If you have read other articles on my blog; you probably know that I'm quite the Mick Bolton fan. What I was wondering is if anyone knows what is going on with him? When I search his name on the Internet; all I can find is the bands he played in during the seventies. I want to know if he is up to anything now, and if not then what's up? I think he was and is an amazing guitar player, and I bet many others are wondering what is up with him. If you know anything, then please feel free to comment on this article.
Ryan, Mick Bolton quit professional guitar playing after leaving UFO in early 1972 and only played in local North London pub bands after that. I believe he married Andy Parker's sister and "settled down". I heard he did some guitar tech work on an 1980s UFO tour but nothing else in the music business at all, which is a shame. But, when you think how dated his style was by then it's not surprising - Phil and Pete were dis-owning those Beacon albums for decades afterwards, even though with the passage of time they now at least sound interesting! I always loved that stuff personally but it really was a hell of a stretch from Long Gone to Treacle People in those days...Mind-blowing. I'd guess the reason Phil is dabbling with Boogie for George again now is that it kind of suits his more bluesy voice tones, as he's getting (a lot) older.
ReplyDeleteThere is some misinformation on the Web about another guitar player called Mick Bolton who played briefly in Mott the Hoople but that is Definitely Not the same man. And as for Michael Bolton The Pop Star, don't even go there! Hope that helps - you've got great taste in music!
Thanks for all of the info that helped a lot. I'm so happy that he's not Michael Bolton;) that guy sucks.
DeleteThe second UFO album Flying is the best UFO record, records with Schenker are good but a standard hard rock only... UFO with Bolton played original space rock.
DeleteThat's my favorite Bolton record. I still have Lights Out as my favorite. But that's a great pick for your favorite
DeleteThanks Dave, trying for a while to find out about Bolton. UFO2 is still one of my favored since it came out. Bolton brought a nice, spine-tingling Dark Side into Flying. Its a shame Bolton got out of it. - Ron
DeleteI love ufo haha and all the old bits too.Not just schenker's era. But my favourite album has to be No heavy petting. I dont know why it was pretty kick ass album for me. and well their very first album too :)
DeleteRe: guitar player called Mick Bolton who played briefly in Mott the Hoople but that is Definitely Not the same man.
DeleteAre you sure you aren't thinking of former Spiders From Mars guitarist Mick Ronson, the last guitar player in Mott The Hoople before Ian Hunter split? I never heard of another Mick in the band, unless it was very early, pre-Mick Raplhs (later of Bad Company).
According to the UK tour programme from 1982, Mick Bolton was also "Guitar Tech" on MSG's Assault Attack tour.
DeleteI always thought it was the same Mick Bolton. Good to know. The other one played with Mott the Hoople and Dexys Midnight Runners and also with Linda McCartney I believe.
Deletewow . Thanks . I guess hearing your playing is dated so often was enough to make him give up the business. :( so sad . I like his playing and think he could find a market in this day and age of the internet and multimedia if he's still alive. :)
DeleteThe Mick Bolton who played in Mott the Hoople was a keyboards player.
Deletethe mick bolton that played with mott the hoople and Dexys was a keyboardist not a guitarist. and he recently passed. https://bestclassicbands.com/mick-bolton-keyboardist-obituary-mott-the-hoople-dexys-1-1-21/
DeleteRyan, I was wondering where you got that unusual photograph of Mick Bolton? Images of MK1 UFO and Mick are pretty rare and I've never seen that one before, ever. To be honest I'm not 100% sure it's him but, if it is, it's a very rare picture and perhaps there's more where that came from. If you don't mind me asking - how did you come by it?
ReplyDeleteFound it while doing some research on the internet. I tried for a while to get some info and this was one of the few pics I found of him
DeleteHello, I just wanted to let you know that the picture you have for your blog intro is not Mick Bolton. That's Pete Way. It's part of a UFO single. Cheers!
DeleteLate, but maybe not too late. You might find this photograph on the cover of the first live album.
Delete...and it is definitely not Pete...
DeleteRyan, your photograph here was bugging me, so I looked for information on the other Mick Bolton who played in Mott the Hoople and that's a picture of him! He's got his own website and his biography makes it clear that he's a keyboard player and he never had anything to do with UFO... That's so weird - not only does he have the same name, he's the same age, same nationality, played at the same time, and looks so much like Mick Bolton from UFO it's hard to tell the difference! But it ain't him. This coincidence has probably been confusing the hell out of people for years!
ReplyDeleteOh wow that's my mistake I will fix it. That's very weird how close they are.
DeleteRyan, I wondered if you know about this site - http://www.boogie-for-george.com
ReplyDeleteThere's some very rare Mk1 pictures and info I've never seen before: did you know there was a bootleg of a full UFO rehearsal from 1971?! t never knew a German band called Gravestone did a cover of Flying in 1979? That's an amazing website.
Thank you so much for the link, I will check it out.
DeleteI did not know that info that's so cool.
I'm afraid that site is gone now.
DeleteTHIS PIC IS ORIGINAL. IS MICK BOLTON. THE PIC IS FROM THE SINGLE OF PRINCE KAJUKU/COMING OF PRINCE KAJUKU
ReplyDeletehttp://pictures2.todocoleccion.net/tc/2013/02/26/IMG_0092.JPG
UFO with Mick Bolton were VERY special. I still love Mick's guitar work and his influence to the Band's music. When Mick Bolton left UFO the band started to play boring mainstream rock.
ReplyDeleteI like a lot of the band's eras, but I will say mick was amazing!
DeleteMick's style was outdated, that's why he left and UFO hired Schenker who's style was a heavier and harder sound, the man who brought us UFO classics such as "Rock Bottom" and " Doctor Doctor " yet that's boring mainstream rock?
DeleteRock Bottom is not boring mainstream rock. Mick Bolton was the Jar Jar Binks of UFO. (I'm totally kidding... I love Flying... but I also recognize things change and while it would have been interesting to hear how UFO would have progressed, it's pointless to speculate.)
ReplyDeleteBasically all of the early eras were amazing. I love bolton, I love Schenker, I love chapman, etc. They're all great.
DeleteI know mick Bolton and he is married again, 3 lovely daughters, l don't believe he plays any more although h was good mates with a guy called Steve Casey who l with was a session guitarist and supported UFO in the states. Long time ago. He is alive and kicking and lives in Hertfordshire.
DeleteI always hear people downing the band's original sound with Bolton. I love it! Bolton was awesome. IMHO
ReplyDeleteI have read a few times that some consider Mick's guitar work as dated, and i find that strange considering that those early albums fit right next to a majority of the rock albums from the early 70's. A specially if you are comparing those early UFO LP's to other space (Dare i say) stoner rock stuff from that time. As a guitar player i have a massive appreciation for Bolton as i do for Du Cann (Atomic Rooster) and other great players of there time that have now faded into obscurity. I listen to Mick if i want the trip and Schenker if i want the chug (Metal). Its awesome that there are other people out there that appreciate Mick for his contribution and it is a huge shame that he is not carrying the torch any more. Cheers all
ReplyDeleteMick was in a band with Dennis Willcock from Iron Maiden
ReplyDeletedo you know the name of that band
That IS Mick Bolton's pic. See early albums.
ReplyDeleteI prefer UFO with Bolton on guitar. Schenker was great, but to my taste they sounded better with Bolton. Does anybody know where the following concert can be found: 1971-02-22-Marquee Club, London?
ReplyDeleteMick Bolton IS God !
ReplyDeleteI happen to like both era's of UFO with Mick Bolton & Michael Schenker...
ReplyDeleteMick Bolton is singing at Oliver Swann in The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells on the evening of 01/12/16. G
ReplyDelete^ True, or nonsense?
DeleteAlready listening the "one hour space rock" and was wondering what happened to Mick...so I ended here :-) UFO2 was THE guitar teacher in that time...its like the voice of Phill, it sounds all totally easy, but when you try to play or sing it, you will find out its not. Thats the magic secret of UFO.
ReplyDeleteI love almost all line ups of UFO and their records, maybe it was a must Mick just made 3 albums to let them become cult. Especially UFO2 and the Live album. It is so different from Michael. Mick was almost just improvisation, while Micheal almost never did any.
I love live improvisation, it makes every concert unique!
Keep on rocking guys and thanks for this great site.
Greetings from Berlin.
Schenker improvised almost every solo and also rythm parts, he did then and he still does it now.
DeleteMicheal is my hero, but I think he is getting credit for some of Mick's fantastic stuff I just watched the gig mentioned above with Mick, he is an awesome player given the year it was.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. Michael and Paul are my favorites, but Mick really had a great style. He was simple, but he knew the right moves for different songs. And he could really bring out an amazing solo. Just look at Flying, and you'll see his playing is deservedly up there with other musicians from the era.
DeleteEarly ufo is quality. Like judus preist its full of energy and light and shade. If you dont rate mick bolten youre not listening properly. As with kossof and clapton technique is no substitute for feeling. Look at stevie ray vaughn.. ripping off albert king but so unoriginal. Mick bolton had great phrasing. Brish rock to the world....
ReplyDeleteEarly ufo is quality. Like judus preist its full of energy and light and shade. If you dont rate mick bolten youre not listening properly. As with kossof and clapton technique is no substitute for feeling. Look at stevie ray vaughn.. ripping off albert king but so unoriginal. Mick bolton had great phrasing. Brish rock to the world....
ReplyDeletemick bolton when i knew him lived in ware in hertfordshire i knew him fairly well he was then married to a jane gaskell(not sure about kids)whose brother i shared a flat with this is 1984 -1995 after that i moved to cornwall and lost touch with everyone that i had previously known,hope this helps
ReplyDeleteI was bien in 1971.
ReplyDeleteUfo 2 has oppened Space vortex un that Time. I would liké to know where is Mike to ear some more création stuff that take m'y Mike far away over thé galaxy.I Guess he has Been blowed through à Space Time Gate he oppened while playing his Sound. Thé best I 've ever heard. Thank you Mike for still warming m'y Heart rachat Time I listen you
Does anyone know where I can find the bootleg of a full UFO rehearsal from 1971, I would love to listen to that.
ReplyDeleteI am looking for this bootleg Have you find it ?
ReplyDeleteMichael Schenker is playing at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee in May. Best original hard rock guitarist ever!
ReplyDeleteRyan,
ReplyDeleteI'm from the woodstock generation, the one that met the best guitarists of all time, were many, many of them. Hendrix, Bloonfield, Gallagher, Lee, Clapton, Bolin, Simmonds, Winter, Beck, Garcia, Guy, Taylor, McKenna, Kossof, Kaukonen, Duane, Mc Carty, Blackmore, Page, and more. But without a doubt, Bolton is on my list of the best.
Just as you have searched where and if he has played guitar, I never found anything. It was a short and valiant apparition. I keep looking, it's worth listening to this guy play.
Any news and just talk. Appreciate.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHey, do you guys know that there's a Facebook group for all of us who love the first and best version of the band Ufo? Please check it out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/185600884560/
ReplyDeletePiping in to say Michael Bolton is a rocker turned soul singer, not pop, not horrible either. He played with Bruce Kulick and played guitar in 1983-4. Mick lost his Visa on tour with UFO and that happened to be a shared bill with Scorpions so Schenker and their gear were borrowed on that fateful night
ReplyDeletehttp://ufo-england.com/category/bootlegs-bolton-wallis-mardsen-70-73/Je
ReplyDeleteDziwne, że Nicka Boltona nie ma nawet na angielskiej wikipedii. UFO ma fanów, stare UFO też ma fanów i nikt nie może napisać kilku słów...
ReplyDeleteAnyone know how Mick gets the guitar tone he had in ufo 1 and 2???
ReplyDeleteWho knows what guitar effects Bolton used on Live (in Tokyo) album. One of the best (space) rock guitar sound ever. I am trying almost 50 years to find that information. So if somebody know I will be gratefull.
ReplyDeleteLove Space Metal, I often wonder if Planet Rock would play a 26 minute track on their long player program
ReplyDeleteMick Bolton didnt know how good he was. Theres a great bluesy attacking style. Similar to Kossoff but more driving with great bass and drumming. Having an individual sound is a gift. He was not another dull poser metal guitarist. So many unique British guitarists of which he was one. Glad u did 3 albums.
ReplyDeleteI met Mick Bolton working a Schenker gig in Belfast Ulster Hall, 1983, Built to Destroy tour.
ReplyDeleteHe was guitar tech for Derek St Holmes. Ted~
Mike shone for a moment in this dark world and left
ReplyDeleteIn 1973, just before the UFO concert in Germany, Mick Bolton left the band. The group had taken their guitar equipment from the Scorpion group. This is where Michael Schenket comes in
ReplyDeleteHere is an UFO appearence at German TV in 1971 featuring Mick Bolton at guitar:
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/947-wxT1_CY
My mother used to work with an ex-pro musician called Mick, who I'm sure she said talked about his days in UFO, so probably the same guy.
ReplyDeleteThis was at Fujitsu, so his name might pop up in the upcoming inquiry into the Horizon scandal, as his work there touched on that area of the business.