Features
‘3 Guitar Heroes’ To Rescue You This Fall
Guitar virtuosos Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth and Leslie West are teaming up for the “3 Guitar Heroes Tour,” a month-long outing that’s guaranteed to lift those end-of-summer blues and remind you why it’s great to be alive.
The game plan calls for each guitarist to perform his own set and then cap the night by jamming together in a dynamic sight and sound spectacular that will restore your faith in guitar rock.
One of the fascinating aspects about this tour is the sheer volume of rock history represented by each guitarist. Known for his solo career as well as his time with UFO, Schenker joined his big brother Rudolf in the Scorpions in 1969. Three years later when the Scorpions toured opening for UFO, Schenker was lured into switching bands, resulting in Roth replacing him. It was Roth’s ‘70s band, Dawn Road, that served as the foundation for a new Scorpions lineup, one that included the addition of singer Klaus Meine.
Schenker’s new album, Temple Of Rock, drops this fall on Inakustik Records.
West is responsible for a lot of rock history as well. Beginning with an East Coast soul/rock band called The Vagrants, West received his first dose of fame when, along with bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N.D. Smart, formed Mountain in 1969. With his upcoming album, The Unusual Suspects, scheduled for a Sept. 20 release on Provogue, the guitarist was recently in the news when complications from diabetes resulted in doctors amputating his lower right leg in June.
“I am honored to be a part of the 3 Guitar Heroes Tour with Uli Roth and Michael Schenker,” West said in a statement. “My manager Bob [Ringe] and I have been discussing a run like this for ages, and when the opportunity came up I hopped onboard. That’s right – the guy who just had his leg amputated. These guys are monster players and this should be a lot of fun.”
The tour launches in Norfolk, Conn., at the Infinity Music Hall & Bistro Oct. 6. Next is Ridgefield, Conn., at the Ridgefield Playhouse Oct. 8 followed by a gig in Plymouth, N.H., at The Flying Monkey Oct. 9. Other destinations for the tour bus include Foxboro, Mass. (Oct. 12); New York City (Oct. 14); Baltimore (Oct. 19); Cincinnati (Oct. 21); Milwaukee (Oct. 26); Dallas (Nov. 4); and Las Vegas (Nov. 11).
Expect more dates to be announced shortly. For more information, click here for Leslie West’s Facebook page, here for Michael Schenker website and here for Jon Uli Roth’s Internet hangout.