''Lights Out'' is the sixth studio album by English
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
, released in 1977. All songs are band originals except for "
Alone Again Or
"Alone Again Or" is a song originally recorded in 1967 by the rock group Love and written by band member Bryan MacLean. It appears on the album ''Forever Changes'', and was released as a single in the USA, UK, Australia, France and the Netherlan ...
" which is a cover of a song by the band
Love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
. Reaching number 23 on the Billboard 200, it remains the band's highest-charting album in the United States. In the UK it hit number 54 and stayed on the chart for two weeks.
The album was UFO's first to feature lush string arrangements alongside more complex song structures than their previous albums. Producer
Ron Nevison
Ron Nevison is an American record producer and audio engineer. He started his career in the early 1970s as an engineer on ''Quadrophenia'' by the Who and Bad Company's debut album. He eventually became a producer, working with artists including M ...
brought in Alan McMillan to handle the string and horn arrangements. The most notable song to feature the orchestral colouring was "Love to Love". It is also the first UFO album to feature Paul Raymond on keyboards and rhythm guitar.
In 1994, a CD comprising this album and ''
No Heavy Petting
''No Heavy Petting'' is the fifth studio album by the British rock band UFO, released in 1976. It is the first UFO album to feature a full-time keyboard player as a member of the band, making this their first record as a five-piece band. While k ...
'' was released by BGO Records. 2008
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
's remastered edition includes four live bonus tracks recorded at
The Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue situated at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhouse, ...
, London. The album cover erroneously states that these tracks were recorded in 1976, but the correct year is 1977. EMI did correct the writing credits, with Paul Raymond finally being credited for his contributions.
The title track and "Love to Love" were featured in the 1999 movie ''
Detroit Rock City
"Detroit Rock City" is a song by the American hard rock group Kiss, released on their 1976 album ''Destroyer''. The song was written by Paul Stanley and producer Bob Ezrin.
The song is one of the band's most popular and is a classic rock staple ...
''. "Love to Love" was also covered by
Djali Zwan
Zwan was an American alternative rock supergroup that was formed by Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, lead singer/guitarist and drummer of The Smashing Pumpkins respectively, after they disbanded in December 2000. Other members included bassis ...
for the 2002 movie ''
Spun
''Spun'' is a 2002 American black comedy crime drama film directed by Jonas Åkerlund from an original screenplay by William De Los Santos and Creighton Vero, based on three days of De Los Santos's life in the Eugene, Oregon, drug subculture. The ...
'' and by
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
for their 2008 live album
Almost Unplugged
''Almost Unplugged'' is a live album by the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on CD on 17 September 2008 and on DVD on 19 August 2009.
The album was recorded at Nalen, a venue in Stockholm on 26 January 2008. The band was accompani ...
. An instrumental version of "Too Hot to Handle" is used at the beginning of
Mark Madden
Mark Madden (born December 29, 1959) is an American sports talk show host in Pittsburgh. He is best known for his work as a professional wrestling color commentator for World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Madden hosts a weekday afternoon show fro ...
's radio show on
WXDX-FM
WXDX-FM (105.9 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania known as 105.9 The X. It airs an alternative rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are in Foster Plaza on Holiday Drive in Green Tree, ...
in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, Madden being a longtime fan of UFO.
''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
'' magazine listed the album at No. 28 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".
Steve Harris of
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
called "Love to Love" his favourite song.
Track listing
*The date of the live show stated on the album cover and booklet is incorrect. The show was on 2 April 1977,
not in 1976.
Personnel
;UFO
*
Phil Mogg
Phillip John Mogg (born 15 April 1948, Wood Green, London) is the lead singer for the English rock band UFO, which he formed with longtime friends Pete Way and Andy Parker.Buckley, Peter (1999) ''The Rough Guide to Rock'', Rough Guides, , p. ...
– vocals
*
Michael Schenker
Michael Schenker (born 10 January 1955) is a German guitarist. He played in the rock band UFO and leads the Michael Schenker Group. He was an early member of the hard rock band Scorpions, a band co-founded by his elder brother Rudolf Schenker. ...
– lead guitar
*
Paul Raymond – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
*
Pete Way
Peter Frederick Way (7 August 1950 – 14 August 2020) was an English hard rock and heavy metal bassist. He was bassist for the rock band UFO from 1968 to 1982; Way rejoined the band briefly in 1988–1989, and full-time from 1991 to 2008. He ...
– bass
*
Andy Parker – drums
;Production
*
Ron Nevison
Ron Nevison is an American record producer and audio engineer. He started his career in the early 1970s as an engineer on ''Quadrophenia'' by the Who and Bad Company's debut album. He eventually became a producer, working with artists including M ...
– producer
*Alan McMillan – horn arrangements, string arrangements
*
Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis were an English art design group based in London, that specialised in creating album cover artwork for rock musicians and bands. Their commissions included work for Pink Floyd, T. Rex, the Pretty Things, Black Sabbath, UFO, 10cc, Ba ...
– cover art
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lights Out (Ufo Album)
UFO (band) albums
1977 albums
Albums produced by Ron Nevison
Chrysalis Records albums
Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis