UFO

The Profile

UFO are a British hard rock band formed in London in 1968 by Phil Mogg, Pete Way, Andy Parker and Mick Bolton. Their 1970s run with guitarist Michael Schenker—spanning Phenomenon, Force It and Lights Out—helped bridge space/blues roots to melodic hard rock and influenced the coming heavy metal generation. Signature cuts include “Doctor Doctor” and “Rock Bottom,” and the live Strangers in the Night (1979) is widely acclaimed.

Early albums gained traction in Japan and Germany; the band moved from space/blues-psych to streamlined hard rock after Mick Bolton’s era. The classic lineup featured Phil Mogg, Pete Way, Andy Parker, Michael Schenker and Paul Raymond. Reviews highlight the Chrysalis years, Hipgnosis artwork, and the group’s noted influence on 1980s metal.

British hard rock band UFO are celebrated here for their Schenker-era run (Phenomenon through Obsession) and the incendiary live album Strangers in the Night. Reviews also spotlight their earlier space/blues-psych phase (UFO 1, UFO 2: Flying). Themes include lineup tensions, keyboards adding color, Hipgnosis artwork, and the group’s influence on 1980s heavy metal.