I was fortunate enough to grow up listening to FM radio when it STILL mattered. WMMS out of Cleveland, Ohio was a stalwart flag station in the 1970’s with a killer DJ called Kid Leo.  Back in the day, he would bring new talent to the airwaves because it was good music-not the corporate hog wash that the FM landscape has turned into today.

One of the bands that I dug from that era recently cruised into Houston by the name of UFO.  They peaked in the mid-70s when former Scorpions guitarist Michael Schenker joined their ranks and the classic lineup spawned 5 amazing studio albums and 1 superb live album, too.

Overall the band has done 19 albums to date with various lineups coming and going, but the solid trio of Paul Raymond (rhythm guitar/keyboards), Andy Parker (drums), and still bad ass vocals from Phil Mogg is representing very well. Lead guitar is covered big time since 2004 by Vinnie Moore and he was outstanding this hot and sweaty night at the tight confines of Warehouse Studio in downtown H-Town.  Mogg still belts out all the classics well and the band turned plenty of songs into extended jams as well, ala 70’s style!

I was rockin’ and rollin’ back in time with my bud Kenny as the epic chestnuts spilled out like ‘Rock Bottom’, ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘Mother Mary’, ‘Love to Love’, and the scorching hot ‘Too Hot to Handle’!

“Space Rock” was a label that UFO got and I never really understood that monikor at all.  ROCK is what happened this night before a heavy male beer slammin’ crowd who swayed and fist pumped all evening. UFO’s influence was strongly felt in the 80’s metal scene and they have been cited as a primary influence to the likes of Kirk Hammett of Metalica, Dave Mustaine of Megadeath, and Iron Maiden.  Not too shabby.

All in all it was a great gig.   Mogg really impressed me at 63 years young how good he sounded. Would it have been nice for the band to put the brakes on some of thee extended jams and introduced 3 or 4 more tunes? Well maybe, but then it would not be like it WAS back then when jamming ruled and bands played hard and long because the crowd wanted it that way.  In this day of cookie cutter set lists from one end of the tour to the next, this show was beyond refreshing to this reviewer.

After 42 years of touring and putting out albums, I’m simply happy they showed up in my town, and wonder if they’ll be rollin’ through again down the metal laiden road of life……………………I’m out and CYA!