It's probably widely agreed amongst
Michael Schenker's faithful following that the best singer he's ever worked with in
MSG (and the one that fit his guitar-heavy rock the best) was
Gary Barden, the same gentleman that sang on such early solo
Schenker classics as
The Michael Schenker Group, MSG, and
One Night at Budokan, among others. Splitting from
MSG during the mid-'80s,
Barden was back where he belonged shortly after the dawn of the early 21st century: fronting
MSG once more in the studio and on the concert stage. And live, the band sounded as powerful and vibrant as ever, as evidenced by the 2010 double-disc set, 30th Anniversary Concert: Live in Tokyo. With a top-notch backing band (including such renowned hard rock names as
Neil Murray on bass and
Simon Phillips on drums),
Schenker and
Barden pick up exactly where they left off, handing in fine renditions of such early
MSG classics as "Armed and Ready," "Cry for the Nations," and "Attack of the Mad Axeman." You'll also find
Schenker's strongest instrumental composition, "Into the Arena," as well as a few
UFO-era nuggets, including "Rock Bottom" and "Doctor Doctor." With so many live
Schenker titles issued over the years, you never really know exactly what lies in store with each one. But right from the start, it's clear that Live in Tokyo is one
Schenker live disc that gets it right. ~ Greg Prato