It’s funny isn’t it that sometimes your relationship with the music of a particular band colours your judgement one way or the other before you’ve even heard a note? As a kid I was a huge UFO fan and over the years though I didn’t quite love the music as the line-ups changed I always saw Phil Mogg as one of those vocalists much like Steven Tyler who was untouchable. It was only when Tesla and Jeff Keith covered UFO’s ‘Rock Bottom’ back in 2007 on Reel to Reel that I sort of got over it. Interestingly though I’ve loved all of Schenker’s non-UFO work over the years I never got around to giving this one a list.
Looking at the track listing I realise I was mad to, it’s a veritable UFO greatest hits rerecorded with guest vocalists and musicians. It’s actually huge fun as long as you take it with a pinch of salt because as we all know the originals have a magic that you will never recapture.
As guest vocalists go I actually quiet enjoyed what Dee Snider did with ‘Natural Thing,’ and Joey Tempest seems quiet at home with ‘Only You Can Rock Me’ alongside Purple’s Roger Glover on bass. Keeping the Purple connection Joe Lynn Turner does far better with the all time classic ‘Doctor, Doctor’ than i’d dreamed he would, and is the only vocalist to get a shot at two songs – being equally impressive on ‘Too Hot To Handle’.
Schenker of course was lead guitarist and co-writer of five of UFO’s best (from 74’s Phenomenon to 78′ s Obsession), and its from there every track here is drawn from. Schenker has revisited this material at times over the years (and some songs have always been in his live set) and here musically they are wonderfully produced and executed. This set celebrates the 50th anniversary of his UFO debut.
My favourite though might just be Erik Gronwell’s take on ‘Mother Mary’ with Slash sharing guitar duties. And when I say ‘take’ it’s not really that anyone is trying to do anything other than stay faithful to Phil Mogg’s original vocal, but Erik sounds great as does Saxon’s Biff on the classic ‘The Kids’.
The weakest point for me are two of the songs I thought I’d love the most Axl Rose’s ‘Love To Love’ has a huge build up but sounds workmanlike, and one of my favourite UFO songs ‘Shoot Shot’ sees Stephen Pearcy equally phone it in. That’s not to say they are awful, just not up to the rest despite being two of the very best UFO produced.
The real surprises come with the wonderful ‘Lights Out’ featuring Jeff Scott Soto with Europe’s John Norum on guitar, and Kai Hansen’s inspired take on ‘Rock Bottom’ which just might edge it as my favourite here. Nothing can of course beat the originals but this is a pretty cool way to celebrate the ’50’…
8 / 10
