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:

1. The Writer
2. Somethin’ Else
3. Back Into My Life
4. You’ll Get Love
5. Doing It All For You
6. We Belong to the Night
7. Let it Rain
8. Terri
9. Feel It
10. Dreaming

UFO

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

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

 

Great Metal Albums of 1981: UFO- The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent

Like Riot, UFO were another band that I should have listened to back in the day but never did. While, Riot were always in my to do tray, UFO almost completely passed me by. I had heard of them but nothing more. It wasn’t until I came to Great Britain in 1986, that I finally listened to them thanks to a friend who had been listening to them for years. More unfortunate was the fact it wasn’t this damn fine 1981 album, “The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent” but due the the year, it was the material they had put out around the time.

Now that I have rectified that mistake, I feel slightly sick that this great album escaped my notice for so so many years. What’s not to like on it? The album starts with a very attention grabbing guitar riff and then blossoms into “Chains Chains,” a song that will be added to my ever growing list of great album opening tracks. “Long Gone” moves the album along very nicely and makes me want to bang my head (against a wall for missing out this album.) While some people may debate whether UFO should be considered “proper metal,” I must bring a little history into the debate. See, back then, even as early as 1981, there were some who were quick to label any music with a hard guitar riff, heavy metal and right or wrongly, UFO were put into the group. True, the next two tracks, I would consider to be more AOR sounding, but not really any less heavy. However, the three tracks after that, do stamp UFO’s heavy sound. I love how “Lonely Heart” where the combined title and intro sucks you in with the belief it’s going to be a ballad before ambushing you with some really heavy sounds and the guitar riffs in “Couldn’t Get it Right” are just sublime. The album finishes with a bit of irony. Any song called “Profession of Violence” would lead me to believe that it would play well to those in a mosh pit. Instead, it’s a very well played bluesy number with some impressive soloing. Well done lads, this album made a believer out of me.

Track Listing:

1. Chains Chains

2. Long Gone

3. The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent

4. It’s Killing Me

5. Making Moves

6. Lonely Heart

7. Couldn’t Get It Right

8. Profession of Violence

UFO

Phil Mogg- vocals

Paul Chapman- guitars

Neil Carter- keyboards, guitars, saxophone, vocals

Pete Way- bass

Andy Parker- drums

If like me, you let this album slip past you, do like me and listen to it straight away. If you do so on Youtube, you may have to search one track at a time but it’s worth it. “The Wild, The Willing and The Innocent” is a great album.

Next post: Motley Crue- Too Fast For Love

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London