Throughout the '80s and for much of the '90s, it seemed that two bands that had enjoyed widespread success in Europe during the '70s --
Thin Lizzy and
UFO -- had become all but forgotten Stateside. While
Lizzy's profile was raised substantially when some of rock's biggest names began covering their songs (
Metallica,
Smashing Pumpkins, etc.), it appeared that
UFO was left in the dust. Despite the neglect,
UFO (especially their
Michael Schenker-era work) remains a major influence on many rock acts -- as evidenced by the artists who agreed to appear on 2006's
Lights Out: The Ultimate Tribute to UFO. With guitarists such as
Pat Travers and none other than
Schenker himself supplying the six-string work, quite a few vocalists from '80s era British metal lend a hand, including
Iron Maiden's
Paul Di'Anno, as well as such hair metal veterans as
Warrant's
Jani Lane and
L.A. Guns'
Philip Lewis. Despite the originals unquestionably topping these reworkings (which sometimes border on blah territory -- see the
Lane-sung "Doctor Doctor"), any attention given to
UFO's classic '70s output deserves a gigantic high-five. ~ Greg Prato