On This Day 07/10/1980 UFO

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On this day, 7 October 1980, hard rock band UFO played Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens on their The Wild, the willing and the innocent tour. Support was provided by Fist.

The Wild, the willing and the innocent was the title of the band’s ninth studio album released the following January.

The album was their first album to be entirely self-produced. Its song "Lonely Heart" was a minor UK hit.

Former Wild Horses' keyboard player Neil Carter replaced Paul Raymond, who had left to join the Michael Schenker Group after a disagreement with singer Phil Mogg. However, according to guitarist Paul Chapman, Carter – though credited on the sleeve – did not play keyboards on the album (see below).

"We produced it ourselves with nobody breathing over our shoulders. The only problem was it cost twice as much because we kept changing studios and re-recording stuff…. [After Paul Raymond's departure] I tried to get John Sloman involved because he could sing, play keyboards and guitar, and was just out of Lone Star like me. He did play on the Wild album, but most of the keyboards are by the brother of the engineer Gary Edwards – until Phil sacked him. We finished that album without a keyboard player, then got Neil Carter in later." – Paul Chapman

Setlist

Alpha Centauri

Lettin' Go

Long Gone

Cherry

Only You Can Rock Me

No Place to Run

Makin' Moves

Love to Love

Hot 'n' Ready

Mystery Train

(Little Junior’s Blue Flames cover)

Too Hot to Handle

Lights Out

Rock Bottom

Doctor Doctor

On This Day 09/06/2020 Paul Chapman

On this day, 9 June 2020, Welsh rock guitarist Paul “Tonka” Chapman died on his 66th birthday.

Best known for his work with UFO and Lone Star, he was nicknamed ‘Tonka’ after the resilient children’s toy truck in honour of his alleged indestructability, Paul Chapman was born in Cardiff on 9th June 1954.

He joined the Irish Skid Row in December 1971 replacing a certain Gary Moore as guitarist, but only remained with the band for eight months before playing with Kimla Taz until 1974.

Chapman joined hard rock legends UFO as a second guitarist in late 1974 following the release of their seminal album ‘Phenomenon’ . He toured with the band but did not contribute to any recordings before he left in 1975.

Following this, he was a pivotal member of the critically lauded Welsh rock outfit Lone Star from 1975 to 1978 and contributed to both their studio albums ‘Lone Star’ and ‘Firing on All Six’. Despite their widespread plaudits – the late-great John Peel was a huge fan - they didn’t quite achieve the success many feel they deserved.

In 1977, Chapman filled in for Michael Schenker with UFO on their US tour, and he returned to the band full time in December 1978 shortly before they unleashed their defining live album ‘Strangers in the Night’, which was recorded a few months before Tonka joined.

He contributed to three studio albums with UFO - ‘The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent’ (1981), 'Mechanix' (1982) and 'Making Contact' (1983) - before the band called it a day for the first time.

Chapman also appeared in Pete Way’s band Waysted in the 1980s appearing on the albums ‘The Good The Bad The Waysted’ and ‘Save Your Prayers’.

In more recent years, Chapman formed the band PCP (Paul Chapman Project) and he was a member of the Florida Southern Rock band Gator Country from 2006 to 2010.

Lone Star guitarist Tony Smith wrote on Facebook: “Just heard that my old friend and Lone Star guitar partner Paul Tonka Chapman died yesterday on his birthday.

"He was a real rock and roller and lived life to the full. We will remember him as a brilliant Welsh guitarist and wild and funny man. Rest now my brother.”

On this day 20/6/1978 UFO

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On this day 20 June 1978 British rock band UFO played Cardiff’s Top Rank. The band were promoting their seventh studio album Obession, which peaked at No 26 in the UK album charts.

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 3-track EP "Only You Can Rock Me", "Cherry" / "Rock Bottom", reaching No. 50 in the UK.

The album was recorded at an abandoned post office in Los Angeles.

UFO was formed in London in 1968 and became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal that followed.

UFO

Phil Mogg - vocals

Michael Schenker - lead guitar, recorder

Paul Raymond - rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Pete Way - bass

Andy Parker - drums, backing vocals