope I will work with him again soon and it is very possible I will. Last but no least Michael Schenker, I really never thought I would work with Mike again just because he works with so many. The 2 questions I get the most over the past decade was "will you ever sing for Michael again? & "if you do, will you do a record? If you would have asked me this about a month ago, I would have said probably not but after this tour, I would hope I can lend my own identity to some of Michael's new material. I think just because I can reproduce all of his other singers, that there is this misconception that I don't have my own style and that is so not true...I just try to give what the fans want when it came to MSG, UFO, Scorpions etc. because it is respect factor for the material and the other singers...it is just my opinion and I am not saying it is right or wrong. Anyway back to Michael...I absolutely had a thrill playing with him again, he really is a one of a kind guitar player and watching the fans from stage how they just lose they're minds over him is amazing. Michael in my mind is playing better now than he was for the 3 years I was with in the late 90's. Well I have gone on long enough, I guess I am finally saying "thanks guys for keeping it real and making this tour a good one for me! And thanks to all the fans who came out to support us! Without a doubt some of the best fans live in Mexico & South America!!!
3/2/11 - Ok, I have been home for less than 24 hours and I am so tired and jet-lagged and my wife & I went out last night to have dinner and a few drinks. Well the few drinks evolved to shots, so now not am I only tired & jet-lagged, I am hungover...my head feels like the size of South America...I don't drink before or during a tour so I haven't indulged in 2 months and now I can wait another 2 months. Usually before a tour, I spend a lot of time in the gym but I was extremely sick and I wasn't able to sing or barely talk so I had to resort to seeing a doctor. I finally got my voice back a couple of week before we were to head out...I still felt some of the illness while in South America but I made it through it. I am going to go on a quest to get into the shape that I am use to being in so next time the fans see me, I want to be a new me! Wish me luck. Again, i want to thank Mexico & South America for a woderful tour and look forward to seeing you again soon!
 
9/9/2011 - Doing a show with MSG tomorrow night on the eastcoast, I will post pics soon...until than, here are some pictures of my sweet hotel room...aaaah what are the poor people doing? wait a minute I am still poor
  
9/12/2011 - Just got back to St. Louis after an amazing weekend in New York / New Jersey. Playing with MSG is always a good time but this was extra special because everything was first class, from the limo's to the hotel on the beach to the people putting on this show for a VIP. We have never done anything like this and didn't know what to expect but these people spared no expense and made us feel so welcome...I would do it again all over. I have played with Elliot & Wayne and of course Michael before but this was my first time jamming with Pete Holmes and it was a tremendous pleasure...not only is he a great drummer but a great guy as well !! I also want to thank Evan & Svend (Manager & Tour Manager) for all the hard work and effort. And thank you to all the fans for your support!!! Hope to see you on the road again soon!
  
10/2/2011 - After arriving yesterday here in Chihuahua, Mexico and getting some sleep, I feel pretty good. Just got back from sound check. I must admit that playing shows in some of the smaller markets, the gear that is supplied can be a little unreliable but the fans certainly are not...they love it that we are here and I am excited about tonights show. I got a chance to talk to Uli for a while and he is always in a positive frame of mind so it rubs off on me! Michael, Uli & Elliott signed the Dean guitar that I am going to auction off for Rhonda's Benefit to help with her medical bills...I really appreciate them taking the time to do this for me!! Sometimes there is more to life than just worrying about ourselves and this is one of them...here are the guys signing the guitar
  
Michael Schenker
Uli Jon Roth
Elliot "Dean" Rubinson
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