| | U F O Phenomenon CD - Import U F O Discography of CDs
 (4 Customer Reviews)
Up until their 1974 album, PHENOMENON, England's UFO had issued several albums that did little to expand their cult fan base at home, let alone worldwide. But through an early-'70s tour with German metallists the Scorpions, they finally found the missing piece to the puzzle--guitar wizard Michael Schenker. UFO convinced Schenker to leave the Scorpions (which wasn't an easy task, since his older brother Rudolf was a member), and their '74 release sounds like a band reborn.
Schenker's stellar playing seems to have lit a fire under the compositions, many of which rank amongst UFO's all-time best--namely the soon-to-be live show-stoppers "Doctor Doctor," and "Rock Bottom" (as evidenced on UFO's classic STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT live set). PHENOMENON set the stage perfectly for such future hit UFO releases as LIGHTS OUT and OBSESSION.
Guitarist Michael Schenker's impact upon UFO's career cannot be overestimated. Before the German teenager's arrival (he was only 19 when he jumped ship from the Scorpions), the British rockers' early albums of half-baked space rock had been completely ignored everywhere but Japan. But with Schenker on board, the group's sound would receive a well-needed attitude injection, veering toward the Anglo-hard rock style that would make them famous. That is not to say that their first collaboration, Phenomenon, was an instant home run. Quite the contrary, as the band seemed a tad wary of giving Schenker's more aggressive style complete freedom to roam, reining in the budding guitar hero just enough to stunt the impact of promising rockers like "Oh My and "Too Young to Know." Likewise, "Time on My Hands" and "Crystal Light" are bogged down in excessive acoustic guitars, while "Space Child" shows glimpses of their failed space rock past. And one need only look at standout track "Doctor Doctor" for further proof of the group's uncertainties. Later a mandatory concert staple, and still beloved as one of the fans favorite songs, the original version featured here doesn't even have what you'd call finished lyrics, and packs none of the fire eventually immortalized by the absolute monster performance captured on 1979's Strangers in the Night. In fact, the only moment in which Phenomenon truly ignites is during the positively scorching "Rock Bottom," already a Schenker tour de force even here. Ultimately, Phenomenon amply manages to hold its own, but only hints at what was still to come. [The 2007 reissue adds a non-LP single ("Give Her the Gun"/"Sweet Little Thing"), a previously unreleased track ("Sixteen"), a live version of "Doctor, Doctor" and two demos produced by Dave Edmunds.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia
2008 digitally remastered and expanded edition of this classic album featuring six bonus tracks. UFO are the hard-edged British Rock band formed by Pete Way, Phil Mogg and Andy Parker joined by guitar great Michael Schenker. 1974's Phenomenon was the band's third release and the first to feature Schenker. It also remains one of their most successful releases to date. Bonus tracks include two demos produced by Dave Edmunds ('Sixteen' and 'Oh My'), two German-only single sides ('Giver Her The Gun' and 'Sweet Little Thing') one unreleased studio track ('Sixteen') and a BBC1 Live recording of 'Doctor Doctor'. EMI.
Recorded at Morgan Studios, London, England.
UFO: Phil Mogg (vocals); Michael Schenker (guitar); Pete Way (bass); Andy Parker (drums).
Personnel: Phil Mogg (vocals); Michael Schenker (guitar).
Audio Mixer: Peter Mew.
Audio Remasterer: Peter Mew.
Liner Note Author: Neil Jeffries.
Recording information: Morgan Studios, North London, England; The Golders Green Hippodrome, London, England.
Photographer: Hipgnosis [Design Group].Q (3/95, p.122) - 3 Stars - Good - "...The mix gives Mogg the limelight with Schenker riding free on a barrage of thrusting salvos....[PHENOMENON] cut[s] a fine, upbeat swagger, central to everything that was anathema to the arrival of punk rock..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.121) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Schenker was a new, modern guitar hero whose crunching riffs and clean solos reinvented UFO as a cutting-edge hard rock act."
Record Collector (magazine) (p.96) - 4 stars out of 5 -- [C]atchy, riff-laden rockers topped off with Phil Mogg's bluesy howl and Schenker's searing guitar wizardry." Phenomenon Music Review Average Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)   1st ufo album with schenker!!!remastered at last!!!
phenomenon!!is the first album that ufo as band began their ascent. largely because michael schenker was recruited from the scorpions! his amazing guitar work and song crafting, along with phil mogg and pete way influences began to propel this band upwards.this album began to establish ufo as top notch rock band!!for the next 5 albums to follow ufo got more brilliant!!get this album soon!
Submitted by pauly in chi town! (u.s.a!)
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Phenomenon
This a good solid album that set the pace for Schenker, Mogg, Way and Parker in the 70's. Some of the trademark UFO sound can be heard here. The unreleased studio track and demos make it all that more enjoyable!
Submitted by Moondog303 (FL, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  Coulda Been Huge
These guys coulda been one of the biggest rock bands ever (alas...). "Rock Bottom" is a "Free Bird"-like classic. Love the way Schenker jams on "Oh My". It's great to see these early UFO albums (finally) released.
Submitted by Richie (NORCAL)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 2 of 49 found this helpful.
album that lit the fire
With the addition of Michael Schenker as lead UFO climbed very close to the top of the rock pile.
This album set the stage for one of the best Live rock albums of all time "Strangers in the Night."
While a decent studio band UFO really came into their own on stage. Deffinately worth getting again!
Submitted by Tricks (Nebraska)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No 1 of 49 found this helpful. | Have you heard this album? |  |
Purchase Phenomenon CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | U F O Force It CD (1975) (Import) Remastered; United Kingdom
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Starz' sophomore album, Violation, was quite similar to its predecessor. Jack Douglas was still the band's producer, and Starz continued to favor the type of slick, commercial hard rock that would be called pop-metal in the '80s and early '90s. This 1977 LP didn't establish Starz as major players in the pop-metal field; the New Yorkers did have a small following, although not a huge one. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable record. It doesn't contain any pop-metal masterpieces like Kiss' "Shout It out Loud" or Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz," but tracks like "Cherry Baby" and "Rock Six Times" are certainly decent. Most of the time, Starz vocalist Michael Lee Smith sings about the same things that Kiss and Sweet were singing about in the '70s; namely, all-night parties and wild young women in tight dresses. Starz's lyrics, as a rule, were meant to be fun, not profound, and while Violation didn't go down in history as one of pop-metal's all-time classics, it's worth hearing if you're a fan of the style. ~ Alex Henderson
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As with the aforementioned titles, guitarist Michael Schenker's six-string heroics are the real determining factor to UFO's sound--look no further than his fluid soloing skills on the barnstorming title track. But you'll find other metallic standouts throughout LIGHTS OUT, such as the album-opening ...
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UFO had finally fulfilled their potential with 1977's exceptional hard rock tour de force, LIGHTS OUT, and released another prime slice of heavy metal just one year later, OBSESSION. While most '70s Euro-metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, etc., dealt largely with doom and gloom, UFO proved to have more in common with such US melodic hard rockers as Van Halen.
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