UFO - Rock Bottom Co-written by vocalist Phil Mogg and then lead guitarist Michael Schenker, Rock Bottom was recorded initially for the 1974 Phenomenon album, on which it runs to 6 minutes 22 seconds. Rock Bottom was released as a single, a format that could not possibly do the song justice. The live version from Strangers In The Night is unquestionably definitive. This album was recorded on the bands 1978 US tour and was released on the Chrysalis Label in January the following year. Running to 11 minutes 8 seconds, Rock Bottom is the highpoint with Schenker demonstrating awesome speed and technique, but this is more than a mere guitar solo; towards the end, Paul Raymond on keyboards provides a thrilling race effect with the mercurial German, who, incredibly, was said to be unhappy with the recording. Others beg to differ. In 2004, Classic Rock magazine rated UFOs Strangers In The Night double album the #2 live rock album of all time behind only Thin Lizzys Live And Dangerous; on the strength of that alone, Rock Bottom must surely rate as one of the top hundred if not top ten heavy metal tracks of the 1970s if not of all time. When asked what had inspired the song lyrically, Phil Mogg said it was a horror film, but that he had forgotten its title. It is possible though that he was influenced subconsciously by the traditional poem The Unquiet Grave, which contains the phrase one kiss of your clay-cold lips. Mogg uses the same phrase one sweet kiss on your clay-cold lips (which is likewise to be taken literally) although in a different context. Michael Schenker, he explained that this song had a very spontaneous conception. We were just sitting there looking for an additional song, and when I played Rock Bottom, the riff, thats when Phil jumped up and said, Thats it! Thats it!, said Schenker. So we started putting it together and putting it into form. Speaking about the free-form nature of this song and how he improvises it during live performances, Schenker said: Rock Bottom has that piece in the middle of free expression, and its perfect for me because I love pure self-expression. Its a really, really good part to play over that particular chord there, and it leaves a lot of space to come up with a whole bunch of creative ideas. Over the years, the solos have changed. I keep the basic structure of it, but there is a lot of space to put new sparks on here and there and keep it fresh. Its always enjoyable to play over and over and over, because I can be very creative with it on the spot. Thats a very fascinating, enjoyable part of music for me. youtu.be/uGLbkpN4RfE
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 02:07:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015