UFO guitarist/keyboard player Paul Raymond has died after suffering a heart attack. He was 73 years old.
The news of Raymond’s passing was broken by his “life partner,” Sandra, who wrote on Facebook: “With a desperate and broken heart, fully in tears and pains that feel like they will kill me, I have to tell you that my most beautiful and beloved darling Paul Raymond has passed away today. The doctors we’re trying to reanimate him and with success at first but then his system shot down again and there was nothing more they could do for him, he died of a heart attack.
“He absolutely enjoyed the last couple of weeks touring with UFO in the UK & Ireland and he was looking forward to the rest of this year’s tour.
“This photo was taken last Wednesday when we checked out of our last hotel before coming back to Germany!
“I will always love him and I hope he will rest in piece until I’ll see him again on the other side!!!
“I love you so much Paul”
Paul’s professional career began in January 1964. He started out as a jazz musician but went on to become best known as a member of legendary British rock band UFO’s classic lineup alongside Phil Mogg, Michael Schenker, Andy Parker and Pete Way. Raymond is also featured on classic records by CHICKEN SHACK and SAVOY BROWN as well as solo albums, plus those credited to PAUL RAYMOND PROJECT.
Raymond was recruited by UFO in 1976 to replace the band’s first keyboardist, Danny Peyronel. When Michael Schenker left UFO, Raymond joined Schenker’s MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and later hooked up with Pete Way in WAYSTED.
Raymond appeared on more than a dozen of UFO’s albums, including “Lights Out” and the live classic “Strangers In The Night”.
Way posted on Facebook: “I’ve just heard the sad news of Paul Raymond’s passing. I won’t pretend that we were always the best of friends but I am completely shattered to hear this.
“My sincere condolences go out to his family, particularly Sandra.
“I’m gonna miss you mate! Sleep tight.”
Schenker wrote: “It is unbelievable. Paul Raymond was a great musician and loved rock and roll. My condolences to his loved ones. Rest in peace, my friend.”
British heavy metal legends SAXON tweeted: “We are shocked & saddened to hear the news of our friend and touring mate Paul Raymond of UFO’s sudden passing today. RIP Paul.” (by blabbermouth.net)
And here´s a very special solo album by Paul Raymond … I guess this a real legacy of his musical career:
Paul Raymond in his own words:
My latest offering – the clue is in the title! It’s a retrospective of my recording and songwriting as a professional musician which began way back in 1964 with Tony Jackson and the Vibrations. We got into the UK Top 20 with a cover of the Mary Wells song “Bye Bye Baby” (not to be confused with the Bay City Rollers song of the same name!) That was my first taste of success and it has continued with varying degrees of success to this day. The album goes through a wide range of genres, following the path of my musical career, from psychedelic pop with my band Plastic Penny through blues with Chicken Shack and Savoy Brown to hard rock or what is now referred to as “Classic Rock” with UFO, MSG, Waysted and my own solo work with PRP.
A fascinating and personal retrospective from long-time UFO man Paul Raymond celebrating his remarkable 50 years in the rock music business. Featuring re-workings of some of the best songs he’s written over the decades with the likes of Savoy Brown, Chicken Shack, Michael Schenker Group, his own solo career and of course UFO. On top of that there is some previously unreleased stuff from a project with terry Reid which didn’t get off the ground.
You may have trouble getting your hands on it. Paul financed the project via a Pledge Music crowdfunding campaign which is where I obtained my copy from. I understand there are plans for a conventional release in the future perhaps.
Paul is an unheralded songwriter. Never the frontman over the last 50 years, if you are familiar with his UFO work you’ll know he’s the guy stage right usually bigging up the sound with essential keys and a chugging rhythm guitar. An essential part of the mix. He can and does write top notch stuff too as ably demonstrated here with this collection.
You’ll love it if you’re a fan. If you’re not it’ll turn you in to one and show you the long-lived talents of a geezer who has been there, done it then come back to do it all again with some of the biggest names in rock.
A couple of his UFO tunes start us off. Revamped versions of The Fear (titled here as Unfinished Business) and then Sympathy from You Are Here. Nice and bluesy, rocking along too quite deftly.
Scream Blue Murder from his solo Paul Raymond Project Man on a Mission is next to get a revamp before we have a previously unpublished song which Paul wrote for the same album but not using it. It rocks too. Not a million miles from classic UFO/MSG and one hopes if Paul has more stashed away somewhere they might see the light as another PRP album. How about it Mr Raymond?
Next we go back in time to his brief period with Waysted (All Belongs to You) then another great surprise with The Sky and You – a quit magical collaboration with the great Terry Reid showing more virtuosity and class to the Raymond song writing craft.
My favourite MSG album is their self-titled second one. My favourite song on that album is Never Trust a Stranger. Bit of an epic. Well, Paul wrote that too and here it is given the treatment. A more bluesy soulful arrangement then anyone who owns Obsession with instantly recognise Looking’ Out for Number 1.
Twice Nightly is another previously unpublished. A little bit pub rock and a lot of fun. I’d say it’s Cherry-esque sort of. Listen to the lyrics and you’ll see…..single material even.
The closing three to get the works take us all the way back to the 1960s and it’s all top, top stuff given a fresh sound.
A remarkable retrospective from a remarkable (and often unheralded) musician/songwriter. Such a long and varied career which, since the early 1970s has always seen Paul get drawn back to UFO time again.
Dave Burn (guitar)
Mark Coles (bass)
Andy Dodds (vocals)
Paul Raymond (vocals, keyboards, guitar)
Tony Steel (drums)
01. Unfinished Business (Raymond) 3.4302. Sympathy (Raymond) 4.37
03. Scream Blue Murder (Raymond) 5.14
04. Welcome To The Real World (Raymond) 4.46
05. All Belongs To You (Raymond) 4.03
06. The Sky And You (Reid) 4.14
07. Never Trust A Stranger (Raymond) 4.27
08. Lookin’ Out For No. 1 (Raymond/Mogg) 3.51
09. Twice Nightly (Raymond) 3.48
10. Reconsider Baby (Fulson) 3.30
11. Waiting (Raymond/Murray) 3.41
12. Bye Bye Baby (Wells) 4.29
ManyFantasticColors 