Customer Reviews

Strangers in the Night (Exp)

5 star:		(118)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On tour with Blue Oyster Cult at the time, UFO is captured brilliantly in $"Strangers in the Night" arguably one of the best hard rock live albums ever put to disk (compact or otherwise). The band is captured as they lock and jell their way through their set, alternately stomping on the accelerator and slowing thoughfully as the band works their superlative material for everything it is worth.

Now the album has been re-issued and remastered, with two new songs not present on the album's original release. These songs, "Hot 'n Ready" and "Cherry" now open the album, with some changes in the song order that, it is stated in the liner notes, more accurately depicts the set list of that era.

The frightening thing about this album is it's a snapshot of UFO at the height of their powers. Scary because despite the authority with which the band played live, and their apparently effortless ability to write catchy melodic rock tunes, the band lost Schenker just a few months after this was recorded. Neither Schenker, Mogg/Way, or Paul Raymond ever recaptured individually the power they held collectively for this all too short period in time.

Which brings up the next point. It has been said the Michael Schenker, who had fled UFO's camp before the master tapes were even parked in the studio, refused to cooperate with any re dubs for the live album. If this is true, then this album is truly the Rosetta Stone of live hard rock lead guitar. Schenker's playing, at once melodic, fierce, soaring, and explosive in it's intensity, is the best representation of everything artistically correct with hard rock of this period. His soloing during "Rock Bottom" seems at times to be spinning out of control, yet retains an articuable forward momentum that propels the listener to higher ground. Arguably the best lead guitarist of this rock genre, Schenker doesn't miss out when the tempo slows either. Listen to his lead break during "let It Roll" when he applies the brakes and displays great reverence for the slower material as well. Or listen to him stomp the accelerator with Pete Way and Andy Parker on "Lights Out". Fast or slow, there are only a handful of guitarists in Rock and Roll that bear comparison.

Phil Mogg (one of the most underappreciated vocalists in rock) does the band and himself proud. His vocals come across as understated yet heroic, and he definetly possess one of the better sets of pipes in rock. This album also includes more of Phil's banter between songs, and it's a kick trying to figure out what level of drunkeness he's at (or is he just being playful?). Pete Way and Andy Parker form a solid rhythm section and play ably, with the always steady Paul Raymond filling in on rhythm guitar and key boards.

All in all, a smart buy, wether you own the original "Strangers" or just want to check out a great rock band at their peak.

the original strangers in the night is my all time favorite rock album. it is the sound track for my teenage years. not only does it bring back memories of those days of old but i've never stopped listening to it so it's still as fresh today as it was back then. to me ufo is the greatest live band ever.none of their studio recordings ever quite captured the essence of what they truly are. this recording does. i can't recall ever playing this for anyone that wasn't captivated by it. songs like "love to love", "rock bottom", "i'm a loser" , just have to be heard to be believed. there is not a bad note to be found here. now with the extra tracks and different order of the songs this perfect album just gains another dimension of greatnessi would suggest everyone in the world have a copy of this album...even rap and country fans, just so you know what you're missing!

UFO typified the best elements of hard rock, but often came across as generic and derivative. To some extent that might have been true, but they were a prolific, hard working band, their songs were good, and they played them like they meant it. Strangers in the Night brings the best of it to the stage. A lengthy album, remastered and extended to include two additional songs, this CD reminds UFO fans why they were fans to begin with. It's a relentlessly energetic concert that surrounds the listener with the excitement of both the band and the audience. Clearly UFO played with such singular conviction because they had no other choice. As well as a great live performance, Strangers in the Night also serves as a fine "best of" CD. If you're just getting acquainted with UFO, there's no better album to start with.

There was glut of live albums released in the late seventies, thanks, in no small part, to the hideous multi-platinum "Framptom Comes Alive". Most of those live albums were forgettable, but "Strangers in the Night" in one of the greatest live albums of the era. This recording captures a young hot UFO at its performing peak.

At the time UFO was opening for BOC, and they played that familiar late seventies blues influenced metal. In many ways this album represents an evolutionary link between 70's blues metal and 80's hair metal.

I appreciate the remastering and reshuffling of the song order to reflect the true set list. And this is the perfect opening act show, it starts out strong, then kicks it down a notch, before building to the final four songs in a gushing guitargasm.

Guys got this album for the guitar solos, and Michael Schenker puts on a clinic here. His shredding brightens up even the most cliched rock riffing. "Lights Out" is my favorite tune of this set. Not too many songs end on a guitar solo, and the one at the conclusion of "Lights Out" ranks up there with the best.

Having been very sheltered in my teen years, when I turned 18 in 1979 I decided to go to a rock concert. Ted Nugent was sold out so I asked the lady at the ticket counter what other concerts were available. The concert warmed up with "On Broadway", the second act was Judas Priest, touring their "Hell Bent for Leather" album, and UFO touring the "Strangers in the Night" album. I was blown away.

I bought the vinyl LP the next day. I bought it again a few years later to replace it when my wife destroyed it during a fight. (She knew where to hit me where it hurt and now she's my ex-wife) I also bought the cassette tape somewhere along the line and it is one of the first CD's I ever bought. There was a problem with the original release of the CD though. The tracks were cut in the wrong place. If the songs were played individually, you would hear the intro to "Let it Roll" at the end of another song. This annoyed me on those few ocasions when I didn't play it straight through.

Finally, I bought the Remastered Expanded edition which not only fixed that problem, but added a couple of songs from their later releases, "Hot 'N' Ready" and "Cherry." Some of the live chatter from Mogg will be new to those familiar with earlier versions, but it's all good. The CD insert on this one is much better too. It folds out and has the artwork from the original gatefold of the album as well as the front and back along with a short history of the band added.

There are only two other live albums I would rank higher than this one and they are "Just One Night" by Eric Clapton and "The Song Remains the Same" by Led Zeppelin. Maybe if I had gotten to the box office a bit earlier I might be saying the same thing about "Double Live Gonzo"... Sorry Ted.

This live album captured UFO at their collective musical heights. It also continues to be left in the closet which is a sad statement. If you are familiar with the guitarist Michael Schenker or are not. His playing alone on this record makes this opus a must own. Everything in the production was top caliber as well. Hear a double bass kick played in front of metalheads for one of the very first times a metal band utilized this invention of madness. Mogg's lyrical storytelling leaves etches in the mind that last for the rest of your life. If you dig 70's and 80's metal, this was as real as Ozzy's hangovers in those days. Buy it! You will not be let down.

This album is certainly something to own; it is an excellent place to "get to know" UFO as well. Some have said it IS the best live album ever recorded. I'd say it rivals the best and most famous live records from The Who, Frampton, Priest, Allmans, Hendrix, etc.

The songwriting is amazing, and distilled to the very best cuts from their albums to date. The performance (whether it truly be one show or a compilation) is amazing. It SOUNDS live and raw, yet with the power and polish that few bands could achieve.

I think this reissue is a must for fans, bu I do prefer the sound of the original version (now out of print). The new songs are a great addition, but the original song order (although not what the set really was) were editied so to make the BEST album possible. Either way, the music is stunning, worth a listen for anyone into 1970s hard rock. This IS as good as a live album gets...

Wow... what else can I say? This is THE best live album ever, from the most under apprechiated band ever. So many guitarists owe their living to Michael Schenker- Van Halen, Malmsteen, Vai etc.... but none have ever captured his technical genius of soloing with complete melody. Back when all my friends were listening to Styx, Kansas, Journey and all the other sappy American bands, I would put this album on and blow them away. This album is the standard by which all live albums can be judged, but never equaled. It's incredible to think that this set still sounds fresh even today- and these guys simply walked on to a stage with nothing but amplifiers and instruments and just played. No smokebombs, lasers,hangings,choreography and twenty tractor-trailers filled with other trickery. This album has withstood the test of time because of superior song writing, arrangement and live performance, something all "bands" today sadly lack.

I was surprised and shocked that this was re-released. The c-rap that gets passed off as music today has left such a void in popular music. I cant think of a better way to fill it in than the great live sounds of a band that rocked live like no other. I love it. I loved it back when it was first released. UFO without Schenker is a good band, but as this disc shows they were THE BEST LIVE ACT in rock with him in the lineup. They didnt need or use any fancy light/laser distractions. They played tight melodic metal that others can only imitate but not duplicate. If you are a lifelong fan of UFO/SCENKER than this is a must for your collection. If you are new to this genre and want to hear what you missed in the late 70s than what are you waiting for? The industrial stuff out there now is musically illegitimate noise when compared to this live recording!

I agree with the majority below that: 1. The performances have more energy than the studio versions while maintaining excellent sound quality. Natural Thing and Too Hot to Handle are perfect examples. Most professional reviewers agree. UFO was simply better in concert than in the studio, a la Thin Lizzy. 2. The songs were all played by Schenker, as well-argued by the reviewer who noted Schenker's identical Rock Bottom solo at the 81 MSG show in Hamburg (it's true). Watch/listen to an early 80's MSG concert or an earlier UFO concert ('76 London) to confirm. 3. The group was definitely at its peak and never recaptured the majesty of the performance in subsequent shows, though the 94 reunion tour with Schenker comes close! Even Schenker never duplicated, that I've heard, the mind-boggling Lights Out solo. 4. The band is totally in sync - bass, drums, keyboard, etc. The addition of Raymond's/Chapman's rhythm guitar really fleshes out the songs - esp. during the solos.

Bottom line - right there with Live and Dangerous as best live rock album of all time!!