UFO [ MYSTERY TRAIN ] LIVE COVER SONG

[arcme262]

Pete and Phil's comments are out of line considering how much Paul Chapman

saved their asses on multiple occasions. It wasn't about searching for a guitarist, they needed someone now, pronto! Paul was willing, and this is what they say?

Shameful.

[olgimer]

I saw Paul Chapman with UFO / No Place To Run tour in 1980. Chapman was all over it... he never missed a lick, he had an easy style that was fluid and melodic... not rushed or ever hurried. You knew that he was a part of the band and not just "The Guitar Player". They all grooved effortlessly together. He played the songs as they were written, and did a damn fine job of it. There's a lot to be said of that.

[AXEFLYERFV]

@Silvertone1481 thnx for the info., much appreciated!

[timjessa1]

chapman is such an under rated player. he is no one's bitch thats for sure..

[JohnTheRipper2]

@timjessa1 he's very darn good, but he just doesn't capture the soul that michael put into this tune.

[AXEFLYERFV]

@JohnTheRipper2 I do agree with you about michael's musical superiority but Michael has never played this tune!!

this is from No place to Run , Chapman's first studio album as the new permant new guitarist!

[JohnTheRipper2]

@AXEFLYERFV damn, i didn't know that. i always really admired schenker for this particular song, and this particular song is what made him special to me. now that i know it's not his... well, he's just not that special anymore.

[AXEFLYERFV]

@JohnTheRipper2 Well this song is not Chapman's either is a cover done by many artists ,but this version rocks!

to me Michael will always the best guitarist UFO ever had!

This is the original artist that wrote it:

Little Junior Parker -- Mystery Train

[JohnTheRipper2]

@AXEFLYERFV well yeah i knew it wasn't their version. i just really really like the lead parts, and the acoustic intro is just frikin brilliant. it's got that american 70's american restaurant vibe.

[AXEFLYERFV]

@JohnTheRipper2 like I said ,that version from No place to run rocks,,, back then I knew Schenker had left UFO ,I didn't know they had Chapman as the permanent new guitarist so when Mystery Train was played on the radio & was the new UFO album,,, I thought it was Schenker back in UFO because of Chapman's playing,I think he did try to capture Schenker's tone & way of playing!

but when I bought the album, I found out that Schenker was not playing anymore, he had MSG on his way!

[timjessa1]

@JohnTheRipper2 ... hey john, "axe" knows all bro when it comes to schenker/ufo ... michael is by far my all-time favorite player, buy i think chapman gets overlooked to often... he is a great player, with his own style.... and neil carter is no slouch either, or rhythm guitar / keys ...... take care bro, all the best to you !!!!

[dougcassidy]

anyone know whats on the back side of his guitar? cant make it out.

[AXEFLYERFV]

@dougcassidy If you're refering to Chapman's guitar,they look like tuning keys to me,but I never seen that on any guitar before ( an extra set of tuning keys),if that is really what it is!

but that's what it looks to me !!

[Defcon737]

@dougcassidy ,ummm sounds to me like some awsome music.!!

[SnuffleZeTruffle]

@dougcassidy

Hi...the guitar is BC Rich Bich 10. Its an amazing design by Neal Moser. Basically, its a normal guitar..but...the shape allows you to add, if you want 4 extra strings creating a 10 string. Basically, the the D/G/B/E are double like a 12 string guitar. The top A/E remain as normal. Most people didn't use the 4 extra strings. As you can see..the were strung backwards...strings thru the back of the headstock and down to the tuners on the body.

AWESOME guitars..very rare. EXPENSIVE

[SnuffleZeTruffle]

@SnuffleZeTruffle

SO...the 4 extra strings...the come thru the back of the headstock, they pass over the nut which is cut with a groove for the 4 extra strings. They then go over the bridge, also has the 4 extra grooves for the strings and then to the tuners at te back of the body.

Very few famous people used a BICH 10. Joe Perry, Robin George, Rik Ocasek/CARS, Steve Vai, Mustaine etc.

Guitar also has a fully active circuit that allows you to mimmick nearly ANY other guitars sounds.

[MetallicBill]

Just more update, same thing, the comments Pete made here effected a lot of fans because they were excerpts rather then well laid out opinions on WHY he would discount Paul's input so much. Paul was not the writer of songs that Schenker was, but he did go on to teach guitar... and play more on his own, not to the MSG level of course

[Cougar1961]

Paul Chapman is a fine guitarist for sure

[whitbyjet65]

I like the work Paul did with UFO. Great band with Michael AND Paul.

[AXEFLYERFV]

@beestpassion2 you're very welcome Donna I know what you mean,I come from that era so I can relate to those great times!!

thnx again for your comments & especially the one on your page, much appreciated kindly!!

[ztormar]

dont missunderstand me, i am (was) a huge fan of Schenker, but this line up is doing another thing in another way, what these guys are up to today, i dont have a glimpse of, hope they have a realy good off:)

[AXESLINGERFV]

@ztormar sorry ,didn't meant to sound a bit disrespecful.!

well , Vinnie Moore has been their new guitarists since 2005 I believe!

I ,saw them back in 2008 & they gave a great show!!

thnx for watching!!

[MetallicBill]

@AXESLINGERFV Vinnies good, but I think I favor Chapman's solo style from the era at least. It's really the type of solos that hit me in the face!

[ztormar]

cant miss Shenker here, and never did at the present time, this rocks!

[AXEFLYERFV]

@ztormar is maybe because you are a Chapman fan,I liked his own work on the the NoPlace to run ,Mecanix & a few songs from The album that came out after, but doing the live Schenker covers didn't do it for me!

& present time there is not even his shadow from his '80's playing!!

[tempofreak69]

Wow, I've watched this quite a few times in the last few days, and Paul Chapman's playing on this song is simply amazing. What the F#@k were Phil and Pete saying? Ridiculous.

[MetallicBill]

@tempofreak69 I don't know about Phil so much, but in mag interviews, it seemed he was still drinking and of course, Pete was known to abuse for some years, it took them past the 1980s to get cleaned up, and Phil still says odd stuff.. This doc dates to 1992. Pete was happy to have some REAL UFO video out finally, not like the Misdemeanor Video from 1985 with Atomik Tommy... Which to me was good stuff anyway

[tempofreak69]

Nice, Pete. Huh? Didn't contribute to quality? Chapman seems to be kicking some serious ass in this video.

[johndoerocks]

Paul chapman what a fuckin player!!!

[srrofgiw]

Paul Chapman is a brilliant guitarist in par with all of the elite during the 70/80s. Schenker on the other hand is one of the three Godfathers of hard rock: Blackmore, Iommi and Schenker!

[Geetarmann]

I am a HUGE Schenker fan, but I love this version of the song! It was easily Tonka's shining moment with the band! As much as I love every UFO album with Schenker, I also love the four with Paul!

[shep79]

Chapman!!!

[timechannel]

Some of Paul's guitar playing is just mindblowing

If you had seen him playing "Making Moves" and "Too Hot" live you would be an instant fan..

As for 2 of the greatest riffs..Check "Lettin Go" and the "Writer"

[geegee670]

this one's probably my second favorite non Schenker UFO tune after "We belong to the night". Thanks Axe!

[Geetarmann]

@geegee670

Agreed! My other Tonka favorite!

[tele0507]

Michael was finished and Paul was the best replacement. Mechanix was killer

[AXEFLYERFV]

Michael wasn't finished,he had MSG coming strong,Mechanix was the last UFO album I bought ,after that UFO started declining!

UFO is doing a lot better now!

do a search on Paul Chapman youtube videos & tell me what you think?

[MetallicBill]

@AXEFLYERFV I liked Atomik Tommy M, and he inspired Frankie Hannon of TESLA totally, so much so, he played an SG Gibson because Tommy had with UFO

[thedonaldcanada]

UNBELIEVABLE!  I didn't think there was a video in existence for this song. Inspired me to pick up a guitar in the early '80s. Schenker and Roth both got their praise, but I still think Chapman was one of the most under rated guitarists of his day. 25 years later and I still can't play that acoustic intro.

[GreenBayLA]

Disappointed by Pete's comments here. Glad they followed up his bollocks with a high "quality" Tonka tune.

[axelmct]

they did go down hill with Tonka but it was'nt his fault, you could smell the junk in the front row, it was sad to watch a band so out of it, stumbling around

[MetallicBill]

The UFO Too hot to handle story leaves a bad taste in the mouth because it's not the best it can be and the opinions changed somewhat since then...1992. I love to see Chapman with his BC Rich guitars, I love the Bich as my personal favorite. Pete Way DID leave the band in the early 80s, harshly declaring them as Elevator Music, because it seemed watered down, I guess, but not to me

[ELECTRICACHICAGO]

My favorite UFO song ...no matter whom is lead guitar!!!!

[jayzile]

Of couse everyone missed Shanks, but UFO was a much more solid band with Chapman. For Pete Way do Diss Chapmen like that really shows how they blamed him for the record companies bad call in pre-pressing "no place to run" platnum and then the fans turning ther backs on UFO and not buying the LP just becouse no Michael? No place to run, was one of ufo's all around most solid LP ever made! Chapmen took UFO to a hole nother level, A TRUE ROCK BAND! Not just a GTR God surounding himself with players

[tomitstube]

Strange thing for Pete Way to say. What's the up side to saying something like that? There's criticism all over the place about Chapman's work, truth be told Mystery Train was about as close as UFO ever got to having a bonafide hit. I thought his lead and playing on this was pretty good, I don't get the hate?! I think these dudes are scapegoating and it's kinda lame.

[MetallicBill]

At the time, Obviously since 1992, on Pauls' own website Pete Way's comments were discussed and Paul says he really was not keyed in on it, and that Pete Way is STILL a friend, there's no hard feelings now.

[schiaffer]

Yes, UFO went downhill with Chapman. He is a decent guitar player, but certainly doesn't have Michael's vibrato or ability to write catchy songs with hooks. I think that was the main complaint at the time. Tommy M was better and Laurence Archer was great, too, but Chapman was just an average good guitar player. It's hard to go back once you've had Schenker. Look on the bright side now, though, they have Vinnie Moore. He's fantastic.

[schiaffer]

As an add on, UFO started adding a sax into the mix at that time and I believe it was because Chapman's playing just didn't stand out as being anything more than average and they needed something like Foreigner had to do when you've got a guy like Mick Jones who's no shredder. Same thing, but it worked better for Foreigner being a more AOR type of band

[LBjim]

They added sax becouse of two things:

1.The record company wanted a softer song like Lonely Heart

2.Phil Mogg was a big Springsteen fan, so he wanted a big sax on the record

TWTWTI just to experiment...

Ganted Chapman is no Schenker but I thought his contribution was good and took the band to a different direction at the time..

[MetallicBill]

I disagree, the writing can be argued since no one knows the particulars, but Chapman was in Waysted up to Save Your Prayers and that's an excellent album!!

[Winonasalibi]

Piss off Pete....Tonka was a road warrior and still an brilliant guitar player.... How many brain cell's does Michael have left?

[rinacath]

I completely disagree with phil and petes comments about the quality suffering when paul joined the band, if anything the music was better and I know lots of people on their websites say the same.

[mlbslugger62]

I for one agree. Also, looking at MSG's release and Michaels writing/playing at that point compared to No Place To Run, hands down Schenker was declining. Chapman kept the band alive longer than 80's Schenker would have, and brought in another unique sounding axeman.

[ZODIAKFV]

Schenker declining,that's when Schenker came back with his best,No place to run was a pretty good album but have you listen to MSG One night at Budokan,UFO started declining after No Place To Run!

[CatNika]

Very great cover!!!

Thanks Axe!