UFO Artistfacts

1968-2024
Phil MoggVocals1968-2024
Pete WayBass1968-2008
Mick BoltonGuitar1968-1972
Andy ParkerDrums1969-2024
Michael SchenkerGuitar1973-2003
Paul ChapmanGuitar1974-1983
Paul RaymondKeyboards, guitar1976-2019
Before they were known as UFO, the group cycled through a handful of names: The Boyfriends, The Ugly and Hocus Pocus among them. In 1969, they finally settled on UFO, borrowing the name from a London club where they were spotted and signed by Beacon Records chief Noel Moore.
The early incarnation of UFO had more in common with Hawkwind-style space rock than the hard-driving metal they'd later pioneer. Their 1970 debut, UFO 1, leans into cosmic themes and late-'60s sci-fi fascination. The follow-up, UFO 2: Flying, carries the subtitle One Hour Space Rock and features extended jams, including the title track and the 19-minute "Star Storm," sprawling workouts that filled entire vinyl sides.
UFO's first commercial breakthrough didn't come at home. Germany embraced them before the UK or US caught on. "Boogie For George" from UFO 1 and "Prince Kajuku" from UFO 2 both cracked the German Top 30. Their 1971 live release UFO Lands in Tokyo documented their strong Japanese following and was a success there as well.
Their dynamic shifted in 1973 when 17-year-old guitar prodigy Michael Schenker joined after recording Lonesome Crow with Scorpions. Schenker's arrival steered UFO away from cosmic experimentation toward a tighter, riff-driven hard rock sound that defines their classic period.
Their classic lineup - Phil Mogg, Pete Way, Andy Parker, Schenker and later Paul Raymond - became the band's most celebrated configuration, often cited as a bridge between the blues-heavy attack of Led Zeppelin and the emerging New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
Their 1979 live album Strangers in the Night is considered one of rock's definitive live recordings, with some fans insisting the performances surpass the studio originals.
Acts associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal - including Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Saxon - have cited UFO's Schenker-era twin-guitar attack as a major influence.

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