UFO - a band that had long ago lost its Way

Is it now “Lights Out” for UFO? 

The band is on its Last Orders tour, and frontman Phil Mogg has stated that it is his intention to retire when this tour concludes.

For me, this comes not a moment too soon. It’s no secret to those who know me well that I’ve never been a big fan of guitarist Vinnie Moore in this band, though I’ve loved his work as a solo artist, and in other projects, but not in UFO.

For those who would like me to unpack that last comment, here you go.

It goes right back to what made me love UFO from the beginning. 

The beginning came for me in 1975 when I first heard the band’s first album with German guitar wizard Michael Schenker. The record artfully combined the melodic folk underpinnings of tracks such as “Crystal Light” and “Space Child” with the progressive hard rock guitar anthems “Rock Bottom” and “Queen of the Deep”, and the crushing beauty of “Doctor Doctor” sealed the deal for me.

I followed the band through another lineup with their No Heavy Petting album, which contained no big hits, but was still a consistant winner.

Then the band changed lineups again in 1976, and I’ll say this with the expectation that everyone sensible will agree, that this was the definitive “classic” lineup.

It was this lineup that I first saw on November 8, 1977 opening up for Aerosmith at the University of Dayton Arena. It was, to this day, one of the finest shows I’ve ever experienced. Here’s the setlist from that evening:

1. Lights Out
2. Gettin’ Ready
3. Love to Love
4. On with the Action
5. Doctor Doctor
6. Out in the Streets
7. This Kid’s
8. Shoot Shoot
9. Rock Bottom
10. Too Hot To Handle

Paul Raymond brought a certain class and polish that took the band to a new level. The dynamic between Michael Schenker and Raymond was exquisite. Raymond’s keyboards settled perfectly to Michael’s guitar work, his upside down, left handed guitar playing fit well with the German’s fiery stylings, and his voice was a near perfect match with Mogg’s making for sumptuous harmonies and fill ins.

Then we have the toxic twins, bassist/songwriter Pete Way and guitar god Michael Schenker.

A truly perverse combining that made beautiful music, but wasn’t meant to last.

I’ve sat beside Michael on a tour bus, and listened to him tell tales of hazing and unmerciful taunting from the band when he joined, mostly at the hands of Mogg and Way.

I’ll do no favors to anyone by belaboring with tales of old injustices, and debauchery, save to say that what made Columbia rich made UFO poor. By 1979 the classic era had ended.

UFO then made the task of soldiering on bravely an art form.

First came what is now known as “The Chapman Years.”

Guitarist Paul Chapman replaced Schenker, and the band leveraged past successes to carry them through five albums that each landed subsequently further down  the charts, though they remained strong in the UK. By 1983 this iteration had ran it’s whiskey and cocaine soaked course.

UFO was never a band that could hold its bad habits at bay, and every rock ‘n’ roll cliché came to haunt the band. The bad stories superceded the victories, and the band were relegated to being a second division stalwart, but well loved contender who never really made it to the big leagues.

UFO may be the greatest band in history who never achieved superstardom. 

But they didn’t. Much like Thin Lizzy, the legend was destroyed by the excesses, the personalities, and the inability of Schenker and Mogg to even be friends, let alone a Jagger/Richards portrait of achievement. Ah, for what could have been.

This all carries forward to this new millennium, and the band’s nearly twenty year final chapter.

Here’s where it gets weird for me, so that being said, I’ll ease into this gently.

I like guitarist Vinne Moore a lot, both as a musician and as a stand up, cool cat.

No question about it, I’ve enjoyed his work from his legendary 1987 debut with the great Mind’s Eye on Mike Varney’s shred label, Shrapnel, up to his brilliant performance on 2014’s Red Zone Rider, which saw him partnered up with vocalist Kelly Keeling. Eddie Trunk was right when he stated, “Red Zone Rider is one of the finest musical combinations to have come forth in a long, long time."

However, I’ve never for a minute though that he was the right player for UFO.

Whether live or track-by-track on record, his style never resonated with me in this band, and boy, did I ever try.

I saw more shows with Vinnie in the band than with any other guitarist, and my initial impression never changed.

This completely came to a head for me last week when I saw UFO play what to my ears was the worst I’ve ever heard from the band (not that their nostalgia soaked fans cared, they were quite satisfied), and with that in mind, I’m glad it’s about over.

I went to the show with only one stated intention.

I was going to hear my all time favorite rock vocalist sing just one more time.

I successfully completed my mission, but in spite of it all being a great experience, I can’t say that I enjoyed the show.

Now I’ll lay that out.

What did I like about it?

I liked that Phil Mogg remained quite pleasantly on point. He does what’s right for the music, and for his voice. He’s 71 years old, and he knows when to hold them and when to fold them. A rock vocalist who’s grown up gracefully.

Then there’s new/old guy Neil Carter. Neil came back into the fold, after serving in the band for five albums in the eighties, following the sad passing of Paul Raymond in April of this year, and if anyone could have saved my evening last Tiesday, it would have been Mr. Carter.

He played his parts with accuracy and aplomb, but it was his outstanding stage presence that alongside Andy Parker’s fierce drumkit pummeling that kept the evening somewhat on the rails. His classy stage strutting and insistent cheer leading were brilliant. If rock ‘n’ roll had a “Comeback of the Year Award,”

this year it should go to Neil Carter. His performance was that good.

Then there is the venue and their staff. Bogart’s has been serving Cincinnati rock shows since the mid-70s, and they are at the very top of any venues in their realm. Especially strong kudos must go to their VIP Experience manager, Hannah.

Hannah moved heaven and earth to make certain that myself and my guests had deluxe accommodations, and she made sure that we were thrilled by their efforts. We were. It’s tough to run a rock show; it’s a circus where the clowns have been drinking, and that’s never an easy thing to control. Hannah, and all of the staff at Bogart’s knocked the ball out of the park. We’ll be back soon, I’m sure.

Sadly, UFO will most likely not be. 

As to which I’ve alluded, this was musically the worst UFO show I’ve seen, and it came from trying to impose the figures of Vinnie Moore and bassist, Rob DeLuca over the legends of Mssrs. Schenker and Way, and again, to my ears it was a terrible fit.

I’ve nothing against reconfigured classic bands, as I’ve consistently championed bands such as Foreigner and Black Star Riders (who have succeeded in making excellent records in the shadow of the late, great Phil Lynott). The pieces just have to fit.

The American contingent of this iteration of my favorite band failed to move me. In spite of the fact that everyone was giving their best, to me, it often sounded like an under rehearsed train wreck.

For those who take issue with this assessment, I understand. I can empathize, but I cannot lie about what my ears revealed to my brain. Nostalgia is great until it clouds the judgment.

I’d love to hear some board tapes, so I could point out the huge rhythmic issues that I’ve heard creep into the bands sets over the last ten years, and if I’m honest and frank, I’ve never heard Vinnie Moore play a solo with the band in a live setting that in any way measured up to the Schenker legacy. Their styles in no way jibe.

And after a fleet of bass players following in the footsteps of the great Pete Way, it’s quite clear that without Pete Way, you just don’t have UFO. I tried. Repeatedly. But, it never worked, never once approached the true greatness of UFO’s legacy. (disclaimer: I loved the work Mogg did with “Atomik” Tommy McClendon and bassist Paul Grey, but I never considered it to be UFO.)

Mind you, there’s little profit in things like blame or finger pointing. This is a review that many will take issue with, but I’ve made my reputation by being explicitly honest in what I write. I’ve always been known as a journalist who kept it above the waist and positive, but I had to have my final say on this.

UFO is my favorite rock band, but the way this ended for me wasn’t memorable or joyful. For the first time, I left before the encores.

I was like the jack rabbit that was screwing the skunk. I hadn’t had all I wanted, but I’d had all I could take.

In spite of this seemingly ungracious review, I am thankful and grateful to Neil Carter (who I sure hope we’ve not seen the last of), the band, and Bogart’s (especially the incredible Hannah!) for the wonderful accommodations, and for so much. I am humbled, and I’ll see you all again.

Not the way I wished this had ended, but we can’t always get what we want.

UFO will forever remain my favorite rock band.