Old Wavers in the Nuddy (slight unsightly return) (unidentified flashing object)

 

Phil Mogg, frontman of space rockers turned metal outfit UFO

From Sounds, 1979.

Is that his hand on the other side of his lower torso, or his actual knob, or side-ball? Anatomical experts adjudicate!

This is a photo that Sounds would recycle whenever the opportunity arose. 

Reference in the blurb to UFO being on Old Grey Whistle Test last week

Sounds really did seem to have a thing about displaying Phil Mogg in the near-buff

UFO got a lot of support from Sounds in this era and it wasn't always conditional on being unclothed

UFO - a band whose early records I would like to have liked more than I actually did. 

Bit like with Hawkwind. But with less of a toothsome framing. 

I have the first couple of albums, when they were UK space rock festival stalwarts. Cool logo. 

"One Hour Space Rock"

The title track "Flying" is nearly 27 minutes long.

The thematics are very Hawkwindy

As they drifted towards hard rock, UFO became a classic fourth from the top of the bill, Knebworth, Reading, sort of band. 

From the later metal-tending phase this is reputedly their stone classic. 

Are they a bit like the Hawkwind / Motorhead branch-off/de-evolution, except it all occurs in the same band and under the same name? 

Actually the evolution is exactly the same as The Scorpions, whose first few albums, I'm told, are actually pretty good space-rock. 

Indeed Michael Schenker left Scorpions and joined UFO for a while

When they were no longer post-psychedelic, UFO started having album titles combining puns and sexism. Hipgnosis covers. Songs with titles like "Highway Lady"

More nuddy business for ya - a New Waver's arse akimbo this time.. 

Force It / Faucet, geddit. "New Wavers' arse akimbo"? See the cover models are Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti earning a bit of dosh on the side. Talking about gristle throbbing, eh? 

Sleazy Christopherson worked at Hipgnosis, you see. Yet another case of Old Wave / New Wave blurring / secret continuity.

UFO kept slogging away and then Mechanix was their biggest success, got to #8 in the UK albums chart. 

Kept slogging on and on - original members dropping like flies - and then the farewell tour, set for 2022, was cancelled, on doctor's orders (Mogg had had a heart attack).

There'd been been plans for the final show to be a "rock legends cruise, a five-day event in early 2020".

I wonder what Mogg's arse looks like now. 

Married to a page 3 girl!

Nephew Nigel Mogg played bass in The Quireboys, staples of The Intrepid Fox and favorites of Melody Maker's hard rockin' Carol Clerk. 

Classic desultory blowjob in a toilet stall at the Marquee bizniz.