UFO - 70's Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

[Sayburr]

UFO has always been one of my favorite bands. I believe they would be a great addition to Rock Band. Michael Schenker moved from the Scorpions to UFO when he was 19 years old, and tranformed the band into a great hard rock act.

Here are my favorite albums, in order...

1) Force it - The song Mother Mary is one of their best. Moog and Schenker really started working together on this second album of theirs. Some of the prog that still showed up on the Phenomenon album are gone and all of these songs are straight rockers. Out on the Streets is a slower song, but Moog's vocals really shine on this song... plus the guitar solos are even more amazing without the din of the other instruments.

2) Lights Out - This is where the group really came together. I still like Force It better, but many of my friends perfered this album. Love to Love starts out really heavy then slows down into a balad. Lights Out is a great song. I just don't think the songs are as strong as on Force It... but they are still great songs.

3) Phenomenon - Doctor, Doctor - a sign of what was to come. This is the first album Schenker worked on and the song Rock Bottom shows his guitar work to its fullest.

4) Heavy Petting - Being afraid to loose the success created with Force It, this album follows the same path. Still a great album though. Natural Thing is the highlight of this album.

5) Obsession - last album with Schenker. Only you Can Rock Me is the highlight of this album. But the songs Cherry and You Don't Fool Me are classics in their own right.

0) Stranger in the Night - Live album... One of the greatest live albums ever recorded... Don't expect a Live at Leeds or anything like that, but this is the album that got me into UFO. I was in 8th grade and the cover caught my eye... so I paid my eight dollars and took it home. It was not long before I bought the rest of their catalog. This is where I would start for those who don't know UFO that well.

Then, they went all to hell... Schenker left and the 1980's had AC/DC coming out full force. The music just wasn't the same without their guitarist. Its amazing how one person can have such an influence on a band. Michael Schenker puts out solo ablums under the band name "Michael Schenker Group" and puts out two great albums. The self titled first album and the second album called MSG are the two to seek out. Then his albums went all to hell also.

1995 - Michael Schenker comes back. The classic lineup returns with Moog and Way joining in. They release Walk on Water... wow, if you liked UFO's 70's album, this sounds just like them. I just wish they didn't redo Dr Dr or Lights Out. Think they ran out of songs so they redid those two to fill up the album.

1996 - No Schenker, but Moog and Way remain... Pretty good album called Hight Stakes and Dangerous Men. When you run out of the other albums, get this one if you are a fan of Moog and Way's stuff. You will not be disappointed.

2000 - Schenker comes back for two releases... but the songs just are not that good on "Covenant". Two disks, one studio, one live. Neither are that good. The magic seems gone.

2002 - Sharks - OK album. Still got the 70's sound, but the new songs are not up to the quality of the 70's stuff. Still, if you are a fan, its good to hear them back together again.

Schenker leaves the group again. 2006, the group releases Monkey Puzzle. Who's Fooling Who almost sounds like a Schenker/Moog song. Not a bad album, but I sure miss Schenker's guitars. Good thing I was able to find them on his solo release from the same year called "Tales of Rock N Roll" Really a good album. Moog and Way could have taken these songs and made a perfect album out of it... but alas, this was a MSG release, not a UFO release.

[a21schizoidman]

I love Lights Out, I want that whole album as DLC (it also has most of their radio-friendly (therefore, most widely heard) songs)

[holy diver 1993]

UFO ARE SO GOOD

we need:

lights out
doctor doctor
hard being me
ROCK BOTTOM (the game really needs this song)

[Sayburr]

Yeah, Rock Bottom should be part of the game. I never did understand why they didn't make it big in the USA. One of the best bands from the 70's.

[WhiffleBallTony]

UFO needs to be in Rock Band. "Rock Bottom" is quite possibly the greatest heavy metal song ever written. Hell, why don't we just get all of Phenomenon?

[JerryBrudos]

I thought Flying was very good as well although a bit strange. I agree tho Rock Bottom is a masterpiece of a song and needs to be in rock band along with the rest of UFOs work. Probably one of the most underrated bands in history that were way ahead of their time.

[Sayburr]

A great three pack would be
Rock Bottom
Doctor Doctor
Only You Can Rock Me

They should be an easy band to get the rights to...

[WhiffleBallTony]

A great three pack would be
Rock Bottom
Doctor Doctor
Only You Can Rock Me

They should be an easy band to get the rights to...

I completely agree. All of those songs rock hard. I don't get why UFO, an extremely influential band, has only had limited commercial exposure. It annoys me when people say, "who the hell is UFO?" They need to be in Rock Band, if only to expose them to people more.

[a21schizoidman]

and also, (I heard it from Schekner on the radio) its pronounced You-foe, not U.F.O.

[Sayburr]

and also, (I heard it from Schekner on the radio) its pronounced You-foe, not U.F.O.

huh, I didn't know that. Guess that is kinda like Fiddycent instead of Fifty-cents, huh?