UFO has been doing their thing for almost 40 years now. The British legends still have three original members (vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist/keyboardist Paul Raymond and drummer Andy Parker), and unfortunately original bassist Pete Way wasn’t able to participate in the recording of The Visitor because of health concerns. American shredder Vinnie Moore has been in UFO for the past five years or so, and he fills us in on UFO’s latest, his new solo CD, his Dean signature guitar and some of his all time favorite guitarists.
Chad Bowar: Give us a preview of UFO’s latest CD The Visitor.
Vinnie Moore: It rocks and rolls!

There are some melodic tunes and some strong blues influences.

Was the writing/recording process any different than usual?
No, it was the same process as we followed in the past. It all starts off with the music and then vocals and lyrics are added. We get together and rehearse and then go into the studio to record drums and bass. Guitars are done at my studio.

Who did the bass parts since Pete wasn’t able to participate?
Peter Pichl from Hannover, Germany.

Is being on two different continents difficult, or does technology make it easy?
It's actually preferable when you play in a band with crazy people like the guys in UFO! Technology definitely helps, but also we get together when we need to do so. But there was one song in particular called “Hell Driver” that never would have been on the record had it not been for technology.

Our drummer Andy was almost finished recording drums in Germany when I came up with this song at home in the U.S. while watching an episode of The Simpsons. I made a quick demo of it and uploaded the demo files to a server, and then emailed everyone to tell them they should give it a listen.

I got a call the very next morning at 10am (4pm in Germany) and the drum track was already finished and they played it for me. It is one of my favorite tracks on the CD and would not have made it without the internet....and Homer.

What are your expectations for the album?
To bring in a higher level of hot girls to our shows. I expect to sell a lot of copies damn it!

What are UFO’s upcoming tour plans?
We are doing a lot of European shows in June (mostly UK), as well as festivals in Germany and Italy. We tour America later in the year.

With a catalog spanning 40 years, how in the world do you put together a setlist?
It's not easy. And no matter what we do, we will always hear "I wish you would have played such and such." It's just impossible to not leave something good out. We try to cover the classic tunes and also some of the newer stuff.

You also just released a solo CD To The Core. What can fans expect?
It's an all instrumental guitar based rock CD. There are lots of elements of the many styles of music I am into such as bluesb, bebopc funk, techno and metal, but it's all delivered in a rock context. There are lots of cool rhythms and I think it'll make people wanna shake their booty and rock. It isn't just a bunch of guitar wankin' though, it's more about songs and creating a mood.

Was it planned to release your CD and the UFO CD so close together, or is that just how it ended up?
It just ended up that way. My solo CD has been finished since late 2008 before we even started on the UFO CD. But Mascot wanted to release it in the spring so we waited a little while.

Will you be playing any solo dates?
I have a handful scheduled for Italy in July between UFO dates. There will be more later, but there are no specifics yet. But I can't wait to do some solo shows.

I’m sure a well-known guitarist like you had many endorsement offers. What is it about Dean guitars that you chose them?
The fact that I really liked everyone there on a personal level and that they were willing to make the dream guitar that I wanted. Most of the guys that work there are great players not just businessmen. The owner of the company is an excellent bassist, and the guys involved in designing Dean guitars are all really good guitarists. It all made sense. I am proud of the signature guitar we created.

What makes the VM-2000 different than a standard guitar?
The shape of the neck is awesome. It feels very natural in your hand. The body is alder, but has a thin laminate maple top for aesthetics. I didn't want too thick of a piece of maple as that tends to brighten the sound. The guitar sounds great and feels great. It has a pickup in the bridge that I designed with Pat Baker of Dean.

You’ve given many guitar clinics over the years. Do you enjoy teaching the next generation of guitarists?
Sure. It's cool to potentially be an influence on someone. And also I learn a lot from them.

Any plans to do any more instructional DVDs?
None at the moment.

Who are some current guitarists you think have a lot of talent?
Guthrie Govan is great, Ron Thal (Bumblefoot) also.

Who is the best guitarist ever?
There are too many great ones to just name one. Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Ritchie Blackmore, Allan Holdsworth and many more.

What have been the biggest changes you’ve seen in the music industry over the years?
Probably the internet and the digital downloading and file sharing thing.

What have been the high and low points in your career so far?
I have both of them during the course of a regular day! The low was in the mid ‘90s when playing guitar was uncool. The high point was maybe when I released my first couple records and was very successful at such a young age.

Anything else you’d like to mention?
Yes, come out to our shows and rock with us, and then buy me a beer!