Michael Schenker is a German hard rock and heavy metal guitarist who began his career as the lead guitarist in Scorpions and UFO. Since his second departure from Scorpions in 1979, he has primarily focused on his own eponymous bands, namely the Michael Schenker Group (from 1979 to 1984, 1996 to 2011, and since 2020), the McAuley Schenker Group (from 1986 to 1993), Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock (from 2011 to 2016) and Michael Schenker Fest (from 2016 to 2020). The current members of his solo band are vocalist Robin McAuley, keyboardist and rhythm guitar Steve Mann, bassist Barend Courbois, and drummer Bodo Schopf.
A few months after his second departure from Scorpions in April 1979, guitarist Michael Schenker formed the Michael Schenker Group with vocalist Gary Barden, bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Denny Carmassi.[1] [2] The group rehearsed for around a month, producing a number of demo recordings,[3] before the guitarist jammed with members of Aerosmith following the departure of lead guitarist Joe Perry.[4] After hospitalising himself due to problems with drug addiction,[2] Schenker reconvened with Barden in May 1980 to record the band's self-titled debut album,[5] which featured session contributors Mo Foster on bass, Simon Phillips on drums and Don Airey on keyboards.[6] For the subsequent touring cycle, Schenker enlisted bassist Chris Glen, drummer Cozy Powell and keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Paul Raymond.[7]
The group's lineup remained intact for 1981's MSG, but splintered after the album's tour when Barden was fired by manager Peter Mensch.[2] Former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, who had worked with Powell in the past, was brought in the following February.[8] By mid-April, the drummer had also left MSG.[9] He was replaced by Ted McKenna, a former bandmate of Glen's in The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, who performed on Assault Attack.[10] Prior to the album's release, Bonnet was sacked after drunkenly exposing himself on stage at a show in the UK, as well as revealing backstage rhythm guitarist Steve Casey to the crowd.[2] [11] The next day, he was immediately replaced by the returning Barden, who was brought in by Glen and McKenna in time for the band's performance at Reading Festival a few days later.[12] Andy Nye had also taken over from the departed Raymond during this period, after session musician Tommy Eyre contributed keyboards to Assault Attack.[13]
In August 1983, former Ted Nugent band member Derek St. Holmes joined MSG on rhythm guitar, although by the end of a tour in October he had also left.[14] Former Argent guitarist John Verity filled in for the last dates of the run.[15] Glen also left in February 1984 due to disagreements over royalty payments,[16] with former Balance bassist Dennis Feldman taking his place.[17] By April, Barden had also been fired for a second time, due to his increasing alcoholism.[8] He was replaced later by Ray Kennedy, who left after the completion of the latest touring cycle in August.[18] Before the end of the year, Nye and McKenna also left MSG, leaving Schenker to rebuild the group.[17] However, he decided against recruiting new members and instead disbanded his eponymous group and returned to Germany.[2] [18]
After disbanding the Michael Schenker Group in 1984, the eponymous guitarist claimed that he wanted "to experience a partnership ... someone to make decisions with", instead of a band centred solely around himself.[2] In April 1986, he found this partner in former Grand Prix vocalist Robin McAuley, with whom he formed a new group.[19] The pair recruited bassist Rocky Newton, drummer Bodo Schopf and rhythm guitarist/keyboardist[20] Mitch Perry to record the group's debut album Perfect Timing, which was released the following year.[21] Steve Mann preceded Perry on keyboards and rhythm guitar in the lineup, but left in mid-1987.[22] During the recording of their debut album, Schenker renamed the band the McAuley Schenker Group, a decision with which McAuley disagreed on the basis of the original group's existing recognition.[23] Perry remained for the Perfect Timing touring cycle into 1988.[24]
Mann returned to the McAuley Schenker Group after the Perfect Timing tour, and the band released their sophomore album Save Yourself in 1989.[25] The group took a break in 1990 as Schenker toured and recorded with supergroup Contraband, before returning in 1991 with M.S.G. featuring bassist Jeff Pilson, drummer James Kottak and keyboardist Jesse Harms.[26] McAuley and Schenker remained the only official members of the group, however,[7] and completed an acoustic tour in promotion of the release between November 1991 and March 1992.[27] The tour featured rhythm guitarist Spencer Sercombe.[28] The duo released and "Unplugged" Live in 1992, but by early the next year had disbanded as Schenker left the band, his record label and his management.[29]
After spending a second tenure in UFO, Schenker reformed the Michael Schenker Group in 1996 and released Written in the Sand, featuring new vocalist Leif Sundin, bassist Barry Sparks and drummer Shane Gaalaas.[30] For the subsequent promotional tour, Seth Bernstein joined on keyboards and rhythm guitar.[31] David VanLanding substituted for Sundin on the opening US leg of the tour, and remained for Japanese dates recorded for The Michael Schenker Story Live.[17] [32] The group took a break again as Schenker completed a third stint in UFO, before returning in early 1998 to join the G3 tour with a lineup of Barden, VanLanding, Gaalaas, Bernstein and bassist Jeff Kollman.[33] Gaalaas and Bernstein remained for the 1999 album The Unforgiven, which featured vocalist Kelly Keeling and bassist John Onder.[34]
For the tour in support of The Unforgiven, Sparks returned on bass,[35] Keith Slack joined as a second vocalist,[36] and Wayne Findlay replaced Bernstein.[37] After the end of the tour in 2000, Schenker returned to UFO for a fourth time.[38] During the year, he also worked on three solo albums.[39] [40] [41] By the time MSG returned in early 2001, the group featured an entirely new lineup of vocalist Chris Logan, bassist Rev Jones and drummer Jeff Martin.[42] After the recording of Be Aware of Scorpions, Martin left the band due to problems stemming from Schenker's drinking problem.[43] He was replaced by Jeremy Colson, who was unveiled in November.[44] The group remained largely inactive during 2002, as Schenker recorded Sharks with UFO,[45] and released the second and third volumes of his Thank You series.[46] [47] The guitarist was also due to take part in Uli Jon Roth's Legends of Rock tour in Europe at the end of the year,[48] but was forced to pull out after dislocating his shoulder.[49]
In April 2003, MSG announced a new lineup including Logan, Colson and bassist Stuart Hamm, who recorded the album Arachnophobiac.[50] For the subsequent tour, Schenker and Logan were joined by the returning Findlay and Jones, plus new drummer Pete Holmes.[51] Logan remained until November 2004, when he left the band after being injured in a fight with Jones.[52] He was replaced by former frontman Leif Sundin.[53] Early the next year, Schenker collaborated with Bob Kulick on Heavy Hitters, an album of cover versions featuring various guest musicians.[54] Around the same time, both Jones and Holmes left MSG following "continuous cancelled tour dates and bad management decisions".[55] Schenker and Findlay recorded MSG's 25th anniversary album Tales of Rock'n'Roll with new vocalist Jari Tiura, UFO bassist Pete Way and former drummer Jeff Martin as well as all former frontmen of the group: Barden, Bonnet, McAuley, Sundin, Keeling and Logan made their guest appearances on the album.[56] Jones and Holmes returned for 2006 tour dates.[57]
After several legs of touring in promotion of Tales of Rock'n'Roll, Schenker announced in September 2006 that MSG was "finished", blaming Tiura for refusing to continue touring.[58] Despite this, the same lineup of the band returned for a run of shows in Japan and Thailand in November, although a number of shows were cancelled or postponed due to Schenker's ongoing "health issues".[59] Jones later criticised Schenker as a "talentless guitar player", claiming that he and Tiura had left earlier in the year due to the guitarist's inability to pay them for touring duties, before they returned to complete the Asian dates.[60] In January 2007, after Jones and Holmes had left, bassist Frank Rummler and drummer Bodo Schopf were announced as new members of MSG's touring lineup.[61] The group toured for several months, but were forced to cancel several dates later in the year for various reasons, including health and operational issues.[62] In December, Tiura was replaced by original MSG singer Gary Barden.[63]
MSG's next album, 2008's In the Midst of Beauty, featured contributions from drummer Simon Phillips, keyboardist Don Airey (both of whom contributed to the band's debut album in 1980) and bassist Neil Murray.[64] For the album's touring cycle, Schenker, Barden and Findlay were due to be joined by former MSG members Chris Glen on bass and Ted McKenna on drums.[65] However, by the time the tour started in June, McKenna had been replaced by former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade.[66] For a US tour starting in March 2009, Robbie Crane was set to replace Glen;[67] however, the tour was later postponed until June, and the lineup changed to feature Rev Jones and Pete Holmes in place of Glen and Slade, respectively.[68] For South American dates in July, Dean Guitars owner Elliott "Dean" Rubinson took over from Jones, while Slade returned in place of Holmes,[69] for European dates in September, Glen and Holmes returned,[70] and in December, Slade rejoined.[71]
In January 2010, MSG completed a short Japanese tour to mark the band's 30th anniversary, enlisting In the Midst of Beauty contributors Neil Murray and Simon Phillips.[72] Glen and Slade returned for European dates starting in May, with Holmes taking over on drums in July; later US dates featured Rubinson and drummer Carmine Appice, the former of whom was replaced by Jones in August.[73] MSG performed at the NAMM Show in January 2011 with Robin McAuley on vocals and Rubinson returning on bass.[74] For a South American tour the next month, David VanLanding returned as the group's frontman.[75] In June, Schenker performed one show in the Netherlands with Barden, Findlay, Glen and Slade and in August three Italy shows with Barden, Findlay, Rubinson and Holmes.[76]
In July 2011, Schenker released a solo album entitled Temple of Rock.[77] This CD featured a core lineup of producer Michael Voss on vocals, former UFO bassist Pete Way, former Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell and recurring MSG member Wayne Findlay on keyboards; additional contributors included former MSG members Robin McAuley, Paul Raymond and Chris Glen, plus a range of guest musicians.[78] Voss, Rarebell and Findlay remained for initial tour dates around the album's release, with Elliott "Dean" Rubinson brought in on bass.[79] Schenker's new Temple of Rock (TOR) band returned in February 2012, with Findlay and Rubinson, joined by vocalist Robin McAuley and drummer Pete Holmes.[80] For a Japanese tour the following month, Voss and Rarebell rejoined the group,[81] and by the time of the group's first European tour a couple of months later, the lineup had settled with vocalist Doogie White and bassist Francis Buchholz.[82]
After another US tour with Rev Jones and Pete Holmes in late 2012, TOR returned in 2013 with the lineup of Schenker, White, Findlay, Buchholz and Rarebell, releasing the studio album Bridge the Gap late in the year.[83] The first leg of the album's promotional tour saw Buchholz and Rarebell replaced again by Jones and Holmes, before the former Scorpions members returned for the rest of the group's tenure.
In March 2016, it was announced that Schenker would tour with a group dubbed Michael Schenker Fest (MSF), featuring vocalists Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley, alongside former MASG keyboardist/guitarist Steve Mann, and former MSG and SAHB rhythm section Chris Glen (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums).[84] For their first show at Sweden Rock Festival that June, Leif Sundin was also included as a fourth vocalist.[85] The group toured with three vocalists until early 2018, when Temple of Rock singer Doogie White was added.[86] In January 2019, during the recording of Revelation, the follow-up album to their first studio CD Resurrection from 2018, McKenna died during elective surgery.[87] The album was later completed with stand-in Simon Phillips, before Bodo Schopf took over upon its release (Schopf played the drums only in three songs on Revelation).[88] The group continued touring until January 2020, with their final shows on the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise without White.[89] McAuley was forced to pull out of the shows after contracting sepsis.[90]
After several months away, Schenker announced a new MSG album, Immortal, featuring a lineup of Rainbow frontman Ronnie Romero on vocals, Steve Mann on keyboards/rhythm guitar, Barry Sparks on bass and Bodo Schopf on drums.[91] In July 2021, then Blind Guardian touring bassist Barend Courbois joined the MSG touring lineup.[92] From April to May 2022 former vocalist McAuley re-joined handling vocal duties instead of Romero.[93] [94]
In June 2023 Romero confirmed that he was no longer a member of the group.[95] [96] He was replaced by a returning McAuley.[97] [98]
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Schenker | [99] [100] [101] | all releases | |||
| Robin McAuley | [102] | ||||
| Bodo Schopf | drums | ||||
| Steve Mann | [103] [104] | ||||
| Barend Courbois | 2021–present | Universal (2022) |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Barden | lead and backing vocals | [105] [106] [107] [108] [109] [110] | |||
| Billy Sheehan | 1979 | bass | The Michael Schenker Group 1979 demos (2009) | ||
| Denny Carmassi | drums | ||||
| Simon Phillips | |||||
| Chris Glen | [111] | ||||
| Cozy Powell | 1980–1982 | drums | |||
| Paul Raymond | 1980–1982 [112] | ||||
| Graham Bonnet | lead and backing vocals | ||||
| Ted McKenna | drums | ||||
| Andy Nye | 1982–1984 | ||||
| Derek St. Holmes | 1983 | ||||
| Dennis Feldman | 1984 | bass | none | ||
| Ray Kennedy | 1984 | lead vocals | |||
| Rocky Newton | 1986–1991 | ||||
| Mitch Perry | 1987–1988 | Perfect Timing (1987) | |||
| Leif Sundin | [113] | [114] | |||
| Shane Gaalaas | 1996–2000 | all MSG releases from Written in the Sand (1996)[115] to The Unforgiven World Tour (1999)[116] | |||
| Barry Sparks | |||||
| Seth Bernstein | 1996–1999 | ||||
| David VanLanding | The Michael Schenker Story Live (1997) | ||||
| Kelly Keeling | 1998–2000 | lead vocals | |||
| Jeff Kollman | 1998 | bass | none | ||
| Wayne Findlay | 1999–2016 | [117] [118] [119] [120] [121] | |||
| Keith Slack | 1999–2000 | lead vocals | The Unforgiven World Tour (1999) | ||
| Chris Logan | 2001–2004 | [122] | |||
| Rev Jones | |||||
| Jeff Martin | |||||
| Jeremy Colson | 2001–2003 | drums | Arachnophobiac (2003) | ||
| Pete Holmes | World Wide Live (2004) | ||||
| Jari Tiura | 2006–2007 | lead vocals | Tales of Rock'n'Roll (2006) | ||
| Frank Rummler | 2007 | bass | none | ||
| Neil Murray | |||||
| Chris Slade | drums | Temple of Rock (2011) | |||
| Elliott "Dean" Rubinson | bass | ||||
| Carmine Appice | 2010–2011 | drums | |||
| Herman Rarebell | all Temple of Rock (TOR) releases | ||||
| Michael Voss | [123] | ||||
| Doogie White | lead and backing vocals | ||||
| Francis Buchholz | bass | all TOR releases from Temple of Rock: Live in Europe (2012) to On a Mission: Live in Madrid (2016) | |||
| Ronnie Romero | lead vocals | Immortal (2021) |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don Airey | ||||
| Mo Foster | 1980 | bass | The Michael Schenker Group (1980) | |
| Stephen Stills | 1981 | backing vocals | MSG (1981)[124] | |
| Billy Nicholls | ||||
| Tommy Eyre | 1982 | keyboards | Assault Attack (1982) | |
| Emi Canyn | 1989 | additional backing vocals | Save Yourself (1989)[125] | |
| Donna McDaniel | ||||
| Dave Amato | ||||
| Chris Post | ||||
| Jeff Pilson | 1991 | bass | M.S.G. (1991) | |
| James Kottak | drums | |||
| Jesse Harms | keyboards | |||
| Claude Gaudette | 1996 | Written in the Sand (1996) | ||
| John Onder | 1998 | bass | The Unforgiven (1999) | |
| Jesse Bradman | 1999 | |||
| Louis Maldonado | ||||
| Ralph Patlan | 2001 | Be Aware of Scorpions (2001) | ||
| 2003 | lead guitar | Arachnophobiac (2003)[126] | ||
| Stuart Hamm | bass | |||
| Jeff Okolowicz | ||||
| Pete Way | ||||
| Rudolf Schenker | 2011 | additional guitar | Temple of Rock (2011) | |
| Michael Amott | ||||
| Leslie West | ||||
| Kirk Hammett | 2018 | lead guitar | Resurrection (2018)[127] | |
| Derek Sherinian | 2021 | keyboards | Immortal (2021)[128] | |
| Ralf Scheepers | lead vocals | |||
| Michael Kiske | 2022 | Universal (2022)[129] | ||
| Tony Carey | keyboards | |||
| Bob Daisley | bass | |||
| Bobby Rondinelli | drums |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugh McKenna | 1982 | backing vocals | McKenna, the cousin of then-drummer Ted, performed backing vocals at one show in August 1982.[130] | ||
| Steve Casey | 1982 | rhythm guitar | Casey performed rhythm guitar at a handful of shows in 1982 following Paul Raymond's departure. | ||
| John Verity | 1983 | Verity filled in on rhythm guitar at the end of a UK tour following the departure of Derek St. Holmes. | |||
| Terry Slesser | 1983–1984 | backing vocals | Slesser performed at European shows in late 1983, and at Japanese and US shows in early 1984.[131] | ||
| Spencer Sercombe | 1991–1992 | Sercombe performed with McAuley and Schenker on their acoustic tour between 1991 and 1992, and appeared on "Unplugged" Live (1992)[132] |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robbie Crane | 2009 | Crane was due to perform with MSG on a US tour starting in March 2009, but it was postponed. | |||
| Brian Tichy | 2011 | drums | Tichy was due to perform at the 2011 NAMM Show, however it went ahead with Carmine Appice.[133] Tichy also appeared on Temple of Rock (2011) Immortal (2021) and Universal (2022) |
| Role | Band | Vocals | Lead guitar | Rhythm guitar | Keyboards | Bass | Drums |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Michael Schenker Group [134] | The Michael Schenker Group | Gary Barden | Michael Schenker | Don Airey | Mo Foster | Simon Phillips | |
| MSG | Paul Raymond | Chris Glen | Cozy Powell | ||||
| Assault Attack [135] | Graham Bonnet | Michael Schenker | Tommy Eyre | Ted McKenna | |||
| Built to Destroy [136] | Gary Barden, Derek St. Holmes | Andy Nye | |||||
| Perfect Timing [137] | McAuley Schenker Group | Robin McAuley | Mitch Perry, Steve Mann | Steve Mann | Rocky Newton | Bodo Schopf | |
| Save Yourself | Steve Mann | ||||||
| M.S.G. [138] | Michael Schenker | Jesse Harms, Steve Mann | Jeff Pilson | James Kottak | |||
| Written in the Sand | Michael Schenker Group | Leif Sundin | Claude Gaudette | Barry Sparks | Shane Gaalaas | ||
| The Unforgiven | Kelly Keeling | Michael Schenker, Seth Bernstein, Louis Maldonado | Seth Bernstein, Jesse Bradman | John Onder | |||
| Be Aware of Scorpions | Chris Logan, Jeff Martin | Michael Schenker | no-one | Reverend Jones | Jeff Martin | ||
| Arachnophobiac | Chris Logan | Michael Schenker, Jeff Watson | Stuart Hamm | Jeremy Colson | |||
| Tales of Rock'n'Roll | Jari Tiura, various musicians | Wayne Findlay | Pete Way | Jeff Martin | |||
| In the Midst of Beauty | Gary Barden | Michael Schenker | Don Airey | Neil Murray | Simon Phillips | ||
| Heavy Hitters | various musicians | Michael Schenker, Bob Kulick, Pete Fletcher | Jeremy Rubolino | various musicians | various musicians | ||
| By Invitation Only | |||||||
| Gipsy Lady [139] | Schenker Barden Acoustic Project | Gary Barden | Michael Voss | no-one | |||
| Temple of Rock | Schenker's Temple of Rock | Michael Voss | Michael Schenker | Wayne Findlay | Pete Way | Herman Rarebell | |
| Bridge the Gap | Doogie White | Wayne Findlay | Wayne Findlay | Francis Buchholz | Herman Rarebell | ||
| Spirit on a Mission | Wayne Findlay, Michael Schenker | ||||||
| Resurrection | Michael Schenker Fest | Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley, Doogie White | Michael Schenker, Kirk Hammett | Michael Schenker, Steve Mann | Steve Mann, Wayne Findlay | Chris Glen | Ted McKenna |
| Revelation | Michael Schenker | Steve Mann | Bodo Schopf, Simon Phillips | ||||
| Immortal | Michael Schenker Group | Ronnie Romero, Joe Lynn Turner, Michael Voss, Ralf Scheepers | Michael Schenker | Steve Mann, Derek Sherinian | Barry Sparks | Bodo Schopf, Simon Phillips, Brian Tichy | |
| Universal | Ronnie Romero, Michael Kiske, Ralf Scheepers | Steve Mann, Tony Carey, Barry Sparks | Bob Daisley, Barry Sparks, Barend Courbois | Bodo Schopf, Simon Phillips, Brian Tichy, Bobby Rondinelli | |||
| Period | Members | Releases | |
|---|---|---|---|
| September – October 1979 |
|
| |
| May – July 1980 |
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| |
| August 1980 – January 1982 |
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| |
| February – April 1982 |
| ||
| April – August 1982 |
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| |
| August 1982 |
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| August 1982 – August 1983 |
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| August – October 1983 |
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| October 1983 – December 1983 |
| rowspan="3" | |
| January 1984 – February 1984 |
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| March – April 1984 |
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| June – August 1984 |
| none | |
| August – December 1984 |
| none | |
| Band inactive December 1984 – April 1986 | |||
| April 1986 – mid-1987 |
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| mid-1987 – May 1988 |
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| June 1988 – mid-1991 |
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| |
| Mid – late 1991 |
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| November 1991 – early 1993 |
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| Band inactive early 1993 – early 1996 | |||
| Early – late 1996 |
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| November 1996 – March 1997 |
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| May – June 1998 |
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| November 1998 – early 1999 |
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| Early 1999 – mid-2000 |
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| March – September 2001 |
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| November 2001 – early 2003 |
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| April – late 2003 |
|
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| October 2003 – November 2004 |
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| November 2004 – May 2005 |
| ||
| June – November 2005 |
|
| |
| November 2005 – November 2006 |
| rowspan="2" | |
| January – August 2007 |
| ||
| December 2007 – February 2008 |
|
| |
| March – June 2008 |
| rowspan="7" | |
| June – November 2008 |
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| February – May 2009 |
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| May – July 2009 |
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| July 2009 |
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| September 2009 |
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| December 2009 |
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| January 2010 |
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| May – June 2010 |
| rowspan="8" | |
| July 2010 |
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| July 2010 |
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| August 2010 |
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| January 2011 |
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| February 2011 |
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| June 2011 |
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| August 2011 |
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| Early 2011 |
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| July 2011 |
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| February – March 2012 |
| rowspan="2" | |
| March 2012 |
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| April – July 2012 |
|
| |
| October – November 2012[142] |
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| January – July 2013 |
|
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| January – February 2014 |
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| March 2014 – February 2016 |
|
| |
| June 2016 |
| ||
| August 2016 – March 2018 |
|
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| March 2018 – January 2019 |
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| January – February 2019 |
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| February – November 2019 |
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| November 2019 – January 2020 |
| ||
| Summer 2020 |
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| July 2021 – April 2022 |
| none | |
| April – May 2022 |
| ||
| May 2022 – June 2023 |
| none | |
| June 2023 – present |
| none to date | |