R.I.P. UFO, Michael Schenker Group and Waysted keyboardist Paul Raymond (1945-2019)

R.I.P. UFO, Michael Schenker Group and Waysted keyboardist Paul Raymond (1945-2019)

Sad news as UFO‘s long-time keyboardist Paul Raymond died of a heart attack today.

The following message was posted on Raymond’s Facebook page by his life partner Sandra about an hour ago (with slight edit):

“Hi to all the fans and people who knew Paul! This is Sandra, Paul‘s life partner speaking: With a desperate and broken heart, fully in tears and pains that feel like they will kill me I have to tell you that my most beautiful and beloved darling Paul Raymond has passed away today. The doctors were trying to reanimate him and with success at first but then his system shot down again and there was nothing more they could do for him, he died of a heart attack.

He absolutely enjoyed the last couple of weeks touring with UFO in the UK & Ireland and he was looking forward to the rest of this year’s tour.

This photo was taken last Wednesday when we checked out of our last hotel before coming back to Germany!

I will always love him and I hope he will rest in piece until I’ll see him again on the other side!!!

I love you so much Paul ?? Sandra“

Wikipedia states the following about Raymond‘s life and career (with slight edits):

“Raymond began his musical career in January 1964 as a jazz musician. He later joined Plastic Penny as their keyboardist/vocalist, and replaced Christine McVie (nee: Perfect) in British blues band Chicken Shack when she left for a solo career; later she join Fleetwood Mac. Raymond then joined Savoy Brown as their keyboardist/guitarist. He subsequently recorded with the former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Danny Kirwan.

He was recruited by UFO in 1976 to replace their first keyboardist, Danny Peyronel. He wrote songs for UFO but because of a previous publishing deal was not credited for these songs until recent years. When Michael Schenker left UFO, he joined Schenker‘s own band, MSG, in 1981 and later joined UFO bassist Pete Way‘s own band, Waysted, in 1983. Raymond worked with Phil Mogg, Andy Parker, along with Schenker and Way, in UFO from 1976–1981, 1984–1986, 1993–1998 and 2003–2019.

Raymond was left handed and played guitar with the strings inverted.

Raymond died from a heart attack on April 13, 2019; he was 73 years old. At the time of his death, UFO had just started what they refer to as their final world tour, dubbed “Last Orders“.”

UFO performing “Fighting Man” (from Showtime live album):

UFO Fighting Man – Phil Mogg – Vinnie Moore – Pete Way – Paul Raymond – Jason Bonham

This track, Taken from UFO’s double live DVD ‘Showtime’ and appeared on the album, ‘Sharks’.http://www.beatsworking.tv/UFO/disc.html#showtimePhil MoggVinnie …