MICHAEL SCHENKER – My Years with UFO – review

MICHAEL SCHENKER – My Years with UFO – review
Absolute

Really, Michael? You used to be in UFO? You never said. It’s not as if you’ve revisited the UFO songs hunnerds of times over the years. Which is why I’m very amused by the PR blurb; “For the first time ever, Michael Schenker returns to his classic years with UFO”. Uhu. For sure, he hasn’t written a memorable riff in 40 years but that’s rubbing salt in the wounds.

So I avoided this, like the plague, when it came out last year. I have the original UFO albums. I’m fine with that. But then due to what could only be a pricing error, I spotted a copy of the double vinyl version of this, for a penny under a tenner. So I had to. And it’s pretty much what I expected.

I don’t know if you remember a shedload of albums that came out in the late 1990s / early 2000s. They were all called “A Tribute To Insert Name Of Band Here”, and featured a bunch of singers who arrived too late for the NWOBHM or who hadn’t worked since the NWOBHM. Hang on.

Oh, I was wrong. “Only UFO Can Rock Me – A Tribute To UFO”. That was the UFO one. With Doogie White, Mick White, Nicky Moore, Steve Overland, Paul Di’Anno, Bernie Shaw, Lea Hart, and Steve Grimmett. Well, this is the new version of this. But with famouser people. More famous people?

So, replace the above with Dee Snider, Joey Tempest, Joe Lynn Turner, Erik Grönwall, Biff Byford, Axl Rose, Jeff Scott Soto, Michael Voss, Kai Hansen, and Stephen Pearcy. Granted, it’s the actual Michael Schenker on guitar but I’m struggling to find any divergence from the original arrangements. Which seems a bit pointless.

Now I’m not going to lie. What pushed me into parting with £9.99 was the thought of Axl Rose singing ‘Love To Love’. 1988 Axl, definitely. 2024 Axl. Hell, fire and damnation. Sadly, for me, he makes a fair fist of it, which just goes to show the magic that can be conjured up in a 21st century recording studio. But, were their highlights? Actually, yes. Joe Lynn Turner sounds remarkably un-Joe Lynn Turner like on ‘Doctor Doctor’. And if that’s how his voice has adjusted to age, then props to the fella. The rhythm section of Brian Tichy (ex everybody) on drums, and Barry Sparks on bass are also absolutely fantastic.

Low points. Unfortunately, that’s Biff Byford of off the Saxon, whose voice has plummeted over the last 5 or 6 years. His turn on ‘This Kids’ is awful. Which is a shame because the keyboard flourishes of Derek Sherinian are a joy. Instrumentally, it’s the best track here. But vocally? Oh, no.

There are other guitarists, as well. Which is a bonus. So Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Slash (Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators), John Norum (Europe), and Adrian Vandenberg (Whitesnake) take turns on, respectively, ‘Natural Thing’, ‘Mother Mary’, ‘Lights Out’, and ‘Too Hot To Handle’. Deep Purple fella, Roger Glover, plays bass on ‘Only You Can Rock Me’, and Carmine Appice plays drums on two tracks.

Much to my delight, after ‘Doctor Doctor’, Joe Lynn Turner returns for ‘Too Hot To Handle’ and continues his good form. The confusion continues with the subtitle of the album; “My Years With UFO (50th Anniversary Celebration 1972 – 1978)”. 50th anniversary of what? Technically, he joined UFO in 1973 and his first album with them came out in 1974. So it’s the 50th anniversary of that. What’s with this 1972 shit? He was in the Scorpions then, recording “Lonesome Crow”. FFS.

Was it worth a tenner for a double vinyl LP. Yes. Although, spreading 11 tracks across 4 sides of vinyl sets my teeeth on edge. Will it ever be played again? Doubtful. I do wonder if this was a record company obligation, to try and reboost his profile. Which would explain why the forthcoming MSG album is called “Don’t Sell Your Soul“.