U.F.O.-Headstone

This is a U.K. import released in Europe and Japan but never in the U.S. I found this at the old Jupiter Records that moved to the Kirkwood highway. About three years ago I was visiting my brother-in-law who lives near there so I stopped in and found this. Released in 1983 after the band had broken up, hence the title and cover. It’s an interesting two record set with a gatefold cover. The inside of the cover has a U.F.O. family tree by Pete Frame. The first three sides have Songs from U.F.O.’s albums up to that point interspersed with songs by bands whose members were in U.F.O. at one time. For instance on side one there is a song by Whitesnake from their third album “Fool For Your Loving” which is different from the version released ten years later. Their guitarist Bernie Marsden was an early replacement for Mick Bolton before Michael Schenker joined. Of course there are songs by Scorpions and Michael Schenker Group. There is a good New Wave song by Wild Horses that I had never heard before. Their guitarist Neil Carter was a member of U.F.O. in the early 80’s. There are U.F.O. songs on here: “Doctor, Doctor”, “Rock Bottom”, “Shoot Shoot”, “Only You Can Rock Me” Lights Out”, from the live album, and others. Side four has five tracks recorded from a concert in April of ’83 just before the break-up. This line-up includes founding members Phil Mogg and Andy Parker plus Paul Chapman, and Neil Carter and a bass player. They sound good on these tracks with Paul Chapman playing some nice solos. Of course they re-formed 18 months later and carried on onto the 2010’s with Mogg, Parker, and Way usually in the band with former members like Michael Schenker coming and going and many others, last putting a record out in 2017. At the end of the decade Paul Chapman and Paul Raymond as well as Pete Way died. In 2022 Phil Mogg had a heart attack and was unable to perform putting an end to the band.

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