UFO (UK) - Lights Out in Tokyo - Live (CD, Razor, 1993)

RATING: **

When it comes to contemporary reviews and album sales, "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" will never be regarded as one of the year highlights from 1992, but the good response from most of those who had a chance to listen to it must have been quite reassuring for UFO, a band still struggling to find their feet after a series of studio failures and never-ending line-up changes during the second half of the 1980s. Understandably reticent to take huge risks, the lads decided to keep things going with a safe bet: a live album recorded in Japan, one of the few places where their popularity never waned and they were always sure to be warmly received, no matter what. Augmented by touring keyboardist Jem Davis (ex-Tobruk), this persevering flying saucer managed to put together a decent CD release with "Lights Out in Tokyo - Live" - and though I'm not really excited to write about non-classic live albums most of the time (even moreso when you consider the sheer number of such releases in UFO's discography), let's just type a few words about it, so the Lawrence Archer chapter may be complete around here.

Quite confident about their latest compositions, the outfit delivers nice renditions of no less than five songs from the previous CD, with "One of Those Nights" and "She's the One" (a song that, being slightly unremarkable in its studio version, fares unexpectedly well in the live environment) being particularly enjoyable. The overall atmosphere is pretty relaxed and entertaining throughout, and you can clearly hear that the five musicians here involved were happy with their roles and enjoying the night. It must have been nice to be in the audience, and the very respectable production values manage to capture the good vibe quite effectively. If you're a fan, this is a CD worth picking up when the opportunity arise, and don't be afraid to spend a few bucks on it, as it will surely be glad to find a nice shelf to call home.

There would a few worries on the horizon, though - and most of it must be credited to Lawrence Archer, I'm afraid. Don't get me wrong, it's not like his performance was laughable or disastrous or anything. But it's just too damn clear that, if he was more than comfortable with the songs he wrote himself, filling Michael Schenker's shoes in concert was a whole different (and very difficult) challenge for him. In crucial songs like "Only You Can Rock Me" and "Doctor Doctor", his riffs and solos are no more than adequate; in more subtle and intense numbers like "Love to Love" (you're all going a bit too fast on this one, lads), he just can't achieve the required standards, unfortunately. A particularly worrying situation appears on "Rock Bottom", where he just can't play the main riff as he should, delivering some sort of reinterpretation which is just downright annoying. Sorry about the criticism, I really don't want to be rude or anything (I love you, Mr. Archer, believe me), but this is one of the most fantastic riffs in the entire history of heavy rock: you just GOTTA play it right, exactly how it was recorded, no room for "creativity" here!

The pauses halfway through the songs (where the lads attempt some semi-jazzy improvisations for some unfathomable reason) are also completely disposable, and adding a softer session in a tune like "Lights Out" is something that should be banned by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, no less. Though not enough to really spoil the listening experience, these shortcomings were unequivocal evidence to the fact that UFO still had some ground to regain if they wanted to fully recapture their former glory. And they seem to have understood, as they would almost immediately promote some serious changing in the ranks - a resshuffle that would surely fulfill the wet dreams of many a hardcore fan. Both Archer and Edwards would be the casualties, but I guess it was unavoidable really, and I sincerely hope they still keep some good memories from these days: they sure had an important role in pushing UFO to the right direction, and I'm sure all fans are really grateful for that.

Phil Mogg (V), Lawrence Archer (G), Pete Way (B), Clive Edwards (D), Jem Davis (K). 

01. Running Up the Highway
02. Borderline
03. Too Hot to Handle
04. She's the One
05. Cherry
06. Back Door Man
07. One of Those Nights
08. Love to Love
09. Only You Can Rock Me
10. Lights Out
11. Doctor Doctor
12. Rock Bottom
13. Shoot Shoot
14. C'mon Everybody

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - High Stakes & Dangerous Men (CD, Razor, 1992)

RATING: ***

I guess we can forgive everyone that, after such an exhausting batch of unmemorable releases, considered UFO to be dead meat by the turn of the 90s. But vocalist Phil Mogg is a stubborn individual, you know, and it seems that he never wanted to lay UFO down to rest after all. After the almost non-existant response to 1988's "Ain't Misbehavin'" mini-LP, the flying saucer stayed into the hangar for a while, but in early 1991 things were already in motion once again, with the invaluable presence of Mr. Pete Way on bass guitar. I personally think this mini-reunion was decisive to put UFO's career back on track, as it recovered much of the musical identity that seemed to be lost during the second half of the 80s. After a long period of fooling around with countless hopefuls, Mogg and Way recruited drummer Clive Edwards (who were doing the rounds with Uli Jon Roth in recent years) and axeman Lawrence Archer (ex-Stampede / Grand Slam / Wild Horses, and most recently playing with Rhode Island Red) to write and record what would become "High Stakes & Dangerous Men", featuring the much-needed help of keyboardist Don Airey and released by the humble Razor label (a subsidiary of Castle Communications) sometime in 1992. 

Though far from a remarkable moment in the band's career, this unpretentious record turned out to be quite a surprise actually, as it is a mostly very good album, easily the best thing they did since "Mechanix" in terms of songwriting and enthusiasm. It's a relief to find out that UFO no longer tries to join the trend of the moment (thankfully, I would add, as it would be tragic to hear them trying to be a grunge band) and, seemingly giving up all hopes of having any impact at the charts, this once high-flying entity concentrated their efforts into delivering what they always did best: hard/heavy music with catchy melodies and a somewhat confessional vibe. After such a series of album misfires, and with tales of recent unprofessional behavior abound, it was a balm to find these still much-loved heroes in a confident and relaxed mood, leaving all the bullshit behind them in order to give us some pretty respectable rock and roll. 

Lawrence Archer fits quite well into the UFO setup, and his guitar histrionics are totally adequate, leaving not much room for facile that's-OK-but-Schenker-was-better commentary on this particular occasion. Listening to it in retrospect, there's a lot to connect Archer's tasteful delivery to what Vinnie Moore would do in later years, a functional fusion of dexterity and bluesy intonations that really clicks with Mogg's soulful, maturing voice. The band as a whole sounds more tight than on previous records, and though both Way and Edwards tend to keep things simple most of the time they sure create a strong backbone for Archer and Mogg (the two clear protagonists of the record) to exert their creative muscles.

Some songs are undoubtedly better than others ("Let the Good Times Roll" and "Burning Fire", for instance, are just as unmemorable as their names suggest, and "Primed for Time" is just plain bad), and perhaps a more concise 10-track package would have been a better move after all, but "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" have lots of replay value for any long-serving fans of the group's sound and vision. My personal highlights would be "Borderline" (that shows itself to be quite a non-obvious and well-crafted opening song when you pay some extra attention to it), the poignant "Don't Want to Lose You", "Running Up the Highway" (with nice, groovy riffing and a easy-to-sing-along chorus) and "One of Those Nights", a song that clearly highlights Phil Mogg's voice and sense of interpretation in the best possible manner. OK, tracks like "Back Door Man" and "She's the One" are little more than a rehashing of old ideas, but at least they're presented in a more sincere and assertive manner, being quite serviceable as a result. Surely not a record that you're likely to hear on a weekly basis, granted, but I guess it won't become an outcast from your CD player if you're already a fan, and it's well worth adding to your UFO collection if you can locate it for a fair price.

It didn't cause any major surprises when it comes to album sales, and most people in the music business probably just ignored it altogether, but "High Stakes & Dangerous Men" showed to anyone paying attention that UFO still had something to say, being not only an enjoyable souvenir for loyal fans, but also a significant step towards recovering some of the credibility around UFO's name. After many years in the wilderness, it was surely good news, and an album that would (at last) be a clear signal for better things to come.

Phil Mogg (V), Lawrence Archer (G), Pete Way (B), Clive Edwards (D). Guest musicians: Don Airey (K), Terry Reid, Stevie Lange (backing vocals). All songs by Mogg/Way/Archer, except 4 by Mogg/Way/Archer/Edwards.

01. Borderline 5:17
02. Primed for Time 3:22
03. She's the One 3:44
04. Ain't Life Sweet 3:42
05. Don't Want to Lose You 5:37
06. Burning Fire 4:02
07. Running Up the Highway 4:39
08. Back Door Man 5:06
09. One of Those Nights 4:11
10. Revolution 4:06
11. Love Deadly Love 4:53
12. Let the Good Times Roll 4:12

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Ain't Misbehavin' (Mini-LP, FM Records, 1988)

RATING: **

To be point-blank honest, UFO were already flogging a dead horse when "Misdemeanor" hit the shops in 1985, but they somehow managed to keep things going until 1989, maintaining a mostly very busy touring schedule and surviving through a carousel of personnel changes. The seven tracks that comprise this "Ain't Misbehavin'" mini-LP were actually recorded way back in 1986, soon after keyboardist / guitarist Paul Raymond decided that he had too much and left UFO behind for another number of years. Still, the recordings were temporarily shelved for some reason (have I heard someone whisper "label disinterest"?), while Phil Mogg and his cohorts kept the show on the road in order to make a living. Keyboardist David Jacobson is known to have joined the band soon after the recordings, but both him and bass player Paul Gray were no longer in the picture when the mini album actually came out in 1988: in fact, it transpires that Pete Way was back on duty by the time "Ain't Misbehavin'" hit the shelves, having been present in a handful of live performances a little time previously. Axeman Atomik Tommy M had also flown the coop by this juncture, and Myke Gray was handling the guitar in a few jaunts towards the end of 1987, though it seems he was no longer a member early next year too, having already left in order to form Jagged Edge. 

Yeah, I know, it's all quite confusing, and this strange sequence of events even puts the wisdom of releasing "Ain't Misbehavin'" into question - let's face it, even if it was a kick-ass record, it would still be hardly a good picture of the current state of affairs within the group. Recorded without a dedicated keyboardist, this one turns out to be a considerably more basic and intense affair than the sugar-coated "Misdemeanor", with some pretty healthy doses of heavy riffing here and there. In fact, more charitable listeners may even consider this mini-LP to be something of a return to form after their 1985 flop, as the lads are definitely rocking harder and showing a lot more conviction this time around. If you're partial with the 1980's aesthetics in general, this one may strike the right chord with you, so it's not like we're dealing with a worthless pile of garbage or anyhing like that.

Still, it leaves a lot to be desired in the songwriting side of things, as most songs are so formulaic that you can play Nostradamus and easily predict what is coming next. Despite some healthy doses of energy, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" has such a clichéd chorus that you probably already know how to sing it, even if you never heard it before - there's even the seemingly obligatory let's-pause-the-rest-of-the-band-and-leave-just-the-drums-doing-the-beat part towards the end. Tunes like "At War with the World" and "Rock Boyz, Rock" are way worse though, with terrible choruses, overwhelming backing vocals and a pop metal vibe that screams 'dated' with every single note. CD bonus "Lonely Cities (of the Heart)", on the other hand, is simply too nondescript to leave any lasting impression, a song that comes and goes without causing any perceivable emotion at all.

Personally speaking, the only song that really got me on this one is "Another Saturday Night", an intense semi-ballad with decent lyrics and some very imaginative melodies. Apart from this strong highlight, I guess "Hunger in the Night" and "Easy Money" (despite opening with a cringeworthy 'let's go, while we're young!' screaming that sounds as convincing as a flying saucer photo from Billy Meier) are acceptable, though a few lightyears away from any 'undiscovered classic' scenario, if you know what I mean. Nothing to write home abouth though, and just too little to make "Ain't Misbehavin'" a worthy addition to anyone but the most enthusiastic UFO fans.

Phil Mogg always mentioned the mini-LP in lighthearted terms on interviews, regarding it as little more than a collection of demos that he felt worthy of release - a version of events that seems a bit at odds with the busy production job in some songs, but never mind. There's no denying the singer and his partners in crime were trying their best to get a good thing going when this batch of song was recorded, but it was also clear for all to hear that they just didn't have enough in them as a unit to make it happen, unfortunately. If "Misdemeanor" was already a hopeless cause from the start, there was precisely zero chance of setting the world on fire the second time around.

There was an active line-up of UFO in mid 1988, with the duo of Mogg and Way being assisted by Fabio Del Rio (D) and a certain Rik Sanford on guitar. The 4-piece were supposed to record an album, but this particular project didn't last the distance, and there's strong indication that the material they were writing may have never even got to the demo stage. Guitarists Tony Glidewell and Erik Gamans also seem to have been there for a little while, but their contributions were probably very fleeting if that was really the case, and I wouldn't be surprise if that was just a case of musicians being auditioned rather than a more serious commitment. Whatever the case, this can't even be described as a transitional period for UFO, as the group weren't really going anywhere for the concept of a transition to make sense. In the summer of 1989, UFO was pretty much dormant, and it stayed mostly that way until 1991, when ex-Stampede and Grand Slam stalwart Laurence Archer assumed the difficult guitar position, pointing to a minor (but very worthwhile) resurgence in the band's career.

Phil Mogg (V), Tommy 'Atomik Tommy M' McClendon (G), Paul Gray (B), Jim Simpson (D).

01. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (McClendon, Mogg) 3:37
02. Another Saturday Night (Gray, Mogg) 4:39
03. At War with the World (McClendon, Mogg) 3:03
04. Hunger in the Night (McClendon, Gray, Mogg) 4:10
05. Easy Money (McClendon, Mogg) 3:37
06. Rock Boyz, Rock (McClendon, Gray, Simpson, Mogg) 3:19
07. Lonely Cities (of the Heart) (McClendon, Mogg) 4:16

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Misdemeanor (LP, Chrysalis, 1985)

RATING: **

As UFO themselves would put it (in the lyrics of their minor 80s hit "Let it Rain"), some kinds of love can only last so long. There was always a certain level of friction going on among the band members during most of the 70s, culminating in the acrimonious break-up with axeman Michael Schenker in 1978 - and a similar scenario was going on roughly by the time "Making Contact" hit the shops in 1983, with many stories about bandmembers reaching for each other's necks on a weekly basis. After a disastrous performance in Greece (when, according to then stand-in bassist Billy Sheehan, Phil Mogg was inebriated to the point he could barely sing, and Sheehan himself sustained injuries when the audience started throwing stuff towards the stage), it was clear for all involved that the off-the-rails lifestyle often associated with the band had just gone too far, degenerating into something ugly, embarassing and plain unprofessional. After fulfilling their touring obligations in the UK, all members went their sepparate ways, and this long-serving flying saucer was laid to rest for a while.

But not for long, though. Perhaps unconvinced that disbanding UFO was the right move (or else simply bored with doing nothing special after relocating to Los Angeles), Phil Mogg would soon start recruiting a new set of accomplices in late 1984, allegedly to create an all-new musical entity. After listening to a few songs written for a band called Sing Sing, Mogg felt that Paul Gray (who performed bass duties during the very last shows  of the "Making Contact" tour) could be a good songwriting partner after all, and swiftly recruited him for the new project. After enjoying stints with the Michael Schenker Group and Waysted, old time keyboardist / guitarist Paul Raymond was more than happy to join Mogg in the fun, and a nearly unknown (but clearly very talented) axeman named Tommy McClendon seemed the perfect choice for the lead guitar. Following a brief period of experimentation with Diamond Head's Robbie France, the drumstool would be occupied by Jim Simpson (ex-Magnum) to complete the line-up. The 5-piece toyed with The Great Outdoors moniker for a while (a hopeless choice, to be honest), but a few conversations with influential people in the business convinced Phil Mogg that it would be better to bring the well-known UFO name and logo back for good - a wise move indeed, as soon Chrysalis would offer the lads a much welcome one-album deal.

If "Misdemeanor" would have been more adequately presented under another guise is something that is open to debate. Personally speaking, I guess it wouldn't have made that much of a difference after all: on one hand, the material herein doesn't sound that different from what UFO were doing in the early 1980s, and it's also not strong enough to propel any newly-christened acts to immediate superstardom, if you know what I mean. Now embracing 1980s commercial rock music in no uncertain terms, UFO recorded an album filled with the very same pop-tinged hard rock attempted by so many bands (mostly to no avail) roughly at the same time. Listening to "Misdemeanor" while comparing it to earlier UFO releases may be a frustrating experience, but it's also educational in a way, as it shows how much hard/heavy music as a whole abandoned most of its psychedelic and bluesy roots from the mid-1970s onwards, in order to embrace a more "modern" and straightforward outlook and sound -  a crossroads that ultimately led either to extreme music (as death/thrash metal and many variants would happily testify) or else to unashamed commercialism, UFO being one of many examples in that regard. 

I really don't feel like talking in depth about the musical merits of "Misdemeanor", to be honest - not because I think it is a despicable record (I honestly don't), but mostly due to the fact that it is hopelessly dated and lacks any relevance for the general metal scene whatsoever. Granted, it does have its moments: "Night Run" is charming, a song that wouldn't be out of place in any UFO album from the early 80s, and tunes like "Heaven's Gate" and "This Time" are perfectly listenable too. Most of the package is totally innofensive though, with riffs that are little more than sequences of chords and puerile lyrics about love and heartbreak that Mogg probably came up with in a few hours at most (believe me, he can do so much better than this). The production stylizes the whole thing to a great extent, with overwhelming keyboards, a near-robotic drum sound and featherweight guitars that never threaten to get intense, let alone heavy. McClendon (here assuming the nickname Atomik Tommy M for some reason), despite being undeniably a gifted guitarist, sums it all perfectly BTW: his shredding was probably very impressive in 1985, but I seriously doubt it could raise any eyebrows today, and it's significantly dwarfed when compared to what Michael Schenker and even Paul Chapman did before him.

I know I have used the word 'hopeless' before, but allow me to repeat myself, as I think it's the perfect way to say it: "Misdemeanor" is a hopeless album. Not an unashamed cash grab, or a half-hearted effort from musicians that could not care less - just an LP that screams 'middle of the road' from start to finish, a product that tries so hard to be acceptable for its time that it turns out to be completely devoid of any distinctive and/or memorable features. In fact, it's hard to fathom what plan (if any) those involved with this project had in mind for it, as I seriously doubt radio stations were falling over themselves to give it airplay, and I'm sure MTV wasn't really impressed either. It gets a two-star rating because the musicianship is very competent and the results are professional as a whole, but you don't need it in your collection unless you are a UFO completist, believe me. Some bands from the 70s did way worse, that's for sure, but that is not to say that UFO should be proud of this record.

Phil Mogg (V), Tommy "Atomik Tommy M" McClendon (G), Paul Raymond (K/G), Paul Gray (B), Jim Simpson (D).

01. This Time (Gray, Mogg) 4:36
02. One Heart (Gray, McClendon, Mogg) 4:09
03. Night Run (Gray, McClendon, Mogg) 4:32
04. The Only Ones (Gray, Mogg) 5:16
05. Meanstreets (McClendon, Mogg) 4:17
06. Name of Love (McClendon, Mogg) 4:37
07. Blue (Gray, Mogg) 5:18
08. Dream the Dream (Raymond, Mogg) 4:32
09. Heaven's Gate (McClendon, Mogg) 4:15
10. Wreckless (McClendon, Mogg) 4:59

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Making Contact (LP, Chrysalis, 1983)

RATING: **

I guess no one would regard the early 1980's as a hugely successful period in UFO's career, but they were keeping things on track, you see, recovering from the very weak "No Place to Run" with two perfectly listenable slices of heavy rock music in the shape of "The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent" and "Mechanix". But, just after the good result in sales and the successful tour to promote the latter, UFO were hit by a major blow when bassist and founding member Pete Way decided to pack it up and go (pun intended, sorry) in late 1982, seemingly unhappy with the band's musical direction and tempted by the chance to join ex-Motörhead's "Fast" Eddie Clark in a new venture cunningly called Fastway. It's fair to say that, although he never really took the helms of the band as Phil Mogg did, his wild man lifestyle never (up to that point, at least) stood in the way of recording sessions or touring commitments, and his personality and vision seems to have been a more important cog in the machine than many would perhaps have expected. If surviving the absence of Michael Schenker was a hard task (and it took them a while to recover, mind you), moving forward without their much-loved bassist would be a more intricate puzzle to solve - one that they simply didn't manage to handle in the short run.

Already working on the pre-production for a new album, UFO decided to make things simple, with ever-dependable multi-instrumentalist Neil Carter and guitarist Paul Chapman both assuming bass duties in the recording sessions of what would become "Making Contact". Now, Phil Mogg and Andy Parker were the only original members still in the act, and the singer found in Neil Carter a fruitful songwriting partnership, the pair dividing credits in almost all songs here featured. Their collaboration had shown many signs of promise on "Mechanix", and some of those are fulfilled here, at least to some extent - but it seems the task of making a full album on short notice and pretty much on their own, added to the pressures of a market leaning towards more accessible waters, turned out to be a bit too much for those involved, a state of affairs that gives "Making Contact" a pop-metal outlook that was significantly different from (and less interesting than) its predecessors.

Now, I don't want to be rude and say this record is a piece of crap, because it surely isn't. I even dare to say it's better than "No Place to Run", for instance: at least they were trying to get something going here, while they sound like they couldn't care less in their 1980 minor fiasco. Maybe releasing "Making Contact" was little more than a contractual obligation to UFO, but I'd say they made a very serious effort to fulfill it with considerable finesse, rather than just churn out some substandard drivel to get rid of it as soon as possible. In fact, things get to a reasonably powerful start with "Blinded By a Lie", and following track "Diesel in the Dust" is my favorite tune here by far, with very effective instrumentation and poignant lyrics about a small town petty criminal who meets his end in a pick-up truck. If every so-called pop metal had such depth and energy, I would never say a bad word about it, you know. Things keep going well with the more restrained, very melodic "A Fool for Love" - a song that reminds me of Thin Lizzy, which is never a bad sign at all.

But perhaps it would have been better to keep this record as an EP or maxi-single, as things get perilously out of steam from this point onwards, with perhaps only "The Way the Wild Wind Blows" and "All Over You" coming to the (very moderate) rescue. "You and Me" is a very poor ballad that even sounds half-finished, and supposedly upbeat songs like "Call My Name" and "No Getaway" (some tasteless lyrics about a stalker on this one BTW) sound tired even before they get going properly, which is hardly the intended effect, I'm afraid. "When it's Time to Rock" is a poorly resolved song that never gets off the ground properly, and final track "Push, It's Love" is an extremely clichéd 'high-energy' rocker that sound as legitimate as a 6-dollar bill, if you ask me. The attempt to coat these half-baked tunes with layers of sugary keyboards does little in the way of making them more palatable: instead, it renders the album even more difficult to listen to in one sitting - a bit like those children's parties, you know, when you already had too much candy and there's still half a cake to go.

Whatever way you choose to look at it, "Making Contact" was a clear indication that UFO's ability to create magic was rapidly fading out. The reception to the record was underwhelming, to say the least, and the European tour that followed (with Billy Sheehan, then still a feature on Talas, assuming bass duties) was something of a disaster, with lots of internal friction and some poor perfomances to match. After a serious brawl with the audience in Athens, Greece, the rest of the jaunt was quickly cancelled, and UFO were pretty much falling apart on their return to England. They somehow kept it together enough to fulfill a tour on England, with Paul Gray (an old associate to Eddie and the Hot Rods and lately involved with The Damned) assuming as a bassist, but it was clear for all to see that the road had come (at least temporarily) to an end.

Paul Chapman relocated to USA to form DOA (he would soon join forces with Pete Way on Waysted, though), while Neil Carter joined Gary Moore and Andy Parker also decided to move to USA and form a venture called Scarlett. Only singer Phil Mogg seemed to be uncomfortable with putting the good name of UFO to rest, and, after a necessary break in order to get himself together, he would soon be making tentative plans for a new lift-off of his much loved flying saucer. As for "Making Contact", it's one for dedicated fans, that's for sure, though these may find it more appealing than my somewhat cynical review seems to suggest. There's no reason to bother if you're a more casual listener, though, as it's not an underrated classic by any stretch of the imagination.

Phil Mogg (V), Paul Chapman (G/B), Neil Carter (G/B/K/BV), Andy Parker (D).

01. Blinded By a Lie (Carter, Mogg) 3:58
02. Diesel in the Dust (Carter, Mogg) 4:29
03. A Fool for Love (Carter, Mogg) 3:57
04. You and Me (Carter, Mogg) 3:20
05. When It's Time to Rock (Chapman, Mogg) 5:27
06. The Way the Wild Wind Blows (Carter, Chapman, Mogg) 4:14
07. Call My Name (Carter, Mogg) 3:14
08. All Over You (Carter, Mogg) 4:24
09. No Getaway (Carter, Chapman, Mogg) 3:32
10. Push, It's Love (Carter, Mogg) 3:16

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Mechanix (LP, Chrysalis, 1982)

RATING: ***

Oh man, this one brings back some memories. Not that I was around when it first came out in 1982 - actually, I was less than two years old, being raised by a loving family in the southernmost Brazil, so it's not like I was playing an imaginary guitar at some UFO concert in England or anything like that. But "Mechanix" is actually the first album I bought from UFO: a japanese CD reissue by Chrysalis, which I guess was pressed in the early 1990s and cost me some serious money (well, for a cash-strapped adolescent like myself, anything more expensive than a pastry and a Coke would qualify as 'serious money' at the time). I took it home with no more than a vague idea of its contents; I was curious about UFO for ages, and the simple (but eye-catching) front cover really excited my curiosity, but I had never heard any full songs from them up to that point. I bought it on a Friday afternoon, but only got a chance to listen to it on early Saturday morning - and I couldn't crank it up, you see, or else my family would be disrupted in their sleep.

It was... different from what I expected. In my mind, a band with the name UFO was supposed to be heavier, and the use of keyboards and saxophones really caught me off guard. But I liked it. I really did. And I still do, nearly 25 years later. I still have the same CD, by the way. 

Now that I'm thinking of it, I remember the record store owner telling me that "Mechanix" was a good record, but I should take "The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent" instead, because it was way better (there was no other UFO albums in stock, unfortunately). But I didn't like WW&I's front cover or something, and opted to buy that hand with a guitar turning into a monkey-wrench - like it was a piece of art worthy of the Tate Gallery or something, but never mind. And it's a choice I still make to this day: nearly everyone seems to consider WW&I a more accomplished album in comparison (and I totally understand the reasoning, I really do), but "Mechanix" still touches a soft spot in my soul, and I like it better to this day. It's like my mind knows I'm wrong, but my heart just won't let go!

New boy Neil Carter seems way more confident this time around: not much more than a support musician in the previous LP, he comes out as a talented composer on "Mechanix", his input resulting in a number of very interesting pieces of music. With the 5-piece finally reaching some stability after a few years of internal turmoil, and adding Carter's many ideas into their songwriting cauldron, UFO were strong and focused enough to capture much of the spirit of the hard/heavy scene in those days, walking the thin line between intense and radio-friendly with mostly very effective results.

There's a hell of a lot of keys in here (I even reckon it was the more keyboard-oriented UFO album so far), but I don't consider it to be obnoxious or obstrusive, as Carter is mostly rocking along with the rest of the band rather than trying to soften the whole thing. The excellent "Doing it All for You" is a prime example: there are multiple keyboard layers, but they sound intense, even (yeah, I know how strange it sounds, but it's all true) HEAVY towards the end. The saxophones on "The Writer" (playing along with a riff that wouldn't be too out of place in a late 80's Black Sabbath album, which is hardly a well-worn formula if you ask me) and the cover of Eddie Cochran's "Something Else" may be hard to digest for some, but I think the results are mostly charming, though the wisdom of opening the record with these two tunes in sequence may be called into question.

There's a bit for everyone's tastes here, from the NWOBHM-standard-approved drive of "We Belong to the Night" and "Dreaming" (the latter a truly excellent song, perhaps my favorite from the entire record) to some concessions to balladry ("Back Into My Life"), including some pinches of radio-friendly rock (in the shape of the very competent "Let it Rain") and all-out hard rock ("You'll Get Love"), all being pretty serviceable most of the time. Actually, both sides of the original LP are quite formulaic when you take a close look at it: a forceful semi-metal number opens proceedings, then an easy-listening rocker comes in, followed by a ballad, a no-frills hard-rocking tune and a slightly more adventurous track to round things off. The aforementioned "Something Else" is actually one of the least interesting recordings of the lot: this classic rock and roll song is a lot of fun of course, but the addition of multiple unnecessary layers in the mix ended up rendering the track a mess, if we're to be honest here. Similarly, "Terri" is the one instance when the keys get a bit on the listener's nerves, harming what would perhaps have been a nice heavy ballad under different circumstances, and "Feel it" is a brain-dead hard rocker that really doesn't get anywhere. Apart from this, though, "Mechanix" is mostly a secure and funny ride, carried along by efficient instrumentation and a nice, powerful performance from Phil Mogg - his voice really shines in tunes like "Dreaming", "Back Into My Life" and "The Writer", believe me.

The release was a remarkable success for UFO in their native UK, reaching number 8 on the charts - their best-selling LP of all time in the country, no less. "Let it Rain" was a minor hit as well, and it's fair to say the group were rejuvenated enough to hold their own amongst the iron maidens, saxons and def leppards of those very competitive days. Still, "Mechanix" was the harbinger of decadence, rather than renewed relevance: let's face it (and I'm saying this mostly to myself), it's simply not in the same league with "Lights Out" or "Force It", and you can't compare this reasonably stable period in UFO's career with the resounding success that happened to Judas Priest (or, to a lesser extent, Motörhead) roughly at the same time. In fact, hard times were just around the corner for the lads, and this LP may as well be seen as the last decent moment they would enjoy for the best part of a decade. As a record, just take it for what it is (a fairly enjoyable collection of songs from a band trying to keep their thing together and not much else), and you'll probably get the best out of it.

Phil Mogg (V), Paul Chapman (G), Neil Carter (G/K/BV/sax), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. The Writer (Chapman, Carter, Mogg) 4:12
02. Something Else (E.Cochran, S.Sheeley) 3:21
03. Back Into My Life (Way, Mogg) 4:59
04. You'll Get Love (Carter, Chapman, Mogg) 3:10
05. Doing it All for You (Way, Chapman, Carter, Mogg) 5:02
06. We Belong to the Night (Way, Carter, Mogg) 3:57
07. Let it Rain (Way, Carter, Mogg) 4:01
08. Terri (Chapman, Mogg) 3:53
09. Feel it (Way, Mogg) 4:07
10. Dreaming (Carter, Mogg) 3:57

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent (LP, Chrysalis, 1981)

RATING: ***

Though far from being an unmitigated disaster (some people actually seem to like it quite a lot, which is all right I guess), fact is that "No Place to Run" was hardly a world beater, and the worrying signs of impeding decadente were all over the place. To make things worse, more changes in personnel were around the corner, with Paul Raymond deciding to pack his bags to pursue a seductive offer to join none other than Michael Schenker and his Group. If UFO wanted to survive the turn of the 1980's (and be a respectable entity in the NWOBHM days they had a strong role in inspiring), they seriously needed some new and talented blood running into their system, not to mention a much stronger batch of new songs. Fortunately for the lads, "The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent" is a marked step in the right direction, a record that did strike the right chord with the renewed hard/metal scene of those days and created some much welcomed momentum for the outfit.

The vacant slot left by Raymond was aptly filled by Neil Carter, a very talented multi-instrumentalist who was previously doing the rounds with Wild Horses. Not only the versatile side of UFO's music would be retained to a great degree, but Carter also showed himself to be a worthy addition to the songwriting side of things as time progressed, recapturing some of the magic lost when iconic (and difficult) virtuoso Michael Schenker was no longer allowed to walk in from the door. With guitarist Paul Chapman seemingly more confident of his role in the band, and with both Andy Parker and Pete Way doing a fine job throughout, the instrumental side of things sounds a lot more tight, dynamic and lively than in its lacklustre predecessor - and we all know Mr. Phil Mogg is someone you can trust when it comes to singing, so the casual listener can get happily ready for a good thing coming this time around.

I read many reviews pointing out how different this record is from the earlier release with Chapman on guitar, but I beg to differ: the only thing that makes "No Place to Run" a "pop" record and "The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent" to be a "hard" record is a newfound sense of energy, as the compositions are not really that dissimilar - although WW&I is better on this regard too, no doubt about that, with songs more carefully crafted and surely focused on rocking hard rather than plodding along. It's not a impeccable record though, and some cuts seems to have been included as something of a last-minute decision, like they just didn't have the time to finish enough good songs for a full album. It's mostly a winner, no doubt about that - it's just that it is not a flawless victory, if you know what I mean. 

They hit the nail right on the head in "Long Gone", an immensely capable union of heavy energy and songwriting subleties that is easily one of their best tunes from all of the 80s - and one of my favorite songs from all of their catalogue, and I mean it. Other great moments come with the nice opener "Chains Chains", "Lonely Heart" (a minor hit in the UK, a hard rocker with nice melodic parts in all the right places) and "Profession of Violence", that seems to recycle ideas from previous ballads like "Try Me" and "Belladonna", but with arguably even better results. Contrastingly, "It's Killing Me" is so confusing that it even seems to be half-finished, whereas "Couldn't Get it Right" is your typical not-bad-but-also-not-really-good filler that would hardly make it to a single B-side under different circumstances. It's fair to point out that "Makin' Moves" and the title track are songs that work nicely in the album's running order, not disrupting the flow in any sense - but I'm afraid both lack the charm to shine by their own merits, being pretty nondescript if taken out of the LP's context.

All things considered, it's not like UFO took the world by storm with "The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent", but it was the right record at the right time for them, and it sure helped to relocate the band into the very center of the Heavy Metal scene. And it's an album that didn't aged that bad either, as at least half of the songs here featured are good enough to captivate fans of hard/heavy music even today. To be honest, I even consider it to be a more accomplished record than, say, "Obsession" - yeah, kind of a polemic take here, but it comes to show just how much of a worthy addition this album can be to any respectable collection.

Phil Mogg (V), Paul Chapman (G), Neil Carter (G/K/BV/saxophone on "Lonely Heart"), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Chains Chains (Way, Mogg) 3:24
02. Long Gone (Chapman, Mogg) 5:17
03. The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent (Chapman, Mogg) 4:57
04. It's Killing Me (Way, Mogg) 4:29
05. Makin' Moves (Chapman, Mogg) 4:43
06. Lonely Heart (Chapman, Way, Mogg) 5:00
07. Couldn't Get it Right (Chapman, Way, Mogg) 4:33
08. Profession of Violence (Chapman, Mogg) 4:22

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - No Place to Run (LP, Chrysalis, 1980)

RATING: **

I sincerely think that, if they wanted to soldier on as a band, there wasn't much of an option for UFO in late 1978 but to get rid of Michael Schenker. Let's face it: no matter how much of a genius he was (and still is), Schenker's alcohol abuse, unpredictable mood swings and erratic behavior were all very difficult to deal with, and I fully understand why Phil Mogg (pretty much the mainman on UFO from this point onwards) felt it was about time to let the guitarist go. The excellent results of the "Strangers in the Night" live album may invite some oh-if-all-could-have-been-different meditation on many listeners, but the fact is still there for all to see: Schenker messed things up big time, to such an extent that his stand-in and future substitute Paul Chapman had to fill his shoes more than once, as the German axeman would be too inebriated and/or unwilling to perform. You can use the "there's no UFO without Schenker" card as much as you like, but it takes two to tango, you know.

The problem, as you all can imagine, is that it's not at all easy to replace an outstanding musician such as Michael Schenker. Paul Chapman (another one that has left the building way too soon, so may he Rest in Power forevermore) was a natural choice, almost a no-brainer in fact: he knew the songs by heart and was tested and approved on the live environment (I suggest looking after a semi-bootleg release named "Parker's Birthday" in case you're still in doubt). The new guy sure knew what to do with a guitar on his hands, and UFO were more than well served with him upon a stage. But you don't need more than a couple of spins to "No Place to Run" to know exactly what Chapman's achilles' heel was: he wasn't half the songwriter Michael Schenker is. Considering that Pete Way and Paul Raymond had become more of sporadic songwriters, and Phil Mogg was the kind of collaborative composer that needed someone else's instrumental ideas to work with, it's easy to understand that their ability to write seriously good music was in sensible decline. 

Most of the songs featured on "No Place to Run"  lack the dynamics and the imaginative sollutions so abundant in earlier releases, being little more than competent, but rather formulaic attempts to follow the trend of the times - just like "Obsession" before it, but with perilously poorer results. Play simple music is not that simple, you know: even the most basic of songs need some sort of creativity and/or sense of urgency to capture people's minds, and UFO seems to be running out of both assets in this LP. Perhaps even more worrying is the perceivable decrease in energy, something completely at odds with the youthful enthusiasm of then-arising NWOBHM; a song like the title-track, a tune that wouldn't be more than serviceable under normal circumstances, comes out even less interesting when played in such a bureaucratic manner, like the guys were just trying to get rid of the task as fast as they could. 

Don't get me wrong: these guys were still masters of their trade, and songs such as "Money Money" (an intense heavy rocker with nice use of support vocals and guitar embellishments, perhaps the best composition from the entire record), "This Fire Burns Tonight" (nice chorus) and the competent version of Junior Parker's "Mystery Train" (excellent solos on this one) are sure to make fans happy. I also like ballad "Take it or Leave it", a truly beautiful track with delicate, neat arrangements. But redundant, less-than-enthusiastic rockers like "Lettin' Go" and "Young Blood" don't help matters at all, and poor tracks like "Anyday" (a very confusing composition that fades out to oblivion before threatening to make sense) and "Gone in the Night" (a sort of cabaret-vibe rock and roll that simply doesn't work to any extent) are close to an embarassment, if we're to be honest here. 

As a whole, "No Place to Run" sounds too midtempo and tamed to be a strong contender, let alone in a moment when the NWOBHM was taking the world by storm with a much more energetic, dynamic and forceful musical approach. Much of the blame should go to the production / mixing job by George Martin - a household name that may have seemed quite a strong choice at the time (he used to be the Fifth Beatle, for God's sake), but turned out to be disappointing due to the bland, faceless results of his work here. Nothing sounds real bad, but nothing stands above average either, a shortcoming that only adds to the run-of-the-mill feeling of the proceedings. While bands like Judas Priest, Scorpions and even Black Sabbath were successfully adjusting their sound and image to the new times, UFO were missing the wave they pretty much saw before anyone else.

"No Place to Run" wasn't that good when it came out in early 1980, and it surely didn't get better with age, so there's no urgency to buy it unless you're already a fan (like myself, for instance). The great comercial success of "Strangers in the Night" would still keep UFO's head above water a while longer, but they seriously needed to deliver something more substantial next time around, if they really wanted to survive as a relevant group in the very competitive rock/metal environment of the 1980s. And credit where is due: they surely tried hard.

Phil Mogg (V), Paul Chapman (G), Paul Raymond (G/K), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Alpha Centauri (Chapman) 2:06
02. Lettin' Go (Way, Mogg) 3:51
03. Mystery Train (J.Parker, S. Phillips) 3:55
04. This Fire Burns Tonight (Chapman, Mogg) 4:31
05. Gone in the Night (Way, Mogg) 3:47
06. Young Blood (Way, Mogg) 3:59
07. No Place to Run (Way, Mogg) 3:58
08. Take it or Leave it (Raymond) 3:01
09. Money, Money (Way, Mogg) 3:29
10. Anyday (Way, Mogg) 3:48

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Strangers in the Night (Chrysalis, 2 LP, 1979)

RATING: *****

Yeah, I know. A perfect score for a live album? Not only that, but a live album being the landmark of a band's career, the best thing they ever done, the crowning achievement that will be remembered by the thankful masses long after they're gone? For most bands, a live recording is little more than a money grab, often a way to celebrate a successful period and turn it into even more albuns sold - or else, if your band are on a down, a subterfuge to milk some extra cash out of past glories. Sometimes, it also works as a quick and effective stratagem to get rid of disadvantageous or obstructive record deals. But there aren't that many bands out there that could (or can) release a live album strong enough to leave a lasting mark, capturing their efforts upon a stage in such a favorable light that you can't help but wish you were there, every single time you listen to it. UFO surely could, as they were always an outstanding live act with a strong repertoire to match - and they surely did it with "Strangers in the Night", easily one of the best live albums a heavy rock band ever managed to release, and I mean it.

Recorded in autumn 1978, during a string of shows in the USA, this 2-LP package is so unbelievably good that it even makes UFO look bigger than they really were at the time. If you never heard the band before, this is the record that will almost fatally turn you into a big fan, and you're likely to search around like crazy for the studio releases, just to find out that the live versions are actually better in nearly all cases: they never captured in a recording studio the same magic they created live, which is a compliment to their powers when in concert rather than anything detrimental to UFO's usual releases. Take "Doctor Doctor" as an example: a good-enough-but-nothing-memorable song in "Phenomenom", it comes out as a near masterpiece in live form, a perfect mix of melody, hard riffing and exhilarating energy. "Rock Bottom" is perhaps even better, its 11-minute-plus showcase of strong riffs and powerful guitar-keyboards interplay being a tour de force of jaw-dropping proportions, dwarfing the studio version in no uncertain terms. 

All musicians deliver great performances here. Maybe Pete Way and Paul Raymond are slightly less prominent than the rest, but they sure provide a great backbone for both Phil Mogg and Michael Schenker's sterling performances to shine, whereas Andy Parker (never mentioned in any drummer's hall of fame, as far as I know, which is a bit of a shame if you ask me) shows in no uncertain terms just what a highly capable sticksman he is. Contrary to most live releases of the time, there's very few overdubs to be heard around here - the guitars, for instance, couldn't be overdubbed, as they also came through the drum mics and any extra tracks would hopelessly mess the whole thing. Therefore, "Strangers in the Night" is mostly very faithful to the experience of being in a UFO concert - despite the fact that the tracking order bears but a passing resemblance to the actual setlists of the tour in question, but nevermind. 

It's no easy task to pinpoint highlights around here, as there's such an abundance of remarkable moments that nearly all tracks are memorable in each own right. "Love to Love" sounds even more grandiose than its (already very good) studio counterpart, with an atmosphere that enfolds the listener from start to finish, while "Out in the Street" and "I'm a Loser" are highly emotional pieces carried along by beautifully played, near-hypnotic keyboard parts. On the other hand, "Lights Out" fulfills its heavy metal promises with great aplomb, and even undemanding hard rocking tunes like "Too Hot to Handle" and "Only You Can Rock Me" sound surpringly powerful and intense, way more enthusiastic than their rather tepid studio versions. These are songs meant to be played upon a stage, and the production (handled by Ron Nevison with Brian Chubb as a live sound engineer) deserves a lot of accolades for capturing UFO's energy in all its glory. All things considered, this is a truly impressive affair, and everyone involved should be very proud of having a part on it.

Unfortunately, this remarkable release would also be the swansong for a very fruitful period in the band's history, as Michael Schenker would make his leave almost as soon as the tour from which it was recorded was over. Not a surprising development anyway, as the axeman's erratic behavior had become too exasperating for his bandmates (most of all Phil Mogg) to endure - to such an extent that they seemingly had a replacement at hand, clearly anticipating the worst case scenario to come. It took them no more than a few days to confirm Paul Chapman as a substitute, the new guitarist having already filled in for Schenker a number of times during the "Obsession" tour, as the German guitar hero's unreliability and excesses more than once rendered him unable to perform. It's a shame that such a strong formation had to come to an end, but maybe good things can only last so long, who knows? Whatever the story, "Strangers in the Night" is an album any self-respecting heavy rock aficionado simply can't live without. If you don't have it, do yourself a huge favor and go buy it straight away. Like, right now. 

Phil Mogg (V), Michael Schenker (G), Paul Raymond (G/K), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Natural Thing (Schenker, Way, Mogg) 3:55
02. Out in the Street (Way, Mogg) 5:12
03. Only You Can Rock Me (Schenker, Way, Mogg) 3:58
04. Doctor Doctor (Schenker, Mogg) 4:30
05. Mother Mary (Parker, Schenker, Way, Mogg) 3:17
06. This Kids (Schenker, Mogg) 4:40
07. Love to Love (Schenker, Mogg) 7:37
08. Lights Out (Parker, Schenker, Way, Mogg) 4:55
09. Rock Bottom (Schenker, Mogg) 11:02
10. Too Hot to Handle (Way, Mogg) 4:17
11. I'm A Loser (Schenker, Mogg) 3:49
12. Let it Roll (Schenker, Mogg) 4:35
13. Shoot Shoot (Parker, Schenker, Way, Mogg) 3:45

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Obsession (LP, Chrysalis, 1978)

 

RATING: ***

It's a common (and mostly very correct) assessment to say that UFO were one of the main inspirations for what would later be known as the NWOBHM. But saying that our much beloved flying saucer of a band  were something of natural forerunners of the British Metal scene of the 1980s is a bit over-simplistic if you ask me, just as labeling NWOBHM with a 70s-metal-plus-punk-rock tag, or implying that the heavy rock scene was 'dead' during the height of the punk rock phenomenon. The evolution of music is anything but simple, and I honestly don't think you can hear "Lights Out" and the following LP "Obsession" without acknowledging the sensible changes from one record to the other, unless you're not really paying attention. It was the end of the 70s - the end of the century, as Ramones would put it less than two years later - and the smell of the 1980s was already all over the place. And UFO sniffed it.

To be fair, similar bands like Judas Priest, Scorpions and Budgie were also right in their sense of smell, all showing a clear understanding that a new mood was around the corner - a mood for uncomplicated songs, less experimentation and a more down-to-earth (and less thoughtful) lyrical approach. There's precisely zero doubt that the punk rock influx had a lot to do with that (and Judas Priest, for instance, didn't shy themselves from admiting it in later years), but I still think it's more of a common perception, an incoming ethos if you prefer: let's make things as simple and direct as we can, so our songs can have an immediate impact and it will be easier to get our point across. It's not like Dee Dee Ramone or Johnny Rotten made an informed interpretation of the times and boldly decided it was time to reinvent the wheel; I'm personally more inclined to think they were just reacting to a collective unease, and talented enough to translate it into sound and music.

It wouldn't be that hard for UFO to jump into the train of times to come, you see, as they were never that keen to experimentation in the first place. Furthermore, the forward-moving nature of most of their songs sure shared something of a connection with the keep-things-simple spirit of the times, so there was no need to reinvent themselves as so many rival acts had to do, with varying degrees of success. Still, it required a shift in direction, and, where "Lights Out" was a 70's album in sound and spirit, "Obsession" is almost ahead of its time in a sense, as it could easily have been released five or six years later without any major adaptations. The subtleties and musical adventures of its predecessor are almost totally gone, and back is the hard-rocking, street-level approach of earlier efforts - although, and it must be clearly stated, in much more concise and restrained (even radio-friendly) terms. 

It works out fine to a great extent (it's not like so many NWOBHM stalwarts decided to mention UFO as an influence just to make the lads a favor, you know), but it also tastes of decadence to a certain degree - and even though "Obsession" is miles away from being a bad album, it's also sensibly inferior to its predecessors. Of course, much of the misfires must be credited to the growing tensions within the band, with Phil Mogg and Michael Schenker reaching for each other's neck on an almost daily basis, the guitarist's heavy drinking being the main topic of conflict. Such tensions would ubdoubtedly have a negative effect on the band's songwriting, and "Obsession" is perhaps the most predictable UFO album so far: many hard-rocking tunes, a ballad to close each side of the LP, a few extra arrangements here and there and that's pretty much it. Paul Raymond's keyboards are very discreet most of the time too (a detail that adds to the impression that UFO were trying to veer away from "Lights Out" as much as possible), and the Way/Parker duo just play along with the songs most of the time.

"Obsession" starts quite well, with two very good rockers in the form of "Only You Can Rock Me" (a staple to their setlists even today) and "Pack it Up (and Go)", but starts to worringly lose steam from that point onwards - the two final songs, "One More for the Rodeo" and "Born to Lose", being instantly forgettable, to put it on polite terms. Of course there's some seriously good stuff hidden between the grooves here, as the slow rocker "Ain't No Baby" (despite it loans more than a few ideas from Black Sabbath's "Lord of this World"!) and the truly excellent "Cherry" (nice bass riff from Pete Way) are happy to testify. But it doesn't hit the nail right on the head most of the time: "Hot 'n' Ready" is no more than serviceable, "You Don't Fool Me" is too more-of-the-same to leave any lasting impression, and "Lookin' Out for No. 1" is an anodyne ballad that seems to exist for the sole purpose of filling a blank on the album, if you know what I mean - two blanks, actually, as there's also a pointless reprise halfway through the B side of the LP.

"Obsession" is a mostly decent record of course, and it makes for an effortless listening experience with some replay value to it (while also being the very first album to display the now iconic UFO logo, in case you didn't notice). But it doesn't rate that high on my Metalomether, I'm afraid, being the starting line for a long stretch of unspetacular records packed with adequate-but-not-really-memorable moments of competent semi-mediocrity. And hold your breath, because there's quite a lot of these waiting for us around the corner!

Phil Mogg (V), Michael Schenker (G), Paul Raymond (G/K), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Only You Can Rock Me (Way, Schenker, Mogg) 4:08
02. Pack it Up (and Go) (Way, Schenker, Mogg) 3:14
03. Arbory Hill (Schenker) 1:11
04. Ain't No Baby (Raymond, Mogg) 3:58
05. Lookin' Out for No. 1 (Raymond, Mogg) 4:34
06. Hot 'n' Ready (Schenker, Mogg) 3:16
07. Cherry (Way, Mogg) 3:34
08. You Don't Fool Me (Raymond, Parker, Mogg) 3:23
09. Lookin' Out for No. 1 (Reprise) (Schenker, Raymond) 1:14
10. One More for the Rodeo (Way. Mogg) 3:45
11. Born to Lose (Schenker, Raymond, Mogg) 3:31

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Lights Out (Chrysalis, LP, 1977)

RATING: ****

NOTE: This is the first UFO review I (re)write after the sad demise of legendary Pete Way in August 14, 2020. Not that I can add much to the massive (and thoroughly deserved) amount of love and admiration outpoured by the rock/metal community since his passing, but I would just like to take a moment to say that all UFO reviews from now on will be a personal homage to him, one of the guys that really made a difference in my personal liking of heavy rock music (and I'm glad to have Steve Harris by my side on this). Thanks for all the music, Pete, and may your soul forever rock in peace. I'll drInk to that!

Widely regarded as the best studio album ever recorded by UFO (and, according to some, the only truly classic offering from their long and convoluted career), "Lights Out" is indeed a great record, but one that caused me contradictory feelings for a while. In a sense, I still feel UFO never recorded their truly quintessential LP: the band's releases are mostly very good, but there never was that stand-out record, the crowning achievement able to emcompass all their fundamental features in the most positive light (I have a somewhat similar feeling about Iron Maiden BTW but... let's not rush things). For me, "Lights Out" always sounded like an excellent, but slightly flawed record in places, and I still hold pretty much the same opinion today - but, as years passed by, I kinda reached the conclusion that yeah, this is UFO's best studio offering after all. Which means I also had to come to terms with the fact that a recording facility is not a rock venue, and that's precisely the reason why "Strangers in the Night" will forever be the pinnacle of UFO's career (more on that later, hopefully).

The recruiting of Paul Raymond (formely with Savoy Brown and Danny Kirwan, and another guy that left us way too soon if you ask me) to substitute Danny Peyronel was a wise move, as his versatility with both keyboards and rhythm guitar opened a lot of new musical avenues for UFO to explore. His arrival was all for the best really, and it should come as no surprise to learn that "Lights Out" is one of the most experimental and adventurous records in the group's canon. With a new player of such calibre, it's only natural that one would want to explore what things could our could not be done, and UFO did exactly that. 

This inventive mood also had a lot to do with market concerns, I suppose. It's clear for me that UFO were trying to find their big hit by this point, the song that would chart high enough to bring the elusive commercial success they were striving so hard to achieve with no tangible results. Nothing fundamentally wrong about that of course, but I think that explains the tendency to soften things up that marks "Lights Out". There are lots of acoustic parts, neat string arrangements and multiple layers of melody to embellish the songs - something that works beautifully in the context of some songs, but also tends to erase some of the usual energy and heavy groove of the band. Michael Schenker seems to be the one who suffers the most in such scenario: his solos are as kickass as ever, that's for sure, but the diminished heaviness results in a pitifully small percentage of bona-fide riffing, which is quite a waste when you have such a strong riffmaker plugged in the band's Marshall amps. 

They still rock, granted. The title track is arguably the closest the band ever got to full-blown heavy metal, with some truly impressive guitar work and clever lyrics about the bombing of London during WW2 - not to mention a muscular, hard-hitting drive that will set most headbanging necks in motion in a matter of seconds. "Electric Phase" is a less galloping effort, but it also brings some healthy heaviness to the table, and "Too Hot to Handle" is a singalong hard rock ditty if I ever heard one: the baffling fact that it never threatened to conquer the charts (despite definitely deserving to do so) comes as strong evidence that the universe didn't wanted UFO to be hitmakers after all. But the songwriting is pretty much stellar overall, and the relative lack of in-your-face heavy rockers doesn't mean the listener will be let down in any sense. How can one not be moved by "Just Another Suicide", an extremely inventive piece of music where countless layers are perfectly put together for great effect? How can anyone say a bad word about "Love to Love", a marvellous epic ballad with impressive arrangements and a unique atmosphere throughout, without having his mental condition seriously put into question? Even a somewhat less memorable number such as "Gettin' Ready" has a lot to offer to the more inquisitive listener, fusing some old-school-rock edge with sensitive, even poetic subtleties. 

It's not a flawless record by any means: I can't help but feeling that the sedated ballad "Try Me" didn't aged very well, and I could have lived without Love cover "Alone Again Or", no matter how groundbreakingly good the original actually is, or how decent UFO's rendition turns out to be. But these are but minor shortcomings in a otherwise near perfect record: "Lights Out" is an album you really should have if you want your record collection to be a respectable one. More straightforward records like "Force It" or even "No Heavy Petting" will probably offer you a better picture of the landmark UFO sound and vision, but when it comes to a package of great songs, I guess this one is the real deal - at least when it comes to studio releases, of course.

Phil Mogg (V), Michael Schenker (G), Paul Raymond (G/K), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Too Hot to Handle (Way, Mogg) 3:37
02. Just Another Suicide (Raymond, Mogg) 4:58
03. Try Me (Schenker, Mogg) 4:49
04. Lights Out (Schenker, Parker, Way, Mogg) 4:33
05. Gettin' Ready (Schenker, Mogg) 3:46
06. Alone Again Or (MacLean) 3:00
07. Electric Phase (Way, Schenker, Mogg) 4:20
08. Love to Love (Schenker, Mogg) 7:38

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - No Heavy Petting (LP, Chrysalis, 1976)

RATING: ****

The general response this record received through the years really baffles me, you know. I mean, nearly all reviews to "No Heavy Petting" you can find out there (most of all from the 1970s and 1980s, but more recent analyses too) are at least a little bit dismissive, some actually getting close to ripping the record to shreds - and I truly, sincerely never could understand why. For many years, it was my favorite UFO album; as time went on, "Force it" grew on me to claim number 1 status, and nowadays I guess I'd say "Lights Out" is my favorite studio LP from the band. But I still think "No Heavy Petting" received a lot of unfair criticism through the years: it's a pretty strong set of compositions IMO, and it also signalled a step in the right direction for the lads, showing UFO to enrich their sound to a great extend and with mostly very pleasant results.

As I believe most of you are aware, the Mogg-Way-Parker-Schenker nucleus were looking for a fifth member at the time, and the good results achieved with the use of keyboards in previous record "Force it" strongly hinted that this was the route to go down. After some consideration, UFO decided to recruit Danny Peyronel, a keyboardist born in Argentina that had enjoyed some quality time with Heavy Metal Kids previously. Some critics say that Peyronel never really clicked into the band's set-up, his contributions being mostly obstrusive to the overall sound of UFO - a notion that may be essentially true (it would be his only album with the band after all), but that I feel to be somewhat at odds with what we can hear on the album itself. 

To my hears, "No Heavy Petting" shows UFO as an increasingly stronger entity, sounding more cohesive and confident than ever. The band's performances are sterling throughout, most of all from Michael Schenker and Phil Mogg. The latter's singing is top-notch here BTW: not the most technically gifted delivery you'll ever hear perhaps, but his sense of interpretation is close to perfection, balancing the necessary heavy rock energy with healthy doses of emotion that would make some bluesmen proud. In a sense, I always felt Mogg was something of a crooner, instead of the typical hard rock singer, and giving this LP a few listens may provide some solid evidence on that. As for Mr. Peyronel's presence, I feel he does a commendable job here, adding interesting layers and ambiences without trying to be too much on the foreground. He also shows himself to be a good songwriter, you know: two of his contributions, the boogie-rocking (but still peculiarly charming) "Highway Lady" and the intense, atmospheric final ballad "Martian Landscape", sit easily among the best songs on this LP, and he also lends a hand in "Can You Roll Her", which is also not a bad tune at all.

I know this review is becoming something of an apology, but I also need to address the supposedly repetitious nature of most songs - that, according to detractors, were more of the same when compared to "Force It". Oh well, I wholeheartedly beg to differ. I'm not at all convinced that compositions like the heavy, almost doomy "On With the Action" (the solo from Schenker on this one has to be heard to be believed), the straight-to-the-point "Reasons Love" or the aforementioned "Martian Landscape" are indications of stalled creativity in any sense, and the heartfelt "I'm a Loser" may be one of the best things ever written by the band, and I mean it. OK, the band already did have a lot of hard rocking ditties under their belts, but "Natural Thing" is nearly unsurpassable on the field: an opening riff to die for, with obligatory double-meaning lyrics, a far-from-obvious chorus and soaring guitar licks all over the place. It's no surprise that it would become a recurring opening number on the band's setlists for many years afterwards.

I would agree that "A Fool in Love" was a mostly uninspiring addition (the song, penned by ex-Free stalwart Andy Fraser, would later be successfully re-recorded by Delbert McClinton), and that the extremely serious, almost solemn ballad "Belladonna" does not seem to have survived unscathed the test of time: I enjoy listening to it, you know, but its lack of perceivable variation may be a bit difficult to some tastes. But I suppose most of the criticism towards "No Heavy Petting" comes down to album sales in the end: this one didn't sell, so everyone involved with it would regard it as a substandard effort, and the notion would be perpetuated in the years to come. Excuse me, but I beg to differ: "No Heavy Petting" is a great record, in the same league of the most well-regarded releases of UFO, if not better than most of it. Give it a try with an open mind and without prejudgements and perhaps you will like it a hell of a lot. And if you don't, please take a few minutes of your time to tell me why, as I simply can't understand what is supposedly so crappy about it.

Phil Mogg (V), Michael Schenker (G), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D), Danny Peyronel (K/BV).

01. Natural Thing (Schenker, Way, Mogg) 4:00
02. I'm a Loser (Schenker, Mogg) 3:54
03. Can You Roll Her (Peyronel, Parker, Mogg) 2:56
04. Belladonna (Schenker, Mogg) 4:30
05. Reasons Love (Schenker, Mogg) 3:19
06. Highway Lady (Peyronel) 3:47
07. On with the Action (Schenker, Mogg) 5:02
08. A Fool in Love (Fraser, Miller) 2:47
09. Martian Landscape (Peyronel, Parker, Mogg) 5:08

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Force it (LP, Chrysalis, 1975)

RATING: ****

It's funny how UFO built a great reputation for themselves without actually recording a proper "classic" studio album. Don't get me wrong: they sure released some memorable stuff in the mid-to-late 1970s ("Force It" being one of these, of course) but I have the distinc feeling there's no album on UFO's studio discography that actually stands out as the pinnacle of their career or anything like that. Actually, live album "Strangers in the Night" is the best thing they ever did IMO, the crowning achievement of their career - the only album from the lads that's going to get a 5-star rating around here, sorry for the spoiler. I personally think that a perfect album must be a near flawless compilation of songs, or else a truly groundbreaking release in its own right, and none of UFO's studio LPs really fit the criteria, I'm afraid - a feat that their marvellous second live album achieves with great aplomb, but let's take reviews one at a time, right? Which is not to say their studio efforts are useless, of course: "Force It" is the first of at least three excellent albums in a row, and surely one of the finest in their discography too. You can count the 4-star rating as an almost perfect score if you like!

The metamorphosis ignited by "Phenomenon" is now complete. The lenghty jams and pieces of experimentation from their early releases are left behind for good: from this point onwards, UFO comes out like a confident and intense hard/heavy proposition, a group of musicians that know very well what they're doing and what they want to achieve. What was loose now is real tight, if you know what I mean, and still it's not like the adventurous spirit is nowhere to be found - quite the opposite actually, as many of the band's finest moments are more than adequate to demonstrate. The fundamental change here have little to do with creativity: it's a matter of approach if you like, being in control of the songs rather than trying to catch clues while playing them. It was the right choice in the end, and a lifetime of rock and roll achievements are there to bear witness of their triumph.

Schenker and Mogg are a much stronger songwriting theme now, and Pete Way's contributions are well fit into place too, so even the most casual listener may rest assured there's lots of fun to be found within the grooves. Opening  tracks "Let it Roll" and "Shoot Shoot" represent their harder edge in no uncertain terms, both being staples to UFO's setlists to this day. I'd even say that "Let it Roll" is one of the finest songs ever penned by the group: heavy and engaging, but also featuring a convoluted instrumental section that captures the listener's imagination and never let it go. Trully brilliant stuff. On the other hand, tunes like ballad "High Flyer" and the excellent, somewhat somber "Too Much of Nothing" are prime examples of how serious and pensive UFO could be when circumstances allow.

The album's stand-out track, though, has to be the truly amazing "Out in the Street". It's easily one of the most well-crafted things they ever recorded, an emotional roller-coaster of a song which is also their first recording with prominent keyboard arrangements (performed by Ten Years After's Chick Churchill). I guess the excellent results of this composition set the collective minds of UFO into augmenting their group with a dedicated keyboardist, something that took them some effort to fulfill but undoubtedly was all for the best in terms of music itself.

The hard-rocking "Mother Mary" would also become a live favorite, and it's a shame that the unremarkable "Dance Your Life Away" is here to lower the album's rating, as it could surely have been replaced by something more substantial. The final duo "This Kid's / Between the Walls" is also something of a letdown if you ask me - and yeah, I know many rockers out there regard the first portion as a classic, but I honestly feel it pales somewhat compared with everything that happened before it, and the anodyne accompanying instrumental cut doesn't help matters at all. Apart from these minor shortcomings, though, "Force it" is a excellent and extremely respectable LP that deserve every cent of your hard-earned money, and the eye-catching, provocative cover (at the time, at least) is a personal favorite for me as well. If you want an introduction to UFO and would prefer not to start with a live album, "Force It" is the perfect buy for you.

Phil Mogg (V), Michael Schenker (G), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Let it Roll (Schenker, Mogg) 3:57
02. Shoot Shoot (Schenker, Mogg, Way, Parker) 3:40
03. High Flyer (Schenker, Mogg) 4:08
04. Love Lost Love (Schenker, Mogg) 3:21
05. Out in the Street (Way, Mogg) 5:18
06. Mother Mary (Schenker, Mogg, Way, Parker) 3:49
07. Too Much of Nothing (Way) 4:02
08. Dance Your Life Away (Schenker, Mogg) 3:35
09. This Kid's (incluiding Between the Walls) (Schenker, Mogg) 6:13

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Phenomenon (LP, Chrysalis, 1974)

RATING: ***

This is when UFO really got their party started. Not that everyone would agree with that, you know: the departure of original axeman Mick Bolton in early 1972 was not at all easy for the band to come through, and a fair percentage of music fans still feel the early incarnation of this much-loved flying saucer was the best of all - an assessment I don't really agree with, but everyone's entitled to their own opinions of course. There was a long-enduring misconception  going on that Mick Bolton was  the same guy involved with Mott the Hopple, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Linda McCartney's "Wide Prairie" LP (I even made such mistake myself for a while), but it's now safe to say that it's a simple case of similar names: as it transpires, the talented guitarist opted to settle down after his run with UFO was over, not being involved with any other bands of note. It seems he did a bit of guitar tech work for Michael Schenker and his Group back in the early '80s, and some say it was also the case during UFO's "Mechanix" era, but that's pretty much it as far as I know, which is a bit of a shame really. But oh well, just hope the guy is still enjoying a nice life in whatever activies he decided to focus on after his brief stint with the rock 'n' roll universe was over.

After trial runs with Larry Wallis (from Pink Fairies) and Bernie Marsden (then a near-unknown guitarist, that went as far as to record a few songs with UFO in 1973) the nucleus of Mogg-Way-Parker decided to invite German guitar hero Michael Schenker (from Scorpions) to join the fun. The kid was something of a child prodigy really, having made his first live show at age 11, and recording Scorpion's "Lonesome Crow" when he was only 16 years old. Scorpions were an opening act for UFO in Germany (a country where the British band was quite successful) and, though being a mere 18-year-old and not even knowing how to speak English, the youthful Schenker was tempted by UFO's offer and ultimately decided to embark. As you all know far too well by now, there couldn't have been a better choice, as Schenker was a decisive feature in metamorphosing UFO's sound and taking the band to a whole different level of popularity.

Although their collective talents are not fully developed just yet, "Phenomenom" (their first record with Chrysalis, a label that would provide them a much needed backing for over a decade) brings to the forefront all the things we learned to immediately recognise and love on UFO's trademark sound - most of it already present in the group's formula from an early stage, but surely not that prominent up to this point. The space rock days (that would mostly be confined to their "Flying" LP, to be fully honest) are not completely gone just yet, but now UFO are determined to be a hard / heavy band to make you shake your head and sing along, while keeping the subtlety and the will to experiment from the first records. And it works, no doubt about that.

'Intense' always have been, in my humble opinion, the perfect word to describe Schenker's playing: the man can attack the strings of his guitar like a demon, but his riffing and soloing never lack emotion, and this is the exact formula that made him one of the most inspiring guitarist in heavy rock. Pete Way and Andy Parker are more than happy to provide a tight backing for their youthful monster of a guitarist, and Phil Mogg's unmistakable voice was growing stronger with every release. Still, "Phenomenon" lacks something in the songwriting department, as Schenker and Mogg (both sharing the lion's share of composition at this point) were probably still getting used with each other, I suppose - something they seemingly never fully did, at least on a personal level, but oh well. It shows even on an all-time classic like "Doctor Doctor": unlike the exciting live staple of later years, the original studio version sound almost like a (very promising, admitedly) unfinished demo here, with some "oooh the mess I'm in" thrown in to fill the gaps in the lyrics. It's clear that this particular song would only fully mature in the grind of the live environment, which is to say something about just how good these guys worked together upon a stage (but that's a subject for another review, so let's not rush things just now, right?).

But it's only a minor criticism, you know, so don't be afraid to buy this album if you still don't have it in your collection. Songs such as "Too Young to Know", "Oh My" (one of my personal favorites here) "Queen of the Deep" and "Time on My Hands" may not be as powerful as the stuff soon to come, but are pleasant examples of concise, easy-to-enjoy hard rock songwriting, whereas "Crystal Light" and "Space Child" are nice semi-ballads with a melancholic touch that don't overstay their welcome at all. And if most of "Phenomenon" may fall short of being truly memorable, there's at least one tune here that is an undisputed classic for the ages: "Rock Bottom" is EASILY one of the finest guitar riffs I've ever heard, and I mean it! What a bloody awesome tune, and an everlasting testimony of UFO's ability to write engaging, ground-breaking hard/heavy music.

Phil Mogg (V), Michael Schenker (G), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. Oh My (Schenker, Mogg, Way, Parker) 2:26
02. Crystal Light (Schenker, Mogg) 3:47
03. Doctor Doctor (Schenker, Mogg) 4:10
04. Space Child (Schenker, Mogg) 4:01
05. Rock Bottom (Schenker, Mogg) 6:32
06. Too Young to Know (Way, Mogg) 3:10
07. Time on My Hands (Schenker, Mogg) 4:10
08. Built for Comfort (Dixon) 3:01
09. Lipstick Traces (Schenker) 2:20
10. Queen of the Deep (Schenker, Mogg) 5:49

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!

UFO (UK) - Live (LP, Decca, 1972)

RATING: ***

Given that the early albums from UFO didn't exactly skyrocket to the top of English and American charts, the Beacon label wasn't exactly enthusiastic about offering the lads a contract extension, which meant the band were left with no firm financial backing for a while. The departure of original axeman Mick Bolton in the early days of 1972 was also something of a shock, and it's fair to say that the group's future was effectively in doubt by this juncture. As many bands do when faced with similar adversities, UFO kept plugging in regardless, bringing Larry Wallis in to perform guitar duties and playing as many gigs as possible wherever a venue would have them.

Despite the modest sales figures of their first two LPs, UFO had a strong following in some specific countries, most of all Japan - so it was only natural that Stateside (the label that distributed UFO's music for the Japanese market) opted to issue a live LP, taken from a concert at Hibiya Park in Tokyo on September 25, 1971. Originally released under the name "U.F.O. Landed Japan" shortly before Christmas 1971, the LP came to be known as the more straightforward "Live" once it was issued in Germany by Decca sometime in 1972 - a packaging that is surely the more recognizable version, being the template for countless reissues ever since. With that in mind, let's just call the album "Live" from now on to avoid any confusion, though acknowledging that it originally came out under a different guise.

It makes for an interesting listen nowadays, that's for sure, as it shows that the distinctive features one can hear in UFO's early studio offerings were also discernible (though in slightly different terms) when they were upon a stage back then. The instrumental sections are very prominent, the band as a whole being much more keen to jam and improvise than on later live recordings. To be frank, the mood around here is very much the mood of 1970s' live rock performances in general: expanding, exploring and rearranging songs rather than simply reproducing it more or less like the studio versions. And it's quite fascinating to hear UFO playing in such a jam-oriented style, especially when you consider that they would adopt a much more strict, no-nonsense approach for most of their live endeavors in years to come. Fortunately, the enthusiastic nature of the band's live delivery seems to have been a constant, being a much-welcomed feature in all of their concert releases through the years - and there are quite a few, you know, and they're all very good, you know.

Recorded while Mick Bolton was still in the band, most songs taken from that night's setlist are from UFO's first album - an understandable option, no doubt, as I suppose it would be hard to fully recapture all the oddball "UFO 2: Flying" ambiences upon a stage. Curiously, the best song from "Live" is the only one taken from their second studio effort: "Prince Kajuku" sounds extremely intense here, the natural extra energy of a live performance adding lots of heaviness to the whole thing - and man this riff kicks ass!  It's also the track that sounds closer to their "Strangers in the Night" period, so perhaps my special liking to it is not a mere coincidence.

Also worthy of mention is "Follow You Home" (they one they ripped off from The Kinks' "You Really Got Me", if you remember the review for "UFO 1"), where they show some pleasing sense of humor by including excerpts from... "You Really Got Me" from The Kinks! Maybe it was a way to acknowledge the coincidence, or else it was the whole idea all along; in any case, it was a spirited move, improving the otherwise unspectacular song with a lighter, playful (and very much welcome) atmosphere. There's even a song that never appeared on any other record from the band, before or ever since, a Paul Butterfield cover called "Loving Cup" - not a truly memorable rendition to be honest, but also far away from any sort of letdown. The sound quality is nice throughout, the band's musicianship is tight and, though some songs are a bit longer than they should ("Boogie for George" gets boring halfway through, for instance), "Live" fulfills its mission without any major hiccups, being a good album to have around if you're interested in UFO's formative years.

You see, finding a fitting substitute to Mick Bolton took UFO way more time than originally expected: Larry Wallis left the group after a mere eight months (he would later enjoy productive spells with Pink Fairies and Motörhead), being replaced by then-unknown Bernie Mardsen later in 1972. The guitarist took part in a European tour early next year and got as far as to record a handful of demos, but the Mogg-Way-Parker nucleus concluded Bernie (a future member of Babe Ruth and Whitesnake) wasn't really what the band needed, and made their way to Germany to recruit the youthful Michael Schenker (then a mere 18-years-old) from Scorpions in June 1973. Now under the auspices of Chrysalis Records, UFO was soon to become the entity we all know and love, but let's not rush things, right? See you in the next review, bye bye \m/

Phil Mogg (V), Mick Bolton (G), Pete Way (B), Andy Parker (D).

01. C'mon Everyody (Cochran, Capehart) 4:30
02. Who Do You Love (McDaniel) 9:39
03. Loving Cup (Butterfield) 5:22
04. Prince Kajuku / The Coming of Prince Kajuku (Way, Mogg, Parker, Bolton) 8:30
05. Boogie for George (Way, Mogg, Parker, Bolton) 11:42
06. Follow You Home (Way) 6:28

Have you been involved with any of the bands mentioned here? Have any extra info and/or corrections? Please e-mail me (drequon@gmail.com) and let me know!