UFO - UFO 1 (1970/1999)

Recorded on a shoestring budget, UFO has several challenging sonic moments. The uneven mixes and amateur performances that some listeners might find quaint or innocent could be distracting to others. In their pre-Michael Schenker days, the British band made a much more experimental noise that reflected psychedelic as well as R&B influences pitched with a dark resonance. This swirling mish-mosh barely suggests the early British metal of the group's commercial pinnacle that was still years off when they released their eponymous debut. Blue Cheer, early Black Sabbath, and maybe a little bit of the Who (mostly derived via bassist Pete Way's meandering, over-saturated basslines) all come to mind on standouts like "Boogie," "C'mon Everybody," and "Follow You Home." While ignored completely in the States as well as their British home, U F O was a bit of an international hit. "C'mon Everybody" made it to the top of the charts in Japan, which led to a tour of the country and enough career momentum to keep the records coming while the sound of (and worldwide market for) heavy metal slowly took shape. While far from being the best offering from Pete Way, Phil Mogg, and company, U F O is a nice pre-metal study that reveals how the blues/psychedelic amalgam inspired would-be metal artists before pop was injected into the genre.