Rock star Michael Schenker claims that Axl Rose is a “perfectionist” who wouldn’t just put anything on record.
While recording Schenker’s next album “My Years With UFO,” which also includes a number of other guests, including guitarist Slash of Guns N’ Roses, the two had the opportunity to work together. Some of the songs that Michael recorded with the renowned UFO are included on this album, which is essentially a career review. It was completed with the help of Michael Voss, Schenker’s producer, and is scheduled for release on September 20.
On a recent podcast edition of Appetite for Distortion, Michael Schenker talked about this record and how two members of Guns N’ Roses wound up on it. He proposed (via Blabbermouth):
Slash — I was always interested in doing something with him, but I guess when Michael [Voss] first approached him that we’re doing the best of UFO and read him the song titles, he was for it. And when we met in the Frankfurt recording studio, we were both going jam there to ‘Mother Mary.’ And I had my technician there and my amplifier, and Slash brought his guys and his amplifier, and actually Slash ended up playing with my amplifier.”
As Michael adds, the process took a slightly different direction, which impacted how they approached Slash’s parts. He explained:
“And we were supposed to do a jam, but then I realized, ‘Hey, Michael [Voss], I already put all my guitars down. Why we are wasting time doing additional stuff. I already like what I did.’ So I was more into focusing on Slash and getting great takes and add them to what I already had done. And Slash liked that idea.”
Bringing in Slash first was actually how Axl got involved. According to Schenker, it was pretty simple, as he offered:
“And then also, when he came in, he said, ‘Michael, I just told Axl that I was going to do this, and that I’m on my way to do this. And he said, ‘I wanna sing a song too.” And I said to Slash, ‘That would be fantastic. Ask Axl which song he would like to do.’ And so actually Axl ended up singing ‘Too Hot to Handle,’ ‘Only You Can Rock Me,’ and ‘Love to Love.'”
However, as the guitarist also adds, Rose wasn’t entirely happy with all of the performances. The reason behind this was that Guns N’ Roses were pretty busy with a tour. He said:
“But I think they also were on tour at the time, and so Axl was not actually happy with his performance on ‘Only You Can Rock Me’ and ‘Too Hot to Handle.’ And I guess it was too many songs, because they were in the middle of a tour, and he preferred to just focus on ‘Love to Love.'”
“And he is a perfectionist, I have noticed,” Michael added. “And so we waited until he was ready, and then finally he went, ‘Okay, ‘Love to Love.’ I approve. You can release it.’ And that was it.”
