UFO -

UFO was an English hard-rock band from Enfield, Middlesex, that released two albums on Beacon in 1970 and 1971, followed by a live album on Decca. Between 1974 and 1985, the band released ten studio albums and a live double-LP on Chrysalis.

The early lineup featured vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist Mick Bolton, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker, with Bolton departing after the debut and shaping the group’s transition toward a tighter, heavier sound. Michael Schenker joined in 1973, driving the classic era with guitar-led albums like Phenomenon, Force It, and Lights Out, and contributing to the landmark live recording Strangers in the Night.

After Schenker’s departure in 1978, Paul Chapman and Neil Carter helped sustain the band’s momentum through No Place to Run, The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent, and Mechanix. UFO navigated lineup shifts and personal turmoil to maintain a blend of technical precision and high-energy performance, culminating withthe 1983–85 albums Making Contact and Misdemeanor, which showcased new collaborations while keeping Phil Mogg’s songwriting central to the band’s identity.

Members: Phil Mogg (vocals), Pete Way (bass, 1969-82, 1988-2010), Mick Bolton (guitar, 1969-72), Colin Turner (drums, 1969), Andy Parker (drums, 1969-83), Larry Wallis (guitar, 1972), Bernie Marsden (guitar, 1972-73), Michael Schenker (guitar, 1973-78), Paul Chapman (guitar, bass, 1974-75, 1978-83), Danny Peyronel (keyboards, vocals, 1975-76), Paul Raymond (keyboards, guitar, 1976-80, 1984-86), John Sloman (keyboards, 1980), Neil Carter (keyboards, guitar, 1980-83), Billy Sheehan (bass, 1983), Paul Gray (bass, 1983-88), Atomic Tommy M. McClendon (guitar, 1984-87), Robbie France (drums, 1984-85), Jim Simpson (drums, 1985-88)

Background

UFO evolved from Hocus Pocus, formed in 1968 by singer Phil Mogg (b. 1948, Wood Green, London), bassist Pete Way (1951–2020), drummer Andy Parker (b. 1952, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire), and guitarist Mick Bolton. Mogg was a junior boxing champ before he met Way, who started as a studio musician, and Parker, who took up drums at age seven.

In October 1969, Hocus Pocus became UFO, named after the famed London club where they were spotted by a talent scout who linked them with upstart soul-pop-psych label Beacon Records.

UFO 1

UFO released their debut album in October 1970 on Beacon (UK, France), Decca (Germany), and Stateside (Italy). It features two songs by Way (“Follow You Home,” “Evil”), one by Bolton (“Treacle People”), and four group-written numbers: “Unidentified Flying Object,” “Boogie for George,” “Shake It About,” and “Timothy.”

The album also contains covers of Eddie Cochran (“C’mon Everybody”), Bo Diddley (“Who Do You Love?”), and The Weavers’ anti-war anthem “(Come Away) Melinda,” also covered that year by Uriah Heep on their debut album, …Very ‘Eavy …Very ‘Umble, released four months before UFO 1.

UFO 1 opens with the instrumental “Unidentified Flying Object,” where booming bass anchors fuzz-wah guitar swells that climb and recede with disorienting, spacey tension. “Boogie (For George)” drives with a thick, slightly demented bassline and jagged guitar accents, creating a staggered, unpolished momentum. “Shake It About” leans into a loose, bluesy intro, with bass burbling beneath a languid, slightly slurred guitar line, generating a hung-over, off-kilter atmosphere.

Covers like “C’mon Everybody” and “Who Do You Love” extend riffs into stretched jams, balancing sparse guitar articulation against constant, forward-moving bass patterns. “Treacle People” introduces odd, shifting textures and brief guitar motifs over steady, deliberate pulse, while “Evil” closes with a brooding bass-driven theme punctuated by short bursts of distorted lead guitar. Across the album, basslines remain prominent, propelling songs with contoured rhythms, while guitar alternates between restrained fuzz tones and sudden, angular solos, producing a raw, live-in-the-studio energy that contrasts tightly produced later UFO works.

A1. “Unidentified Flying Object” (2:19)
A2. “Boogie” (4:17)
A3. “C’mon Everybody” (3:12)
A4. “Shake It About” (3:47)
A5. “Melinda” (5:06)

B1. “Timothy” (3:29)
B2. “Follow You Home” (2:14)
B3. “Treacle People” (3:25)
B4. “Who Do You Love” (7:50)
B5. “Evil” (3:27)

UFO 1 was co-produced by Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett, a songwriting team behind several pop and psych acts (The Factotums, The Onyx, Brass Monkey). The album’s cover depicts the four members as egg-shaped objects in orbit with carved smiles. On back, their actual faces are shown illuminated in the dark. The original band logo, used on the first two albums, contains four stars (one for each band member) inside the letter O.

UFO’s early benefactor, Derek Abrahams, wrote the album’s liner notes, stating that “the tracks are written between them and are a musical expression of their innocence and thoughts of the world we live in.”

Beacon issued three singles from UFO 1: “Shake It About” (b/w “Evil”), “(Come Away) Melinda” (b/w “Unidentified Flying Object”), and “Boogie for George” (b/w “Treacle People”). Decca lifted “C’mon Everybody” as a single in Germany, where copies of the album included a label promo poster stating “Rock is back, blues is everywhere” and the worlds “BLUES POWER” at the bottom.

“C’mon Everybody” and “Boogie” appear on The World of Rock, a 1970 German Decca comp with cuts by Clark-Hutchinson, Crow, East of Eden, Frijid Pink, Human Beast, Keef Hartley Band, The Moody Blues, and Savoy Brown.

In the US and Canada, UFO 1 appeared in 1971 on the Motown sub-label Rare Earth with a purple-tinted cover. The album caught on in Germany, where UFO performed “Boogie” on the December 31, 1970, episode of the music program Beat-Club.

UFO 2: Flying

UFO’s second album, UFO II: Flying (alternately known as UFO II or Flying), appeared in October 1971 on Beacon. It opens with “Silver Bird” (6:54), a slow-building boogie (in B♭) with panned, searing leads over a bobbing ostinato. “Star Storm” (18:54), their first of two long-form epics, builds slowly: first as a lead-laden boogie with a recurrent refrain (“But I gotta little time to let fly”), then as a free-form guitar jam in the vein of Guru Guru. “Prince Kajuku” is a tight, driving blues-rocker with wailing leads and terse phrasing.

Side two opens with “The Coming of Prince Kajuku,” a Wishbone Ash-style instrumental with plucked, echoey leads over a 1-5 bassline (in D). The title track, “Flying,” is one of the longest pieces of continuous music on an LP side up to that time (26:30). Musically, it passes through endless stanzas, volume adjustments and instrumental breaks (all in B) with occasional drumming variations (tom rolls here, rattling metal there) and wailing acid solos throughout. It ends with a back-masked reading of the final three lines from Rudyard Kipling’s 1890 poem Gunga Din.

A1. “Silver Bird” (6:45)
A2. “Star Storm” (18:50)
A3. “Prince Kajuku” (3:55)

B1. “The Coming of Prince Kajuku” (3:35)
B2. “Flying” (26:30)

Flying was produced by Beacon founder Milton Samuel, an Antiguan businessman (and later politician) who also produced 1970/71 label titles by Black Velvet, Monument (a Zior alias), and Guyanese bluesman Ram John Holder. Sessions took place at Nova Studios, London. All five songs were group-written between the four members.

German illustrator Günter Blum did the Flying cover art. It shows a flying purple-skinned alien amid celestial clouds and blue flying saucers. Below the band logo, the words SPACE ROCK appear; some fans interpret this as the album’s subtitle, though the LP labels simply state Flying. On back, a flying saucer (with a face) hovers over a checkered glass grid. Blum also did artwork for 1971/72 albums by Grobschnitt, Parzival, and Udo Lindenberg.

Decca issued the album in Germany as UFO 2 – Flying – One Hour Space Rock in a gatefold cover. The vertical inner-gates have song lyrics and a line-art view of the alien as it hovers over stunned humans, flanked with the word POW in comic pop art font.

Beacon and Decca paired both “Prince Kajuku” songs as a single. It reached No. 26 on the German charts.

Live

In December 1971, UFO released their first live album, U.F.O. Landed Japan, on the Japanese Stateside label. It draws largely from the first album, including two of the covers (“C’mon Everybody,” “Who Do You Love?”) and elongated jams of “Boogie for George” (11:30) and “Follow You Home” (6:00). The two “Prince Kajuku” numbers are combined as one 8:20 medley. The set also includes their cover of Paul Butterfield’s “Loving Cup.”

Landed Japan was taped at Hibiya Park in Tokyo on September 25, 1971. Months after its release in that market, the album appeared on German Decca as Live in a gatefold sleeve. It shows leafy, human-shaped flora/fauna hybrids hovering aflame over wind-swept shrubbery. Live sports a sans-serif, three-dimensional UFO logo (lower-case f) that would also appear on their third studio album.

Michael Schenker Joins

In January 1972, Mick Bolton left the band and quit the music scene. UFO first tried guitarist Bernie Marsden, a newcomer from Buckingham. This lineup demoed the songs “Oh My” and “Sixteen.” (Marsden later surfaced in Babe Ruth, Paice Ashton Lord, and Whitesnake.) The following month, UFO hired guitarist Larry Wallis, recently of Lancaster’s Bombers, a spinoff of Blodwyn Pig.

With Wallis, UFO toured Europe and cut the non-album a-side “Galactic Love,” released in September 1972 on German Decca (b/w “Loving Cup”). That October, Wallis jumped ship to the Pink Fairies.

In June 1973, UFO welcomed 18-year-old guitarist Michael Schenker, a non-English speaker who stepped over from German hard-rockers Scorpions. Schenker, a recognized guitar prodigy, played on Scorpions’ 1972 debut album Lonesome Crow.

The UFO lineup of Mogg, Way, Parker, and Schenker signed with Chrysalis and debuted with the 1973 non-album single “Give Her the Gun,” a Schenker–Mogg number backed with the Mogg–Way “Sweet Little Thing.” The single was produced by Derek Lawrence, the long-time producer of Deep Purple and Wishbone Ash who also worked on 1972/73 albums by Alquin, Flash, Public Foot the Roman, and Warm Dust. In late 1973, UFO commenced work on their third studio album at Morgan Studios.

Phenomenon

UFO released their third studio album, Phenomenon, in May 1974 on Chrysalis. It’s their first of six consecutive albums with guitarist Michael Schenker.

UFO recast their sound on Phenomenon with a tighter, riff-centered approach that foregrounds Schenker’s sharp leads and places the rhythm section in a harder, more clipped pulse than their earlier space-rock period. The album marks their shift to Chrysalis and their first US-issued release.

Singer Phil Mogg and guitarist Michael Schenker co-wrote the majority of the album’s material. Bassist Pete Way co-wrote the opener, and the band includes one outside cover of a song popularized by Willie Dixon (“Built for Comfort”).

Phenomenon opens with taut, mid-paced tracks that balance lean riffing with Phil Mogg’s controlled, commanding vocals. “Too Young to Know” and “Oh My” roll forward with steady, striding tempos, underpinned by Pete Way’s resonant bass lines and Andy Parker’s precise drumming. “Doctor Doctor” introduces a galloping momentum and sharp, angular guitar lines from Michael Schenker, whose solos surge and twist across the track with sudden accelerations. “Rock Bottom” builds through a half-time shift into an extended, fluid solo section, layering tension and release over a driving rhythm that alternates between tight bursts and slower, emphatic passages.

Slower cuts like “Crystal Light,” “Space Child,” and “Time on My Hands” employ more spacious pacing, with contoured vocal lines and airy guitar textures, while “Built for Comfort” leans into a denser, blues-inflected rhythm with deliberate stomps. “Lipstick Traces” contrasts with its gentle, ringing acoustic guitar, and “Queen of the Deep” escalates gradually from mid-tempo to heightened intensity, blending restrained verses with powerful, soaring vocal climaxes.

A1. “Too Young to Know” (3:10)
A2. “Crystal Light” (3:47)
A3. “Doctor Doctor” (4:10)
A4. “Space Child” (4:01)
A5. “Rock Bottom” (6:32)

B1. “Oh My” (2:28)
B2. “Time on My Hands” (4:10)
B3. “Built for Comfort” (3:01) — popularized by Willie Dixon
B4. “Lipstick Traces” (2:20)
B5. “Queen of the Deep” (5:49)

Across the album, the rhythm section shifts between moody subtlety and assertive drive, providing a foundation for Schenker’s expressive fretwork and Mogg’s dynamic phrasing.

Sessions occurred at Morgan Studios in London with producer Leo Lyons and engineer Mike Bobak. Phenomenon features cover photography by Hipgnosis.

Chrysalis preceded the album with the 1973 single “Give Her the Gun” (b/w “Sweet Little Thing”). The label followed in March 1974 with “Doctor Doctor” (b/w “Lipstick Traces”), which reached No. 97 in Australia.

Iron Maiden later covered “Doctor Doctor.”

Force It

UFO released their fourth studio album, Force It, in July 1975 on Chrysalis.

Force It tightens UFO’s attack with fast, clipped riffs from Michael Schenker and taut rhythms that move between mid-tempo drive and quicker, lead-forward passages. The album also marks their first use of electric piano, which adds brief chordal accents beneath the guitar-centered arrangements.

Singer Phil Mogg and guitarist Michael Schenker co-wrote most of the album’s material. Bassist Pete Way co-wrote two tracks and wrote one outright, and the band includes no outside covers on this release. Keyboardist Chick Churchill appears on selected tracks.

Force It opens with “Let It Roll,” a taut, riff-driven track that alternates between assertive power chords and angular fretboard runs from Michael Schenker. “Shoot Shoot” follows with a tight, punchy rhythm, cowbell accents, and urgent vocal bursts, building into one of the band’s signature live closers. “Love Lost Love” leans on contoured guitar lines and layered harmonies, while “High Flyer” slows the pace into a spacious, acoustic-backed ballad with Schenker weaving a fluid, expressive solo.

Mid-album, “Out in the Street” and “Mother Mary” push forward with heavier, chugging riffs and steady, driving rhythms, punctuated by sharp, rhythmic shifts and bursts of intensity. “Dance Your Life Away” brightens the flow with upbeat, flowing guitar and measured pacing, contrasting the more forceful tracks. The album closes with “This Kid’s (Including Between the Walls),” which combines a mid-tempo main section with a calm, extended instrumental coda, blending tight rhythmic control with soaring, emotive solos.

A1. “Let It Roll” (3:57)
A2. “Shoot Shoot” (3:40)
A3. “High Flyer” (4:08)
A4. “Love Lost Love” (3:21)
A5. “Out in the Street” (5:18)

B1. “Mother Mary” (3:49)
B2. “Too Much of Nothing” (4:02)
B3. “Dance Your Life Away” (3:35)
B4. “This Kid’s” (6:13) — incorporates the instrumental “Between the Walls,” written by Michael Schenker

Throughout, the band alternates between assertive, riff-heavy passages and spacious, contoured sections, with Schenker’s fretwork and Mogg’s dynamic vocals consistently at the forefront.

Sessions occurred at Morgan Studios and Wessex Sound in London with producer Leo Lyons and engineers Mike Bobak and Mike Thompson.

Force It features cover art by Hipgnosis. Chrysalis promoted the album in Europe with “Shoot Shoot” in 1975.

No Heavy Petting

UFO released their fifth studio album, No Heavy Petting, in May 1976 on Chrysalis.

UFO expand their sound on No Heavy Petting with the addition of keyboardist Danny Peyronel, whose chord lines and short decorative phrases sit beneath Michael Schenker’s clipped leads and the band’s firm, mid-tempo drive. The album presents a five-piece lineup for the first and only time, giving the arrangements a denser harmonic base than the prior two records.

Schenker and Phil Mogg wrote the bulk of the album’s material. Pete Way co-wrote one track, and Peyronel contributed two co-writes and one solo composition. They also cover a song popularized by Frankie Miller (“A Fool in Love”).

No Heavy Petting opens with “Natural Thing,” a rapid, riff-driven track that balances driving guitars with accents from Danny Peyronel’s keyboards, establishing an energetic pace for the album. “I’m a Loser” and “Can You Roll Her” continue with taut rhythms and sharp, contoured guitar lines, while the keyboards add brightness and momentum. “Reasons Love” intensifies the attack with a heavy riff and a searing solo, and “Highway Lady” rides forward on piano-backed rhythms and blazing guitar bursts.

“On With the Action” slows the tempo but retains force through distorted riffs and tense dynamics, giving the album a weightier midsection. The pacing softens with “Belladonna,” a reflective ballad featuring spacious keyboard textures and a tasteful, expressive solo, before closing with Peyronel’s “Martian Landscape,” which alternates between ambient, ethereal passages and full-throttle, piano-driven surges, culminating in a dynamic finale.

A1. “Natural Thing” (4:01)
A2. “I’m a Loser” (3:55)
A3. “Can You Roll Her” (2:58)
A4. “Belladonna” (4:32)
A5. “Reasons Love” (3:17)

B1. “Highway Lady” (3:49)
B2. “On With the Action” (5:03)
B3. “A Fool in Love” (2:50) — popularized by Frankie Miller; written by Andy Fraser and Frankie Miller
B4. “Martian Landscape” (5:11)

Across the LP, Schenker’s fretwork and Mogg’s commanding vocals anchor the interplay between assertive riffs, piano-led propulsion, and atmospheric keyboard layering.

Sessions occurred at Morgan Studios in London with producer Leo Lyons and engineer Mike Bobak. No Heavy Petting features cover artwork by Hipgnosis.

Chrysalis issued “Can You Roll Her” as a Japan-only single on July 1, 1976, followed by “Highway Lady,” also exclusive to Japan.

Lights Out

UFO released their sixth studio album, Lights Out, in May 1977 on Chrysalis.

UFO sharpen their attack on Lights Out with quick, clipped guitar exchanges, firm mid-tempo pacing, and denser harmonic detail from new member Paul Raymond, whose electric piano and rhythm guitar broaden the band’s chordal base. Producer Ron Nevison adds strings on select tracks, marking their first use of orchestral coloration.

Singer Phil Mogg serves as primary lyricist and co-writer across the album’s eight tracks. Bassist Pete Way co-writes two songs and penned one with Mogg; guitarist Michael Schenker co-writes five. They also cut a song popularized by Love (“Alone Again Or”). Keyboardist–guitarist Paul Raymond co-writes three tracks, including one with drummer Andy Parker.

Lights Out drives forward with a mix of high-voltage riffs, layered arrangements, and controlled intensity. It opens with “Too Hot to Handle,” a taut, driving track that moves with jagged, propulsive energy, propelled by Schenker’s crisp, piercing leads and a rhythm section that pushes with muscular precision. “Just Another Suicide” shifts into a measured, piano-accented mid-tempo, balancing angular guitar fills against tightly arranged keyboard motifs. The orchestrated “Try Me” slows the pace, layering delicate keyboard textures over Schenker’s expressive, plaintive guitar lines and Mogg’s resonant, emotive vocals, creating a sense of tension and release.

The title track, “Lights Out,” erupts with a dense, wall-of-sound riff, where rapid-fire guitar flurries and pounding double-bass drums collide with staccato rhythmic accents, building a high-stakes momentum. “Gettin’ Ready” keeps the attack direct and compact, while “Electric Phase” introduces choppy, syncopated guitar figures over pulsing, urgent rhythms, suggesting a tense, restless energy. Closing with “Love to Love,” the album expands into a seven-minute, slow-burning power piece, with floating keyboards and Schenker’s soaring, sculpted leads weaving through Mogg’s impassioned vocals, creating a sweeping, dramatic culmination.

A1. “Too Hot to Handle” (3:37)
A2. “Just Another Suicide” (4:58)
A3. “Try Me” (4:49)
A4. “Lights Out” (4:33)

B1. “Gettin’ Ready” (3:46)
B2. “Alone Again Or” (3:00) — originated as a 1967 single by Love, written by Bryan MacLean and issued on Forever Changes
B3. “Electric Phase” (4:20)
B4. “Love to Love” (7:38)

Sessions occurred in February-March 1977 at AIR Studios in London with producer Ron Nevison and engineer Mike Clink. Orchestral arrangements are by Alan McMillan.

Chrysalis issued “Alone Again Or” on May 13, 1977, followed by the US release of “Too Hot to Handle” in June and “Try Me” later that year.

The album’s expanded edition adds live performances that mirror the studio intensity, particularly in “Lights Out” and “Gettin’ Ready,” where the band’s precision and fire translate into a raw, kinetic presence.

Europe covered “Love to Love” on their 2008 live set Almost Unplugged.

Obsession

UFO released their seventh studio album, Obsession, on June 21, 1978, on Chrysalis.

UFO tighten their sound on Obsession with pointed, mid-tempo riff patterns, brief instrumental interludes, and sharply contoured vocal lines set against Michael Schenker’s final run of lead parts for the group’s classic era. The arrangements balance compact rockers with shorter atmospheric pieces, framed by Paul Raymond’s alternating keyboard and rhythm-guitar textures.

Phil Mogg serves as primary lyricist and co-writer on all eleven tracks. Michael Schenker writes one instrumental outright and co-writes six pieces with Mogg and bassist Pete Way, who also co-writes two songs on his own with Mogg. Paul Raymond co-writes three tracks, including one with drummer Andy Parker.

Obsession opens with the high-voltage thrust of “Only You Can Rock Me,” where Schenker’s soaring riffs and precise solos drive the track with urgent, propulsive force. “Pack It Up (And Go)” follows with a taut rhythmic push, anchored by Parker’s thunderous drumming and Way’s fluid bass, creating a restless, kinetic momentum. “Hot ’n’ Ready” rips forward with a similarly aggressive pace, balancing tight, shredding guitar bursts with controlled rhythmic surges. In contrast, “Cherry” slows the tempo, layering soft, contoured guitar lines over a steady, deliberate pulse, while “Looking Out for No. 1” stretches into a ballad with drawn, expressive phrasing and gentle orchestration, reprised later to reinforce its lyrical theme.

“Arbory Hill” provides a brief, airy interlude with flute and delicate guitar textures, offering a light, transitional moment. Tracks like “Ain’t No Baby,” “You Don’t Fool Me,” and “One More for the Rodeo” mix moderate-tempo drive with angular guitar lines, while the closing “Born to Lose” combines languid, weeping guitar passages with expansive dynamic swells, ending the studio sequence with a reflective tension.

A1. “Only You Can Rock Me” (4:08)
A2. “Pack It Up (And Go)” (3:14)
A3. “Arbory Hill” (1:11)
A4. “Ain’t No Baby” (3:58)
A5. “Lookin’ Out for No. 1” (4:34)

B1. “Hot ’n’ Ready” (3:16)
B2. “Cherry” (3:34)
B3. “You Don’t Fool Me” (3:23)
B4. “Lookin’ Out for No. 1 (Reprise)” (1:14)
B5. “One More for the Rodeo” (3:45)
B6. “Born to Lose” (3:31)

Sessions occurred at C.P. McGregors on Western Avenue in Los Angeles and at West 3rd Carrier Station in Beverly Hills with producer Ron Nevison and engineer Mike Clink. Obsession features cover art by Hipgnosis.

Chrysalis promoted the album with the US single “Cherry” in June 1978, followed by the UK issue of “Only You Can Rock Me” in July. The Netherlands received “Born to Lose” as a local single.

The expanded edition’s live recordings amplify the kinetic energy of “Hot ’n’ Ready” and “Pack It Up (And Go),” capturing the band’s raw intensity on stage.

Strangers in the Night

On January 2, 1979, UFO released the live double-album Strangers in the Night, a document of their recent US tour.

UFO present their late-70s stage sound with taut transitions, extended instrumental passages, and a sharp, high-volume blend of Michael Schenker’s lead work and Phil Mogg’s clipped vocal phrasing. The set captures the lineup’s final run with Schenker, recorded across multiple Midwest dates with arrangements that stretch several studio originals into elongated climaxes.

The program draws from their recent studio output: Phenomenon (“Doctor Doctor,” “Rock Bottom”), Force It (“Let It Roll,” “Out in the Street,” “Shoot Shoot,” “Mother Mary,” “This Kid’s”), No Heavy Petting (“I’m a Loser”), Lights Out (“Lights Out,” “Love to Love,” “Too Hot to Handle,” “Natural Thing”), and Obsession (“Only You Can Rock Me”).

A1. “Natural Thing” (3:57)
A2. “Out in the Street” (5:07)
A3. “Only You Can Rock Me” (4:08)
A4. “Doctor Doctor” (4:42)
B1. “Mother Mary” (3:25)
B2. “This Kid’s” (5:11)
B3. “Love to Love” (7:58)

C1. “Lights Out” (5:23)
C2. “Rock Bottom” (11:08)
D1. “Too Hot to Handle” (4:26)
D2. “I’m a Loser” (4:13)
D3. “Let It Roll” (4:48)
D4. “Shoot Shoot” (4:07)

Sessions occurred with the Record Plant Mobile at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago and at Louisville Gardens with producer–engineer Ron Nevison and assistant engineer Mike Clink.

Strangers in the Night features artwork by Hipgnosis.

Chrysalis issued “Doctor Doctor” in January 1979, backed with “On with the Action” and the studio cut “Try Me,” which reached No. 35 in the UK. “Shoot Shoot” followed in March (b/w “Only You Can Rock Me” and “I’m a Loser”) and reached No. 48.

No Place to Run

UFO released their eighth studio album, No Place to Run, on January 8, 1980, on Chrysalis.

UFO adjust their sound on No Place to Run with Paul Chapman’s clipped, mid-range leads in place of Michael Schenker’s higher-register phrasing. The band moves between firm, mid-tempo pacing and quicker, riff-centered passages, framed by Paul Raymond’s alternating keyboard and rhythm-guitar layers. George Martin shapes the mixes with a dry, separated emphasis on guitar detail.

Phil Mogg serves as primary lyricist and co-writer on eight tracks. Pete Way co-writes six songs with Mogg. Paul Chapman contributes one solo composition and co-writes two pieces with Mogg, and Paul Raymond submits one solo track. UFO also cover a song popularized by Elvis Presley (“Mystery Train”).

No Place to Run begins with the ethereal instrumental “Alpha Centauri,” which builds tension before erupting into the driving force of “Lettin’ Go,” where Chapman’s agile guitar cuts through tight, forceful rhythm sections. “Mystery Train” opens with a measured acoustic pulse that accelerates into a rolling, locomotive momentum, while “This Fire Burns Tonight” delivers sharp, urgent bursts with compact, angular guitar lines. “Gone in the Night” slows the pace into a contemplative, extended ballad with layered textures and drawn, expressive phrasing.

The title track channels a restrained desperation through measured pacing and emotive guitar motifs. “Take It or Leave It” maintains a steady, deliberate propulsion, contrasting with the closing duo of “Money Money” and “Anyday,” which combine compact, focused drive with pronounced dynamic swells and vocal prominence.

A1. “Alpha Centauri” (2:06)
A2. “Lettin’ Go” (3:51)
A3. “Mystery Train” (3:55) — originated as a 1953 Junior Parker side and entered wider circulation through Elvis Presley’s 1955 Sun version
A4. “This Fire Burns Tonight” (4:13)
A5. “Gone in the Night” (3:47)

B1. “Young Blood” (3:59)
B2. “No Place to Run” (3:58)
B3. “Take It or Leave It” (3:01)
B4. “Money, Money” (3:29)
B5. “Anyday” (3:48)

Throughout, Chapman fills the void left by Schenker with precise solos and controlled tension, sustaining UFO’s signature blend of intensity and contoured instrumental interplay.

Sessions occurred in August 1979 at AIR Montserrat and AIR London with producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick.

Chrysalis issued “Young Blood” as the lead single in January 1980, followed by “Lettin’ Go.”

The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent

UFO released their ninth studio album, The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent, on January 6, 1981, on Chrysalis.

UFO tighten their arrangements on The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent with Paul Chapman’s sharp, mid-range lines over rhythm patterns that shift between steady, mid-tempo pacing and quicker, riff-driven passages. Neil Carter joins on guitar and saxophone, expanding the harmonic layers behind Phil Mogg’s clipped, urgent phrasing. The band self-produces the album with a denser, more forward guitar presence than its predecessor.

Phil Mogg serves as primary lyricist and co-writer on all eight songs. Paul Chapman co-writes five pieces with Mogg and submits three additional co-writes with Mogg and Pete Way, who co-writes four tracks overall. Carter adds saxophone on “Lonely Heart,” but the album contains no outside covers.

The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent opens with “Chains Chains,” a taut, driving track where Chapman’s controlled leads slice through tightly wound rhythm and Mogg’s vocals command the space with urgency. “Long Gone” accelerates with relentless propulsion, punctuated by dramatic instrumental swells and layered orchestral touches that segue into the title track, which balances a lean, pointed riff with backing vocals that add depth and tension. “It’s Killing Me” shifts to a measured, contemplative pace.

Side one delivers atmospheric, tightly arranged highs, while the latter tracks explore variations of rhythm and pacing, sustaining the album’s mix of muscular drive and textural nuance. “Makin’ Moves” and “Couldn’t Get It Right” push forward with punchy, aggressive momentum, anchored by Way and Parker’s firm rhythm section. “Lonely Heart” introduces saxophone accents and a more spacious arrangement, contrasting with the restrained, emotive dynamics of the closing “Profession of Violence,” where Chapman’s soloing conveys subtle, contoured intensity.

A1. “Chains Chains” (3:24)
A2. “Long Gone” (5:17)
A3. “The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent” (4:57)
A4. “It’s Killing Me” (4:29)

B1. “Makin’ Moves” (4:43)
B2. “Lonely Heart” (5:00)
B3. “Couldn’t Get It Right” (4:33)
B4. “Profession of Violence” (4:22)

Sessions occurred at AIR, Wessex, and Utopia Studios in London with UFO handling production and engineers Steve Churchyard, Gary Edwards, and Jeremy Green.

The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent features artwork by Hipgnosis.

Chrysalis preceded the album with “Couldn’t Get It Right” in October 1980 (b/w a live version of “Hot ’n’ Ready”) and followed with “Lonely Heart” in January 1981 (b/w “Long Gone”), which reached No. 41 in the UK.

Mechanix

UFO released their tenth studio album, Mechanix, on February 1982 on Chrysalis.

Mechanix presents a tightened, riff-centered sound with mid-tempo anthems shaped by dense guitar-keyboard overlays. It marks their second album with multi-instrumentalist Neil Carter, whose rhythm guitar and keyboard parts frame Paul Chapman’s clipped lead lines.

Vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist Paul Chapman, keyboardist–guitarist Neil Carter, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker perform across the ten tracks. Carter supplies orchestral arrangements.

Mogg sings lyrics by the four members. Carter co-wrote five songs with Mogg and Chapman and co-wrote three with Mogg and Way. Way co-wrote four songs with Mogg and one with Chapman and Carter. They cover Eddie Cochran (“Somethin’ Else”), first recorded on his 1959 Liberty single.

Mechanix opens with “The Writer,” a taut, high-energy track driven by tight riffs, sax punctuations, and Mogg’s commanding vocals. “Somethin’ Else” adds a brassy, sax-heavy cover with playful, angular phrasing, while “We Belong to the Night” surges with urgent, forward-leaning momentum. Mid-tempo numbers like “You’ll Get Love,” “Doing It All for You,” and “Feel It” mix swaggering pace with contoured guitar lines and subtle keyboard accents.

The ballads “Back Into My Life” and “Terri” slow the pulse, the latter enriched by lush strings that expand the sonic space. “Let It Rain” weaves lighter, 1960s-inflected rhythm into the album’s drive, while the closing “Dreaming” erupts into an expansive, hard-charging finale, layering dynamic shifts and expressive solos that anchor the record’s strongest moments.

A1. “The Writer” (4:12)
A2. “Somethin’ Else” (3:21) — originated as a 1959 Eddie Cochran side written by Cochran and Sharon Sheeley; later covered by artists across the UK beat scene.
A3. “Back into My Life” (4:59)
A4. “You’ll Get Love” (3:10)
A5. “Doing It All for You” (5:02)

B1. “We Belong to the Night” (3:57)
B2. “Let It Rain” (4:01)
B3. “Terri” (3:53)
B4. “Feel It” (4:07)
B5. “Dreaming” (3:57)

Overall, the album balances muscular propulsion with moments of sweep and introspection, highlighting Chapman’s nuanced lead work and the band’s rhythmic precision.

Sessions occurred at Mountain Studios in Attalens, The Manor in Oxfordshire, and Scorpio Sound and Maison Rouge in London with producer–engineer Gary Lyons. Peter Thea engineered additional sessions; George Marino mastered at Sterling Sound in New York.

Mechanix features cover design by John Pasche. Chrysalis preceded the album with “Let It Rain” in January 1982, followed by “Back into My Life” in April.

Making Contact

UFO released their eleventh studio album, Making Contact, on February 14, 1983, on Chrysalis.

Making Contact shifts toward clipped, mid-tempo arrangements shaped by tighter guitar–keyboard interplay and a reduced low-end presence due to Pete Way’s departure. The band centers its sound on compact riffs, steady backbeats, and vocal lines with contoured turns against restrained harmonic movement.

Vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist Paul Chapman, keyboardist–guitarist Neil Carter, and drummer Andy Parker perform across the ten tracks. Chapman and Carter split the bass parts.

Carter co-wrote eight songs with Mogg and co-wrote two with Mogg and Chapman. Chapman co-wrote three with Mogg and Carter.

Making Contact opens with “Blinded by a Lie,” a taut, high-voltage track that alternates punchy riffs with sharp vocal contours. “Diesel in the Dust” moves with deliberate, hard-edged tension, pacing a small-town narrative through angular guitar lines and taut keyboard flourishes. “When It’s Time to Rock” bursts forward with rapid, insistent rhythm and Chapman’s crisp, articulate guitar shapes.

Mid-album cuts like “The Way the Wild Wind Blows” and “All Over You” stretch tempo with flowing, expansive arrangements that shift between surging propulsion and restrained passages. “No Getaway” maintains tight, forceful drive, while “Call My Name” spins around swirling keyboard textures that lift the song’s energy despite measured pacing. The closer, “Push, It’s Love,” layers assertive, lascivious rhythmic thrust with a persistent forward pulse, bringing the album to a climactic finish.

A1. “Blinded by a Lie” (3:58)
A2. “Diesel in the Dust” (4:29)
A3. “A Fool for Love” (3:57)
A4. “You and Me” (3:20)
A5. “When It’s Time to Rock” (5:26)

B1. “The Way the Wild Wind Blows” (4:14)
B2. “Call My Name” (3:14)
B3. “All Over You” (4:24)
B4. “No Getaway” (3:32)
B5. “Push, It’s Love” (3:16)

Throughout, Chapman’s guitar work and Carter’s keys interlock with Mogg’s vocal contours, creating a record that balances muscular propulsion with nuanced dynamic shifts.

Sessions occurred in August-December 1982 at The Manor in Oxfordshire and at Townhouse, White House, and Maison Rouge in London with producer–engineer Mick Glossop. Peter Thea and Richard Mainwaring engineered additional sessions with assistance by Gavin McKillop, Keith Nixon, and Leigh Mantle.

Making Contact features cover illustration by Alan Adler with art direction by John Pasche and Andrew Ellis.

Chrysalis promoted the album with “When It’s Time to Rock,” released on March 4, 1983.

Misdemeanor

UFO released their twelfth studio album, Misdemeanor, in November 1985 on Chrysalis.

Misdemeanor presents a tighter, Americanized hard rock sound with streamlined riffs and more polished arrangements. The album marked the first studio work with guitarist Tommy McClendon (Atomik Tommy M) and bassist Paul Gray, while drummer Jim Simpson replaced Robbie France before recording.

Phil Mogg wrote or co-wrote all ten tracks, collaborating with McClendon on six songs and Gray on four. Keyboardist–guitarist Paul Raymond co-wrote “Dream the Dream.”

Misdemeanor opens with “This Time,” which moves with a hesitant, mid-tempo sway, before shifting into the tighter, forward-driven thrust of “Night Run,” where Mogg’s vocals ride over sharp, pointed guitar lines. “Meanstreets” and “Name of Love” unfold with reflective pacing, layered with Raymond’s apocalyptic keyboard swoops that add tension and sweep to the arrangements.

“Heaven’s Gate” pushes dynamics with dramatic, rising textures and sustained keyboard arcs, while the ballad “Dream the Dream” stretches into lush, emotive space with restrained guitar and ambient keys. “Blue” alternates slow, brooding sections with bursts of kinetic movement, and “Wreckless” closes the album with a measured, determined forward pulse. Across the record, Tommy McClendon’s guitar injects crisp articulation and sharp tonal turns, and Raymond’s keyboards balance the front-facing vocals, producing an album that juxtaposes intimate, cinematic moments with energetic propulsion.

A1. “This Time” (4:36)
A2. “One Heart” (4:09)
A3. “Night Run” (4:32)
A4. “The Only Ones” (5:16)
A5. “Meanstreets” (4:17)

B1. “Name of Love” (4:37)
B2. “Blue” (5:18)
B3. “Dream the Dream” (4:32)
B4. “Heaven’s Gate” (4:15)
B5. “Wreckless” (4:59)

Sessions occurred at The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire and Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, Netherlands with producer Nick Tauber and engineer Jon Jacobs. Steve Lyon assisted and Dave Wittman remixed select tracks.

Chrysalis promoted the album with “This Time,” released October 21, 1985, followed by “Night Run (US Remix)” on February 24, 1986.

Discography: