Big Ears
Music Lover
Force It had quite a clever title and cover, because in the UK we don't use the word 'faucet'.
U. F. O. (Official Thread)
- Thread starter METALPRIEST
- Start date
^^That was one of their better album covers...but still for such a great band it's a shame the artwork wasn't a higher caliber. I can get almost all their best albums from a vinyl store I found online...but that will be down the road a bit.
Big Ears
Music Lover
Many of the early Hipgnosis covers were made on a shoestring and UFO would've had a small budget. Their first two albums on Island/Chrysalis, Force It and Phenomenon, were released almost before anybody noticed. Even at the time of No Heavy Petting, the New Musical Express described reaction to the band in the UK as 'apathetic' and that they were trying to make 'inroads' in the US. UFO were really a cult band in the early or mid-seventies, as they had followers at gigs, on the back of little or no airplay and minimal publicity. Tracks like Rock Bottom and Doctor Doctor became underground hits almost by word of mouth and of course relentless touring around the small clubs. It's hard to believe now, but rock fans saw UFO before they had heard anything by them.
^^I bought "Strangers in the Night" one day because it was playing in the record store when I was doing my weekly shopping trip. I'd never heard of them before but after listening to side 1 completely I bought my copy.
The clerk told me she loved UFO, and it was too bad more people didn't know about them. Over the years they did manage to get quite a few fans over here and had a very good reputation for their live concerts.
To this day that live double album is my favorite, one of the few bands that I like the live record better than the studio releases.
Oh and I got a brand new Audiophile vinyl copy last week...haven't had time to sit back and play it yet though...have to have a couple cold beers to really put me in the mood.
The clerk told me she loved UFO, and it was too bad more people didn't know about them. Over the years they did manage to get quite a few fans over here and had a very good reputation for their live concerts.
To this day that live double album is my favorite, one of the few bands that I like the live record better than the studio releases.
Oh and I got a brand new Audiophile vinyl copy last week...haven't had time to sit back and play it yet though...have to have a couple cold beers to really put me in the mood.
DaKillerWolf
Cosmic Time Warp Warrior
UFO were actually pretty popular here in the US during the 70's. I remember my Uncle my older brother and most of their co-arts were really into them and had most their Schenker era albums ( where I originally heard them as a youngin ).
They weren't a mainstream band but then a lot of the really great bands never are, IMO.
They weren't a mainstream band but then a lot of the really great bands never are, IMO.
Nololob
Long Live Wock 'n' Woll
Found this picture of the third UFO line-up with Bernie Marsden. 
He hasn't changed a bit over the 70s.
He hasn't changed a bit over the 70s.
METALPRIEST
Senior Member
I've always liked Phenomenon myself MP, where do you rate Lights Out on your UFO list?
I have to say though, their cover art is terrible, one of those bands who's music Inside the jackets deserved a little more creative effort on the packaging.
I know it sounds funny, but I actually think the cover of "Stranger's In The Night" is the best of them as far as UFO goes, and it got nothing but stick from people as one of Hipgnosis's worst covers.
Are you kidding???
Oh man do I LOVE that album. Spun the disc the other day. Like Jailbreak for Thin Lizzy, Lights Out is one of those, "If you only own one OWN THIS" type of records.
Like having Born To Run and nothing else. It's a smooth album front to back. Lots of epic melodies...real dark epic metal moments. Killer cover of LOVE's Alone Again Or. I could go on and on all day.
When you put it on...it's over in a snap. Smooth listen. I like what UFO does today, but I wish they moved a bit more into the more epic areas...use of strings...get a melodic ballad happening again.
But I don't see this happening without Shenker or Way.
As far as the covers? I also like Strangers In The Night. It's always appealed to me and just thinking about it takes me back to a cool time in the 70's. But I thought Lights Out was kinda cool...loved the back cover. I did like Obsession too. There was something wild about that one.
Maybe it's the memories these covers convey today. Who knows.
DaKillerWolf
Cosmic Time Warp Warrior
I like UFO's album covers ..all but Strangers in the Night which is horrible
I especially like Phenomenon and No Heavy Pettings art work.
I especially like Phenomenon and No Heavy Pettings art work.
This is spot on. Most of the people who played heavy music knew who they were and likely had one or two songs in their set but virtually everyone else was near oblivious to them. I didn't get to see them until the early 90s when Shenker made a brief appearance. Even being a fan I wasn't expecting much from a group of geezers who hadn't played together as a band in some years but I was absolutely surprised by the kick ass energy and faithfullness to their sound. It was a small club they were playing in but they pulled out all the stops and totally rocked the place to it's foundation.
One of the best live shows I ever saw and I tend to like live music far more than studio cuts.
