UFO are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal. The band’s current lineup includes vocalist Phil Mogg, lead guitarist Vinnie Moore, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Neil Carter, bass guitarist Rob De Luca, and drummer Andy Parker. They have gone through several line-up changes, leaving Mogg as the only constant member, and had two breaks (1983–1984 and again from 1989 to 1991). The band also featured former Scorpions guitarist and Michael Schenker Group (MSG) founder Michael Schenker, who was a member of UFO from 1973 to 1978 and rejoined the band sporadically between 1993 and 2003, when Moore replaced him. In May 2018, Mogg announced that he would retire from UFO after one last tour as a member of the band in 2019; however, their farewell tour was set to conclude in 2022 before it was cancelled, due to Mogg’s health issues.
Over a career spanning 56 years, UFO have released 22 studio albums, 14 live recordings, 16 compilation albums and one album of cover songs. They achieved moderate success in the late 1970s and early 1980s with several albums and singles (including their 1979 live album Strangers in the Night) in the UK and US Top 40 charts, and have sold over 20 million records worldwide. Some of their most-recognised songs include “Doctor Doctor”, “Rock Bottom”, “Natural Thing”, “Lights Out”, “Too Hot to Handle” and “Only You Can Rock Me”. UFO are considered one of the greatest classic hard rock acts, and often cited as one of the key influences on the 1980s and 1990s hard rock and heavy metal scenes. The band were ranked number 84 on VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock”. (wikipedia)
One of my first records to spin on my red ‘Mr Hit’ record player was an album by UFO entitled “Live”. Unfortunately, my original LP sounds the same today, because the ‘Mr Hit’ wasn’t exactly a high-end record player, but as a schoolboy with little pocket money, a better device was out of the question. I was happy with the red one. I bought the disc in 1973 for the outrageous sum of 9.90 DM.
In Japan, where UFO were particularly successful in the early years, the recording was released in 1971 under the name “UFO Landed Japan”. In the rest of the world, the vinyl was simply labelled “Live” in 1972. While three cover versions can be heard on the first side, there are three original compositions on the second. “Live” was unfortunately the last album with guitarist Mick Bolton, who left the band in 1972.
The first thing you notice when the needle touches down is the euphoric joy of playing that the guys display. Nobody cares that the recording at the beginning of “C’mon Everybody” is totally overdriven, for which Pete Way on bass is mainly responsible.
He really lets it rip. At a decent volume, you really start to fear for the dome of the speakers, which are suspiciously far forward. It only takes a short time and you are fully immersed in the concert. You can’t really say that Phill Mogg is an excellent singer, but it simply suits this kind of rock music. But Mick Bolton is an excellent guitarist whose solo excursions make up the majority of the songs.
The Japanese edition:
The album continues with “Who Do You Love”, where the guitar really lets off steam again, supported by Andy Parker on drums, who fills the gaps in the solo with beautiful runs over the drums. In general, the man is extremely active on his instrument! Just under ten minutes, not a single one of which is boring. The last cover song on the album is the track Loving Cup. The bass pulls out all the stops, while the guitar increasingly relies on the wah-wah effect. Great version.
My absolute favourite UFO song to date is “Prince Kajuku”, which opens the second side. Here, too, the interplay of the instruments is perfect. After two thirds of the track, the second part, “The Coming Of Prince Kajuku”, is a little quieter and Bolton really lets his guitar amp breathe. Another cracker is “Boogie For George”, which really gets the room going again. At 11:42 minutes, it is the longest track on the disc. The bouncer “Follow You Home” has plenty of references to “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks and can’t really be sold as UFO’s own song. But as long as it doesn’t bother anyone, I shouldn’t care! (by Michael ‘Mike’ Schröder)
Recorded live at the Hibiya Park, Tokio/Japan, 1972
Personnel:
Mick Bolton (guitar)
Phil Mogg (vocals)
Andy Parker (drums)
Pete Way (bass)
Tracklist:4.30
01. C’mon Everybody (Cochrane/Capehart)
02. Who Do You Love (McDaniel) 9.41
03. Loving Cup (Butterfield) 5.24
04. Prince Kajuku / The Coming Of Prince Kajuku (Parker/Bolton/Way/Mogg) 8.32
05. Boogie For George (including The Hunter) (Parker/Bolton/Way/Mogg) 11.44
06. Follow You Home (Way) 6.26
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07. Galactic Love (Single A-side, 1972) 3.03
08. Loving Cup (live) (Butterfield) (Single B-side, 1972) 3.58
German re-issue labels:
Concert poster, 1973:
More from UFO in this blog:
The official website:
UFO are an English rock band that was formed in London in 1968. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal. The band’s current lineup includes vocalist Phil Mogg, lead guitarist Vinnie Moore, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Neil Carter, bass guitarist Rob De Luca, and drummer Andy Parker. They have gone through several line-up changes, leaving Mogg as the only constant member, and had two hiatuses (1983–1984 and again from 1989 to 1991). The band are also notable for featuring former Scorpions guitarist and MSG founder Michael Schenker, who was a member of UFO from 1973 to 1978 and again, occasionally, between 1993 and 2003, when Moore replaced him. In May 2018, Mogg announced that he will retire from UFO after one last tour as a member of the band in 2019.
Mechanix is the tenth studio album by the British hard rock band UFO; it was released in 1982. The contemporary music-press adverts on the album’s release carried the tag-line ‘Mechanix: it will tighten your nuts’. Immediately after the completion of the tour in support of the album, founding member and bassist Pete Way left the band to join former Motörhead guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke in Fastway.
The twenty second festival possibly had a more attractive lineup than 1981, at least if one was a heavy rock devotee. The inclusion of hard rock guitar stalwarts Gary Moore, Randy California, southern rockers Blackfoot and erstwhile pub rockers Dave Edmunds and Wilko Johnson gave the lineup spine that was missing from the previous year.
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