The Ultimate Guide to Rock Band - UFO - 26 Albums Ranked 

My favourite band for almost 50 years. My top six weave between Schenker & Chapman. Paul Chapman and the boys deserve so much credit for maintaining such high standards. Seemingly impossible shoes to fill, but he did it! 1. The Wild, The Willing … 2. Lights Out 3. Obsession 4. Mechanix 5. Force It 6. No Place To Run

Nice ranking Phil. I only become a fan of UFO in recent years thanks to Pete Pardot & SOT. I have a boxset which contains 10 CD's I think and most of those are high in your ranking so I know I have the best ones and I definitely like what I have heard so, just so much to listen to as you know.

Obsession is my favorite of the studio albums.

Really enjoyed that Phil. Have to do a bit of driving today, so have dug out 'Walk on Water' to give it a fresh listen in the car. I would really love to hear a remixed version of 'No Place to Run'. Anytime the band played any of the songs live, they sounded amazing. Have a listen to the live version of 'Lettin' Go' on the reissued album. It sounds incredible.

Thx Phil.Been long time UFO fan but I must confess I passed on Walk on Water.Just listened onSpotify ,ordering now.Great album.On my third listen straight

I am about three years younger than you and my first UFO record was the red vinyl single of "Only You Can Rock Me", with the free frisbee offer - I loved it, so did my mates, and for me that led straight to "Obsession", which was the first album of theirs that I heard. That is my favourite UFO album. "Walk On Water" is bloody amazing and I got to see them at the London Astoria with Schenker which ticked off a bucket list item for me as well. You can play "Obsession" and then "Walk On Water" and they feel like two consecutive albums, despite being 17 years apart. "No Heavy Pettin'" would be my third choice, definitely, and the next three would have to be "Phenomenon", "Force It" and "Lights Out" but I don't know in what order at this point - but that's because my "headspace" has been in the 1970's for music for a few years now - which even means recently I am listening to a lot of punk music from that decade too. "Strangers" is still the greatest live album ever made, albeit the overdubs leave a slight sour taste in the mouth - but, as you said, the 8 CD box set should be considered the "definitive" edition. For everything else, I'd need to go and do a good listen to create a definitive order - "No Place To Run" and "Wild Willing and Innocent" would be in the top 10 too but can't go beyond that at the moment - probably a good excuse to have a UFO binge! So, my top six: 1 - Obsession 2 - Walk On Water 3 - No Heavy Pettin' 4,5,6 - Phenomenon, Force-It and Lights Out

No Heavy petting number 1 for me Phil .. I love Belladonna and highway lady and believe it or not Martian landscape

Awesome ranking and overview of this important and influential bands discography! Keep up the great work, Phil. 🛸🎸

18:35 Obsession is UFO’s most American-sounding album - it certainly sounds very different from the other Schenker era albums. It’s very much a road album too, lyrically and features some of Schenker’s most stunning lead guitar. What a way for him to sign off …

1. Mechanix 2. The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent 3. Lights Out 4. Obsession 5. No Heavy Petting 6. No Place to Run 7. Force It 8. UFO 1 9. Making Contact 10. High Stakes & Dangerous Men 11. Phenomenon 12. Walk on Water 13. UFO 2: Flying

Great list. Here’s my top 10 studio albums: 1 Light Out 2 Force It 3 Phenomenon 4 The Wild The Willing And The Innocent 5 No Heavy Petting 6 Walk On Water 7 Mechanix 8 Obsession 9 You Are Here 10 High Stakes And Dangerous Men

Glad to hear you call out “When Daylight Goes To Town”. It’s an outstanding track. One of their best, of any era.

Obsession and Mechanix are my favourites. Nice one Phil.

Great ranking Phil ufo are another 70s legacy band I've come to appreciate over the last couple of years along with purple heep thin lizzy and zeppelin thank you

Hi Phil only just managed to get round to watching this, glad to see THE WRITER get a mention one of my all time favourite UFO tracks, the wild the willing and the innocent is the UFO album I play the most and Strangers is up there with as one of the greatest live albums ever recorded great ranking video Phil look forward to many more 👏

Great ranking! Keep them coming! And so looking forward to your conversation with Laurence Archer. Hoping for some Phil Lynott stories.

WOW !! Thanks for the review Phil, good day from the U.S.A.

One of my all time fave bands. Nice to see WW&I getting some love(my personal fave) but never understood the widespread affection for NHP. Would be way down my list. Great to see WOW so high up. Absolute killer of an album. Great show Phil.

Never been a better band. The greatest of all time.

I like their SpacerockLP Flying, great music

Thanks Phil - as a young metal head I completely missed UFO in the 80’s so have been slowly building up a vinyl collection on the cheap in the used bins / so I know now what to look out first next ! In Phil we trust 😊

Saw UFO in Glasgow in 79 aged 12! My first ever concert. What an introduction. Great show as ever.

No place to run was the first album without Schenker. Five solid songs. No place to run is a great song. Phenomenal--Obsession are the golden years. When they reunited for Walk on Water, the magic was back.

I wholeheartedly agree with the vast majority of your rankings, Phil. Like you, I find myself reaching for No Heavy Petting, The Wild, the Willing & the Innocent, Phenomenon and Force It more than most of their storied catalogue. No Place to Run, despite George Martin's thin production, is among my faves due in part to a strange accident that made NPTR my first ever UFO album purchase. I had become an instant Scorpions fan when Blackout was released and discovered that Rudolph Schenker's brother, Michael, had been in a band called UFO. About that same time MSG had been getting airplay on my local FM station with On & On and I loved that tune. I went on a mission to buy some UFO music. I read a Hit Parader article that declared Lights Out with Michael Schenker was one of the best hard rock albums ever but, as a 15 year old without a lot of cash, I had to save my pennies to get it. While browsing a busget bin of cheap cassettes at a Sears dept. store, I discovered No Place to Run (for $2.99). It had no visible credits and I couldn't quite make out who was on the cover but, knowing Michael Schenker had been in the band, I bought it erroneously thinking he was going to be the guitarist. Taking it home, there were no credits to be found and I kept trying to figure out sonically if this guitarist was the same as the guy I knew from the MSG that I'd heard. It didn't sound quite the same but I still liked the songs. Only later did I discover that NPTR featured Paul Chapman, not Michael Schenker! As such, NPTR holds a special place in my story with UFO. I very much enjoyed your rankings video. Props for giving love to Misdemeanor, also one of my faves.

Walk on water is brilliant, one on fav albums all time. Brought the latest mix.

Wow Phil awesome 26 albums always thought UFO were the most underated British bands of all time got to say definitely an age thing 💯💯💯❤️🤘

Was doing well until the lowly position of No Place To Run. That was my first and favourite UFO lp and I never understood the negative vibes towards it. Its great! Paul Chapman is stunning and the material is strong and varied. Ok I usually skip the keyboard intro!

Phil, another enjoyable video. I have the same top five but a different order. Love the Mogg Way output too. Kind regards

I really enjoyed this one, Phil. My favourite band and guitarist od all time (Mickey Schenker). I like the Tonka era too, and especially "The Wild, the Wiiling and the Innocent. However, Lights Out is Nr. 1 for me, closely followed by Obsession.

You know what Phil , the older I've got, the more I love No heavy Petting. Its probably UFO's most under appreciated album. It's got a great sound and some cracking tracks . Highway Lady is superb, as is Martian Landscape. The wild the willing and the Innocent is in fact my favorite UFO album bar none, so your top two, I'm in agreement with.

While I don't to agree on your top two choices,I really enjoy your video. My top three in no order at this time are Lights Out, Walk on Water, and Phenomenon.

I went to Columbus,Ohio to the Agora to see UFO touring in support of No Heavy Petting lp, they were scheduled to open for Slade but Slade cancelled so Phil and the guys played an extended show for that entire evening, They absolutely took advantage of the opportunity given to them and ROCKED that place to an unbelievable level, of all the concerts ive seen, and its manny, it rates as one for the ages, one of the best💎🙏🎸

Great ranking Phil. UFO are one of my favourite bands. I would swap Making Contact and No Place to Run. My favourite albums by the band are Lights Out, Obsession, TWTWATI but they're all great. Seven Deadly would get my vote from the Vinnie Moore era. Keep up the good work.

Phanfastic Phil,loved it (first band i ever saw live in the 70s) thank you.

The Vinnie Moore era was amazing…not as strong as the classic stuff but it stands up as an example of “modern classic”. From strength to strength.

UFO 1968-2024 Phil Mogg just confirmed they are done (for the third time) I think this might be it. Great compilation count down Phil

I love Misdemeanor. The Tonka years suffered from lack of The Schenk, and I went with MSG. Making Contact is my favourite of that era. 74-79 is untouchable. Still working through the Strangers box (alternating with Zappa's Roxy set.)

My top 4 are: 1= Mechanix, 2= The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent, 3= No Heavy Petting, 4= No Place to Run. And of course the band made one of the greatest live albums of all time.

Great compilation for UFO; however for me their best guitarist who gave that dramatic verve was Michael Schenker with his personal identifying vibrato....🎸

Top 3 albums for me 1 Lights Out 2 Force It 3 The Wild Willin' and Innocence fabulous band

Nice ranking Phil! I share your love for The Wild The Willing & The Innocent, it is truly a masterpiece. Flashback to Summer 1978 and my 2nd concert ever was British Lions (didn't know it was mostly Mott The Hoople without Ian), UFO (who I knew nothing about), and Blue Oyster Cult (who I'd loved for years). Needless to say I had some albums to catch up on starting the very next day (with my limited high-school-job funds). Been a UFO fan ever since! Keep bringing us Great Content - Cheers from Cental California!

Great video. I thought I was the only one that loved WILD WILLING & THE INNOCENT. I felt exactly the same around that time. I was a Michael Schenker fan and thought they were done, but I was shocked by how good this album was. Still my favorite after all these years.

A fascinating story of your love for the band. Mine would be in a different order but I am with you on Strangers - I got it for Xmas 1987 and I have only played it a handful of times since. It just does not cut it compared to the studio LPs, apart from "Rock Bottom" which shows how that song is a really good basis for a live performance. Anecdotally, I was once zooming up the M40 from Oxford to Birmingham to rehearse with a band I was in at the time. I had got a cassette of Phenomenon on and was listening to "Rock Bottom" and just as the solo was getting to the point of maximum pant-weeing ecstacy, a lorry drove past with "Schenker Distribution" written on it! This was surely a sign! When I got to Rich Bitch studios I vowed to buy a lottery ticket as it was clearly a day when great forces were in alignment, and I did...and I did not win anything, and nothing else spectacular happened. But! It's still a killer track from a killer band! I'm also with you on Misdemeanour. The songwriting is great - I reckon Tina Turner or a similar female soul singer could have done a great job on This Time; just a really heartfelt track.

I kept waiting for No Heavy Petting to appear and squealed a bit inside every time something else came up instead of it, lol. It's my favorite UFO album for sure, happy to see it as your number one, Phil!

Pretty controversial list....good though. You're unbridled enthusiasm for lesser albums makes me head to the shelves for re-appraisement!! I'm thinking of starting my own channel called "C'mon Phil?" to contradict your list hahahaha. Off the top of my head I'd go 1/ Obsession 2/ Strangers 3/ Wild Willing 4/ Force It 5/ Lights Out 6/ Misdemeanor 7/Mechanix 8/Headstone 9/ Monkey Puzzle 10/ No Heavy Petting...... BTW I'd rank Chocolate Box at #10 if it was under the UFO banner knocking out your beloved NHP!

Phil! Tell us about Sweet, Slade. Many were crazy about them... Thank you

28:02 My #1 of the Schenker albums - not so keen on the basic production but the songs and guitar are so strong. It says everything that Strangers has more numbers from this album than any other - even if two weren’t recorded in concert (!)

Seen them back in the day so many times.......so many memories.

Awesome Phil, what a ranking. I own everything here except for UFO 1, 2, Live, Werewolves of London & High Stakes & Dangerous Men. "High stakes..." has been on my list to hunt for years, and you have kindly alerted me to the Cherry Red edition. Already found a copy to get. I got into UFO via my love of Michael Schenker's solo material.

Hi Phil. That was very enjoyable. Wish I'd seen the premier. Only omission was Ain't Misbehavin', the mini-album that was follow-up to Misdemeanor. (Waysted had made a mini-album not long before.) The songs were great, especially Another Saturday Night, where Phil Mogg sang with his usual feeling. Opening track Between a Rock and a Hard Place seems to presage When Daylight Comes to Town - pretty similar. At War with the World is a fast-paced, heavy song. Side 2 is also memorable. I really like Werewolves of London too, though Pete's bass is a bit quiet. Glad Wild, Willing & Innocent was so high. Interesting #1 choice, but it IS a great record. Hope the little monkey got modelling royalties! As with Purple and Rainbow, making a Top UFO Albums would be very difficult, so well done!

30:39 My #1 of the Chapman albums - totally agree with your comments, Phil! The production sound is superb and it’s such a strong set of songs and performances by the band. Phil Mogg hit another high with his writing and vocals 👍

Yes, "You Are Here", "Walk On Water" are FANTASTIC... The Mogg-Way CDs are incredible... And Phil, don't forget about The Sign Of 4 "Dancing With St. Peter"👍...

Love UFO SITN was one of the First Vinyl LP that I bought, circa 1980. Another album worth checking out is Sign of 4 - Dancing with St. Peter.

One memory of UFO Strangers in the Night. It always stood out stacked vertically among all your LPs. I remember buying it from Listen Records in Glasgow and I was able to spot it among all the LPs stacked in a row behind the counter. It's my favourite to this day... 🙂👍

What a band!!! Very enjoyable ranking Phil and as always, we all hear things differently. I just don't rate No Heavy Petting, the songs just dont hold up! Must admit I sorta jumped off the train when Schenker left so sounds like I got some catching up to do. I'll just list my top 5 Obsession Lights Out Strangers Force It Walk On Water

Been looking forward to this ranking. Well done. A few comments; keyboards appeared on Force It, but No Heavy Petting was the first album with a keyboard player as an official band member. Making Contact was produced by Mick Glossop (Gillan, Waysted), not Gary Lyons. Agree with No Place to Run as lowest ranked album of the Chrysalis era. Surprised that Ain't Misbehavin' wasn't included, 7 original tracks makes it nearly as long as some of their 70s releases. Also surprised that Showtime wasn't at least mentioned (personal 2nd favorite UFO live album to Strangers). Thanks.

Many thanks for your great overview and explaining your personal ranking. Age 15 I started collecting records in 1970 so UFO1 was one of my very first albums. Usually I totally agree with your other views / descriptions - but this time I would rank differently. Phil Mogg is UFO and so I would not put album 1 and 2 onto the last places. Theese albums were bare, rough and in some way "amateurish" .... like most of the albums of all bands who started around this time. I totally agree with the Way-Mogg albums! It´s amazing how many albums they brought out - I too have all in both audio formats.

I think it's very interesting that you have Wild Willing and the Innocent at 2 but No Place To Run reallly low in comparison. I also have a lot of affection for Walk on Water as well but not so much any of the latter day UFO records - my top ten: 10 - Phenomenon, 9 - Walk on Water, 8 - Making Contact, 7 - Mechanix, 6 - Obsession, 5 - No Heavy Pettin', 4 - Force It, 3 - No Place to Run, 2 - The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent and 1- Lights Out. I do love Strangers as well but I don't rank it

Misdemeanor is Phil at a peak in his lyrics and singing! Agree with you 100%!

I bought Force It the year it was released and for the same reason. I saw the picture of Schenker and took a chance. By the first guitar part on Let It Roll I was hooked.

A remarkable ranking, Phil :) UFO for me is the Schenker and Chapman eras - and I’d find it impossible to rank them both together!

Wild Willing and the Innocent is My Favorite Album. I Did not like it the first 20 times i listened to it and then its easily Top 5 most albums ever played. I had to rebuy the CD album and tape true story i worn them out so much ! Interesting List Overall. Now I have to Rebuy the version of High Stakes you just showed ! Go Get your Commission LOL ! Great Stuff brother ! Met Atomik Tommy during Misdemanor Tour . Great Guy ! Phill I had the honor of meeting and is the only celebrity I have ever been in awe of when seeing him back stage. Such a great band and Phil kept it together al those years a true Rock Star !

I love that band they are amazing nice video my friend take care

Great review Phil thanks, UFO is one of my favorite hard rock band, mainly Paul Chapman period even if I am a big fan of Michael Schenker, greetings from Italy

Thanks for this ... knew, based on your previous video, that The Wild, The Willing would be well up there (awesome album) ... Force It / Lights Out / No Heavy Petting are top 5 ... then, for me, No Place to Run (stunning title track), Letting Go ... etc ... probably 'cause, after Lights Out, it was my entry to UFO and saw them at the Capitol in Aberdeen promoting the album .... I'd have Strangers plus the 1980 through 1983 BBC In Concert stuff next .... also Showtime live set (not part of the 26?) showcasing Vinnie Moore ... it's great .... one addition to consider for "related" albums would be the fabulous $ign of Four set that Phil Mogg also did ... (p.s. the $ is not a typo) ... great video ... great band .... CMcG, Aberdeen, Scotland .... p.s. Obsession never "clicked" with me although it does have Pack It Up and Go, Hot and Ready, One More For the Rodeo which, along with Only You Can Rock Me, work well ... p.p.s. you'll know that Pete Pardo always has Obsession as his #1 ... so you'll have some explaining to do!

i bought the UFO 10 albums cd box not that long ago. But there's so much music around that i still only really listened to Phenomenon (bit uneven but the highs are really great) and heard Force It a couple of times. Taking my time with my chronological UFO discovery.

Enjoyed listening to this Phil! Thanks! I did a ranking of studio albums recently - I like putting them in tiers. I only ranked the albums that I have. I quite like Wild, Willing, and Innocent as well! I thought the Paul Chapman-era albums were excellent. 1. Force It (1975) 2. No Heavy Petting (1976) 3. Light's Out (1977) ------------------------------------------ 4. Phenomenon (1974) 5. The Wild, Willing and the Innocent (1981) 6. Obsession (1978) 7. Mechanix (1982) 8. Making Contact (1983) 9. No Place to Run (1980) 10. Misdemeanor (1985) --------------------------------------------- 11. Covenant (2000) 12. Walk on Water (1998) 13. Sharks (2002)

My favorite band of all time! Phil Mogg is top 5 singer/storyteller of all time. Sign of 4 band Dancing with St. Peter is the album Mogg gets a bunch of new kids to do an album and it is killer as well!

Whoa ! What an undertaking !!!

Да,1976 ЛУЧШИЙ и для меня тоже.) Он меня сразу зацепил...Не все композиции хороши,но в целом SUPER!!!🎸🤘

The first UFO album I bought was Headstone, because it seemed like that was the end of the band…40+ years ago, so have huge affection for those Chapman live tracks. But nothing beats Strangers for me. My favourite live album of all time and right up there as favourite album overall 🤘🏻

Steve Harris and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden both said, they love UFO!

No Place To Run is in my top 3, lol.

Although I love Lights out, Obsession and Force it I also have to go with No Heavy Petting as my number one. I saw them live on the Conspiracy of Stars tour which was very disappointing, Phil was drunk and it ended after 70 minutes without an encore. Strangers in the night is my fourth favourite live album and specifically the greatest Hard Rock live album.

UFO is my 2nd favorite band. I got Lights Out as a new release when I was 7. Contrarian: No Place to Run is my favorite...why? It's their most Rock and Roll album, not as heavy. I'm a huge 50's R&R fan.

I could never understand why 'On with the Action' wasn't on the Strangers live album, or subsequent releases - it's on the B side of the 'Doctor, Doctor' single, Schenker's guitar solo is stunning.

Don't agree with your rankings, but to each his own. Schenker's Rock Bottom solo on Werewolves has always sounded sloppy to me. Much prefer Strangers.

Great ..CD.. ranking.for the Rockband..UFO... top.

interesting. My favs are Obsession, No Place to Run (Lettin' Go - wow) and WWandI, plus Strangers. I thought the Chapman years were better from a songwriting point of view, but less so musically,

Fantastic band. Easily one of the top 15 rock bands of alltime.

I never realized that they have so many Albums.

No argument from me Phil! Love the band and obviously I would put them in a slightly different order but a wonderful band! 👍

21:19 Hands-down the best produced of the Schenker era albums imho. Not my favourite set of songs overall, although it has some of my favourites - it sounds superb 👍

Not an easy band to get through - I only own 4 of their albums and feel I've barely scratched the surface of some of their best material

I really rate No Place To Run - although the production was a bit too polite - it’s an album where you probably have to turn up the bass, treble and volume to beat appreciate it but it’s a great set of tracks imho. Phil Mogg’s songwriting was prolific and the title track is a 💯classic! It’s perhaps problematic for the album that it stands head and shoulders above the rest …

Strangers in the Night: number 1 for me.😃👍

In your video you mentioned an AOR album by UFO. What does AOR stand for in your understanding? I am never sure ... THX for your interesting ranking btw. ❤

22:54 It’s a bit raw in places imho but Schenker’s guitar sound is everything you’d expect - like on MSG’s Budokan album. The only thing I don’t like about Strangers is that his guitar sounds so thin - almost like single coils, rather than his Flying V

Force it Phenomenon No heavy petting Strangers for me

The only album I have besides SITN is conspiracy of stars some good songs but I didn't buy anymore ufo after it. I mite now after this review

I've never heard the Wild, Willing, and the Innocent. I just finished listening to this record. It would make the top ten, I wouldn't rank it #2. I really liked profession of violence, Its killing me. Makin moves was good. It's kind of strange, you can tell Paul Raymond is not in the band. It almost doesn't sound like UFO. It's was sort of wierd to hear a saxophone. Great production compared to No place to run. The album sounded like the era it was recorded in.

I have Lights Out #1 The version of Love to love on Strangers in the night is exceptional. The best sounding remasters of Phenomenon-- Obsession are the 2007-2008 the recent digi-packs by Andy Pierce are quiet. Phenomenon has a incredible production, same with Force it. Lights Out production was kind of "thin" sounding. No heavy petting is great. However never liked the keyboard player.

Side 2 of Mechanix = the best studio side of UFO's discography IMO. Too bad side one is a little bit of a let down!

What rainbow book or box set is that to the left right above the microphone, cant quite make it out.

Doctor doctor great

I’m really surprised by the quality of the latter albums ‘95-currently. Not a bad album in thr bunch. I’ll just cut to the chase here, the ‘74-‘86 albums are untouchable those 10 albums would be in my top 10. Misdemeanor at 10 which again is a great album that’s largely panned I don’t really care I think it’s a masterpiece. The first 2 albums would be at the bottom along with High Stakes, not a fan…so top 10 of ‘74-‘86 No place to Run No Heavy Petting The Wild the Willing and the innocent Phenomenon Force It Making Contact Obsession Lights Out Mechanix Misdemeanor Lowest 3 albums Flying High Stakes and Dangerous Men UFO-1 Albums ‘95-current including Mogg/Way (no bad albums here imho) Walk on Water Covenant Chocolate Box You Are Here Seven Deadly The Monkey Puzzle Edge of the World Salentino Cuts The Visitor Conspiracy of Stars Sharks

Mick Glossop produced Making Contact ,not Gary Lyons(MECHANIX)...In 1983,also producing Waysted -Vices.... in 1983,same producer,same year,same studio