Strangers in the Night (UFO album)

Strangers in the Night
Live album by
UFO
ReleasedJanuary 1979 (1979-01)
Recorded13 and 18 October 1978
VenueInternational Amphitheatre, Chicago; Louisville Gardens, Louisville; Record Plant Mobile Studio
Genre
Length69:13
LabelChrysalis
ProducerRon Nevison
UFO chronology
Obsession
(1978) 		Strangers in the Night
(1979) 		No Place to Run
(1980)
Singles from Strangers in the Night
  1. "Doctor Doctor"
    Released: January 1979 (UK)[1]
  2. "Shoot Shoot"
    Released: March 1979 (UK)[2]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

Strangers in the Night – originally issued with a sticker stating A Double Live Album – is a live album by British hard rock band UFO, first released in 1979 on the Chrysalis label.

The original double LP was recorded at October 1978 shows in Chicago, Illinois, and Louisville, Kentucky. Chicago, recalled bassist Pete Way, "was the first city that we could play arenas in. We'd opened there for Kiss and their audience took to us. Every time we went to Chicago, it became an event."[5] (UFO actually opened for Kiss in Nashville, on the Destroyer Tour)

Some of the songs were recorded at a show on UFO's tour with Blue Öyster Cult.

Guitarist Michael Schenker left the band during the tour and was replaced, for a second time, by Lone Star's Paul Chapman. It has been rumoured that Schenker refused to record overdubs for the album,[6] which would make this an accurate account of his live guitar work. Schenker has spoken of disappointment with the tracks chosen, saying, "There were better takes they could've used."[7]

Strangers in the Night peaked at No.7 in the UK[8] and No.42 in the US.[9]

Critics and fans cite it as one of the greatest live rock albums.[3][10] Kerrang! ranked it No.47 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".[11] Slash, guitarist for Guns N' Roses, hailed it is his favorite live album.[12] Founding UFO bassist Pete Way and drummer Andy Parker say it is their favorite UFO record.[13]

The faces on the album's artwork were, said Pete Way, "people from [design company] Hipgnosis, I think. Because it was a live album, they tried to make it look like a crowd of people."[14]

Two live EPs in 1979 also proved successful. In February, "Doctor Doctor" (taken from the album), backed with "On with the Action" (recorded on the same 1978 US tour) and the studio cut "Try Me", reached No.35 in the UK Singles Chart;[15] this was the first time the band had made the UK Top 40. "Shoot Shoot", backed with "Only You Can Rock Me" and "I'm a Loser", hit No.48 in the UK in April.[16]

  1. ^ Hung, Steffen. "UFO - Doctor, Doctor [Live]". Hitparade.ch.
  2. ^ Hung, Steffen. "UFO - Shoot Shoot [Live]". Hitparade.ch.
  3. ^ a b Prato, Greg. "UFO Strangers in the Night review". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  4. ^ Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John, eds. (1983). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. ISBN 978-0394721071.
  5. ^ Ling, Dave (June 2006). "Flying high again". Classic Rock. No. 93. p. 86.
  6. ^ Herzberg, Helen (June 2005). "Paul Raymond Biography". Paul Raymond Official Website. Archived from the original on 19 May 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2011. re-recording after the event (...) No, there really wasn't a lot done
  7. ^ Herzberg, Helen (June 2005). "Paul Raymond Biography". Paul Raymond Official Website. Archived from the original on 19 May 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2011. Michael wasn't happy with the results? (...) No, Michael thought his guitar sound was very thin and poorly recorded
  8. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Strangers in the Night Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  10. ^ "Results of Classic Rock Magazine Live Album Poll". BBC News. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  11. ^ Johnson, Howard (21 January 1989). "UFO 'Strangers in the Night'". Kerrang!. Vol. 222. London, UK: Spotlight Publications Ltd.
  12. ^ "Slash's favorite albums". Retrieved 14 July 2008.
  13. ^ "ORIGINAL UFO BASSIST PETE WAY - "I'M READY TO GO OUT AND BE DANGEROUS". BraveWords.com. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  14. ^ Ling, Dave (June 2006). "Flying high again". Classic Rock. No. 93. p. 86.
  15. ^ "Doctor Doctor The Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  16. ^ "Shoot Shoot The Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 July 2011.