Greetings MSG FAN’S!! I drove 2 hours to Santa Rosa and walked in to meet up with Wayne Findlay and his wife putting up merchandise. Wayne is a true friend of mine and his heart is one of the biggest and friendliest I know.What a great human being!!Then after that Budo and Jari walked in to say hi and sit at the bar .I met Franky the new bass player as well. Wayne invited me with Franky and a rep from EMG pickups to tour the factory in Windsor.What an awesome time!!They gave us shirts and picks to take with us and hopefully they get endorsement to go with all the others they have. Went back to the bus and watched a little tube (waiting for Franky’s bass amp to show up) and then sat in amazement to the MSG sound check and Michael in very great mood and atmosphere. I never dreamed to watch the master in rehearsal and again very gracious of Wayne & Michael Ragusa to let me watch .At ShowTime Doug Doppler started off with some very Satriani style chops with just him playing to background music from his computer. He ripped it up and got the crowd ready for MSG. The show started around 11:00 and from the start to finish these guys prove several things to me .The are very close and really get along with another and it shows with this new awesome chemistry they have with a different Bass & drummer. Like Wayne said it’s a very UFO ish style of chemistry They were very tight from the start to finish like they had just come off a year of touring together.They looked like they were having a blast out there the whole show .Michael was proving all the nay sayers and negative critics in the media WRONG that he is washed up and doesn’t have the skills he used to .His precision and vibrato were really some of the best I’ve heard from the many shows I’ve attended. And that is many shows people!!! More than most of you, and would  be the first to say  he wasn’t in top form ..He broke his e string and still continued without blinking an eye!! Michael’s tech was right on it and Michael was no way in trouble of getting upset by that! He also had a little difficulty with his stomp boxes and was confused for a moment but just went with it and kept smiling .Here is the set list :

Assault Attack
Ready To Rock
Let It Roll
Dust To Dust
Love Trade
Shadow Lady
Lights Out
Into The Arena
But I Want More
Too Hot To Handle
On & On
Only You Can Rock Me
Armed & Ready
Attack of the Mad Axeman

Arachnophobiac
Doctor Doctor
Rock Bottom

Like I said before, the addition of a different bass and drummer adds a different chemistry to this band now! Not as many notes and more of a heavy grove than before. I love Rev and Pete’s style very much but this adds a different flavor to this high-energy rock band. Bodo’s drum solo was SICK!!! He ran out to the crowd hitting his sticks while he ran around the stage hitting them off of mic stands & monitors and the stage. High fiving some people as he did it. Brilliant!!

Jari ( pronounced Yari) was such a great and very peaceful person to hang out and talk with the whole night. A true gentleman and I really love his vocals and style for this band .My biggest problem with past MSG singers is the UFO songs were not sung as good as Moogy and I preferred them sticking to MSG songs…But Jari did an amazing job with the UFO songs .He has really come a long way with this band and his style works very well. I’m proud of him and hope he stays the vocalist for a long time! Wayne Findlay's guitar playing was awesome and RIPPED the lead on Aracnphobiac .Cheer's Wayne!! Nice Axes you have too BTW!!!I'll take the green one please!! haha..

After the show Michael signed stuff for everyone and he signed my V and other things. Smiled all night and again proved to start this tour in a very positive way and the critics being wrong. I hope and pray this carries on for the whole tour and much thanks again to Wayne Findlay and my good friend Michael Ragusa for giving me the chance to be with the greatest people and have the opportunity to do what I love. God Bless !!…Axe.