1985 to 1990

Michael Schenker would set about auditioning proposed vocalists for what was initially to be a further extention of the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. Included in the runners was ex-AIRRACE vocalist Keith Murrell. However, the all new band transpired as the McAULEY SCHENKER GROUP, with Michael's new frontman being Irish born erstwhile GRAND PRIX man ROBIN MCAULEY. The pair built up a completely fresh band comprising of bassist Rocky Newton, guitarist Steve Mann and German drummer Bodo Schopf. The latter's credits include British act JUICY LUCY. Both Newton and Mann had credits with LIONHEART whilst the guitarist could cite prior membership of such esteemed acts as FAST BUCK (with a pre THIN LIZZY Scott Gorham), BANDANA, LIAR, STRATUS, TYTAN and SCORCHED EARTH.

This line-up debuted live in front of an enormous festival audience in Germany at the 'Rock Am Ring' festival billed alongside OZZY OSBOURNE and the SCORPIONS. The group subsequently relocated to Los Angeles and were intent on cracking the American market. The resulting 'Perfect Timing' album, produced by Andy Johns, sold fairly well being backed up with support tours to the likes of WHITESNAKE, RUSH and DEF LEPPARD. Mann was unable to tour due to a family illness and American ex-STEELER and TALAS man MITCH PERRY filled in for live work before Mann's return in August of 1988 in time to record the follow up.

That next album, the Frank Filipetti produced 'Save Yourself', quite unusually, bearing in mind his track record, saw Schenker retaining the same line-up. Touring saw the band opening for GREAT WHITE and going out as headliners with the BLACK CROWES as guests. Between albums Schenker turned up on MTV guesting with RATT for their 'unplugged' sessions and contributed guitar solos to their 'Detonator' album.

The work with RATT led to the formation of an ad hoc 'supergroup' called CONTRABAND that comprised of SHARK ISLAND vocalist Richard Black, VIXEN bassist Share Pederson, L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns and RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer. The resulting album was typically an average affair, but nonetheless CONTRABAND guested on RATT's American tour, but with an ever depleting line-up, as individual members' own band commitments came to the fore with Pederson unable to make the tour at all and Black leaving after two gigs.