Pete Way - Alive In Cleveland (Live) (2022)

Best known as the bassist for UFO, Pete Way was also a member of Waysted, Fastway, and Ozzy Osbourne's touring band. Born August 7, 1951, in Enfield, Middlesex, Way co-founded UFO in 1969 along with singer Phil Mogg and drummer Andy Parker. During the early '70s, the group enjoyed some success, but it wasn't until the arrival of German guitarist Michael Schenker that UFO truly came into their own and issued a string of influential heavy metal classics like 1977's Lights Out, 1978's Obsession, and 1979's Strangers in the Night. It was also during this era that UFO earned the title of one of rock's hardest-partying bands. Way was often photographed playing a low-slung Gibson Thunderbird bass and wearing a polka-dotted stage outfit.

UFO soldiered on after Schenker's exit in 1979, before Way followed suit in 1982. Co-forming Fastway with ex-Motörhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke, Way opted to exit the group shortly after the release of its self-titled 1983 (which went on to become a surprise hit in the U.S.), to serve as Ozzy Osbourne's touring bassist and to form another new band, Waysted. Releasing several albums in a short period of time (including the mildly successful Vices in 1983 and a self-titled release in 1984), Waysted broke up shortly thereafter. The early '90s saw Way rejoin UFO before the Schenker-era UFO lineup reunited for 1995's Walk on Water. Mogg and Way also issued albums under the moniker Mogg/Way and kept UFO afloat in the early 21st century, with guitarist Vinnie Moore taking Schenker's place. Around the same time, Way issued several solo releases and also resuscitated Waysted. Pete Way died on August 14, 2020, two months after suffering severe injuries in an accident; he was 69 years old. ~ Greg Prato