Why a picture of British rockers UFO in concert is in the Dangerdog Music Review banner
March 11th, 2010 by Craig Hartranft
Many readers and visitors to Dangerdog Music Reviews have asked, Why is there is almost always a picture of UFO in concert in the web site banner? Damn good question. It shows that are readers are above average in intelligence. Yet, I wonder how many visitors know who UFO is. Obviously they cannot know why UFO is important to me. That’s like having inside information on the JFK shooting. So here is the reason.
Back in the day, that would be circa 1975, I stumbled upon UFO’s Force It, thanks to a fellow high school student. He was the son of rich local doctor and total fucking asshole. If I could remember his name, I’d publish it and name as the buttfucker he was. Nevetheless, he had a decent taste in music. But I digress. It was all uphill from here as went backwards to the delectable Phenomenon and forward to No Heavy Petting, Lights Out, and Obsession. This English band named after a local pub were freakin amazing.
Phil Mogg on vocals, Andy Parker and Pete Way driving the rhythm section, and German wunderkin Michael Schenker on lead guitar made UFO rock and roll heroes to this late adolescent, pre-college teenager.
Then came the amazing and quintessential live album Strangers in the Night. Damn awesome. I wore the grooves out of those to vinyl discs. Thank the Living God and his son Lord Jesus Christ for allowing man to invent compact discs because now I can crank out without wearing it out.
Did UFO have a significant impact upon me? Have you been reading? Hell yeah! UFO will always be the my first and best example of both melodic hard rock and heavy metal integrating soul and blues and charged with enthusiasm.
And that is why UFO appears in the Dangerdog Music Reviews banner (more often than not). I love these guys!
As an aside, UFO came around my area, back in the day, often to Philadelphia. However, being a poor high school and then college student, I never had the means or the way to see them. Fast forward to 2004 when I had my first opportunity to see UFO in a small (and acoustically amazing) venue. The show was amazing. After the show, I met Phil Mogg behind the theater. I said “I loved you guys for 30 years and this is the first time I’ve seen you play.” He smiled through an alcohol haze and autographed the CD cover of You Are Here. Prior to this I took several photographs and grabbed the evening’s set list from the roadie. Indulge me, a memory and a small bit of rock heaven, which I will never forget.
Tags: music history, Strangers in the Night, UFO band
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