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UFO / SPIKE

From page 100 of Classic Rock Magazine February 2007

Cover of February 2007 issue.

Rock City, Nottingham

There are certain things that mark the

English out as quintessentially so. Principles we hold dear: tea, crumpets, public-school buggery... and Spike. Surely no other nation could have produced the loveable, shambolic rogue who ambles on stage tonight with a band made up, in his own words, of the members of the Quireboys who could be bothered and a couple of other muso mates. There’s no mistaking that boozehound rasp on songs from his solo record It’s A Treat To Be Alive , and they go down like a fine malt with the appreciative audience.

UFO are, if anything, even more typically English. Pete Way and Phil Mogg talk to each other like urchin schoolboys, while Paul Raymond and drummer Andy Parker play the indulgent uncles. These days there’s a young tearaway on the scene too: guitarist Vinnie Moore, who shreds his way through the back catalogue in a fashion which perhaps betrays his frustration at being away from home in Delaware.

A few numbers from new album The Monkey Puzzle are thrown in, and although they stand up alongside the old classics, really they’ll never be held in the same regard by the faithful.

Distracted by the presence of a couple of jigging lovelies in the front row, he grinning fivesome royally cock-up the end of Doctor Doctor , but when on form like this most things can be forgiven.

Johnny Sparks