The Michael Schenker Group – World Wide Live 2004
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C- Concert: C+
In the later 1970s, UFO was a Hard Rock band from Britain
that never broke big, but was one of Chrysalis Records’ first name acts to hit,
with their 1977 Lights Out album a mainstay for fans that marked their
biggest success in the U.S., especially in Rock radio. Guitarist Michael Schenker and singer Phil
Mogg headed the band. Quickly, the
turnover in the band was more than expected, leading to Schenker himself
leaving in 1980. He then founded The
Michael Schenker Band and about a quarter-century later, here is the latest
configuration of the band in World Wide Live 2004.
Though nothing extraordinary or spectacular about the
show, it is a solid throwback to the older Rock of UFO and several of the
following songs are among the following playlist:
1) Ready To
Rock
2) Mother
Mary
3) Assault
Attack
4) Let It
Roll
5) Lights
Out
6) Rock N
Roll Believer
7) Arachnophobiac
8) Into The
Arena
9) Only You
Can Rock Me
10) On & On
11) Too Hot To Handle
12) Armed & Ready
13) Doctor Doctor
14) Rock Bottom
This adds up to about 105 minutes of playtime and current
lead singer Chris Logan is just good enough that he would meet the high
standards of Jack Black’s Dewey Finn in Richard Linklater’s School Of Rock
(2003) for authenticity and effort.
Maybe the days of the “Rock God” are not what they used to be, but Logan
can definitely sing and only diehard purists will be unhappy. Maybe he could be rocking out more, but the
style of singing is pre-Rock ballad enough not to become a joke. However, this is nothing new, no matter how
well done, though above the many DVDs we have recently endured of Rock acts far
past their prime. Logan feels like the
last of a line of singers like we will never hear from again, so fans of UFO,
Schenker (who plays well here) and older Rock will appreciate this set better
than most. It is maybe more than just
for fans only, but only just.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is riddled with
fine detail trouble, but the color is not bad.
This is just not very clear, as other such taped programs have been, no
matter what video format it was shot on, though digital High Definition is
doubtful. The stereo sound is available
in Dolby Digital 2.0 with Pro Logic surrounds and 5.1, which is a little
better. The extras include an
interview clip, biography, discography and two PC functions: weblinks and
desktop images. That’s enough to make
it just above a basic release.
- Nicholas Sheffo
