Michael Schenker‘s new version of the UFO classic Love To Love featuring a guest appearance by Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose can be streamed below. The track is taken from the legendary guitarist’s just-released album My Years With UFO.
To read more details about My Years With UFO, please go here. Also, to listen to previously released songs from this release, click on the highlighted song titles: Mother Mary featuring Erik Grönwall and Slash, Rock Bottom featuring Kai Hansen and Only You Can Rock Me featuring Joey Tempest, Roger Glover, Derek Sherinian and Brian Tichy.
My Years With UFO, is scheduled for release, today, September 20th through earMUSIC.
11 Responses
I got this on vinyl yesterday. The entire record sounds great musically and most of the vocals are awesome. Except Axl’s. Holy fucking AUTOTUNE! I know others weren’t in favor of Schenker releasing this record but I like the fresh retakes on some stuff. Michael still has it and plays incredibly well on this release. Axl is a legend and one of the most unique vocalists ever but man sometimes you gotta know when to hold em’ and know when to fold em’z
I understand,
With Judas Priest being my favorite band, when they got a singer from a tribute band, to me, that was sacrilege. That is not an indictment on Tim “Ripper” Owens, who can clearly sing, and well, but I think Priest should have gotten someone who was not trying to imitate the Metal God.
Since UFO is not my favorite band, I think the covers that I have heard thus far, are also really good. However, I also understand the UFO purists, who feel no one can top, Phil Mogg.
My post from June 21st:
Axl doing “Love To Love”?
Why? Was Dave Mustaine unavailable?
This could be a train wreck.
Don’t mess with the classics!
I’ve heard the first 3 and while the recordings are good the music overall is solid. The guitar soloing and lead vocals are simply not as good as schenker and mogg, so what’s the point?
Well, I cannot speak for Schenker, but usually when bands do “re-imaginings” or “greatest hits” records, it usually for three reasons:
1. They owe the record label, as per their contracts, a guaranteed number of albums. So, either they don’t want to provide more original material (as they are saving it for either a new contract or a different label), they simply do not have any original material/laziness or they have limited time to fulfill their obligations.
2. For the money.
3. The never liked the original recording, whether it be from a sonic standpoint, or the songs were not arranged, in the way they had originally been intended, to be recorded. Meaning, perhaps the producer changed the arrangement, structure and overall “vibe,” of what the band envisioned it to sound like.
HI Dana, Exodus re recorded their 1985 debut album, “Bonded by Blood”, in 2008 and renamed it “Let There Be Blood”. According to Gary Holt, the reason it was re recorded is cuz the band wanted to redo the album the way the band was currently performing the music….detuned, and the fast songs were being performed faster and the slower/heavier songs were being performed a little slower/heavier. Of course, Exodus received some backlash for re recording it as being a “money grab”….and that it was disrespectful to the late Paul Baloff, the deceased vocalist who performed on “Bonded by Blood”. I don’t know if Gary’s reasoning is a solid basis for a re recording, but I much prefer “Bonded By Blood”.
Personally, I’m not a fan of re recordings of classic songs. While these UFO re recordings by Schenker sound good, even though I usually hate Axl Rose’s voice, I think the original recordings sound even better. Schenker proved he still has his chops, though.
Rattle,
I agree, I am mainly a purist, and if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
However, one could make a case for Metallica “fixing” In Justice For All…. Whether that is achieved through remastering, or possible re-recording of certain tracks, mainly the bass, which seems to be the common complaint, about the album.
Finally, I agree about the Axl track, which is why I only mentioned the first three songs.
Dana, Metallica should have released a product with the “…Justice..” box set that included audible bass. Release the original recording in the set, but at least include another version with audible bass. All least there’s a recording of the album on Youtube called “Justice for Jason” that had audible bass on it.
And, IMO, the worst re recording ever was when Sharon Osbourne hired Robert Trujillo and Mike Borden to re record Bob Daisley’s and Lee Kerslake’s parts…just stupid.
I wholeheartedly agree about the Ozzy releases, that was complete sacrilege born out of spite and greed.
Thank God, the backlash was enough, to restore them to their original luster. I wonder if Rhoads has been alive, if that would have ever happened? I cannot imagine, Randy, would have approved of that horrible decision.
Dana , your points are 1 million % right- and he needs the money… or owes product/ album ? Why choose to make your classic songs sound worse …? Maybe I’m missing something , or schenker is really really lazy or he can’t write great songs anymore….either way IMO re-doing these songs was artisticly a bad move –
Hi Robert,
I don’t mind them, and I think that the first three covers he released, sound decent. However, I completely understand those, especially UFO purists, who feel this album, was nonessential.