The UFO Discography And Listening Party Thread

[wolfking]

That's great Kade. Make sure you find some time to revisit it. It really is one of their best albums.

I'll spin it in the car the next couple of days.  I like the production more than the last one and a bit harder too in places, which I like.

[wolfking]

Carrying on from my comments on the MSG album on the last page, Horizons is just brilliant, what a fucking great epic tune.

[wolfking]

The live Budokan version too is awesome.

[TAC]

Yeah, it sure is. The live version on One Night At Budokan is amazing. Launching that and the second MSG album later today.

The live Budokan version too is awesome.

 

Was just typing that!

[Lowdz]

Yeah, it sure is. The live version on One Night At Budokan is amazing. Launching that and the second MSG album later today.

The live Budokan version too is awesome.

 

Was just typing that!

Budokan was so fucking expensive when it came out. Worth it though.

[LudwigVan]

TWTWATI is a really good album. An 80s pop sensibility comes thru, but it retains that 70s hard rock edge. If only NPTR had the same production, the two albums would be neck and neck in my rankings.

I just think the weaker tunes on NPTR drag it down, but perhaps Money Money and Youngblood would've been served with a beefier production

For a few years, it was my favorite from Chapman era... but, listening more the four albums, nowadays, I think that the band just tried a bit too hard to create a more elaborate record, maybe yet with the intention to "prove” that UFO could still be great without Schenker. And in this process, the band still didn't managed to fully embrace the more relaxed and rocking side that Chapman added to UFO (which they did in a splendid way in the next album IMO).

Interesting. I don't find WWI an attempt to be "elaborate". It's a shame the band was grinding down because I would've loved to have seen the band build on this album. They just never et there again IMO.

The only thing I felt to be more ‘elaborate’ was the really cool intros and intros / fade-ins and fade outs they injected into the album. Really adds a lot of flavor. Oddly, you would’ve thunk that George Martin of Sgt Pepper fame would’ve been the one to come up with all those cool segues, but I guess he was asleep at the wheel for NPTR.

[TAC]

MSG




https://open.spotify.com/album/2Dwi3B8Es5Sp3ne8ShnJvr?si=yJNxiNaLQg2xWgHmZRC_BA

Released September 1981


1. Are You Ready To Rock
2. Attack Of The Mad Axeman
3. On And On
4. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
5. But I Want More
6. Never Trust A Stranger
7. Looking For Love
8. Secondary Motion


Michael Schenker-Guitar
Gary Barden-Vocals
Chris Glen-Bass
Cozy Powell-Drums
Paul Raymond-Keyboards/Guitar

Michael's touring band, which now includes Cozy Powell, Paul Raymond, and Chris Glen record Michael's second album MSG. It is produced by Ron Nevison. The band sounds so much fuller on this album than they do on the first album. And I just love every song here, although Are You Ready To Rock is merely OK.

Also, Nevison did a great job with Gary Barden on this album. He sounds so much stronger on this album. I can't say he's that good in general, but honestly, but he is quite fitting here. His voice certainly has character to it, which is something that MSG lacked much later on, as we'll discuss.

I mentioned in the OP about how I had heard On And On, and it basically changed everything for me. Not sure what else to say about this one. This is literally one of my 2 or 3 favorite albums.

One Night At Budokan




https://open.spotify.com/album/6UWw7v0J3eo5A6yBb8VQWw?si=zlG4hEP2Tt2VcXZgZKMRWw

Released February 1982

Armed And Ready
Cry For The Nations
Attack Of The Mad Axeman
But I Want More
Victim Of Illusion
Into The Arena
On And On
Never Trust A Stranger
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Courvosier Concerto
Lost Horizons
Doctor Doctor
Ready To Rock


Michael Schenker-Guitar
Gary Barden-Vocals
Chris Glen-Bass
Cozy Powell-Drums
Paul Raymond-Keyboards/Guitar

I must say, that as a huge music fan in those early years, I freaking loved this live album. The gatefold had such awesome shots, and the songs are amazing. I actually got this before I had MSG's first album. Everything about those songs are so much better and heavier here. This show was recorded just before MSG was released.
The deluxe version that is linked includes Tales Of Mystery and Cozy's solo.

[jjrock88]

Looking for Love was a standout track for me right away. I think I liked the second MSG album better than the first

[wolfking]

Looking for Love was a standout track for me right away. I think I liked the second MSG album better than the first

Agree.  Incredible track.

[TAC]

Looking For Love smokes. Sounds a little like Let It Roll in the beginning, no?

Barden’s vocals on this album are way better than he actually is. 

[wolfking]

Tim, you have Never Trust A Stranger listed as the last track instead of Secondary Motion.

Yeah, I totally hear the Let it Roll influence on LFL.

On and On is such a cool radio friendly track.  Killer hooks.

But I Want More is a good one to.  Lots of depth to that track too, great songwriting.

Axeman is a strange track, but the second half rips.

[TAC]

Fixed!


On And On hooked me big time. So simple but so great.
One of the coolest thing about seeing him last year was watching him play the solo at Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.

[wolfking]

Dogs is a slow burn, but a great atmosphere.

[TAC]

The outro is ridiculous.

[wolfking]

Indeed.

Secondary Motion is a nice 80's more melodic rock track too.  I really like that one.

[TAC]

This album might literally be my most listened album in my life.

[wolfking]

I like this one a lot more than the first album.

I will say also, Michaels guitar work on LFL is incredible.

[jjrock88]

This album might literally be my most listened album in my life.

Interesting

[TAC]

Oh yeah, on both counts. The vocals are so much better, as is the drumming. I always felt Simon Phillips, while excellent, was quite out of place. Cozy Powell just drives the songs harder, especially on Budokan.

[wolfking]

Lol @ Bardens vocals on that Budokan version of Stranger too.

[Lowdz]

Another great album. How many have their been so far?
.
Great guitar work, as expected. And yes, the vocals are ok.

Budokan is one of those great live albums that elevate the songs from their studio versions. Stupidly expensive at the time but worth it.

Mad Mikey really does have a style of his own. I don’t really consider him a bluesy player, though there’s some in their, and I don’t really think of him as a neo- classical player either, though again, there’s some in there.

So lyrical, like Neil Schon in a way, not in style but in the grasp of melody.

[Stadler]

@ Wolfking..

Snapped backstage at Donnington 1980.

I wonder who is the one learning here, looks like Shenker really listening.  Brilliant photo that.

Schenker is listening hard because he doesn't really understand English yet. I'm not sure what Elliott is doing, but he looks nervous.

"I'm Glenn Fucking Tipton, and I'm right here (slashes right hand). Those t----s from Def Leppard couldn't cup my b----s (cups left hand)."


(Michael is taller than I imagined him to be, unless it's the angle of the photo.)

[wolfking]

   what's the word starting with t?

[Stadler]

i have a lot of catching up to do, but I was in the car today and I listened to "TWTWATI" and.... not impressed.  Didn't move me.  I still like Professions of Violence, but I just think Mechanix is better in every way. I listened to that today as well, and it was as good as ever.  More on that later...

I LOVE the second MSG album.  I'm almost right there with TAC.  It's my favorite MSG album (Built To Destroy is second), it's the one I listened to most, and it's a seminal album from my early learning and listening.

But I Want More is my favorite track.  The only one I can do without is "Attack Of The Mad Axemen" and even that's pretty good.   I have to relisten to Budokan; it's been so long.  I got the album late, relatively speaking, and same with the CD. 

[Stadler]

  what's the word starting with t?

I blipped out the body parts.  First one is female, second one is male.   

[devieira73]

Another killer album, with only very good to excellent songs! The run from MSG (1980) to Built to Destroy is very very impressive. The first one is still my favorite, maybe because it was the first that I’ve heard, maybe it has kind of a different style – a bit less “commercial”, maybe because of Simon Phillips . Anyway, I really love all these 4 albums and maybe I would put the next one, Assault Attack, a tiny bit above this one.
About One Night at Budokan, I never really heard it with proper attention (It's outrageous I know...). But, from what I’ve heard, it was ideed a band with a tremendous chemistry live. I really like Barden vocals and it suprised me to be something controversial here. I also think it has a lot of character and it's a great quality for a singer. The only one on MSG that came closer in that aspect was Graham Bonnet. Michael Schenker/MSG always had enjoyable vocalists, but the Barden and Bonnet were the most memorable for sure.

[TAC]

Hmm..Graham Bonnet. We'll be discussing him in a couple of days. I gave Assault Attack a nice solid listen last night and....

[PowerSlave]

This album is one of my all time favorites. Whenever I'm feeling like I don't have enough Schenker in my life this is my automatic "go-to" to get my fill. The only song that I've never connected with is Stranger. I don't think that it's a bad song, but it always feels like it breaks the flow, so there are times that I skip it.

But I Want More is probably my favorite song on the album, but everything else is stellar and I wouldn't throw any of the other songs away.

It always confuses me when people talk about the great guitar albums of the era, but this never gets mentioned.

[TAC]

I understand about Never Trust A Stranger. That was their attempt to write a hit, according to its writer, Paul Raymond.

[TAC]

@ Podaar...Gregg, how long did you stay up on MSG. I'm interested in your thoughts on this album.
Did you give The Wild The Willing And The Innocent a shot? Did you see them again during this era?

[jingle.boy]

Bear with me here, I've got almost 3 weeks of catching up to post about.  I'm caught up to the MSG album now, so by this weekend, my goal is to be fully caught up, and stay current (no promises though!).  Going all the way back to No Heavy Petting...

I am 'not getting it'. Is it because I didn't hear them in my youth, my later 'rock' era, or....because I'm just too old to appreciate them and find them 'simple'?

Please don't castigate, just trying to be honest.

Me too ... kinda.  And in the hopes of not creating massive blocks of quotes, I'm just gonna refer to specific comments from now on.

Tim ... "It's always a kind of crapshoot with these things, right? I mean, people have spent their whole lives listening to bands like Bad Company, Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult. For me, that band is UFO."
Gord - “Our youth and teen years are indelible when it comes to forging our musical lives and DNA.“

Absolutely... and UFO was completely off my radar.  I may have heard some of the "hits", but it wasn't until about 5-6 years ago that (because of DTF) I got Strangers.  Up until this thread, that had been the extent of my exposure to UFO.  Discovering classic era bands nowadays is absolutely a crapshoot - some leave a big impact, some fall flat.  For the first few albums, UFO was somewhere closer to the 'falling flat' end of the spectrum for me.

Tim - "TAC “Have you Seen Me Lately Jane....WTF??”. This comment coming from a guy whose soul is filled with UFO. Now imagine a guy like me, hearing almost all of UFO for the first time ever in 2020. I wouldn’t say I’m “WTF” over what I’m hearing (up to No Heavy Petting), but there isn’t much that’s putting a spring in my step.

Tonight Tonight, French Kisses, and Reasons Love were the standouts for me.

On With the Action .. man, I'm just not 'getting' the love for this. At. All. It’s definitely a plodder (I think it was Gregg that said that, and I’d never use that word as a term of endearment.

[jingle.boy]

On to Lights Out ...  Quite a bit better.  Standouts are Just Another Suicide, Lights Out (though, I'll take the Strangers version 7 days a week and twice on Sundays), and Love to Love (ditto).  The rest ... not bad, but I'm not wow'd.  This did  me however:

The only one I don't really care for is Light Out. A little too um... how do I say this...gay? (not that there's anything wrong with that)

Wait, Tim making a pop culture reference!?!?  This thread is either going to be God-tier, or the sign of the apocalypse.

[jingle.boy]

Obsession
Excellent opener. I dug Pack it Up (likely because of the Zeppelin vibe), but even listening to the “remaster” the production certainly makes it sound dated. Lookin Out For #1... excellent power ballad. Love the strings. Musically, the Kiss vibe in Hot N Ready is strong (though, Ace wishes he could solo this good).  And the live/bonus version on the Spotify album is magnificent. They definitely are a different (ie, better) band live. I really REALLY liked the coming-and-going style of Cherry. You Don’t Fool Me .... not bad, but not great either.

I wholly agree with Gord said .... “Obsession is their most consistent album to date, even though it doesn’t have any truly ‘standout’ tracks that we had on their previous four albums. Eminently listenable”

Kade's comment encapsulates what I'm hearing/feeling... "I'm really enjoying Obsession.  I'll post more thoughts tomorrow when I'm on my PC but this might be my fav album so far."

On the popularity / getting over topic, “partying” is a lame ass excuse. It’s not like Kiss, Halen, or Aerosmith we’re the bastions of civility.  Also, I never ever once heard UFO on the radio (since ‘85) here in Canada’s largest market. Ever.

[jingle.boy]

Strangers In The Night

Epic live album ... My gut says it's top 5 from the 70s for me (though, if I really had to think about it, there might be 5 ahead of it... probably not though).  They sound so damn good.  Like, miles better than the studio versions.  Every single track.

Kade ... "Phil sounds baked as fucked when he is talking too.  "

He sounds like current day Ozzy!   

Gord summed it up perfectly - “I can see why one wouldn’t return to the studio versions of these songs after hearing them here. As Tim says, you can hear every instrument, and that’s huge for me. The album just rocks.”

@ Kade - “I have to relisten, but this live CD has made me enjoy a few of the songs a lot more.”  Abso-fucking-lutely!!!

For me, Lights Out combo with Rock Bottom is the standout. By a fair margin.   But overall, 10/10 album.

No Place To Run
Right from the start, you can hear how much ‘cleaner’ the production is. I hear what Gord is saying about a missing “oomph” (especially in the drums), but I’m not put off by it. Really like the rhythm guitar riff in Lettin Go.  Acoustic intro of Mystery Train totally reminds me of Uncle Tom’s Cabin... maybe a lil Barracuda too. Gone in the Night... it’s just ‘there’.   Really dig the outro, brief as it was. Youngblood... meh. Money Money was sweet. Dat bass line!!  Any day .... glorious. Just wonderful.

This one is right up there, close to Obsession as likely my 2nd fave so far (SITN not included)

[TAC]

That's awesome, Chad. Glad to finally have you aboard!


Have You Seen Me Lately Jane is awful. I had it removed during a recent Songectomy.