Post by noproblems on Jun 15, 2018 17:21:24 GMT
A STATEMENT FROM PHIL MOGG
Phil Mogg has confirmed that next year’s 50th anniversary tour with UFO will be his last as the frontman of the long-running hard rock band. Consequently, it seems almost certain that at that point they will cease to exist. UFO were formed in London in 1969 and Mogg is their only ever-present member, performing on all of the group’s 22 studio albums.
“This decision has been a long time coming, I’ve considered stepping down at the end of UFO’s previous two tours,” Mogg explains. “I don’t want to call this a farewell tour as I hate that word, but next year’s gigs will represent my final tap-dancing appearances with the band.
“2019 marks UFO’s 50th anniversary, so the timing feels right,” he continues. “There will be a final tour of the UK and we will also play some shows in selected other cities that the band has a strong connection with. But outside of the UK this won’t be a long tour. Being out on the road isn’t always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage I would step down, and that’s what I’m going to do. This is the right time for me to quit.”
More info: www.ufo-music.info/
Phil Mogg has confirmed that next year’s 50th anniversary tour with UFO will be his last as the frontman of the long-running hard rock band. Consequently, it seems almost certain that at that point they will cease to exist. UFO were formed in London in 1969 and Mogg is their only ever-present member, performing on all of the group’s 22 studio albums.
“This decision has been a long time coming, I’ve considered stepping down at the end of UFO’s previous two tours,” Mogg explains. “I don’t want to call this a farewell tour as I hate that word, but next year’s gigs will represent my final tap-dancing appearances with the band.
“2019 marks UFO’s 50th anniversary, so the timing feels right,” he continues. “There will be a final tour of the UK and we will also play some shows in selected other cities that the band has a strong connection with. But outside of the UK this won’t be a long tour. Being out on the road isn’t always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage I would step down, and that’s what I’m going to do. This is the right time for me to quit.”
More info: www.ufo-music.info/
So, another one bites the dust, although this one intends to retire gracefully and on his own terms. Mogg goes on to say that if the band want to carry on with a new singer, they're quite welcome, but to me it would be like Kiss without the make-up, Angus without the school clothes, Quo without Rick.
I remember seeing UFO once, back in the Eighties (without MS). They were good, but not really great, and I remember Moggy had to stop the show half way through due to "sound problems" (I think someone's Philips tape recorder was causing feedback.)
They've done some good albums since those days, most notably Walk on Water from 1995, and a covers album (only one, mind you ) called The Salentino Cuts in 2017.
The opportunity to see them again has never arisen; as much as I'd like to, they never seem to playing any near enough to me to make it worthwhile.