Obsession is the seventh studio album by English rock band UFO, released in 1978. This was the final studio album to feature Michael Schenker on lead guitar until he returned to the band in 1993. A single from the album, "Only You Can Rock Me" / "Cherry", was also released in 1978. So too was the band's first three-track EP "Only You Can Rock Me", "Cherry" / "Rock Bottom", reaching No. 50 in the UK.[which?] The album was recorded at an abandoned post office in Los Angeles.
| Obsession | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 23 June 1978[1] | |||
| Studio | C.P. McGregors, Western Avenue, Los Angeles and West 3rd Carrier Station, Beverly Hills, California with The Record Plant Mobile | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:59 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Producer | Ron Nevison | |||
| UFO chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Obsession | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C−[7] |
EMI's 2008 remastered edition includes three bonus live tracks, and also some writing credits are corrected. In 2024, Chrysalis released a deluxe edition on 2 CD's and 3 LP's. It features new remaster as well as an entire live show from Cleveland, remixed in 2024 for this release.
Critical reception
editReviewing the LP in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "I've admired their forward motion and facile riffs, so it's my duty to report that they've degenerated into the usual exhibitionism. Theme song: 'Lookin' Out for No. 1,' a turn of phrase that's becoming as much of a watchword in late '70s rock as 'get together' was in the late '60s."[7]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Only You Can Rock Me" | Pete Way, Michael Schenker, Phil Mogg | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Pack It Up (And Go)" | Way, Schenker, Mogg | 3:14 |
| 3. | "Arbory Hill" | Schenker | 1:11 |
| 4. | "Ain't No Baby" | Mogg, Paul Raymond | 3:58 |
| 5. | "Lookin' Out for No. 1" | Mogg, Raymond | 4:34 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Hot 'n' Ready" | Schenker, Mogg | 3:16 |
| 7. | "Cherry" | Way, Mogg | 3:34 |
| 8. | "You Don't Fool Me" | Raymond, Andy Parker, Mogg | 3:23 |
| 9. | "Lookin' Out for No. 1" (reprise) | Schenker, Raymond | 1:14 |
| 10. | "One More for the Rodeo" | Way, Mogg | 3:45 |
| 11. | "Born to Lose" | Schenker, Mogg, Raymond | 3:31 |
| Total length: | 35:59 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Hot 'n' Ready" (live In Columbus, Ohio, 17/10/78) | 3:34 |
| 13. | "Pack It Up (And Go)" (live In Columbus, Ohio, 17/10/78) | 3:38 |
| 14. | "Ain't No Baby" (live In Kenosha, Wisconsin, 14/10/78) | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 46:57 | |
Personnel
editUFO
- Phil Mogg – vocals
- Michael Schenker – guitars, recorder
- Paul Raymond – keyboards, guitar
- Pete Way – bass
- Andy Parker – drums
Production
- Ron Nevison – producer
- Mike Clink – assistant engineer
- Alan McMillan – conductor, string arrangements, string conductor
- Hipgnosis – cover art
Charts
edit| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] | 89 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] | 68 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[10] | 31 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[11] | 26 |
| US Billboard 200[12] | 41 |
References
edit- ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 32.
- ^ "UFO : Obsession". Spirit-of-metal.com.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "Obsession review by Greg Prato". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
UFO's Obsession was to be their last studio record with star guitarist Michael Schenker. It did indeed contain lots of prime metal cuts, but some of the material ultimately fell flat
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "UFO - Cherry". Hitparade.ch.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "UFO - Only You Can Rock Me". Hitparade.ch.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "Obsession - UFO". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: U". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 17 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 316. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0023b". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – UFO – Obsession". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Billboard 200 - 23 September 1978". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
