After various configurations of MSG, the late 80’s saw Michael Schenker team up with vocalist Robin McAuley for the rebranded McAuley Schenker Group. It is fair to say this era of Schenker’s career is often (and somewhat unfairly) overlooked; after the classic years with UFO and the early excitement around the launch of MSG, the guitarist was at something of a crossroads. Cherry Red records, very much the experts in these types of releases, have pulled together the three studio albums – 1987’s Perfect Timing, 1989’s Save Yourself and 1991’s MSG – along with Unplugged Live from 1992, all neatly packaged in a tidy box set with bonus tracks on each disc.

Perfect Timing is not only the pick of the bunch but arguably right up there with the best of Schenker’s solo work. The ideal blend of Schenker’s signature riffs and solos together with McAuley’s polished vocals, combine for a top drawer melodic hard rock album. Opening track ‘Gimme Your Love’ provided Schenker with a minor hit in the US, and the album itself also nudged into the Billboard Top 100 on the back of some very positive reviews. With strong songwriting throughout, this marked a decent start for the the duo, who were assisted by bassist Rocky Newton, drummer Bodo Schopf and rhythm guitarist Mitch Perry. Other highlights include ‘Follow the Night’, ‘Love is Not a Game’ and ‘Time’.

Save Yourself followed two years later and built on the success of Perfect Timing, lead single ‘Anytime’ hitting the top 5 of the mainstream rock chart. Long time Schenker collaborator Steve Mann makes a significant contribution to this one, co-writing several songs and doubling up on additional guitars and keyboards. Once again, the combination of McAuley’s powerful vocals and Schenker’s dynamic fretwork hit the spot, with up-tempo anthems such as ‘Bad Boys’, ‘I am Your Radio’ and the the title track amongst the more memorable moments.

By the time of 1991’s MSG, the hard rock landscape had changed and this marked the final studio effort from the pair, and very much goes under the radar in the Schenker back catalogue. The high quality songs and musicianship are still very much evident, with classy American duo Jeff Pilson and James Kottak making up the rhythm section. ‘When I’m Gone’ and ‘We Believe in Love’ would have been sure fire hits in another era, and the closing pairing of ‘This Night is Gonna Last Forever’ and ‘Nightmare’ offer a really powerful conclusion to this final album. The fourth unplugged disc offers a final farewell from McAuley and Schenker, with a number of UFO cuts featured alongside the likes of ‘Paradise’ and ‘Nightmare’. The master of the Flying V would soon be reunited with his former band mates in UFO and embarking on yet another chapter of his illustrious career.

If you missed these albums first time around they are well worth checking out, featuring some of Schenker’s most underrated work. Bad Boys: The McAuley Schenker Group Story 1987-1992 will be released on January 30th 2026.

DISC ONE
PERFECT TIMING (1987)
1  Gimme’ Your Love
2  Here Today – Gone Tomorrow
3  Don’t Stop Me Now
4  No Time For Losers
5  Follow The Night
6  Get Out
7  Love Is Not A Game
8  Time
9  I Don’t Wanna Lose
10  Rock ’Til You’re Crazy
BONUS TRACKS
11  Gimme’ Your Love (Edit)
12  Follow the Night (Edit)

DISC TWO
SAVE YOURSELF (1989)
1  Save Yourself
2  Bad Boys
3 Anytime
4  Get Down to Bizness
5  Shadow of The Night
6  What We Need
7  I Am Your Radio
8  This Is My Heart
9  Destiny
10  Take Me Back
BONUS TRACKS
11  There Has To Be Another Way (Instrumental)
12  Save Yourself (Single Edit)
13  Vicious (B-Side)
14  This Is My Heart (Edit)
15  Anytime (Single Edit)
16  Anytime (Radio-Edit)
17  Bad Boys (Acoustic Version)

DISC THREE
MSG (1991)
1  Eve
2  Paradise
3  When I’m Gone
4  This Broken Heart
5  We Believe In Love
6  Crazy
7  Invincible
8  What Happens To Me
9  Lonely Nights
10  This Night Is Gonna Last Forever
11  Nightmare
BONUS TRACKS
12  When I’m Gone (Single Edit)
13  Nightmare (Single Edit)
14  When I’m Gone (Acoustic Version)
15  When I’m Gone (Alternative CHR Version)
16  Nightmare (AOR Version)

DISC FOUR
UNPLUGGED LIVE (1992)
1 Anytime
2  We Believe In Love
3  What Happens to Me
4  Bad Boys
5  Gimme Your Love
6  Natural Thing
7  Perrier
8  When I’m Gone
9  Nightmare
10  Doctor Doctor
11  Lights Out
BONUS TRACKS
12  Only You Can Rock Me
13  Anytime (Acoustic Version)
14  What Happens To Me (Acoustic Version)
15  We Believe In Love (Acoustic Version)
16  Never Ending Nightmare (Acoustic CHR Version)