Assault Attack
Encyclopedia
Assault Attack is the third studio album from The Michael Schenker Group, and the only album to feature former Rainbow vocalist Graham Bonnet
. The album was recorded in France
at the Château d'Hérouville
and was produced by Martin Birch
.
, Schenker and his band played a short tour of the UK. After the tour Cozy Powell
and Peter Mensch (MSG's manager) wanted a better singer for the band and suggested David Coverdale
, but Schenker himself wanted Graham Bonnet
. After some disagreements, which ultimately led to the termination of the cooperation between Mensch and MSG, Bonnet joined the MSG in February 1982. Meanwhile, Cozy Powell and Paul Raymond
left the band for their own reasons and were replaced by ex-Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Rory Gallagher
drummer Ted McKenna
and session keyboardist Tommy Eyre
(Joe Cocker
, John Martyn
, Alex Harvey
, Greg Lake
, Gary Moore
, B.B. King, etc.). After four months the band went to France to commence the album that would became Assaul Attack. As a producer they choose Martin (The Ninja) Birch
who arrived fresh from Iron Maiden
's album The Number of the Beast
. The sessions took part at a French castle, called Château d'Hérouville
. Nevertheless, the MSG-Bonnet cooperation would be short-lived, due to a serious incident caused by a drunk Bonnet who insulted Schenker especially and the rest of the band, in front of the audience in a warm up gig at the Sheffield Polytechnic, just before the appearance at the Reading Festival. That was the last time until the Tales of Rock'n'Roll
album that Schenker and Bonnet cooperated. The BBC broadcast of the Reading Festival concert was released in 1993 as BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert.
Attracting mixed reviews on release, it is now looked on more favourably, and Schenker himself is considered by many to be in top form. More recent CD reissues contains the bonus track "Girl from Uptown," the b-side of "Dancer," the album's sole single.
Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
. The album was recorded in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the Château d'Hérouville
Hérouville
Hérouville is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France.-References:** -External links:* * *...
and was produced by Martin Birch
Martin Birch
Martin Birch is a British rock and heavy metal music producer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple and Iron Maiden....
.
Overview
After returning to the UK from Japan in August 1981, having recorded the live album One Night at BudokanOne Night at Budokan
-1982 Original LP:All songs written by Michael Schenker and Gary Barden except where noted.-Side 1:# "Armed and Ready" - 6:20# "Cry for the Nations" - 5:32# "Attack of the Mad Axeman" - 4:50-Side 2:# "But I Want More" - 5:24# "Victim of Illusion" - 6:18...
, Schenker and his band played a short tour of the UK. After the tour Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks , better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer who made his name with many major rock bands.-Early history:...
and Peter Mensch (MSG's manager) wanted a better singer for the band and suggested David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
, but Schenker himself wanted Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
. After some disagreements, which ultimately led to the termination of the cooperation between Mensch and MSG, Bonnet joined the MSG in February 1982. Meanwhile, Cozy Powell and Paul Raymond
Paul Raymond (musician)
Paul Martin Raymond is an English keyboardist/guitarist.Raymond began his musical career as a keyboardist/vocalist for the band, Plastic Penny, in 1967. He left after the band split up in 1968. He replaced Christine Perfect in British blues band Chicken Shack when she left to join Fleetwood Mac...
left the band for their own reasons and were replaced by ex-Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Rory Gallagher
Rory Gallagher
William Rory Gallagher, ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995, was an Irish blues-rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland, and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste...
drummer Ted McKenna
Ted McKenna
Edward 'Ted' McKenna , is a Scottish drummer who has played with the bands Tear Gas, Rory Gallagher, The Party Boys, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Michael Schenker Group. He also toured with Ian Gillan for a short period alongside fellow former SAHB bassist, Chris Glen...
and session keyboardist Tommy Eyre
Tommy Eyre
Tommy Eyre was a session keyboardist from Sheffield, England, who appeared on records by Joe Cocker, John Martyn, Alex Harvey, Greg Lake, Michael Schenker, Gary Moore, B.B. King, John Mayall, Tracy Chapman and Wham!...
(Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, John Martyn
John Martyn
John Martyn, OBE , born Iain David McGeachy, was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a forty-year career he released twenty studio albums, working with artists such as Eric Clapton and David Gilmour...
, Alex Harvey
Alex Harvey
Alex Harvey was a Scottish rock musician. With The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, he built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era.-Biography:...
, Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
, Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, B.B. King, etc.). After four months the band went to France to commence the album that would became Assaul Attack. As a producer they choose Martin (The Ninja) Birch
Martin Birch
Martin Birch is a British rock and heavy metal music producer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple and Iron Maiden....
who arrived fresh from Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's album The Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast (album)
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
. The sessions took part at a French castle, called Château d'Hérouville
Hérouville
Hérouville is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France.-References:** -External links:* * *...
. Nevertheless, the MSG-Bonnet cooperation would be short-lived, due to a serious incident caused by a drunk Bonnet who insulted Schenker especially and the rest of the band, in front of the audience in a warm up gig at the Sheffield Polytechnic, just before the appearance at the Reading Festival. That was the last time until the Tales of Rock'n'Roll
Tales of Rock'n'Roll
Tales of Rock'n'Roll is the nineth studio album by the Michael Schenker Group. It was released in 2006 after two years of work, to celebrate 25 years of activity of the Michael Schenker Group. The music of the album was initially composed for a UFO concept album, but Michael Schenker used it for...
album that Schenker and Bonnet cooperated. The BBC broadcast of the Reading Festival concert was released in 1993 as BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert.
Attracting mixed reviews on release, it is now looked on more favourably, and Schenker himself is considered by many to be in top form. More recent CD reissues contains the bonus track "Girl from Uptown," the b-side of "Dancer," the album's sole single.
Side one
- "Assault Attack" (Michael SchenkerMichael SchenkerMichael Schenker is a German rock guitarist, best known for his tenure in UFO, in addition to his solo band. He first rose to fame as a founding member of the Scorpions, then achieved fame in the mid 1970s as the lead guitar player for UFO. Since leaving UFO in 1978, he has been leading the...
, Graham BonnetGraham BonnetGraham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
, Chris GlenChris GlenChristopher 'Chris' Glen is a Scottish bass guitarist who has played in The Jade, Tear Gas, The Party Boys, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Michael Schenker Group...
, Ted McKennaTed McKennaEdward 'Ted' McKenna , is a Scottish drummer who has played with the bands Tear Gas, Rory Gallagher, The Party Boys, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Michael Schenker Group. He also toured with Ian Gillan for a short period alongside fellow former SAHB bassist, Chris Glen...
) - 4:16 - "Rock You to the Ground" (Schenker, Bonnet) - 5:48
- "Dancer" (Schenker, Bonnet) - 4:41
- "Samurai" (Schenker, Bonnet, Glen) - 5:16
Side two
- "Desert Song" (Schenker, Bonnet) - 5:51
- "Broken Promises" (Schenker, Bonnet, Glen) - 6:21
- "Searching for a Reason" (Schenker, Bonnet) - 3:46
- "Ulcer" (Schenker) - 3:53
Bonus track on the 2009 CD reissue
- "Girl from Uptown" (Schenker, Bonnet) - 5:21
Band members
- Michael SchenkerMichael SchenkerMichael Schenker is a German rock guitarist, best known for his tenure in UFO, in addition to his solo band. He first rose to fame as a founding member of the Scorpions, then achieved fame in the mid 1970s as the lead guitar player for UFO. Since leaving UFO in 1978, he has been leading the...
- guitars - Graham BonnetGraham BonnetGraham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
- lead & backing vocals - Chris GlenChris GlenChristopher 'Chris' Glen is a Scottish bass guitarist who has played in The Jade, Tear Gas, The Party Boys, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Michael Schenker Group...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Ted McKennaTed McKennaEdward 'Ted' McKenna , is a Scottish drummer who has played with the bands Tear Gas, Rory Gallagher, The Party Boys, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Michael Schenker Group. He also toured with Ian Gillan for a short period alongside fellow former SAHB bassist, Chris Glen...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- Martin BirchMartin BirchMartin Birch is a British rock and heavy metal music producer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple and Iron Maiden....
- producer, engineer - Benedict Tobias Fenner, Patrick Drouget - engineers
Charts
| Year | Chart | Peak position | Sales | Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | UK | 19 | - | 5 |
| 1982 | Japan | 9 | 44,000 | 8 |
| 1982 | US | 151 | - | - |
| 1982 | Sweden | 34 | - | 1 |