The UFO Thread-Pete Way RIP

[Podaar]

I get it, Coz. There's music that you rave about that doesn't do it for me and I'd probably have a hard time describing why too.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

It bums me out, because I WANT to love it.  I'm at least capable of recognizing the good musicianship that's present, so there's that.

[TAC]

There's something about it that I am incapable of putting my finger on.  I can hear it.  But I can't exactly tell you what it is.

Sounds like you've given it an honest shot.

They are very inconsistent, their singer really doesn't stand out. Their music doesn't break any ground, and pretty much use standard song structure. I have tried my whole life to get people into UFO, and it's not easy.

But so many bands have stated their influence. Tesla is like a carbon copy of UFO. Their influence bleeds through their music.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I think one thing might be that I feel like I'm hearing chords in the background that I think I probably wouldn't associate with a hard rock band.  It throws me off.  The structures and/or chord progressions don't exactly sound like something you'd hear in a more mainstream rock band.  Again, it's difficult to really state it.

Now it's funny you mention Tesla, because I like Tesla a lot, so it's interesting that they cite UFO as a big influence.

[TAC]

Brian Wheat is a Pete Way disciple.

I loved Tesla from Day One. They are so similar to UFO. In a single album, they roll up rockers, ballads, semi epics, acoustics, and interesting lyrics. Plus real cool vocalists.

Tesla:


UFO:

[Podaar]

They are very inconsistent, their singer really doesn't stand out. Their music doesn't break any ground, and pretty much use standard song structure. I have tried my whole life to get people into UFO, and it's not easy.

I think they were on the verge of breaking new ground with Obsession. That's what upset me so much at the time with the Schenker breakup.

I love the lead guitar harmonizing with the vocal chorus on Only You Can Rock Me and You Don't Fool Me. To this day, I can't think of another band who did this to such great effect. I think it's a way under explored idea.

The lead guitar playing punctuation licks to the verses and ambient wails during chorus on Pack It Up (And Go), You Don't Fool Me, One More for the Rodeo, and to a lesser extent Hot 'N' Ready--sort of a lead over everything ala Steve Howe (metal style) was new ground. I get the criticism that Michael was just a bit too busy on this record, but I loved it. And still do.

The album is still full of patented UFO riffage and traditional lead breaks but I really enjoy the depth that the above added to their music.

Plus, the tone of his guitar with the delay on it is just tasty...

[TAC]

 When I say break new ground, I guess I meant that you just can't pull someone off the street and expect them to catch it right away. Those Schenker albums are amazing, and I agree with every word you say. I know it. I feel it.

But the things I said in my quote are all things I've heard other people tell me over the years.

Obsession is so wickedly awesome it's ridiculous. It is crazy that Coz doesn't latch onto it. I mean just listening to Schenker is a trip in itself.

Pack It Up (And Go), You Don't Fool Me, One More for the Rodeo, 

3 GREAT TUNES!! 
It warms me all over that I can even have a conversation with someone that can even cite them.


 

[PowerSlave]

They are very inconsistent, their singer really doesn't stand out. Their music doesn't break any ground, and pretty much use standard song structure. I have tried my whole life to get people into UFO, and it's not easy.

This depends on perspective. Much like looking back at Judas Priest, their approach may come off like "standard-fare", but they helped develop and establish an entire genre. If not for them, an entire decade of music (if not more) looks completely different and goes in an entirely different direction. In fact, many of the bands that directly influenced Dream Theater were directly influenced by UFO. I realize that you mentioned this a little bit, but it only scratches the surface.

I saw a documentary some years back about the band, and it had Joe Elliot talking about the early days of DL and how they would go check them out every chance they got. Iron Maiden were hugely influenced by them. Every time I've seen IM live they've played Doctor Doctor on the PA right before they started their set. Steve Harris' daughter even opened her set with Natural Thing when I seen her open for IM. And, of course, everyone knows their influence on KH and Metallica. I doubt that you can find a famous guitarist in the hard rock/metal genre that isn't influenced either directly, or indirectly by Michael. That all goes back to the classic era of this band.



EDIT: I posted this before I read your later comments.

[Podaar]

It warms me all over that I can even have a conversation with someone that can even cite them.

Hey, I was a UFO afficianado when you were still wearing Garanimals, Bucko! 

[TAC]

They are very inconsistent, their singer really doesn't stand out. Their music doesn't break any ground, and pretty much use standard song structure. I have tried my whole life to get people into UFO, and it's not easy.

This depends on perspective. Much like looking back at Judas Priest, their approach may come off like "standard-fare", but they helped develop and establish an entire genre. If not for them, an entire decade of music (if not more) looks completely different and goes in an entirely different direction. 

That's what I was saying. I go to the mat for UFO, and like I said, those are the things I've heard over the years. I've been listening to Michael Schenker since I was 12 and I love what he does. UFO was a huge influence for the 80's, and have never gotten the popular credit that they deserve. The musicians and bands of the 80's know, that's for sure.

And, of course, everyone knows their influence on KH and Metallica.

If anyone hasn't seen Kirk and Schenker on That Metal show, this is so awesome!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj1e8Ll1pBI

[TAC]

June 14, 1986. One of the 10 best days of my life. Downtown Providence. I was 17, and thankfully, NOT wearing Garanimals that day!

[Podaar]

Nice!

Did he get drunk and take a swing at you?

[jjrock88]

Thats the third picture!

[TAC]

He came out and had that, "Oh great, there's 4 dudes standing here and I actually have to talk to them. Don't they know it's early" look on his face.  (it was about 2:00pm) 

[Podaar]

I just want to throw out there to the cosmos, my undying love for Born to Lose. 

[TAC]

I take it that Obsession is your favorite? Have you stayed with UFO right on through all subsequent eras?

Top 5 or so albums?
Top 10 tracks?

[Podaar]

Gun to my head? Lights Out is my favorite studio album. Obsession, Walk on Water, and Force It are close behind. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Phenomenon since it was my first UFO album and it blew my circle of friends away when I played it for them.

But, no. I became disillusioned with them after Wild Willing and the Innocent. Then I fell out with Schenker when he hired Graham Bonnet. I'd never heard Walk on Water until you and Lowdz encouraged me to listen to it a couple of years ago.

I'd have to really think about ranking songs. I'm sure it wouldn't match anyone else...my tastes are strange. Would it surprise you to know that I think Just Another Suicide is one of the greatest songs ever written? 

[TAC]

Would it surprise you to know that I think Just Another Suicide is one of the greatest songs ever written? 

It's a great song. In fact, when I was a junior in high school, I brought it into Religion class (I went to a Catholic HS) and the class listened. We also analyzed the lyrics.

[TAC]

But, no. I became disillusioned with them after Wild Willing and the Innocent. Then I fell out with Schenker when he hired Graham Bonnet. I'd never heard Walk on Water until you and Lowdz encouraged me to listen to it a couple of years ago.

Well, you've missed some awesome UFO over the years, and some not so awesome UFO too.
Same with Schenker. His last two albums (with Doogie White on vocals) have been great! The best he's done since forever.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

BTW, hopefully I've not come off as the guy who comes into a thread about something he's not interested in and dumps on it. Not my intention.

[TAC]

BTW, hopefully I've not come off as the guy who comes into a thread about something he's not interested in and dumps on it. Not my intention.

Not in the slightest, Coz. Not at all. Appreciate your views.

[Podaar]

No worries, Coz. Start a Kiss thread and I'll just quote everything you've said in this thread and we'll all be even. 

[jjrock88]

Is it safe to say that UFO is one of, if not the biggest, rock band ever that nobody has ever heard of?.  I tend to view Saxon the same in regards to heavy metal.

[TAC]

Is it safe to say that UFO is one of, if not the biggest, rock band ever that nobody has ever heard of?.  I tend to view Saxon the same in regards to heavy metal.

Yes. they just never had that one HIT in the 70's that every other classic rock band had.

[jjrock88]

Was Rock Bottom, Doctor Doctor and Lights Out only considered minor hits in the 70's.  Or not even hits at all?

[TAC]

Was Rock Bottom, Doctor Doctor and Lights Out only considered minor hits in the 70's.  Or not even hits at all?

And Gregg, to follow up with that, how was it that you became aware of Phenomenon?

[Podaar]

I literally never heard a UFO song on the radio. Even on the album oriented FM stations. I don't know if they ever had a single that sold well enough to be considered a hit. I seriously doubt it.

I bought Phenomenon on the strength of the album cover alone.    It was on the new release rack at the local record store. Hypgnosis covers were synonymous with quality acts in those days. I loved the cover, turned it over and saw a group of young men who looked like us, saw the credit to Hypgnosis and asked the store clerk what kind of music it was. He said, "Hard rock, but with kind of a spacey British tone." That was enough for me. I bought it, and on my first listen I wasn't really feeling the love until...

Well, I'm sure you can guess what caught my ear.

[TAC]

I heard Too Hot To handle ONCE on the radio, probably around 1982. That's it. Oh, maybe Let It Rain ONCE too.

For me, my first exposure was hearing MSG's On And On on the radio. It was played a number of times. I got that, and found out he was in a band called UFO. Believe it or not, I traded a Led Zeppelin pin, yes a pin!, to a kid on my hockey team for the Strangers and Obsession LPs.

[jjrock88]

The House of Hair plays them once in a while.  But besides that, I've never once heard them on regular radio.

[TAC]

Did anyone else check out any of the Waysted albums in the 80's?

[jammindude]

 I don't hear it much any more, but I heard Rock Bottom *all the freakin time* on rock radio when I was growing up.

But I think Seattle is just weird that way.  They also played the crap out of Sammy Hagar *WAY* before "I Can't Drive 55" was a hit.

I constantly heard "Can't Get Loose", "Baby's On Fire", "Heavy Metal", "I'll Fall In Love Again", "Remember the Heroes", "Three Lock Box", "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy", "I Don't Need Love", "Red", and "This Planet's On Fire (Burn In Hell)" in the early 80's. All of these were pretty much regular rotation songs. 

But ya....Rock Bottom.  Heard that a lot.

[bl5150]

Is it safe to say that UFO is one of, if not the biggest, rock band ever that nobody has ever heard of?.  I tend to view Saxon the same in regards to heavy metal.

Yes. they just never had that one HIT in the 70's that every other classic rock band had.

I don't know much about UFO (a bit like Coz in my opinions on them ,but love Tesla  )  - only have a few albums* (Misdemeanour being the fave from those ) -  but based on SITN being a bit of a best of from that era I had always assumed that Only You Can Rock Me would've been the hit rather than the others mentioned above.   It's the only song of theirs that I can recall hearing on the limited rock radio out here.  Good song too.


*I do have a couple of others I haven't gotten around to

[bl5150]

Did anyone else check out any of the Waysted albums in the 80's?

I did check them out but wasn't a fan until the one with Danny Vaughn.  That was one of those super rare ones as I was growing up - even boots went for massive coin.

[Imaginos]

I sampled some Waysted material years ago and liked it well enough but haven't revisited it since. Has anyone checked out the Schenker/Way project from the early 2000's, The Plot? I think Pete Way's vocals put some people off, but it never bothered me much. Kicked Out off that album is fantastic, especially that "see those headlights on the highway" part. Just beautiful.

[PowerSlave]

I sampled some Waysted material years ago and liked it well enough but haven't revisited it since. Has anyone checked out the Schenker/Way project from the early 2000's, The Plot? I think Pete Way's vocals put some people off, but it never bothered me much. Kicked Out off that album is fantastic, especially that "see those headlights on the highway" part. Just beautiful.

I was never aware of this. I'll try to hunt it down.