Great Metal Albums of 1982: UFO- Mechanix
Confession time, when I posted about UFO’s “The Wild, The Willing and the Innocent” album nearly a year ago, I promised to listen to more of UFO. The fact is, I haven’t done so, not as much as I would have liked to. My admitted lameoid excuse is the fact that 2015 is in serious danger of being the year 80smetalman disappears up his own asshole. Work, family and other commitments like my hobby I get paid for doing, (I referee American football here in the UK) have made even posting twice a week difficult, though not impossible. Excuses aside and to quote a famous saying from the marines, “Excuses are like assholes, everyone’s got one and they all stink,” I did listen to the 1982 UFO “Mechanix” and that might go someway into making up for not listening to UFO more.
Everything I said on their 1981 “The Wild, The Willing and the Innocent” can be echoed with the “Mechanix” album. This album is another reason why I should kick myself for not listening to more UFO, (maybe I was a monk in a previous life on account of all the self harm I’m threatening myself with here.) The album just flat out rocks. UFO are definitely one tight band and that comes through with every song. The opener, “The Writer” is a great one to grab you and make you listen to it. The second track, “Somethin’ Else” provides the perfect bridge between the opener and the more softer, not too soft, third track, “Back Into My Life.” However, it is the fourth track, “You’ll Get Love” that really gets me going with that blistering guitar solo. Of all the solos on the album and there are many, this one stands out for me the most. Saying that, the solo on the next track, “Doing it all For You” isn’t bad either.
What strikes me as I listened to the album is the similarity in vocals between Phil Mogg and Sammy Hagar. Maybe it’s because I listened to a Sammy album last week but it just sounds like they sound alike, I don’t know. Anyway, there are some real rockers that follow on from “Doing it all For You.” Two really hard tracks in fact before things slow down a little with “Terri.” I emphasise the little here but it is the closest they come to a ballad. However, things pick up again and go out very nicely with the two final tracks. So with an album as great as “Mechanix,” I ask myself, “Why did I wait so long before listening to UFO?”
Track Listing:
- The Writer
- Somethin’ Else
- Back Into My Life
- You’ll Get Love
- Doing It All For You
- We Belong to the Night
- Let it Rain
- Terri
- Feel It
- Dreaming
Phil Mogg- vocals
Pete Way- bass
Paul Chapman- guitar
Neil Carter- guitar, keyboards, sax
Andy Parker- drums
This time, I will promise myself to not to wait until the next time I post a UFO album before I listen to these guys again. So far, the two albums I have listened to have been mind blowing and from what I heard, there is better to come.
Next post: Riot- Restless Breed
To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
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This entry was posted on August 26, 2015 at 8:41 pm and is filed under 1980s, Heavy Metal, Heavy Metal and the 1980s, Music, Rock, Uncategorized with tags British, Classic Rock, hard rock, Heavy Metal, Heavy Rock, Mechanix, Sammy Hagar, The 1980s, The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent, UFO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
8 Responses to “Great Metal Albums of 1982: UFO- Mechanix”
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August 26, 2015 at 9:04 pm
Really interesting, my own UFO collection finishes at Lights Out. I have picked this one up in shops and wondered if it was worth a punt.
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August 26, 2015 at 9:49 pm
Trust me, it is worth a punt.
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August 27, 2015 at 11:31 am
Mechanix is my fav studio UFO album….Doing It All For You is a great track…I actually reviewed this classic at my site……UFO were a great rock act….
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August 28, 2015 at 8:17 am
I thought they were all great tracks but that’s a good one. I’ll have to check out your review.
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August 27, 2015 at 6:38 pm
Great album and a real melodic rock classic in Let It Rain. Enjoyable review thank you.
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August 28, 2015 at 8:18 am
Thanks, I can’t fault a single track on this album.
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July 27, 2018 at 3:53 pm
I came to this album thinking schenker was on it. But this sound classic!
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July 27, 2018 at 6:54 pm
I was surprised that he wasn’t on it either when I first heard it but you’re right, sound classic.
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