Review: Michael Schenker – My Years With UFO

earMUSIC (September 20^th, 2024)

Reviewer: Jason Hopper

The legendary Michael Schenker has decided to record a tribute album to UFO to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of his years with the band. He has brought a bunch of friends and colleagues along for the ride to cover their most well-known tracks from that era. The songs speak for themselves, so no need to offer my take on each track other than to admit I dig some of the UFO material but have never been a big fan of the band. I, like many others, are checking this album out to hear the incredible talent on display running through the most popular songs of their catalogue. There are some fabulous singers on this release, some of whom rarely, if ever, make their way onto tribute albums.

Some songs just fit perfectly into certain singers’ wheelhouse, and that’s what happens when you hear opener ‘Natural Thing’ with Dee Snider. Dee sounds remarkably strong for a singer approaching 70. He sings like a man half his age and does justice to this track. The same can be said for Joey Tempest’s terrific version of ‘Only You Can Rock Me’. An issue some might have is Joey’s vocal stylings and delivery are nearly identical to original singer Phil Mogg, making this track one of the safest featured here. It sounds identical to the original with more of an updated sound.

I guess it would have been too much to ask that Slash and Axl Rose play on a song together, but at least you get both featured here. I can’t recall a time when I have ever seen Axl on a tribute album but was a bit disappointed that he chose to tackle ‘Love to Love’. I was hoping for something more fast paced from him. His approach to the song is very similar to the Guns N’ Roses cover of ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ so if you dug that track, then this is right up your alley.

Meanwhile, Slash takes on ‘Mother Mary’ with one the newest (and greatest) vocalists in the spotlight today, Erik Grönwall. Between Slash’s guitar tone and Erik’s delivery, which is restrained and traditional, it makes for a nice meld between two artists I never expected to hear together. I would have loved to have heard some more vocal dynamics from Erik, but that’s a minor quip. It’s great to hear that he was recently tapped to sing on most of Schenker’s next release.

Joe Lynn Turner lucks out by being the only singer featured twice. He brings his “A” game to both ‘Doctor Doctor’ and ‘Too Hot to Handle’ and it’s simply a preferential song choice to say I will be returning more often to ‘Too Hot to Handle’ in future listens.

I cannot think of a more perfect match between singer and material than the incomparable Jeff Scott Soto covering ‘Lights Out’, my favorite UFO song.  It’s so in sync with what he does in Talisman that if I was told it was an unreleased cover song from that band, I would have believed it. It’s not a stretch to say that Talisman’s ‘Coming Home’ was directly inspired by this UFO classic. A superb rendition.

My second favorite track from the band immediately follows. ‘Rock Bottom’ features Kai Hansen and the version chosen is similar to the one featured on their live release ‘Strangers in the Night’. The live version meanders too much for me and would have preferred the studio version. I was also hoping this song would have been covered by someone else. Kai is not one of my favorite vocalists and would have preferred if Jeff Scott Soto, Erik Grönwall, or Joe Lynn Turner had taken this track.

The one song that does not coalesce well is ‘Shoot Shoot’. I believe this song was placed at the end of the album for a reason. Stephen Pearcy does not fit amongst all these great singers and his delivery here is weak. He should not have even been invited to audition.

It’s great to hear these songs with updated production and a vast array of (mostly) incredible singers. UFO fans will appreciate the respect shown to these classics. Casual fans of UFO will want to check out these songs to see what the singers have to offer. Something for everyone and a win-win all around.

Tracklist:

1. Natural Thing featuring Dee Snider and Joel Hoekstra
2. Only You Can Rock Me featuring Joey Tempest and Roger Glover
3. Doctor, Doctor featuring Joe Lynn Turner and Carmine Appice
4. Mother Mary featuring Erik Grönwall and Slash
5. This Kids featuring Biff Byford
6. Love to Love featuring Axl Rose
7. Lights Out featuring Jeff Scott Soto and John Norum
8. Rock Bottom featuring Kai Hansen
9. Too Hot to Handle featuring Joe Lynn Turner, Adrian Vandenberg, and Carmine Appice
10. Let It Roll featuring Michael Voss
11. Shoot, Shoot featuring Stephen Pearcy

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