How could a band issue such an exceptional concert set as Strangers in the Night and not be regarded as one of the best live
hard rock acts of all time? Somehow,
UFO often slips through the cracks. And to show once and for all that Strangers wasn't a fluke, the proof has arrived in the form of a compilation of BBC performances from the group's
Michael Schenker era -- BBC Sessions. Comprised of material from three separate sessions recorded in 1974, 1975, and 1977, the disc includes several of
UFO's best tracks -- "Rock Bottom," "Doctor Doctor," and "Lights Out." And while the performances on BBC do not top the definitive live renditions found on Strangers, such selections as "Too Hot to Handle," "Let It Roll," and "Mother Mary" are still solid nonetheless. Perhaps if the heart and soul of the group,
Schenker, hadn't left the group just before the dawn of the '80s,
UFO would have risen to the top of the
hard rock pack. After all, they had their live act down, as evidenced by BBC Sessions. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
