Legendary hard rock/heavy metal guitarist Michael Schenker has been thrilling music fans for well over 50 years, but it's his time spent with British rockers UFO that generally generates most of the love, so it's not surprising that he's chosen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of joining the band with My Years With UFO-50th Anniversary Celebration. Here, he has cherry-picked 11 UFO staples (basically, Strangers in the Night), and re-recorded these classics with a crack band that includes drummer Brian Tichy, bassist Barry Sparks, keyboard player Derek Sherinian, and a host of other special guests. Looking through the track list, of course, there are no surprises, but Schenker is in fine form throughout and some of his friends shine brightly as well. Twisted Sister's Dee Snider kicks all sorts of ass on "Natural Thing", which also features a thrilling guitar duel from the Mad Axeman and Whitesnake guitarist Joel Hoekstra. Europe main main Joey Tempest lends his melodic vocal to the anthemic "Only You Can Rock Me", Carmine Appice thunders away on "Doctor Doctor" alongside the vocals of former Rainbow belter Joe Lynn Turner, and the always dependable Biff Byford from Saxon knocks it out of the park on "This Kids". Both Slash, John Norum, and Adrian Vandenburg get time in the spotlight to trade some licks with their hero, and Kai Hansen lends his pipes to a thrilling version of "Rock Bottom". What doesn't work? Well, for one, Axel Rose just doesn't have the range to tackle the epic "Love to Love"...perhaps it would have been better matching him up with one of the more uptempo hard rockers instead? Best vocal of the set might just go to the superior pipes of Erik Gronwall, who completely shines on a supercharged version of "Mother Mary", showing that his work in H.E.A.T. and Skid Row was certainly no fluke.Â
Sadly, this set only covers the years 1972-1978, so nothing from his 2nd stint with the band years later. As much as this is all well done, there's a predictable nature to it all that I can't help but shake ("On With the Action", "Oh My", "Queen of the Deep", "Out in the Street", "Pack It Up and Go", "Electric Phase", or "Ain't No Baby" anyone?) as if he was resistant to go with any deep cuts. So, if you already have the studio and live albums covering all these songs, this probably isn't mandatory, but for those wanting to hear Michael Schenker play some classics alongside some other guitar talents and notable singers, it's worth a listen.Â
Track Listing
1) Natural Thing (with Dee Snider & Joel Hoekstra)
2)Only You Can Rock Me (with Joey Tempest & Roger Glover)
3) Doctor Doctor (with Joe Lynn Turner & Carmine Appice)
4) Mother Mary (with Slash & Erik Gronwall)
5)This Kids (with Biff Byford)
6) Love to Love (with Axel Rose)
7) Lights Out (with Jeff Scott Soto & John Norum)
8) Rock Bottom (with Kai Hansen)
9) Too Hot to Handle (with Joe Lynn Turner, Adrian Vandenburg, and Carmine Appice)
10) Let It Roll (with Michael Voss)
11) Shoot Shoot (with Stephen Pearcy)
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