[2009-6-2] UFO Set Release Dates For The Visitor

Starz Rider · **Joined:** 03 Jun 2007 **Posts:** 372

SPV / Steamhammer reports:

Good news for all fans of British rock legends UFO: their brand-new studio album, The Visitor, is due out before the end of spring.

The arrival of the album has been set for late May/early June, tour dates will be announced soon.

UFO composed more than 35 new tracks in the run-up to the recordings, 13 of which were short-listed and produced at the studio. 11 of these songs are expected to make it onto the regular album, the other two are scheduled to become bonus tracks for a limited edition digipak.

The current line-up continues to consist of the three original members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), and Andy Parker (drums), as well as American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore. Bass legend and original member Pete Way is currently suffering from a liver disease and was unfortunately not available for the studio production.

“All those who have been into UFO for a long time will find all our characteristic trademarks on The Visitor, and anybody new to the band will be impressed by our enthusiasm and dynamism,” frontman Phil Mogg enthuses on the subject of the new songs.

The Visitor sees the band benefiting especially from their collaboration with Vinnie Moore, who joined UFO in autumn 2003 and has made an excellent impression on the albums, You Are Here (2004) and The Monkey Puzzle (2006), and on the band’s tours.

Mogg: “Without running down previous UFO lineups - it’s been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one. Vinnie contributes his youthful energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy’s return we’ve seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band’s original sound.”

Naturally the band will embark on a major world tour this year. Concert dates will be announced soon, and appearances at the Rock Hard festival at the end of May and the Wacken Open Air at the beginning of August 2009 in Germany have been confirmed.

Release Dates for The Visitor on Steamhammer / SPV:

Germany / Austria / Switzerland: May 29th
UK / rest of Europe: June 2nd
USA / Canada: June 2nd

Billy Taylor · 16 Mar 2007

Starz Rider wrote:

SPV / Steamhammer reports: Pete Way has liver disease? What a shock. :shock:

Good news for all fans of British rock legends UFO: their brand-new studio album, The Visitor, is due out before the end of spring.

The arrival of the album has been set for late May/early June, tour dates will be announced soon.

UFO composed more than 35 new tracks in the run-up to the recordings, 13 of which were short-listed and produced at the studio. 11 of these songs are expected to make it onto the regular album, the other two are scheduled to become bonus tracks for a limited edition digipak.

The current line-up continues to consist of the three original members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), and Andy Parker (drums), as well as American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore. Bass legend and original member Pete Way is currently suffering from a liver disease and was unfortunately not available for the studio production.

“All those who have been into UFO for a long time will find all our characteristic trademarks on The Visitor, and anybody new to the band will be impressed by our enthusiasm and dynamism,” frontman Phil Mogg enthuses on the subject of the new songs.

The Visitor sees the band benefiting especially from their collaboration with Vinnie Moore, who joined UFO in autumn 2003 and has made an excellent impression on the albums, You Are Here (2004) and The Monkey Puzzle (2006), and on the band’s tours.

Mogg: “Without running down previous UFO lineups - it’s been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one. Vinnie contributes his youthful energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy’s return we’ve seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band’s original sound.”

Naturally the band will embark on a major world tour this year. Concert dates will be announced soon, and appearances at the Rock Hard festival at the end of May and the Wacken Open Air at the beginning of August 2009 in Germany have been confirmed.

Release Dates for The Visitor on Steamhammer / SPV:

Germany / Austria / Switzerland: May 29th
UK / rest of Europe: June 2nd
USA / Canada: June 2nd

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Pete Way has been trying to kill himself for decades-looks like he's on his way. What a waste. No mention of the new bassist-most likely it will be a hired gun. I'll get this for sure as these guys are truly one of my favorite bands ever. Crappy there will be two bonus cuts on a dreaded digipak, but if they're live cuts then I won't care.

slipkid · **Joined:** 29 May 2008 **Posts:** 774

Looking forward to this but am disappointed that Pete wasn't involved. I hope at least he did some of the songwriting? As much as I am a fan of UFO, and also Vinnie, I thought the last record was weak and very un-UFO sounding (since I think Vinnie wrote most of the songs?).

Btw, the best "UFO" albums I've heard in years aren't even UFO, it's either MOGG-WAY's "Chocolate Box", or Phil's $ign of 4 album (I 4get the title of that one).

Don57 · 01 Feb 2008

I agree , both Mogg/Way albums and the $ign of 4 are basically UFO cd's since Mogg is the UFO mainstay and there has been about 4397 other members in the band. The 3 of these albums are all very good . You Are Here and The Monkey Puzzle are ok but they are 2 of their weakest , almost as weak as the first 3 with Mick Bolton .

slipkid · **Joined:** 29 May 2008 **Posts:** 774

It's wierd, I really liked YOU ARE HERE when it first came out but the more I listen to it the less I like it. MONKEY PUZZLE I didn't like on first listen and still don't like. But I don't even like the last two with Schenker much either - SHARKS (which I really hate) or COVENANT (which I like some of and am lukewarm on most of it). Yet WALK ON WATER (the previous album) might be my favorite UFO album despite my holding PHENOMENON up through OBSESSION as holy grail stuff. I'm not that crazy about the first MOGG/WAY since I didn't think the guitarist fit (too much non-melodic shredding). I think it is amazing how Vinnie changed his style from pure shred to more melodic to fit the UFO mold, but I would have rather seen Jeff Kollman been the new UFO guy (he's on CHOCOLATE BOX). But to top if off I DID see Kollman in UFO and he stunk (he filled in for Way on bass on one of the tours, most of the time he either stalked the stage like he was nuts or posed with his tongue hanging out like an idiot).

All this UFO talk makes me want to relisten to this stuff though, maybe I'll hear things differently now, who knows.

And still looking forward to the new one despite any misgivings. Plus want to get the remaster for NO PLACE TO RUN, always liked that album. The post-Schenker years never did much for me overall though.

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Well, I didn't think much of the Mogg/Way material-I thought it was OK, but cheap sounding and the guitar playing sucked. Way too much noodling. I agree with slipkid-I really liked "You Are Here" but now I rarely listen to it-but it is solid. I never grasped "Monkey Puzzle" but that one got really good reviews and Classic Rock Magazine loved it. It had some good stuff, but overall I thought it was average.
As for the last 2 with Schenker-I thought "Covenant" was pretty damn good, but plaed in comparsion to the brilliant "Walk On Water". "Sharks" I love though. Something about that record I just really dig especially "Fighting Man", "Sea Of Faith" and "Serenity".
Aside from all this-I'm still wondering what happened to the US release of the remasters, but I assume at some point they're coming. Then, I wonder if they finish the catalogue or not.

Don57 · 01 Feb 2008

Alot of people will say I'm crazy but Walk On Water is my favorite UFO w/ Schenker album . Every song on there kicks ass . I do love all of the albums with Schenker but I'll take WOW as one of my ten desert island discs . Even the Japanese bonus remakes were good , not as good as the originals , but very good.

Don57 · 01 Feb 2008

And still looking forward to the new one despite any misgivings. Plus want to get the remaster for NO PLACE TO RUN, always liked that album. The post-Schenker years never did much for me overall though.[/quote]

The Nowhere To Run remaster sounds great, go get it.

slipkid · **Joined:** 29 May 2008 **Posts:** 774

Don57 wrote:

The Nowhere To Run remaster sounds great, go get it.

I tried to get it yesterday at a local indie store (how many of those are there left these days?) but they didn't have it yet. I'll try again in a couple weeks next time I'm up there. I wanted to get the MSG remasters too but they didn't have those either. The owner is an old rocker so he actually keeps up on all this stuff and goes out of his way to order them for his old rocker patrons (like me).

hampden623 · **Joined:** 07 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 54

Tower Records informed me yesterday (via my phone call) that all 3 remasters were scheduled to ship this Thursday...FYI

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

From Blabbermouth.net:

British rock legends UFO will release their brand-new studio album, "The Visitor", in late May/early June via SPV/Steamhammer. UFO composed more than 35 new tracks in the run-up to the recordings, 13 of which were short-listed and produced at the studio. 11 of these songs are expected to make it onto the regular album, while the other two are scheduled to become bonus tracks on the limited-edition digipack. The current lineup continues to consist of the three original members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), and Andy Parker (drums), as well as American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore. Bass legend and original member Pete Way is currently suffering from a liver disease and was unfortunately not available for the studio production.

"All those who have been into UFO for a long time will find all our characteristic trademarks on 'The Visitor', and anybody new to the band will be impressed by our enthusiasm and dynamism," frontman Phil Mogg enthuses on the subject of the new songs. "The Visitor" sees the band benefiting especially from their collaboration with Vinnie Moore, who joined UFO in autumn 2003 and has made an excellent impression on the albums "You Are Here" (2004) and "The Monkey Puzzle" (2006), and on the band’s tours. Mogg says,"Without running down previous UFO lineups, it's been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one. Vinnie contributes his youthful energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy's return we've seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band's original sound."

The band will embark on a major world tour this year. Concert dates will be announced soon, and appearances at the Rock Hard festival at the end of May and the Wacken Open Air at the beginning of August 2009 in Germany have been confirmed.

Release dates for "The Visitor":

Germany, Austria, Switzerland: May 29
Rest of Europe: June 2
USA, Canada: June 2

Here's the album cover-did I do this right? Probably not. (OK-I got the link there-but how do I get the cover to be viewable again? I forget!)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3243/335 ... 5af8_o.jpg

<Image added~Jimbo :-D

>

Billy Taylor · 16 Mar 2007

It's a stretch to call Paul Raymond an original member, and Michael Schenker was to me the soul of that band.

slipkid · **Joined:** 29 May 2008 **Posts:** 774

Big disappointment that Pete Way wasn't involved. He contributes a lot with his songwriting. I really didn't like Monkey Puzzle at all and was only lukewarm on You Are Here. I hope this one is good but if it isn't then I won't be following them anymore (unless Way and Mad Mickey come back).

Invisible Pedestrian · **Joined:** 24 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 26163

Billy Taylor wrote:

It's a stretch to call Paul Raymond an original member, and Michael Schenker was to me the soul of that band.

That's because he's not. Raymond joined in 1977, but he is without a doubt a classic UFO member and part of the legendary lineup that produced the best material. And, like anyone I agree Schenker was irreplacable. However, the Paul Chapman stuff (at least the early material) was almost as good as the Schenker era. As for Vinnie Moore-amazing musician, but it's just different for UFO. He slays live though.
Nonetheless, I've enjoyed the first two albums with Moore though they're not up to the level of the classic material. They've actually been getting really good reviews since Moore joined the band, but I couldn't understand Classic Rock Magazine raving about "The Monkey Puzzle"-most of it I just didn't care for and I rarely listen to it. "You Are Here" was great though.

roqdawg · 28 Feb 2009

Track Listings are as follows:

01. Saving Me
02. On The Waterfront
03. Hell Driver
04. Stop Breaking Down
05. Rock Ready
06. Everybody
07. Can't Buy A Thrill
08. Forsaken
09. Villains & Thieves
10. Stranger In Town
Bonus track (Digipack) - 11. Dancing With St. Peter (2009 Edition)

Wow, I wonder what happened to the other two tracks! The original press release said 13 were recorded and there would be 11 on the standard CD with 2 bonus tracks for the digipack. Guess I'll wait to see what the Japan release looks like...maybe the other 2 will show up there.
Dancing With St. Peter original version was on Phil's "Sign Of Four" CD, that was done after the 2 Mogg/Way CDs. Maybe "Stop Breaking Down" is the Blues/Stones classic???

EDIT: Stop Breaking Down is not the cover...sound clips are now up on SPV's website at:
http://www.spv.de/scripts/artistlight_e.asp?Eingabe=UFO

Roqdawg

roqdawg · 28 Feb 2009

Sound Clips now available here:

http://www.spv.de/scripts/artistlight_e.asp?Eingabe=UFO

I Like !,
Roqdawg

[2009-6-2] UFO Set Release Dates For The Visitor

Who is WANline