\"Into The Arena\" was released in August 1980 on Michael Schenker's first, album titled The Michael Schener Group, with his new band, The Michael Schenker Group. This was the standout track on the record for me, just a seriously wicked guitar attack with a band that knew how to play. I always wished it was a full song with lyrics at the beginning and the end...it would have made for a great epic middle break in a longer song!
It was disappointing news when Michael left The Scorpions in 1979 (made worse for me because he quit just before I saw them in San Antonio later that year!), but his first solo record was a great blast of guitar rock that summer (though not quite up to par with his best stuff with UFO or Scorps)....he remains one of the greatest guitars in rock history, that much is for certain.
I've been hoping to finish some of Scorpions/UFO things, decided to light up this tasty rocker from Michael's first MSG album instead. I've taken the live video and edited it to the studio track, chopped out some stuff that didn't look too good and reused other bits. As a result, this video moves a bit faster than the live performance did....though that was a great performance of the tune as well! A second edit might make it a bit better, but we're going with the first edit....and only one render!!! (Tempted to upload the live performance version straight (with the effects lit up video)?!
Rock on through this Independence Day weekend US....the rest of the world?....just plain ol' rock on! It's been a furnace hot start of July in South Texas...too hot to go out, so it's A/C and videos for me! :-)
No lyrics....just. PLAY THIS ONE LOUD (again, headphones are a must to hear the detail that the lossless audio sources bring!)....you won't hear what you're missing until you listen through decent headphones...sorry to repeat but I'll probably say it a few more times before we're through! ;-)
