UFO Guitarist And Keyboardist Paul Raymond Dead At 73

Paul Raymond, longtime guitarist and keyboard player for seminal heavy rock act UFO, passed away this weekend from a heart attack. He was 73.

News of Paul's passing was broken by his life partner Sandra, who posted the following message via the official Paul Raymond Facebook:

"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 peace until I'll see him again on the other side!!!

"I love you so much Paul

Sandra"

The band then confirmed Paul's death, posting the following:

Paul's career in UFO started in 1976, when the band recruited him from blues rockers Savoy Brown. Soon after joining, Paul helped the band write and release Lights Out, their biggest and most successful album. Raymond would quite and rejoin the band several times throughout his career, and was later cemented as one of their "classic '70s line-up" alongside members Phil Mogg, Vinnie Moore, Michael Schenker, and Pete Way.

Other bands and artists have posted tributes to Paul and his work on social media:

Everyone at Kerrang! sends their hearts out to Paul's friends, family, loved ones, and bandmates.