Updated Review of Lights Out

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I have been working on a new YouTube channel called Ryan’s Vinyl Destination, which has been going pretty well so far. As I’ve been collecting more vinyl, I have been replacing all of my UFO albums for record copies.

In the last couple weeks I have been especially lucky to find copies of Force It, Flying, Lights Out, and Phenomenon. I also have copies of No Heavy Petting and Wild the Willing and the Innocent. I made sure to do a review of Lights Out on my channel, because it is still one of my favorite albums by who may still be my favorite band(alongside Yes). I wanted to share the review with you, since my old one is pretty dated at this point. Let me know what you think, and make sure to tune in tomorrow too when I post my review of Phenomenon. 

Also, make sure to subscribe to my channel. I plan on doing a ton more UFO content, and also a bunch of rankings and review of rock, metal, prog and jazz music! The link to the Lights Out review is below, and you can subscribe from there. 

Cheers!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fzX56fHPqHw&t=39s

New Blog

Hi Guys! Just wanted to let you all know about a new blog I am putting together. It is titled Viva Las Vinyl. It is a site where I will review vinyl of all genres. Definitely expect to see updated reviews on UFO albums, because I have been listening to them a bunch. I hope that you all check out the site and enjoy it as it develops. The link is featured below! 

Keep rocking,

Ryan

Link: Viva Las Vinyl

A Treasure I Found Yesterday

Hi everyone,

As you know, I have not posted in a long time, but this return is very necessary. Yesterday I was at a book store in Kent, and they had a lot of vinyls. I looked around for albums by some of my favorite bands like The Doors, and I figured I would give it a shot with finding something by UFO. I didn't expect them to have anything, because most stores don't, but to my luck, I found this.....

I was so excited to find this copy of Obsession, because it is definitely in my top two(if not my favorite) UFO albums. It sounds better than ever on vinyl, and it is my first in this format by the band. To make matters even better, this 1978 copy only cost me $5.00. I can't explain how much of a steal this was, and I am definitely going to look for more records there in the future.

What I Heard on the Radio....

In my years of living, the only UFO song I had heard on the radio before yesterday was " Lights Out" twice. Yesterday though, my mind was blown as "Too Hot To Handle" played on the Bob and Tom show. I thought this was really awesome, because it was exposure to the band that could make new fans, and I saw it as a possibility to get more of the band on the radio.

My Favorite Track From "Phenomenon"

Today I revisited the album "Phenomenon," and I felt so refreshed and pleased to listen to it. There are so many great songs, whether they're rocking, or pure beauty.  It is very hard to pick which song is the best, because there isn't a bad song at all. If I had to choose, my pick would be "Queen of the Deep." While it doesn't have the same familiarity of "Rock Bottom" and "Doctor Doctor," there is such an epic heaviness to the song, and it really sets itself apart from everything else.  The guitar riff is so perfect, because it rips out your brains with its grittiness, and Phil Mogg's voice is so aggressive and emotional.  Overall I just see this song as the masterpiece of the album, and it surprises me that it wasn't more famous. 

My ranking of songs from least to greatest on this album would be:

1. Queen of the Deep

2. Lipstick Traces

3. Doctor Doctor

4. Rock Bottom

5. Built For Comfort

6. Too Young To Know

7. Space Child

8. Crystal Light

9. Time on My Hands

10. Oh My

What is your favorite song from "Phenomenon?"

Underrated Gem #16: Call My Name

For my latest "Underrated Gem," I will be writing about my personal favorite song from "Making Contact."  "Call My Name" is a very beautiful ballad with a catchy melody, and a fantastic vocal performance by Phil. I just recently got a whole different appreciation for the song, when I gave the album a little more of an open mind. The result of this was that this song gave me an emotional connection that's really special.  I also really like the keyboards, because they give the feeling of a church organ.  Paul's guitar riff is also cool, because it's a chugging type of composition, and it really pushes the song along. 

Definitely check this great song out, because it is very well done, and it's one of the best from their 80's decade. What does everyone else think of this song?

A Very UFO Day...

When I woke up today, I felt very in the mood for UFO.  The moment I got onto the bus, I put some jams on by the band. I was very surprised to hear how refreshing some of the songs were. I really forgot how brutally rocking "The Writer" is, with its killer riff, and ripping vocals by the one and only.  I forgot how energetic "Out In The Street" makes me, with its soft start, that turns into a very ballistic uproar of rock and roll.  Today for the first time, "Wonderland" truly shocked me, because I had forgotten how thrashy the guitar was in it. In this song in particular, I was also so impressed by how well the band sounded together. Right now as I write, I'm sitting back and relaxing tothe beautiful ballad "Terri," which has a melody so divine that it feels too good to be true. There are so many great songs from the band's body of work, and today really reminded me that they're one of the best hard rock bands ever.

Have you listened to any interesting songs by the band today?

NEW UFO ALBUM ON THE WAY!

I have been very proud to find out that in March, UFO's new album "A CONSPIRACY OF THE STARS" will be released in America. It is a twelve track album, and it has Phil Mogg(vocals), Andy Parker(Drums), Vinnie Moore(Guitar), Paul Raymond(Keyboard and Guitar), and Rob DeLuca(Bass). I am very excited to listen to this album, and I'm also hoping that the huge tour for the album comes close to home. 

Something That I Stand By Forever

Being UFO's members are getting up there in age, I thought of the fact that members may retire soon. Honestly most of the band could get away with having a replacement, but the one person that could never be changed is Phil Mogg.  There is not a singer in our world that could ever hold a candle to his music, and it would be disrespectful for anyone to try to take his place. He is such a distinct musician, and along with having a voice like no other, he is also the backbone of the band's creative force. Many people have come and go, but in the 47 plus years the band has been around, Phil has been at every concert, every album, and every function for the band. If he wasn't around anymore, then there would be no band. 

I really hope we can get more time from UFO, because they are one of the greatest bands ever. They have great albums, great live performances, and a great place in my memories.  Do you think anyone could ever replace Phil Mogg?

As I've Been Listening Lately....

So I've been listening to quite a bit of ufo in the past few weeks, and of course they are amazing. But honestly I noticed something for the first time recently. I think that Phul Mogg's voice might've been at its peak during the Paul Chapman era. He was great all of the time, but you hear a different maturity in his voice during these years.  One of the songs that really show this is "Lonely Heart," because he was very smooth and didn't seem to strain his voice from what I heard. Another great example is "Lettin Go," because he could really rock it out hard without going too hard on his voice. What do you all think?

Any Fans Of Horror Films?

Hi guys,
I just wanted to give you all the opportunity to look at my other(and better) website. It is called Slasher Movies Uncovered. On this website, I take horror films, and I review and analyze them. So far, this site has been a huge hit, with acclaim coming from all over the place. I highly recommend checking it out, because it can help you find some great new movies to watch.

There are many ways you can check it out. First way, look at the blogs I follow and click on Slasher Movies Uncovered.  The second way is to go on facebook and like Slasher Movies Uncovered. This way is convenient because you will see a link to every new article on my page.  The last way is to follow slasher_movies_uncovered on Instagram.  This way is also extremely convenient, because you will see a movie poster of every review I do, and then you just have to click on the link of my bio to take a look.

I really hope you guys check this site out, because I think you will enjoy it greatly. Thanks.
Ryan

Push It's Love

i was listening to this song on the bus this mornings, and God does it rock. This song has fantastic bass, drums, vocals, guitar, etc.  It is also super catchy.  Definitely check it out, because it is one of the catchiest songs from the 80's era. It will not disappoint.

Why Didn't UFO Get More Radio AirPlay?

i really don't get why UFO wasn't on the radio more. They had everything that was needed to be popular.  Catchy riffs, great lyrics, fantastic vocals, and just awesome songs.  Songs like "Lonely Heart," "Lights Out," "We Belong To The Night," "Let It Rain," "Let It Roll," "Love To Love," etc should've been huge hits of their time, because they were higher quality pop-rock songs than a lot at the time.  Any ideas of why they weren't popular?

I'm A Loser(Strangers in the Night)

Today I was on the bus, and I was listening to ufo, but the one song that really struck me was "I'm A Loser."  I originally liked the studio version more, but today I got a whole new perspective on this version.  It is stocked with so much energy, and the sound is amazing.  Even though the instrumentation is different, it has a great tone, and it's still respecting the original.  The guitar solo is just amazing in this version is just mindblowing; with Schenker just shredding every last note he had.  Do you like this or the studio better?

Best and Worst Covers of UFO songs

In my opinion, the best cover of a UFO song is Europe's version of "Love To Love."  This is one of the few covers of UFO that I find worthy at all.  The band stayed very true to the song, and they played everything spot on. I was never a fan of Europe to be honest, but this cover gave me a lot of respect for them.

Runner up for best would be "Lights Out" by Ratt. Ratt was one of the best bands in their heyday, and they really kicked butt with this cover. They even got Michael to play. While Steven isn't exactly like Phil, he stayed true to the song, and did a great job.

Now the worst can be a list, because I've heard a lot of bad UFO covers.
1. Rock Bottom by Tesla- music sounded good, but the vocals are awful in every sense of the word, and they completely ruined everything.
2. Love To Love by Zwan- If this song wasn't a cover, I would like it a lot, because it's honestly not bad, but when I look at it and know that the band was covering my favorite UFO song ever, and the only thing that is like it is the lyrics, then I was disappointed. They turned it into a piano driven melancholy song, and while the music is nice, they completely butchered it as a UFO cover, by completely skipping the intro and guitar solos.
3. Lights Out by Stryper- Hate the band, and hate the cover of this song. I don't feel like they did any justice to it at all. They made it all modernized, and the lyrics sound like crap.

Any other opinions for the best or worst covers of UFO songs? Feel free to share them in a comment.

What I listened to this morning

this morning "Lookin Out For No. 1" came on, and it was such a great listen. That solos is one of the best.  Such a great song one of my favorites ever.  Phil's voice is so amazing too

She didn't just go there(laughs)

my girlfriend just said no one knows ufo, and I said explain the near 15,000 views on my site.

14000 views!!!!

Wow! I can't believe the blog has actually hit 14000 views. Thank you to all of my viewers for being so supportive. You guys are truly awesome. Even more than just popularity reasons, it's great to see such an awesome fan base for such an amazing band.  Thank you guys.

That Moment.....

so it'd been a little while since the last time I've listened to ufo.  I've been exploring a lot of other bands lately, so it had been some time, but the other day, lonely heart came on my shuffle, and it was so amazing to hear it.  Such a fantastic song.  It is really one of the best songs ever.  And then I listened to Love To Love.  The guitar solo was just bringing back so many good memories. It is probably still to this day my favorite solo ever.  Ufo is the real deal. They always have been.  Even if they aren't my number one, they will always be a special part of my musical history, and they will forever be noted for writing some of the best songs ever.

Update on Pete Way!

I just thought I'd let you all know that the great Pete Way is now cancer free!  Thank god.  Now there's a better chance of new music from him.  So happy to hear that things went well for him.