SONIC WAVES...Album Reviews

M.S.G: Perfect Timing (1987)

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It was a good news, bad news kind of scenario for Michael Schenker (ex-UFO) back in the year of 1987. The good news was Michael got himself a new singer (Robin McAuley) and basically a whole new group of bandmates. Producer Andy Johns whose past resume included Led Zeppelin as well as the current hot band at the time Cinderella dialled in the sonics on “Perfect Timing”. Michael also changed up the name of the band to “McAuley Schenker Group” as up to the point the band had been known as the “Michael Schenker Group”. More good news was the fact that the leadoff single from this new version of M.S.G “Gimmie Your Love” cracked that elusive Billboard Singles Top 100 sales chart.

Could it be after three previous albums doing not really much in North America could this be the breakthrough and push Mikey and his band of pals over the top. The bad news was the album stalled at 95 on the Billboard album charts. I originally bought “Perfect Timing” on cassette tape for the trusty Walkman for those commutes to and from my job.
To be totally honest I have no idea why this album didn’t sell. It has a bunch of great rock on it (“No Time For Losers”, “Get Out”) also some mid tempo tracks (“Love Is Not A Game”, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “I Don’t Want To Lose”) and the power ballad (“Time”). For myself, one song that I have yet to mention which I think sums up what I like best about this version of M.S.G is the song  “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” which has those trimmings of what I like best about this act.
Michaels playing of course is stellar, Robin’s singing is fantastic with a super duper catchy chorus with a snappy bass line as well. “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” I loved back in 87 and I still consider it a great track in 2024.
Considering how much I dug this album back in the late 80s I never bought it on CD and it  was only this past weekend I picked this up on vinyl at a record fair. When I found it buried in a bin I thought holy smokes, here’s another one of those albums that will probably never be reissued. (take a bow Vinnie Vincent).
“Perfect Timing” is on Youtube and Apple Music so it’s out there. Sure the drums sound 80ish but I’m frozen in time musically so I’m good with this stuff  including that ridiculous  hair pictured below.

38 thoughts on “M.S.G: Perfect Timing (1987)”

    1. I went as far as the next one with McAuley called Save Yourself I believe but for some reason it did not click with me. Mikey tried soooo hard to break over here he was even opening for RUSH on this tour.

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    1. VV solo stuff will never be reissued as it didn’t sell as much as it was supposed to especially the debut Invasion album. I think Perfect Timing had the same fate as VV plus VV can be a fun punching bag at times as that dude has brought a ton of mess upon his self.

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  6. Now that I’ve read through this, I realize that I haven’t really ever heard a note of MSG in any form. I know his stints in Scorpions and am familiar with the UFO stuff but I truly don’t recall ever listening to this at all. I knew he had the project out from reading about it in magazines and stuff but I just never actually wound up with a tape or anything to play. I guess I should give it a spin someday.

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    1. Thanks for reading Sir. If you decide to go down the MSG rabbit hole start off with Assault Attack and go from there even MSG Live At The Budokan. All of it is on the streams.

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  7. I’m much more familiar with Michael’s brother Rudolf Schenker and the band he founded, Scorpions. I also realize Michael was a member of the latter for a short time and played on their first album “Lonesome Crow” and 1979’s “Lovedrive”.

    With all that said, based on sampling a few tracks off “Perfect Timing,” I have to agree with you it sounds pretty accessible. As such, it is surprising it wasn’t more successful, given the popularity of hair metal back then.

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  8. While I know about MSG, I’ve only heard a handful of tracks over the years, so I went and started this album on Spotify while I was reading, and judging by the first track, “Gimme Your Love”, I can definitely say “So far, so good”! Thanks for putting this one on my radar, Deke! I’ll be hitting a record show in two weeks, hope to find some gold like this!

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      1. Dude…you know how much I love power pop…bands that are so close and have the talent but just don’t do it…I’m totally on board with what you are saying.

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      2. A lot of was this music was becoming so over saturated with bands especially LA bands but I thought Schenker would bust through due to his name out there from his UFO days

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      3. Yea I see that with the LA bands at that time. I need to listen to more of UFO…I’ve heard them here and there.

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