If only every review were as easy to write as this one my life would be a hell of a lot less stressful I can yell ya. So why is this review so different to any of the others I hear you ask? Well this 5-disc box set brings together every UFO album featuring Michael Schenker on guitar, adding in some studios oddities, a few radio sessions (Bob Harris from 1974 and John Peel from 1977) along with a previously unreleased live show from Atlanta Electric Ballroom 1974 that features a cover version of John Lennon's 'Cold Turkey', making it quite possibly the most complete collection of music of what many consider to be the band's classic line up ever to be released here in the UK.... and best of all, you can expect to get change from £15 when you buy it.

Do I really need to go any further?  Are you not already searching for this on Play or Amazon or whichever E-tailer you use to buy your music from and adding to your shopping cart?  Shame on you if you are not, and damn you for also making me have to work that little bit harder to persuade you to do just that.

This set then picks up the story of UFO just as the band were coming out of their Space Rock phase having just acquired one Michael Schenker's uber talent on the guitar. Their first recorded output, the boogie-tastic 'Give Her The Gun' along with its B Side 'Sweet Little Thing' begin this musical roller coaster ride that takes you through the band's following 5 studio albums and their seminal double live album with a mouth watering feast of classic rock making up its' track listing. OK maybe its not exactly everything a fan of this era could want all in one package as the extra tracks from the recent CD remasters series are all missing from this set, but with the budget price tag and extra goodies you get with this set, I'd be a right idiot to be critical of it for that relatively small point alone and let's not forget boys and girls Phil Mogg and the boys at Chrysalis do have to eat you know.

With each of the CDs running in chronological order, 1974's 'Phenomenon' and the following years 'Force It' whilst both solid albums still sound to my ears at least, like a band in a state of transition, mixing the hippy dippy acid tinged rock of the band's previous album's with the raw genius of Schenker the riff machine. It is worth noting that these two albums alone contain around six or seven tracks that the band still include in their set to this day, and whilst the versions of 'Doctor Doctor' and 'Rock Bottom' on 'Phenomenon' may not be quite the definitive article, these Leo Lyons produced versions still retain a naive charm, and the birth of Schenker the guitar god is truly awe inspiring

Moving on to 1976 and 'No Heavy Petting', the recruitment of Heavy Metal Kids keyboardist Danny Peyronel saw UFO move more into the sound and style of songwriting, which would ultimately become their trademark.  'I'm A Loser' in particular is one of my all time favourite tracks by the band, and here the Schenker/Mogg writing partnership was really gaining the momentum for what was about to follow. Listening once again to the life on the streets lyrics I still get a chill running down my spine, and whilst its might not be exactly Hard Rock lyrical territory, that earthy real life aspect of the band was in fact what first attracted me to their music, just like Thin Lizzy. I can easily understand why both band's were the guilty pleasure of many a Punk around that time, these guys were dealing with growing up the hard way, and the albums that followed next for UFO really spoke to us all on a personal level unlike many of the other Hard Rock bands of that time.

So, with the final piece of the classic UFO line up jigsaw falling into place just in time for their 1976 magnum opus 'Lights Out' (Paul Raymond quickly replacing Danny Peyronel) it was perhaps working with Ron Nevison as producer for this and their next album, 1977's' Obsession', which was their creative masterstroke. Adding strings and a pop sensibility to both albums, tracks like 'Too Hot To Handle' and 'Only You Can Rock Me' were the perfect rallying call for audiences worldwide, whilst 'Looking Our for Number One' and 'Love To Love' elevated the band's sense of musical grandeur to an all new high.  I read a review somewhere recently that said the cover of Love's 'Alone Again Or' from 'Lights Out' and the second side of 'Obsession' should be avoided at all costs.  All I will say in reply is that both statements are the biggest load of bollocks I've heard spoken about UFO in a long time, and whilst 'Alone Again Or' might have been better replaced by a UFO original it is still a faithful retelling of Arthur Lee's signature tune, given a Schenker solo in place of the original trumpet, but how the fuck anyone can call 'You Don't Fool Me',' One More For the Rodeo' or Born To Lose' substandard is frankly beyond me. Lets just thank our lucky stars that said reviewer wasn't asked to put the set's sleeve notes together shall we, otherwise no one would buy it.

With only the band's seminal live album 'Strangers In the Night' left and taking up the whole of disc five, this peerless set really did capture the band at their live best.  This version of the album is the original thirteen tracker as per the double vinyl, not the recent 15 track remastered CD that not only added 'Hot N' Ready' and 'Cherry' to the set but also re-sequenced the tracklisting to be more reflective of the original 1978 set list.  I'm not sure I can say anything that hasn't already been said about this album, but if you fail to be moved to pick up your air guitar to what many consider to be the definitive version of 'Doctor Doctor', 'Rock Bottom' and the likes, then you better check your pulse, as you're no doubt already dead.  

It was at this point in their career that UFO really should have gone on to the next level, arenas in the US beckoned them, and worldwide fame and fortune was surely only an album or two away.  But sadly it never came, why?  Well perhaps the drink and drugs and the band's infamous reputation had something to do with it. Who really knows other than the guys themselves?  But it's safe to say that without their ace card of Michael Schenker the band never really did capitalise on the momentum gained during this 1973 - 79 period, a time very many might still refer to as the band's halcyon days. 

So what are you waiting for, go out and get yourself a copy of UFO 'The Chrysalis Years (1973 - 1979)' right now and experience the band's magic at an amazingly affordable price. 

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