Ask any educated Classic Rock fan, and they will tell you that UFO is one of the most underrated bands of the last fifty years. While some have dubbed them one of the greatest Classic Hard Rock acts ever, and highly influential on the Heavy Metal scene that formed during the 1980s, the truth is the average person probably does not recognize UFO all too well. A head-scratcher, the band began all the way back in 1968 and sustained many changes through the years, but not without developing a sound that would influence everyone from Iron Maiden to even Pearl Jam. Defined by their melodic Heavy Rock sound, early on in UFO’s growth a very young Guitarist by the name of Michael Schenker helped launch them into another galaxy.
Out of Germany, Schenker had been playing with his elder brother Rudolf Schenker in the Scorpions, and ironically while the two bands were out on tour together, Michael Schenker was invited to be lead guitarist for UFO (taking over for the late Bernie Marsden). A big opportunity for Michael Schenker, who was only seventeen at the time, he would go on to remain a cornerstone of UFO from 1972 into 1978. Featured as the lead guitarist and co-writing on five of UFO’s most legendary records (from 1974’s Phenomenon to 1978’s Obsession), it is a time fans look back on with extreme fondness.
A long time ago, Michael Schenker still has not forgotten the UFO years; because he rejoined them on three separate occasions in the ‘90s and early 2000s. Also building a name for himself as a solo entity, no one can overlook his achievements with his own Michael Schenker Group, as well as Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock. In truth, he is one of the most influential Metal guitarists ever, and now in 2024, he revisits his roots with an album dedicated to his time with UFO.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of his debut recordings with UFO for Phenomenon, the new album is amply entitled My Years With UFO. Set for release on September 20th through earMUSIC, some may look at it as a tribute, others a reflection on a period in time, but all cannot deny that Michael Schenker is approaching it with the utmost energy possible. Consisting of eleven classic UFO songs that he recorded with the band, Schenker pretty much uncovers every highlight humanly possible.
As mentioned, done so with vigor, the other interesting wrinkle in these re-recorded songs is that Michael Schenker has assembled an all-star cast of musicians to bring each of them new life. In short, he brought on Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose, Helloween’s Kai Hansen, Europe’s Joey Tempest, Saxon’s Biff Byford, Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy, and Jeff Scott Soto currently of Art of Anarchy. Just a few of the names involved, you also have Deep Purple Bassist Roger Glover, Slash, Whitesnake Guitarist Joel Hoekstra, legendary Drummer Carmine Appice, and many more.
A list of names that would make any Rock-n-Roll lover’s mouth water, everyone seems to have a blast recording this album, and most of all, do not mail it in. Showing they are all also fans of the UFO material at hand, some of the coolest moments captured on the album include “Only You Can Rock Me” (with Joey Tempest and Roger Glover), “Doctor, Doctor” (with Joe Lynn Turner and Carmine Appice), “Love to Love” (with Axel Rose), “Lights Out” (with Jeff Scot Soto and Europe’s John Norum), as well as “Rock Bottom” (with Kai Hansen).
Again, only highlighting a select few to help raise awareness of how comprehensively this album goes into Michael Schenker’s UFO years, the arrangements are true to the originals, but also with some added flair that works exceptionally well. Michael Schenker lets his guitar chops shine through without overdoing it just for the sake of such, all while including some interesting new parts that make the listening experience that much more pleasurable. So, if you are a UFO fan, this album is a must-listen. However, if you are someone who only knows the name UFO merely based on some magazine article you read years ago, you can educate yourself with this album, and go backward from there. A truly exciting recollection of the past, Cryptic Rock gives Michael Schenker’s My Years With UFO 5 out of 5 stars.
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