Having recently released the third single from his upcoming release My Years With UFO, Michael Schenker has nicely built up huge anticipation for what is expected to be one of the hottest albums of the year. Produced by the man himself together with Michael Voss, the project marks the 50th anniversary of his UFO’s era, 1972 to 1978: the golden years of this British hard rock band who quickly became a worldwide legend. It is amazing what influence Michael Schenker’s time with UFO had on rock history though he only spent six years with them as a young songwriter and exceptional guitarist.
This release is the first of an exclusive three-album deal with earMUSIC, with more albums to follow in 2025 and 2026.
For this album, a myriad of world class musicians have come together to celebrate Michael Schenker and UFO. All you need to do is have a look through the tracklist and be amazed at the names. In addition to top vocalists, who we have here are also Roger Glover (Deep Purple) on bass, Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Brian Tichy on drums, Barry Sparks on bass, and some of the best guitar players on the rock scene: Slash, Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Foreigner, Night Ranger, currently Accept), Adrian Vandenberg (Whitesnake), John Norum (Europe).
The beautiful thing about this release is that the music created half a century ago, though remastered with present day equipment and technology, has its spirit and sound preserved, making it a fresh new interpretation which is also as authentic as it gets. The instrumental parts are performed with some freedom, enough to put the musicians’ own stamp on it, yet close to the originals, as if to remind us that UFO is not only about hit melodies, but musicians’ craftsmanship, too. It is the perfect way to contribute to the UFO legacy, but also giving room for display of perfection for this myriad of world-class instrumentalists (‘This Kids’, ‘Love to Love’, ‘Rock Bottom’, to name a few).
The vocal side of things is interesting as well. In some songs, it’s quite clear who the singers are, as they can’t help but make renowned classics their own (Joey Tempest), while others make you wonder, is it the original singer here, or has someone shapeshifted into their bodies (Biff Byford in ‘This Kids’ – but what’s new here, Saxon regularly cover UFO material in their setlists; H.E.A.T.’s Erik Grönwall in ‘Mother Mary’; Joe Lynn Turner in ‘Doctor Doctor’). It is amazing how all these talents showcase their versatility, being able to sing pretty much anything, at the same time preserving the authenticity of the original. It is interesting how singers like Joe Lynn Turner and Axl Rose, whose voices are normally instantly recognisable, sound so close to the original versions that you may even not realise it’s them on vocals.
There are also those songs you’ve heard over the years covered by so many other bands that at some point you’re bound to forget the original sound/singer, like ‘Light Out’ or ‘Rock Bottom’ – so Jeff Scott Soto’s and Gamma Ray’s Kai Hansen’s versions respectively are as good an interpretation as they could get.
The best way to enjoy this album is with volume ramped up to max, and a glass of something… but also imagining this live with all these legends on stage. Now, wouldn’t that be the concert of the century!
Track List:
1. Natural Thing feat. Dee Snider & Joel Hoekstra
2. Only You Can Rock Me feat. Joey Tempest & Roger Glover
3. Doctor Doctor feat. Joe Lynn Turner & Carmine Appice
4. Mother Mary feat. Slash & Erik Grönwall
5. This Kids feat. Biff Byford
6. Love to Love feat. Axl Rose
7. Lights Out feat. Jeff Scott Soto & John Norum
8. Rock Bottom feat. Kai Hansen
9. Too Hot To Handle feat. Joe Lynn Turner, Adrian Vandenberg & Carmen Appice
10. Let It Roll feat. Michael Voss
11. Shoot Shoot feat. Stephen Pearcy
