The Chrysalis Years Vol 2 (1980-1986) delivers another 70-plus song CD set, which defined the character of UFO during the ‘80s. It’s a cliché, but Schenker leaving UFO left some big shoes to fill. Without Schenker, the band worked with several guitarists and valiantly tried to recapture the magic they had during the 1970s. During this time period, original members Andy Parker and Pete Way (who left UFO after the release of Mechanix), both, stepped away from UFO, leaving Mogg as the only original member. Mogg carried on, disbanding the group in 1985, only to return again in ’86 with Paul Gray, Atomic Tommy M, Paul Raymond and Joe Simpson and released Misdemeanor. This was a short-lived affair, as UFO disbanded for a second time in 1988. Eventually, Mogg and Way teamed up for another go at it in ’91. The next year, the original lineup of Mogg, Schenker, Way, Raymond and Parker reunited for three albums; Walk on Water (1995), Covenant (2000), and Sharks (2002).
So, after the minor UFO history lesson, we are left to ponder The Chrysalis Years. Following the ’70s with inconsistent lineups and weak record sales, UFO trudged through the ’80s, finding themselves competing with MTV, NWOBHM, thrash metal and Glam. While teenagers of this time period would have leaned more toward the metallic fury of “Lights Out,” or the bombastic “Rock Bottom,” only die-hard fans who allowed themselves to follow the band after the departure of Schenker, embraced UFO and continued to show their allegiance. The are some gems on The Chrysalis Years Vol 2 (1980-1986), and you find the weaker moments are the live tracks. As the guitarists do well to performing their songs in the live setting, most often they don’t do the Schenker material justice. Often finding themselves behind the beat and not “on it” like Schenker, those songs don’t have the same pep and often lose the original magic.
UFO had some success and personnel highlights during this time period. They worked with George Martin, the legendary producer who worked with the Beatles, on ’80s No Place To Run. They also released the successful Mechanix, which peaked at No. 8 on the charts in the U.K. For UFO fans, other highlights in the package include the inclusion of 1983′s Headstone, which is a compilation of live songs released after they disbanded (the first time).
Also included from:
1980′s No Place To Run: the single edit “Young Blood” and its live B-side “Hot ‘N’ Ready”
1981′s Mechanix: features the B-side “Heel Of A Stranger”
1983′s Making Contact: features the B-side “Everybody Knows” and previously unreleased on CD – 7” edit of single “When It’s Time To Rock”
1986′s Misdemeanor: features the non-album B-side The Chase” and U.S. remix versions of “Night Run,” “Heavens Gate” and “One Heart”
With the liner notes again penned by Phil Mogg, The Chrysalis Years Vol 2 (1980-1986) is an important addition to any UFO fans CD collection. Whether you are a fan of this historical period of the band or not, it shows that they weren’t willing to lay down and die. Their tenacity led to their current incarnation that now features Vinny Moore on guitar, along with Phil Mogg, Paul Raymond and Andy Parker. Their latest studio release, Seven Deadly, was released this year and showcases a band still doing what the love to do.
- Phil Mogg (vocals)
- Paul Chapman (guitar)
- Paul Raymond (keyboards, guitar)
- Andy Parker (drums)
- Pete Way (bass)
- Neil Carter (keyboards, guitar, sax)
- Tommy McClendon (guitar)
- Paul Gray (bass)
- Joe Simpson (drums)
