UFO is a British hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in 1969, with l… Read Full Bio ↴UFO is a British hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in 1969, with lead singer Phil Mogg, guitarist Mick Bolton, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker. UFO was a transitional band between the rock of Led Zeppelin and the metal to come in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Their early releases are commonly referred to as "space rock" with obvious influence from the 60s rock scene.

In 1973 the band recruited an 18 year old Michael Schenker from the band Scorpions. This marked a departure from their space rock sound to a more hard edged rock sound. They released a string of critically acclaimed rock albums in the 70s that gained them a following in America and made them stars in the UK. Around the time of the 1978 release of Obsession, tensions between Schenker and Mogg were mounting. UFO arguably reached their peak at this time. In 1978 they toured extensively and recorded material for the double live album Strangers in the Night which was released in 1979. This album is considered by many fans and critics to be one of the best live rock albums ever produced. Immediately after the Strangers in the Night tour Michael Schenker left the band.

After this period UFO's popularity began to decline as they continue to release material. In 1988 they disbanded due to lackluster sales, decline in popularity, and their inability to (or perhaps refusal to) capitalize on the popularity of the glam rock movement. But the hiatus was short lived.

In 1992 Mogg and Way put together another UFO lineup that met with some new interest from fans. In 1993 the original UFO got back together (with Schenker) and the result was 1995's Walk on Water, which some consider to be one of the best comeback rock albums ever.

Schenker re-joined and quit UFO many times in the early 2000s. Due to Schenker's instability as a band member (and erratic tour behavior) Mogg eventually gained full control of the UFO band brand and Schenker is now forever from the picture (most likely).

UFO has released 20 studio albums, and many live/compilation albums. Though the lineup has changed many times over the years the core members of the band were usually involved along the way: Phil Mogg (vocals), Pete Way (bass), Andy Parker (drums), and Paul Raymond (guitar).

UFO's influence was strongly felt in the '80s metal scene and they have been cited as a primary influence of Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, and Iron Maiden who gives thanks to UFO in the liner note of The Number of the Beast.

UFO's official website: http://www.ufo-music.info

There are other artists with same name:

2) UFO is a Danish rapper/singer-songwriter and member of the Danish hip-hop group Ufo&Yepha.

3) UFO is the alias of UK Happy Hardcore artist Jason Holloway who is known for his production on such labels as Raverbaby and Jellybaby.

4) UFO is a Latvian singer/songwriter also known as Kaspars Upacieris. He also hosts a radio show BB Brokastis with Andris Freidenfelds.

5) UFO was one of the first Costa Rican punk band and one of the most important during the 90's-early 00's in the Costa Rican alternativa music scene.

6) UFO! A Bay Area native pioneered the San Francisco Drum and Bass scene and co-founded the Phunckateck collective. An innovative producer.

2002 saw UFO! releasing an original material CD on Thermal Recordings, called "The Future is Listening”. Releases include a mix CD on Vortex called “Maelstrom,” and a special edition mix CD for Circa footwear. UFO! has worked Hive, Echo, and Techno producer John Tejada.

UFO! remixed a track for Hollywood Records, rock band Tinfed, called “Drop”, and several singles including “Tech has Taken Over Me”, “Sideswipe” (produced with Kaos) and “Besame” (produced with Arqer and Realtime).

“Enemy Infiltration”, an anthem of 1999, blazed across the U.S. and abroad. The stunning string arrangement on the track had producers from the revered Trouble on Vinyl label from the U.K. sampling it for one of their own releases called “Mission Control”.

7) UFOUnited Future Organization otherwise known as UFO is a nu-jazz duo made up of Japanese-born Tadashi Yabe (直矢部, Yabe Tadashi?) and Frenchman Raphael Sebbag (ラファエルセバーグ, Raphael Sebbag?). One of the three original founding members, Toshio Matsuura left the group in 2002 to work with Universal Japan on a remix album project

8) UFO is a Hungarian music band. The most successfully years were the 90s for them.

9) UFO is an Indonesian music band. They released the first album early 2000 named "Brutal Pop".They've entered an Indonesian ska compilation album

10. UFO is a Norwegian band mostly cover band

Rock Ready
UFO Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Call me the king of memphis
You can call me the tupelo rose
This here guitar is singing now
Like the mississipi flows

It ain't about the money
It ain't about the fame
This is rock

There ain't no chain

You can put me down
You can help me up
I'm used to living on self made luck
I'm rock'n'roll ready
Behind the driving wheel
Tupelo on tennesse
No petticoats or thrills
I'm rock'n'roll ready
Behind the driving wheel
I cut my teeth on the old steel mill

The lights go up
The stage comes down
I'm undefeated
Who's gonna wear my crown
I'm going to hollywood to sell my vest
I'm gonna do what i do best

It ain't about the money
It ain't about the fame
This is rock
There ain't no chain

You can put me down
You can help me up
I'm used to living on self made luck
I'm rock'n'roll ready
Behind the driving wheel
Tupelo on tennesse
No petticoats or thrills
I'm rock'n'roll ready

Behind the driving wheel
Plays like an old saw mill

Overall Meaning

The song "Rock Ready" by UFO is a tribute to rock and roll and the spirit of rebellion that it embodies. The lyrics describe the singer's dedication to his craft, and his determination to succeed on his own terms, without compromising his values or compromising the integrity of his music. The opening lines of the song, "Call me the king of memphis / You can call me the tupelo rose", establish the singer's pride in his identity and his roots in the blues and rockabilly music of the American South. The guitar solo that follows is a celebration of the instrument itself, and of the passionate, soulful music it can create.

Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes that rock and roll is not about money or fame, but about the raw energy and emotion that it can unleash. He is "rock'n'roll ready" and "used to living on self-made luck", and he is not afraid to take risks and push the boundaries of what is possible with his music. The chorus of the song repeats the refrain "It ain't about the money / It ain't about the fame / This is rock / There ain't no chain", emphasizing the singer's rebellious attitude and his dedication to his craft.

The song also includes references to the singer's experiences growing up in Tupelo, Tennessee, and his background working in a steel mill. These elements ground the song in a sense of place and history, and suggest that the singer's musical talent is rooted in his lived experience and his connection to his community. The final lines of the song, "Plays like an old saw mill", suggest that rock music is a force of nature, like the grinding machinery of the mill, and that it can be both beautiful and dangerous in its power.

Line by Line Meaning

Call me the king of memphis
Refer to me as the ruler of Memphis

You can call me the tupelo rose
You may also refer to me as the Tupelo Rose

This here guitar is singing now
The guitar is now producing some melodious tunes

Like the mississipi flows
The tunes produced by the guitar is following the rhythm of the Mississippi river

It ain't about the money
The motivation behind this is not money

It ain't about the fame
There is no interest in becoming popular

This is rock
This is the real essence of rock music

There ain't no chain
There are no boundaries or restrictions for this music genre

You can put me down
You may attempt to bring me down

You can help me up
You can also try to lift me up

I'm used to living on self made luck
I am accustomed to depending on my own hard work and fortune