Strangers in the Night is a live album by British hard rock band UFO, released in January 1979, through Chrysalis.
The original double LP was recorded at shows in Chicago, Illinois, and Louisville, Kentucky in October 1978. Chicago, recalled bassist Pete Way, "was the first city that we could play arenas in. We'd opened there for Kiss and their audience took to us. Every time we went to Chicago, it became an event." (UFO actually opened for Kiss in Nashville, on the Destroyer Tour. UFO and Kiss were both support acts for T. Rex at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago in 1974.)
Some of the songs were recorded at a show on UFO's tour with Blue Öyster Cult.
Guitarist Michael Schenker left the band during the tour and was replaced, for a second time, by Lone Star's Paul Chapman. It has been rumoured that Schenker refused to record overdubs for the album, which would make this an accurate account of his live guitar work. Schenker has spoken of disappointment with the tracks chosen, saying, "There were better takes they could've used."
Strangers in the Night peaked at No.7 in the UK and No.42 in the US.
Critics and fans cite it as one of the greatest live rock albums. Kerrang! ranked it No.47 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time". Slash, guitarist for Guns N' Roses, hailed it is his favorite live album. Founding UFO bassist Pete Way and drummer Andy Parker say it is their favorite UFO record.
The faces on the album's artwork were, said Pete Way, "people from [design company] Hipgnosis, I think. Because it was a live album, they tried to make it look like a crowd of people."
Two live EPs in 1979 also proved successful. In February, "Doctor Doctor" (taken from the album), backed with "On with the Action" (recorded on the same 1978 US tour) and the studio cut "Try Me", reached No.35 in the UK Singles Chart; this was the first time the band had made the UK Top 40. "Shoot Shoot", backed with "Only You Can Rock Me" and "I'm a Loser", hit No.48 in the UK in April.
Contents
Reissue
In 1999, EMI reissued Strangers in the Night as an expanded edition featuring two bonus songs, "Hot 'n' Ready" and "Cherry". The announcement at the beginning of this version indicates the first track was recorded in Chicago, but this was not so according to the booklet of the 2008 remaster (the songs are pointed as recorded in Youngstown, Ohio, 15 October 1978 and Cleveland, Ohio, 16 October 1978 accordingly). The audience noise is from Chicago and the introduction for the CD was from the Chicago show. At 2:40 into the track "Lights Out", Phil Mogg sings, "Lights out, lights out Chicago," followed by an audience roar. "Mother Mary" and "This Kid's" are studio tracks with crowd noise added, as outlined in the 2008 remaster booklet. The track listing was reordered to more accurately reflect UFO's set at the time. The track list of the 2008 version is identical to the 1999 version, with no additional tracks or setlist modifications.
Outtakes from the 1978 tour have also been released. A live version of "On with the Action" from the "Doctor Doctor" single was reissued on UFO: The Chrysalis Years (1973-79) in 2011. "Ain't No Baby", recorded in Kenosha, WI, and "Pack It Up (And Go)", recorded in Columbus, OH, appeared on Hot 'n' Live: The Chrysalis Live Anthology 1974-1983 in 2013. The Japanese version of this release includes a further version of "Pack It Up (And Go)", recorded in Youngstown, OH.
On Record Store Day 2020, Chrysalis was to release Live in Youngstown 1978, one of the six concerts recorded for Strangers in the Night.
Track listing
2020 Deluxe Edition
Disc three - (Live at the International Amphitheater, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 13 October 1978)
"Hot 'n' Ready" (Schenker, Mogg) - 3:54
"Pack It Up (And Go)" (Way, Schenker, Mogg) - 3:15
"Cherry" (Way, Mogg) - 3:32
"Let It Roll" (Schenker, Mogg) - 4:29
"Love to Love" (Schenker, Mogg) - 8:01
"Only You Can Rock Me" (Way, Schenker, Mogg) - 4:15
"Ain't No Baby" (Mogg, Paul Raymond) - 4:07
"Out in the Street" (Way, Mogg) - 5:04
"Doctor Doctor" (Schenker, Mogg) - 4:52
"Lights Out" (Schenker, Mogg, Parker, Way) - 5:12
"Rock Bottom" (Schenker, Mogg) - 10:13
"Too Hot to Handle" (Way, Mogg) - 4:24
"Shoot Shoot" (Schenker, Mogg, Way, Parker) - 3:59
Disc four - (Live at the Kenosha Ice Arena, Wisconsin, USA, 14 October 1978)
"Hot 'n' Ready" (Schenker, Mogg) - 3:35
"Pack It Up (And Go)" (Way, Schenker, Mogg) - 3:15
"Cherry" (Way, Mogg) - 3:47
"Let It Roll" (Schenker, Mogg) - 4:40
Personnel
UFO
Phil Mogg – vocals
Michael Schenker – lead guitar
Paul Raymond – keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Pete Way – bass guitar
Andy Parker – drums
Production
Ron Nevison – producer, engineer
Mike Clink – assistant engineer
Brian Chubb – live sound engineer
Alan McMillan – horn arrangements, string arrangements
Hipgnosis – artwork