Phenomenon (UFO album)

Phenomenon is the fourth album by the British rock band UFO, released in May, 1974. Guitarist Michael Schenker joined UFO in June, 1973 arriving in the UK directly from his German band, Scorpions, and without speaking a word of English. However, he managed to make friends with Phil Mogg, Pete Way and Andy Parker and they began to work together.

This was the third studio album and the debut on Chrysalis, UFO left their strong Zeppelin-Sabbath-Purple influences behind, in part due to the presence of Schenker. All tracks were recorded at Morgan Studios, London and produced by Ten Years After bass player Leo Lyons. It was remastered at Sound Recording Technology, Cambridge in 1994. Original cover design & photos by Hipgnosis.

The new Schenker guitar style surrounded the whole record. "Oh My" opens the album with a jumping-hard-happy tune in the same style of other album tracks like "Too Young To No". There are also ballads, such as "Time On My Hands", "Crystal Light" or "Space Child", with acoustic guitars, melodic bass and the baritone full passion of Mogg's voice.

A tribute to Willie Dixon ("Built For Comfort") and a Schenker instrumental ("Lipstick Traces") were also included to magnify an album that ends with "Queen Of The Deep". The American version had "Too Young To No" as the first track on Side One while "Oh My" kicked off Side Two.

Iron Maiden performed a cover of Doctor Doctor when Blaze Bayley was with the band as their vocalist. Traditionally, Maiden plays the original UFO version on live venues to notify fans that their show is about to begin. The cover was also included in the Eddies Archive boxed set on the 'Best of the B-Sides' collection.

Track listing

1. "Oh My" (Schenker/Mogg/Way/Parker) - 2:26
2. "Crystal Light" (Schenker/Mogg) - 3:47
3. "Doctor Doctor" (Schenker/Mogg) - 4:10
4. "Space Child" (Schenker/Mogg) - 4:01
5. "Rock Bottom" (Schenker/Mogg) - 6:32
6. "Too Young To No" (Way/Mogg) - 3:10
7. "Time On My Hands" (Schenker/Mogg) - 4:10
8. "Built For Comfort" (Dixon) - 3:01
9. "Lipstick Traces" (Schenker) - 2:20
10. "Queen Of The Deep" (Schenker/Mogg) - 5:49

2007 CD reissue Bonus Tracks

11. "Sixteen" [Demo] - 3:48
12. "Oh My" [Demo] - 4:12
13. "Give Her The Gun" - 3:58
14. "Sweet Little Thing" - 3:51
15. "Sixteen" - 3:55
16. "Doctor Doctor" [Live] - 4:24

Singles

• "Doctor Doctor" / "Lipstick Traces" (1974) - #35 UK
• "Rock Bottom" (1974)
• "Rock Bottom" / "Doctor Doctor", "High Flyer" (1975) ("High Flyer" was taken from Force It album)