- French Release - Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
UFO – Mechanix (1982, France) marks a bold evolution for the British hard rock veterans. With Paul Chapman on guitar and Neil Carter adding rich keyboards and harmonies, the band fused melodic hooks with driving metal riffs. Produced by Gary Lyons, the album features anthems like “We Belong to the Night” and a roaring cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Somethin’ Else.” Recorded across elite studios in the UK, Switzerland, and New York, Mechanix captures UFO’s mature, polished sound as they steered confidently into the 1980s rock era.
When UFO released Mechanix in 1982, the British hard rock scene stood at a crossroads. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) was roaring through the clubs, redefining the sound that UFO themselves had helped inspire a decade earlier. Bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Def Leppard were surging with youthful aggression, while the veterans of the 1970s were forced to adapt or fade into memory. For UFO, who had already lived through a dozen transformations, Mechanix was both a survival instinct and a statement of identity — a reaffirmation of their place in hard rock’s evolving machinery.
The early 1980s were years of transformation. The rise of MTV and the digitization of sound recording were changing how rock bands presented themselves. While the punks of the late ’70s had shaken the establishment, by 1982, heavy rock had returned to the forefront — more technical, more polished, but still carrying the same raw energy. In the UK, Motörhead blurred the line between punk and metal; in the US, Van Halen had ignited a revolution in guitar showmanship. Amid these movements, UFO’s challenge was to remain relevant without losing the soulful grit that defined their earlier classics like Lights Out and Obsession.
UFO’s story begins in 1968 London, when vocalist Phil Mogg, bassist Pete Way, guitarist Mick Bolton, and drummer Andy Parker formed a blues-influenced space-rock outfit. Their first two albums leaned toward psychedelic experimentation, but it was with the arrival of German guitar prodigy Michael Schenker in 1973 that UFO truly found their sound. The Schenker years yielded a series of now-iconic albums — Phenomenon (1974), Force It (1975), and Lights Out (1977) — blending melodic finesse with guitar-driven ferocity.
However, the constant touring, internal tensions, and Schenker’s mercurial temperament led to repeated departures. By the dawn of the 1980s, guitarist Paul Chapman had become the new lead guitarist, having filled in for Schenker before. This new lineup — Mogg, Way, Chapman, Neil Carter on keyboards and guitar, and Parker on drums — would steer UFO into the polished yet punchy territory that defined Mechanix.
Recorded across several studios — Mountain Studios in Switzerland, The Manor in Oxfordshire, and Maison Rouge and Scorpio Sound in London — Mechanix was produced by Gary Lyons, whose previous work with bands like Foreigner had honed his ability to capture both clarity and power. The album’s mix was completed at Media Sound Studios in New York and mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, ensuring a transatlantic finish worthy of its ambitions.
Lyons encouraged the band to experiment with tighter arrangements and melodic layering. The result was a record that balanced the grit of traditional hard rock with the slicker production values of the early ’80s. Songs like “The Writer” and “We Belong to the Night” showcased UFO’s ability to merge muscular riffs with radio-ready hooks, while “Let It Rain” hinted at the atmospheric depth that Carter’s keyboards brought to the table.
Mechanix isn’t a concept album, but it carries a thematic cohesion — a metallic pulse running through its songs, much like the era’s fascination with machines, progress, and cold efficiency. UFO translated that imagery into sound: tight, metallic guitar tones, rhythmic precision, and an almost mechanical groove. Yet, beneath the chrome surface lay the heart of a blues band still wrestling with emotion and human vulnerability.
The cover design by John Pasche (famed for designing The Rolling Stones’ “Tongue and Lips” logo) and illustration by David Juniper (of Led Zeppelin fame) added a visual language that tied the album to rock’s evolving aesthetic — sleek, industrial, and cinematic. Photographer Ross Halfin captured the band’s modernized image, trading the scruffy ‘70s look for something sharper, fitting the MTV generation.
The sessions for Mechanix were productive but not without strain. Bassist Pete Way, whose thunderous playing had always been central to the UFO sound, was increasingly frustrated by management issues and creative disagreements. The recording process magnified these tensions, and not long after the album’s release, Way would depart the band to form Waysted. His departure marked the end of UFO’s classic era, leaving Mogg as the sole original member to carry the torch.
Upon release, Mechanix received a mixed reception. Critics praised its craftsmanship but questioned its emotional authenticity. Some longtime fans missed the raw unpredictability of the Schenker years, while others welcomed the band’s modernized sound. The inclusion of the Eddie Cochran cover “Somethin’ Else” drew mild controversy — a rockabilly standard nestled among hard-rock anthems — but it also reflected UFO’s roots in classic rock ‘n’ roll energy.
Commercially, the album performed well enough to sustain the band’s international touring, particularly in France and Germany, where UFO retained a loyal following. However, the hard-rock world was shifting rapidly toward heavier, faster sounds — leaving bands like UFO straddling the line between heritage and adaptation.
In retrospect, Mechanix stands as one of UFO’s most transitional works — a bridge between the raw intensity of the 1970s and the polished professionalism of 1980s rock. It’s an album that captures both evolution and exhaustion, a group of veterans proving that even in an era obsessed with reinvention, they could still make the engines of hard rock roar.
Heavy Metal / Hard Rock
UFO’s Mechanix blends the muscle of traditional hard rock with early-80s melodic metal precision. The band’s sound combined the heavy riffing and rhythm-drive of the late 1970s with the polished studio production and arena-ready anthems that defined the coming decade.
RCA Chrysalis – Cat#: CHR 1360
12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Weight: 230 g (Cover + Record)
1982 – Made in France
Mountain Studios – Montreux, Switzerland
The Manor Studio – Oxfordshire, England
Scorpio Sound & Maison Rouge – London, England
Media Sound Studios – New York, USA
Pete Way was a founding member and bassist of UFO, known for his thunderous tone and rock ‘n’ roll attitude that shaped the band’s identity.
His driving basslines anchored classic albums like Phenomenon and Lights Out, influencing generations of hard rock and metal musicians.Beyond UFO, he formed Waysted and collaborated with Ozzy Osbourne and Fastway.Way’s rebellious energy and distinctive stage presence made him one of the most iconic bassists of British hard rock.
The front cover of UFO – Mechanix features a stylized, high-contrast illustration dominated by a robotic blue hand grasping the neck of a guitar, which also doubles as a wrench. This surreal fusion of tool and instrument visually conveys the album’s title — the intersection of mechanical precision and rock craftsmanship.
The background is stark white, allowing the vivid cobalt blue and metallic silver to command attention. At the top, the band’s logo UFO appears in bold red letters, bisected by electric wave lines that suggest sound or energy. Diagonally across the center, the album title MECHANIX appears in gray, block-style letters with a subtle drop shadow, reinforcing the industrial motif.
The composition evokes strength and motion, mirroring the band’s transition into a more streamlined, powerful sound in the early 1980s. Every element — from the minimalist color palette to the graphic geometry — reflects UFO’s embrace of modern design and sonic evolution.
The back cover of UFO – Mechanix continues the mechanical and precision-engineering theme from the front. A vivid cobalt-blue background is covered in a fine geometric grid, echoing the look of a technical blueprint.
A ghostly line drawing of the same hand-and-wrench motif dominates the layout, subtly embedded into the grid design. Across the center, the song titles are printed diagonally in thin, white lettering, dividing the two LP sides with minimalist clarity.
On the right side, a black-and-white stage photograph captures UFO in full live performance energy — Phil Mogg at the mic, Paul Chapman and Neil Carter on guitars, and Andy Parker behind the drums. Beneath this image are the detailed production credits, studio listings, and RCA/Chrysalis identifiers, presented in neat block text that reinforces the album’s industrial yet elegant aesthetic.
This close-up photograph captures the Side One record label of UFO – Mechanix, a French pressing distributed by RCA for Chrysalis Records in 1982. The label’s design features a clean blue-to-silver gradient with black sans-serif typography arranged in symmetrical order around the spindle hole.
At the top appears the album title “Mechanix” with detailed track information for Side One, including the opening song “The Writer” and a cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Somethin’ Else.” Beneath the list, production credit is given to Gary Lyons.
On the left, bold UFO DISTRIBUTION RCA text and the white Chrysalis butterfly logo reinforce brand identity. Around the outer rim, fine French copyright text reads “TOUS DROITS DU PRODUCTEUR DE L'ŒUVRE PHONOGRAPHIQUE DU PROPRIÉTAIRE DE L’ŒUVRE RÉSERVÉS.” The catalog number CHR 1360 and the SACEM logo authenticate this pressing as a genuine French issue.
Telefunken Teldec 6.24 836 , 1981 , Germany
C'mon Everybody is a compilation album with early recordings by the British Hard Rock band: UFO. The title of this UFO album comes from a song , which was released on their 1979 album
C'mon Everybody 12" Vinyl LPReleased in 1982, Mechanix marks UFO’s shift toward a more refined 1980s hard rock sound. Combining tight guitar work, strong melodies, and Phil Mogg’s powerful vocals, the album bridges classic heavy rock with a modern, high-energy edge. Tracks like “We Belong to the Night” highlight its confident, anthemic drive.
The album was generally well-received by critics, who praised the band's songwriting and musicianship. "No Place to Run" is considered one of UFO's most successful and critically acclaimed albums
No Place To Run (USA) No Place To Run (West-Germany)- , - , -
This was the final UFO studio album to feature Michael Schenker on lead guitar until he returned to the band in 1993.
Obession 12" Vinyl LPChrysalis CHR 1059 , 1974 , England
Phenomenon is the album by the British rock band UFO, released in May, 1974. Guitarist Michael Schenker joined UFO in June, 1973 arriving in the UK directly from his German band, Scorpions, and without speaking a word of English.
Phenomenon . 12" Vinyl LPNova 6.28 363 , 1976 , Germany
"Space Metal" is double LP set combining tracks taken from UFO's first three albums UFO, Flying and their Japanese only release UFO Lands in Tokyo--Live. The titles of these are given on the sleeve as being UFO1, Flying and UFO Live.
Space Metal 12" Vinyl LPChrysalis 300.268 , 1979 , Holland
"Strangers in the Night" is a live double album by UFO, which was released in 1979. It was recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, England and the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan during the band's 1977 and 1978 tours.
Strangers in the Night 12" Vinyl LPChrysalis CHE 1307 , 1981 , Canada
UFO's 1981 release, "The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent," stands as a rock classic, blending hard rock and melodic finesse. Led by Phil Mogg's vocals and Michael Schenker's guitar,
The Wild The Willing and the Innocent 12" Vinyl LP