Vinnie Moore - To The Core

(Mascot Records)

Vinnie Moore, is best known to the hard rock / heavy metal crowd as the current guitarist in british HR gods UFO, as well as the guitarist in the first Vicious Rummors album. Other than that he's one of the most succesful and illustrated examples of shredders that came out of the virtuosic boom that took place in the 80s and chiefly revolved around Mike Varney's Shrapnel Records. He was one of the most succesful guys to come out with an album back then along with the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen and Tony McAlpine.

At any rate, nuff with history. This is Vinnie's seventh (?) studio album - with the previous one being the amazing 2001's "Defying Gravity"... This album continues pretty much in a simmilar patern, to that... mingling rock n jazzy as well as bluesy moods into a fluid and easy to listen to, exciting hybrid. There are also the occasional flashier more technical momments, but the overall result is very well thought out and flows like a river...

Opener "Fly" is an emancipating, fusion-y track, that affords your ears a little serinity before "Panic Attack" sets in -which is a meatier more proggy song, which however also flows rather effortlessly. The finnesse of Vinnie's playing is second to none and the clarity of each note is just mind blowing.... "Off The Hook" mocks Ram Jam's "Black Belly" plenty and sort of veers on for a while. It's good fun ! "Transcendence" is more omnious and rhythmical, with a seriously deviant interplay between V and the rhythm section. I swear it almost sounds like a dimented take on a bellydancing piece done ala Dream Theater... hahaha (maybe-maybe not!) "Soul Caravan" is far more laid back and kinda bluesy. But not necessarily slow. Vinnie effortlessly glides through the notes without slowing down much and the sax (keys?) interplay is to say the least intresting....Jigsaw is much rockier, in a way not too discimmilar to say what Satch might have done in the 90s/early 00s. Pretty enjoyable too. "Remorse" is not some ruefull metallic track, but a very smooth piece, which although fusiony in nature tips more towards the rock origins with VM remorselessly soloing throughout it. Bloody hell, it amazes me how fast he can move his fingers ! Damn it ! "Tailspin" which is up next, is very catchy tune that could have been a TV spot or included in a computer game, so to speak, well maybe a little more simplified. AMAZING guitarwork, that doesn't tire a single bit... there's a certain lick in there that sounds vaguely Scandi-something or other, but i m sure, it's not done because VM was out of ideas... it's momentarily anyway and not the "theme" of the song. "Over My head" is another laid back piece, with a more acoustic character, and even more enthralling leads... wow ! VM never bores or ceases to amaze me ! "Into the open highway" rocks much harder - and kinda mirrors the mood of it's title as it comes complete with even some revving sounds (dunno if they're sampled or guitar generated) hahaha ! Very nice work - i enjoyed driving to this song - the album too, to be frank ! "Into the sunset" whcih concludes this fantastic record again, bears a title that reflects it's mood. While it kinda rocks it's also smooth and moody and fades away ... into the sunset....

Phew.... all i can say is - who am I to judge a guy like VM?
I m very much a hack of a guitarist that plays by ear and i would also like to state that i am in complete and absolute awe of his Vinnieness ! Long may he live and long may he sweetly "torture" our ears with his suberb music !!!

DareDevil

©2009

Vinnie Moore - "To The Core"

Label: Mascot Records

Vinnie Moore is one of the guitarists that established shredding and furthermore they developed the title Guitar Hero back in the 80’s. For some years now, he is the guitarist for the British band UFO, so he performs in musical paths and styles which do not match with “strange” solos, arpeggios and shredding in general. So after 3 years of waiting, we have his new solo release with the title “To the Core” which is an instrumental album.

From the very first listening I understand the maturity of the artist after so many years of a successful career. The taste of the music is between rock and alternative, while I recognized some funk elements as well. But what is clear is that he emphasizes more on the compositions than in demonstrating his talent, fact that is obvious. Shredding is not priority in that release, while it exists when it is needed. After all Vinnie Moore does not have to prove anything to anyone to convince for his talent. In some cases his style reminded me of Joe Satriani, and more specific the compositions brought me feelings from “Flying in a Blue Dream”, combined with Moore’s culture and style. His performing is accurate as it has always been and all the tracks are of a higher level quality. The one is different from the other without becoming boring, as it always happens with the instrumental releases. As a reference, I would recommend a track that in my opinion is the trademark of the cd and that is “Remorse”.

Finally this is a remarkable release that can be heard and liked from all the friends of advanced guitar playing and from all those who do not like endless soloing.

©2009 - Solid Rock

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Detritus

*
*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
*
-Happy Friday! Check out Neal's interview with axe master Vinnie
Moore. - Tim

*
*** SPECIAL REPORT ***
*
by Neal Woodall (MysticX9@...)

Interview w/ Vinnie Moore

One sure indication of an artist's quality is the longevity of his
work, so it's testament to Vinnie Moore's stature as a consummate
musician that his solo albums from the late '80s MIND'S EYE and TIME
ODYSSEY are still frequently referenced by guitarists and instrumental
rock fans as some of the best of the genre. This criterion is even
more apt in the case of UFO, whose catalog extends back to the early
'70s and includes such seminal works as FORCE IT, LIGHTS OUT,
OBSESSION and the benchmark live document STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT.
Recently I had a chance to talk with Vinnie about his recently
released solo album TO THE CORE as well as the new UFO disc THE
VISITOR, plus get some info on his current endorsement deal with Dean
Guitars. Read on and discover why Vinnie has been one of my favorite
musicians for over 20 years...

DETRITUS: It's been eight years since your last solo album DEFYING
GRAVITY, I'm guessing we can blame UFO for the delay?

VINNIE MOORE: Yeah, it's just that I've been so busy touring and
recording that it has been hard to get the solo record finished; also,
I'm kind of a perfectionist by nature -- to a fault sometimes --
'cause you know I'll take more time than I should making a record, and
that also came into play with this one.

D: There is a nice diversity on TO THE CORE, do you feel that it's
pretty representative of where you are as a musician now?

VM: Yeah, I think more so than any other record I've done actually,
because it shows more of the influences I have musically, which is
good. I just wanted to be free and be able to go anywhere, throw in
anything I wanted or felt at any given moment and that's pretty much
what I did, just kind of went for it.

D: Right, I really like the Jeff Beck flavor found throughout the
album...

VM: He's a huge influence on me, always has been since the very
beginning, that's one guy that is just magical as a player.

D: Did that just kind of come out in your playing over the years or
did you purposefully try to inject that as you went along? I don't
remember hearing that on MIND'S EYE! (laughs)

VM: No, definitely not, although one of his melodies was actually the
first lead I ever learned when I was a kid, on "Blue Wind," so I've
been studying him since way back. It's come up a little bit here and
there like on THE MAZE people have mentioned it but maybe it shows up
more on this one; but no, it wasn't intentional, it's just part of
what I do I guess. I always like to say that it's Jeff Beck's fault
that I'm an instrumentalist! (laughs) I heard him from such an early
age and he was the first guy who was doing instrumental stuff so it's
his fault that I'm in this genre...

D: So you think you favor WIRED over BLOW BY BLOW?

VM: I like WIRED the best, I had been playing guitar for six months
and I heard an ad for Jeff Beck, I guess he was playing in
Philadelphia and I heard an ad for it at the time and I went out and
got that record and it just became a huge, huge, monumental record for
me.

D: It's hard to pick a favorite on TO THE CORE but I really gravitate
to "Remorse." I think you're about the best there is for blending
creativity with melody and technique...

VM: Oh man, thank you very much!

D: Do you have a favorite on there, anything that you thought came out
particularly well?

VM: I kinda like things that I haven't done before and "Soul Caravan"
is one of them...

D: I like the sax on that one, that was cool...

VM: Yeah, it has more of an R&B/hip-hop vibe and I've never done
anything like that so it was exciting, it's always exciting for me to
do something that I haven't done before, cover new territory and that
always inspires me. "Transcendence" was the same way with all the
exotic percussion and then I've never done anything with an Indian
influence like that.

D: "Into The Sunset" was another one I really like. What's more
challenging for you now, something intricate and demanding like "Eye
Of The Beholder" from THE MAZE or something more majestic and
atmospheric like "Into The Sunset?"

VM: Ahh, I don't know, they're both different things, I wouldn't say
either way is more challenging, when I write I don't really have a
plan, I just kind of "go with the flow" and whatever comes out comes
out, so at the time that I'm doing it, no matter what it is musically
it just feels very natural and easy to do.

D: So you take a more intuitive approach to writing?

VM: Yeah, I don't like to plan or think too much, I think that's kind
of the enemy and that is the killer of inspiration, I think if you
just kind of "go with the flow" and wait for it to come to you it just
seems more natural and inspired and magical that way.

D: Do you still have a specific routine you use to keep up your
technique or do you find you can maintain it pretty much just by
playing?

VM: I can maintain it just by playing; in the old days I used to have
exercises and things that I worked on to develop and improve
technique, but now I just play guitar. You know on the road I don't
even play during the day, I actually like to save it for the show so I
just do the show and on an off day sometimes I don't even play there,
so I find that just doing the shows on the road is enough to keep me
in shape. At home I like to practice but nothing technical, I just
kind of sit around and play and improvise a lot, no drills or
exercises.

D: Do you find you come up with new ideas and techniques while you're
doing that?

VM: Yeah, I mean when I sit around and improvise obviously I'll try
new things instead of just playing the licks I already know, that I've
played a thousand times, I'll try to come up with things that are
different or a different approach, so I can keep playing new and
exciting things and going in different directions.

D: If you could recommend one thing to improve guitar skills, what
would that be?

VM: Hmm, well I would say play a lot of course, the more you do
something the better you get at it; find a great teacher who can help
you get better, that's always a big advantage, and listen to a lot of
different styles of music. Love what you are doing and take it all in.

D: What about composition, is there anything you would recommend as
far as getting into a space where you would be inspired to compose?

VM: Just be relaxed, play the guitar, don't think about it too much;
if you're just starting there's going to be a lot of trial and error,
you kind of have to learn to find your own thing, your own voice, your
own style. For me, the biggest thing in doing that was getting a 4-
track recorder when I was younger and just laying down rhythms and
putting melodies or solos over top of those rhythms, then it got to
the point where I would come up with two or three different parts,
come up with different melodies for each part, and gradually I got
better at writing songs, just honing in my skills to be creative and
lay down musically what I was feeling. It kind of just takes a lot of
practice and a lot of doing it and it starts to come natural.

D: I'm still waiting for it to come natural for me! (laughs)

VM: Oh man!

D: What was the most challenging aspect of playing guitar when you
first started out, and what kind of came easily?

VM: Ahh, I don't know if any of it came easily in the beginning;
probably the most challenging thing at the very beginning was the
soreness in the fingers, the pain when you first start playing.

D: Tell me a little about the Dean VM2000...

VM: We worked on that for quite awhile and it has come out awesome, I
couldn't be more happy with it, they made exactly the guitar I asked
them to make and we worked together refining it; I mean we talked a
little bit on the phone and I went down to Florida to their shop and
they presented me with a guitar which was just a prototype they threw
together really fast, and it was like 95% of the way there, I couldn't
believe they nailed it so closely on the first attempt. I told them I
could go on stage with this guitar and play it, I told them that that
first day, and from that point it was just a matter of honing in and
making a couple of small refinements, working on the style of it which
meant having the maple top -- it's really just 1/8th inch thick so
it's more of a look thing, more for cosmetics and not so much a tone
thing, it doesn't really change the tone 'cause it's so thin. We honed
in on the shape of the neck, we came up with three, four or five
prototypes before I got their stats to where I actually wanted it. I
experimented with some different pickups -- Dean is actually doing
their own pickup line now called DMT and we did a signature pickup for
the guitar which you can also buy separate, it's called a Shredhead,
so we did a lot of testing of pickups, like 10 different things just
to get it where I wanted it, and then I'm using the DiMarzio DP181 in
the neck which I've used for quite a long time, then a DiMarzio
Virtual Vintage Blues in the middle which is something new.

D: Very cool! What happened with Music Man, did you just become
dissatisfied with that?

VM: I had been with those guys a long time and still have a lot of
good friends there, it's a great company and they make great products
but I just didn't see it going anywhere as far as me being... (pauses)
I don't think I really fit in, and I was starting to feel that more
and more, like I needed to kinda get away from that and move in a
different direction.

D: Did you use the Dean exclusively on TO THE CORE?

VM: I used a lot of different guitars, I used a couple of Deans, I
used my Les Paul, three different Stratocasters, the Music Man for a
little bit, and that's pretty much it.

D: The Dean is a beautiful guitar, I'd love to put one of those in my
collection...

VM: It's my favorite guitar that I've played so far. The cool thing is
I've gone out and done clinics and I won't even bring my axe, I'll
just grab one off the shelf in the music store, and it's just like
mine, and that's awesome.

D: That is great! Did they give you one of each color?

VM: I have an amber, a red, a custom sunburst which nobody has, it's
kind of amber in the middle and red, it's a typical sunburst type of
guitar. I have the original black prototype and then a couple of other
ones, trans black, that's one of the prototypes and a solid color red
that was also a prototype and that color is not even being made; but
the ones I play are not the prototypes, they're the regular stock
models.

D: Excellent. Well live I'm sure you are using it as your main guitar
with UFO but do you still pull out some of your other ones for some
tunes?

VM: No, live I've usually always been like a one guitar guy, I don't
like to change a whole lot, I've always had like one favorite guitar
and then I might use another one for a drop D tuning or some kind of
alternate tuning. On the tour we just did over in Europe I found that
I was attached to two different guitars, my red and my amber, and I
was kind of changing those back and forth, and then I had a white
Dean, Strat shaped body, a guitar they put together for me that I
could use as a utility guitar for drop D tuning and also open G
tuning, so that was constantly changing; but yeah I was using two
Vinman 2000's interchangeably and it's kinda great because in the past
I've gotten attached to one guitar and that would be the only thing I
wanted to play, but now I find if I close my eyes you can throw
several of the VM 2000's into my hand and I couldn't tell the
difference. They're set up.

D: Cool!

VM: Yeah, I don't take Les Pauls and Strats and... (pauses) I recently
saw the Eagles and my friend is Joe Walsh's guitar tech and he had
like 18 different guitars, totally insane! (laughs)

D: Yeah, I'd be afraid to do that! What about touring, will you be
able to tour behind TO THE CORE when you get finished with the UFO
dates?

VM: Actually I have some solo shows coming up in Italy...

D: Oh yeah, those with Kee Marcello?

VM: Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see how that goes, it's the
first time I've done solo shows in awhile, then I want to do some in
America definitely, but nothing is planned yet.

D: When are we going to see you on a G3 tour?

VM: Well I don't know, Satriani is out with Chickenfoot now...

D: Yeah, I guess that's going to keep him busy for awhile.

VM: Yeah, in fact we just did some shows with those guys, one in
Belgium at the Graspop Festival, then they played the night after us
in London but unfortunately I didn't get to hang around to see them.

D: Well the new UFO album is also out -- how is Pete Way doing?

VM: Well, I don't know, I haven't talked to the guy in a long time, I
know he has health issues -- I never even really talked to him about
that so I just don't know.

D: You had another Pete fill in for him, right?

VM: We used Barry Sparks on the tour we just did, he's a great player,
worked out really well.

D: What about the album?

VM: Oh yeah, we used a guy from Germany named Peter Pichl, more of a
studio guy.

D: You already played with Barry...

VM: Yeah, I did play with Barry in the past on one of our American
tours.

D: I wrote in my review that I thought THE VISITOR was probably the
best UFO album since WALK ON WATER...

VM: Oh man, thank you so much!

D: Tell me a little on how you go about the songwriting process with
UFO.

VM: I pretty much approach it the way I do everything, you know I just
pick up the guitar and play and when an idea pops out I record it with
my little Walkman recorder, and usually once I have that initial idea,
that initial inspiration, it starts to flow and more related ideas
will come to me also. So I basically put together a lot of song
skeletons and send them to Phil (Mogg, vocalist] and he'll sift
through the stuff and pick the things that fit his voice the best, or
things that he likes the best, then we'll get together and rehearse
and kinda play through the ideas and like narrow them down and make
any changes that need to be made or whatever. Sometimes the songs stay
structurally the same exactly as I had written them originally.

D: Have you ever tried your hand at writing any lyrics?

VM: I'm not very good at that; when I send him demos I'll often scat
out some lyrics or just write some temporary...

D: Guide lyrics?

VM: Yeah, guide form, not really so good of a lyricist, definitely
not.

D: Do you find you write specifically for one project or the other or
do you for example sometimes use things originally created for your
solo project for UFO?

VM: Usually the stuff that I write for my solo albums for the most
part probably wouldn't fit with UFO , I mean sometimes it would but
I'm usually very clear right from the beginning what's going to be a
good idea for UFO and what's going to be good for the solo thing. On
my solo stuff I can kinda go all over the place stylistically, explore
and do more things whereas with UFO it's more rock band so what I
write has to fit into that context.

D: "Hell Driver" and "Stop Breaking Down" are two of my favorites off
THE VISITOR, there's a strong mix of crunch and melody throughout
it...

VM: "Hell Driver" is one that we were doing live and was received very
well, people really seemed to like that, it went down really cool.

D: Great sound on the record too, did you do the guitar parts in your
own studio?

VM: Yep, I always do my guitar stuff at home and mail it in! (laughs)
I find it easier to be creative in my own environment and I prefer to
work that way by myself.

D: I imagine it's so much better that way...

VM: Yep, as opposed to being "on the clock" so to speak at a studio, I
don't find that very conducive to being creative.

D: Right. I understand you just finished some dates in England and
Germany; where are you going next?

VM: Well we have a gig this Saturday in Germany -- I came home for
like three days, pretty crazy -- after that we're off for a couple of
weeks and then I have my solo shows coming up in Italy and then I'm
staying over there doing some UFO shows, then we end up with one
festival in England on August 7 I think.

D: Shows been going pretty well?

VM: It has been going really well, everybody is concerned because the
economy is the way it is and our numbers were actually up on the
England tour, we had a really good time.

D: What's your favorite UFO song to play live?

VM: I like playing "Saving Me" a lot, that's one from the new record,
and I like playing "Rock Bottom" and "Too Hot To Handle."

D: Do you have a say in choosing the set list or is that pretty much a
band decision?

VM: It's pretty much a band decision, you know we all talk about it
together but with our stuff there are certain things you have to play,
classics...

D: Got to play "Rock Bottom..."

VM: You have to do "Rock Bottom," "This Kid's," "Lights Out..."

D: "Love To Love" probably too...

VM: "Love To Love" -- you know, to a certain extent it's obvious.

D: You've toured with Alice Cooper and UFO now, was it always your
intention to play in a band or were you pretty content as a solo
artist?

VM: I've always wanted to do both, have more of a rock band with a
singer and do solo stuff also. I write a lot, I have a lot of ideas so
I think it's important to have both places to go to get those ideas
out there.

D: Are you still making Vinman's Brew?

VM: I haven't in awhile, I've been too busy. I really have been
wanting to I just haven't had the time -- but it's a fun little hobby!

D: I'd like to taste some when you get ready to market it! (laughs)

VM: Okay!

D: I talked to Tony MacAlpine not too long ago, I interviewed him and
he said he hadn't spoken with you in awhile but he'd love to work with
you again on something; do you ever think about doing anything more
with him?

VM: I'd love to also, he was on two of my records and he's a great
player, hugely talented -- it's amazing that he can play guitar and
keyboards like that! Yeah, I'd definitely like to work with him in the
future.

D: Well Vinnie, anything you would like to add in closing?

VM: I think we've covered it.

D: I sure appreciate your time, you're one of my absolute favorite
musicians and I certainly hope to see you on tour real soon!

VM: Man thanks so much, I appreciate the kind words and great talking
to you!

Relevant links:

Dean Guitars
http://www.deanguitars.com/

Mascot Records
http://www.mascotrecords.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mascot

Vinnie Moore
http://www.vinniemoore.com/
http://www.myspace.com/vinniemoore

SPV
http://www.spv.de/
http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic

UFO
http://www.ufo-music.info/band.htm

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Detritus©2009

TRANSLATION FROM HUNGARIAN

Vinnie Moore: TO THE CORE
Mascot

I must say, woke up late, as far as the gitárh?söket concerned. For a long time I missed the gitárzenéb?l the vocal instrument, and because of it missed several excellent plates. A few months ago kattantam on the topic, partly also because I thought, sitting in their office can be such a great background music, a speaking softly so as not ostentatious, if someone something clever, hard thing to stop me. But the music is equally suitable for non-metal "music when guests or friends traveling with us living in the car. And, of course, speak out loud the same way as any other rock or metal. Because do not you, the most basic part of the neo-classical metal and hard rock roots, which styles are very close to my heart. And what's denial of a year is very emblematic faces got: listening to classical works, I found myself to Satriani, Vai, MacAlpine, and Friedman, Vinnie Moore, of course, the question is (and what's not forget Tamásunkat Szekeres, then there is a good Yngwie old, but he clearly did not you ever wanted to push music instrument) has been a virtuoso, that does not necessarily go to the expense and digestibility énekdallamok without fogós nótákat could write. Sooner or later, of course, the direction in which each of these kísérletezgetett (singer producing sheets and / or stíluskavalkáddal), but the standards have remained. The legmetalosabb, of course, the most traditional materials as 80-years in the mid 90-early datálható been golden.

Vinnie Vicious Rumors debütalbumán friend of the year (Soldiers Of The Night) in the loop, and then tortured szólópályára became the much praised 1986-Mind's Eye is a truly one of the most teker?s gitárh?s disc, great songs and mystical atmosphere. I recently discovered, only, but a real jewel - is just as good as the first Rising Force, at least, I think. For this reason, it stirred a couple of years ago is also active in the UFO gitárosaként (one job to be sure) Vinnie new material, which - given the fans and gitárh?sök mind, soul and of course the musical life over the past 15-20 years, changes took place - a point than I had expected. Virga nyista neo-classical, but is instead a lot of cool groove, some funk and jazz leheletnyi effect (like the saxophonist Caravane Soul is a bit more tight); ripple, pulsating rhythm, and full of Moore (and even by accident or out!) Gitározza fills the space and thus the life compositions. Feelinges brutish, lelazult MUSIC fellow companions in the lead - this is a real Örömzene, which may be both a grin and szájtátva be heard. Vinnie lefogott all, go long élményszámba voice of the disk to make the most of the oriental világú, dignity and Transcendence rolling straight genius! To The Core of the thousand, ezerhangú,'s exquisite work - never too late to discover that sort of thing.

SCORE 9/10

author:
Vince Pálinkás

©2009

TRANSLATION FROM FINNISH

To The Core

Rate issue of 7 / 08 guitarist Vinnie Moore told puuhailevansa forthcoming solo album work. Now the project has been completed and in May to appear reel is called To The Core. Moore's home studio recording and producing album contains 11 original instrumental tracks of a total of 59 minutes and some are accompanied by a drummer Van Romaine, bassist John Deservio and keyboardist Tim Lehner. Moore has reserved the bulk of clear across the board, and others have him säestämässä.

A young man, Moore lokeroitui solo levyillään clearly hard rock and neoklassisen revittelyn title, but at the same Meiningen odottajille is now available in a small turnaround. Do not be intimidated by, because the rock here is drawn, and continue as needed tirautetaan solos liukkaasti, but the crack in the cock is administered sparingly and soinnuissa is more distinctive than the harmony of the old kiekoilla. Soolosoundikseen Moore is now selected keskipainotteisemman laulatuksen - perhaps soittovehkeiden new setup has been a part in this.
An hour-long instrumental-fling is a burden on this disc the same as other similar artists: the listener interest is difficult to maintain even a good call. Some of the songs are short melody, and soon put tiluvaihde on. Alan enthusiasts, it fits, because Moore is involved in convincing and precise such as the music is, sounds are nättejä and relevant is a black art, suitably covered, but these are the songs so totally distinguishable from one another. Think of catchy melodies simppeleitä earlier style sheets should be obtained.
If Moore's parents from the publication has been understanding of her specific fraseerauksesta, the songs Seoul Caravan and Into The Open Highway are the most direct continuation of it. Surprising and experimental scale use and Rhythms heard in recital on Transcendence and Remorse'ssa a long time to change the atmosphere to another.

Moore's advantage is calculated as the most common patterns kitararevittelyiden avoidance. We no longer hear it neoklassisen season harmonic minor dosage. Nykylinjauksellaankin he reaches the active set of the listener, with a guitar-instrumental albums to rotate players. Laulumusiikin friends do not bother.
The same time, To The Coren, is its appearance, UFO's with the visitor. As can hear Moore's straight forward playing the standard band, and an experienced singer with. At least two previous UFO's disk Moore was the principal factor in a song, so a comparison can be made pärjäämisestä two different environment.

- Timo Koskinen

©2009

TRANSLATED FROM ITALIAN

To The Core
Vinnie Moore
2009, Mascot

It puts into effect them first British guitar of the UFO, Vinnie Moore boasts a reputation of great prestige and matured authority sin dall ? age dell ? record debut, seeds them Mind ? s Eye of 1986. Considered like one of premonitory and the craftsmen of the so-called one ? shredder mania?, musical tradition all centralizing on virtuosisimo and the technical ability on the six ropes, Moore can exhibit a discografia nourished and from the remarkable thickness artistic, subdivided between episodes conceived in exclusively solista key and illustrious collaborations, between which rimembrano - in ages passages - those with Vicious Rumors, Destruction and Alice Cooper.

?To The Core?, seventh single egg whites, reaches to consolidate a decayed tradition during the last few years a po'?, (perhaps to cause own, of the militancy in the UFO), giving back to the press a dedicated product all ? estro and all ? unquestionable maestria of guitar the hero American, absent from the scenes with own name in cover sin from the interesting publication dell 'Defying Gravity', dated 2001.
To define the stilistiche coordinates embraced from Moore, could appear exercise d ? absolute nearly banal facility and, reconnecting to the experiences passages that of it cite the traditionally berthed beam d ? action like all ? inner of the metal neoclassico. Never like this time however, the range of shadings and infuences wide and variegata extension, manifesting itself in an able stilistica wealth to guarantee fascination and ricercatezza to a direct disc however and never too much elitario, in a position to turning out appreciate to the more passionate demanding than technical chitarristica, thus like to the simple and less strict fruitori than the good music.

Passages funky, R&B, hip hop and fusion, are, in effects, very recognizable elements that contribute to enrich of colors and freschezza a weft a lot very sorted and manifactured.
L ? begins them ? Fly ?, reveals as an example, completely illuminant situations and witnesses of this renewed verve creative. Supported on a rifferama from the great dragging rhythm and the groove, melodia dipana along a structure enriched from inserti tastieristici simple the how many effective, letting then space to the divagazioni dell ? electrical worker of Moore, now on soft notes nearly jazzate, now engaged in assolo of excellent invoice and good taste.
Thread entire conductor dell ? egg whites, the wish to win l ? audience with elegant solutions that very go to amalgamate themselves with the pure instrumental technique, is common issue also to successive ? the Panic Attack ?, concentrated of esuberanti notes in which the ton of riff produced from guitar the hero American balance with melodie never sounds of foundation from the sure scenico effect discounted and. Ce n ? is then indeed for all the tastes, beginning from the Funky and from the Rhytm n ? blues dell ? most interesting ? Off The Hook ?, in order to continue with the orientaleggianti arabesques of ? Transcendence ?, to pass to the tonalities Smooth Jazz of the sinuosa ? Soul Caravan ? - song from the contours elegant nocturnal and dulled, in which the ago every now and then capolino sensuale sound of a sax ? and to finish with l ? summery ? Into The Sunset ?, trace that sin from the title evokes it solar emotions and intense colors. Decidedly the Over My Head ?, and the rombante ? Into The Open Highway inspired also pleasant ? ?, along musical distance that - as suggested from the title it - on a base prettamente hard rock it manifactures a kind of ? poster ? dedicated to the life on the road.

Rich sorted and of inusitato style, ? To The Core ? it gives eleven pieces that, aspect decidedly outside of the municipality, little or nothing they have in sharing l ? with l ? other and they are placed as a gallery kind d ? frescoes in which different feelings come to represent themselves, receiving, like saying, great wealth of topics, and atmospheres listener for l ? entire duration of the cd works them in objective realizing l ? to maintain lives l ? attention dell ?.

Only common denominator, l ? compositivo-instrumental ability and the refined taste of their creator, artist of absolute class that certainly did not need of details confirmations but that, thanks to egg whites d ? certain fascination like ? To The Core ?, consolidates own reputation of master of the sort which comparisons are not suited, offering, as he did not happen from some time, a new test d ? infinite bravura.

Tracklist:

01. Fly
02. Panic Attack
03. Off The Hook
04. Transcendence
05. Soul Caravan
06. Jigsaw
07. Remorse
08. Tailspin
09. Over My Head
10. Into The Open Highway
11. Into The Sunset

Up linens:

Vinnie Moore ? Guitars
Van Romaine ? Battery
Tim Lehner ? Keyboards
John JD Deservio - Low

©2009

VINNIE MOORE: "To The Core" 9
Mascot Records 2009
Review by Martien Koolen,
12 June 2009

Vinnie Moore's debut album "Mind's Eyes"(1987) is still his best guitar album ever, but with this thrilling new album called:"To The Core" Vinnie created another guitar gem. On this album Vinnie even used musical influences like R&B, Hip Hop, funk and some blues, but most of the songs are classic instrumental metal/rock guitar gems.

"Panic Attack" is filled with shredding passages and lots of dazzling, fast guitar solos, while "Transcendence" features Eastern-like melodies, lots of percussion and howling, high solos. "Soul Caravan" opens with a cool relaxed piano and bass guitar part and shines with breathtaking, highly mwelodic guitar solos. Unfortunately the saxophone solo spills this great song a tiny bit....

Second highlight is "Remorse", featuring a ballad-like melody and again some awesome solos from Vinnie. "Into The Open Highway" opens with an acoustic part followed by a heavenly solo which reminds me of another great guitar picker, namely: Joe Satriani. What can I say, this is a brilliant album. Vinnie is "back" with a vengeance and this cd is a MUST for guitar freaks!!

RATING: 9

Review by Martien Koolen ©2009 Rock United

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
2009 release from the Metal guitarist. Vinnie was among the first wave of Metal artists who released instrumental guitar albums (Mind's Eye in 1986), he's played with Alice Cooper amongst others, and he's been the guitarist for UFO since 2003. Vinnie has always got the song, the melody and the feel as main ingredients in his music and he's just one of that handful of totally awesome players. 11 tracks.

Customer Reviews
Vinnie still has it!!
Based on other internet reviews of this album that some referred to as 'not typical Vinnie' or 'jazzy' I was hesitant . These people may only know the shredding Vinnie of 1986 but if you have enjoyed his playing over the years especially his most recent with UFO (be sure to check out the new UFO album Visitor) then I say Vinnie still has it! While the album isn't as 'metal' as past work and slightly mellower in some parts, the lead work is still classic Vinnie. The album may have a hint of jazz or blues but it is clearly still a ROCK record ala a mature Vinnie in 2009. Bottom line if you like great lead guitar work, current UFO and Vinnie in general, this album is for you. Enjoy!!

New Moore CD hits you "To the Core"
I had always heard or read what a great player Vinnie Moore is but never picked up any of his stuff.
On the band UFO's website I read he had released a new solo cd, so on a whim I picked up the disc and gave it a listen.
Holy friggin' crap what an outstanding and talented player!
This is the best guitar instrumental disc I heard so far this year!
From beginning to end, it's just an excellent cd and This will be in my cd player for quite some time.
You have to put him up there with Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Johnson and the rest of the greats.
Go out and get this cd.

To the Core from Vinnie Moore!
Summer of 2009 - Vinnie Moore steps up to the plate to deliver his new, fabulous cd - To The Core. It's a home run! Well worth the wait to all his many guitar music fans - it's been a while since his last solo work. This new collection of modern melodic tunes is nothing short of amazing. Many tube tone flavors - one hears rock/soul/panic/remorse/exotic/sexy, saxy jazz/ - ear candy indeed! A true master of the fretted instrument and inspiring song-writing!

Thanks for the great music, Vinnie. We missed ya!

copyright 2009 - FULL PAGE

Italian Guitar magazine 'Guitar Club' - Three page spread interview - July/Augst 2009 Issue

Notable - To The Core debuts in the Rock Hard European Charts at Number 9 in Rock Hard Magazine and

Best Outstanding Guitar Solo: Rock Bottom by Vinnie Moore - Sweden Rock Festival Report also in Rock Hard:

Vinnie Moore - To the Core

TRANSLATED from Polish:

Vinnie Moore - To The Core [2009]
Publisher: Mascot Records / RED Distribution

Fly
Panic Attack
Off The Hook
Transcendence
Soul Caravan
Jigsaw
Remorse
Tailspin
Over My Head
Into The Open Highway
Into The Sunset

Line-up: Vinnie Moore - guitars, Van Romaine - drums, John JD Deservio - bass guitar, Tim Lehner - keyboards

Production: Vinnie Moore

Fans had to wait long for his next studio disc Vinnie Moore, for almost 8 years. To The Core was one of the most wyczekiwanych my plate 2009 and the natural train of thought there a continuation of Defying Gravity. Something like that publishing a new set of compositions from Vinniego refers, but to feel strong stylistic return to the work of Moore in the mid'90. The first approach to an album I felt a little disappointed, fortunately, after several hearings, came to the conclusion that the record does not disappear your poprzedniczkom.

Since his last solo wynurzenia a lot of activity at the Vinmana. First of all, our own dorobil model guitar, which has prepared him for the Dean Guitars company, where he was also a specially designed "as a" transducer type humbucker The name of the significant Shreadhead. Interestingly, once zarzekal Vinnie is that it does not need any guitar sygnowanej his name, since he used the serial models Music Man had apparently met all the expectations ... But that's irrelevant in total, a greater impact on the evolution of Moore's style of play was in the last years of his sojourn in the ranks of UFO, a British hard rock legend. With a team that has so far registered Vinnie three studio albums and a concert, on the occasion of giving even more to pull in the fusion and blues music.

If I were to compare to the core to one of the earlier discs Vinmana, it would be close to him except to Out Of Nowhere, zmiksowanego from The Monkey Puzzle "Ufoludkow". In any case, after the old neoclassical style, which even tried to come back In some such as guitarist for The Maze, almost nothing remains. Fly, the first in the very track I like because it reminds me Satrianiego experiments. Like climate virtuoso compositions of both seems to be quite similar, but the launching of the students will recognize that virtuoso playing at any given time. In addition, much more improwizuje Vinnie. A more typical number for Moore's position is second, or Panic Attack - could successfully be put on any of the previous solo CDs guitarist. There is a composition maintained at an average rate of the free and the main podkladach lots of guitars, but this does not mean that the rower is not here and elsewhere poszaleje more. Acceleration, we have even solowkach, but does not run out a few other smaczkow. This is perfect example podciagni?? the whole mass of strings, which for some time it has become one of the distinguishing elements Vinmana. From Off The Hook fans should be happy hard rock and blues guitarist presents as a pretty interesting mix, plus a bit of fusion (at times in solowkach style of play reminds me of Blues Saraceno. Heard that a rower from the U.S.. Intriguing Transcendence, full composition of various Middle Eastern themes, sounding quite sharply as Vinniego. Indeed, at the Meltdown music also played hard, but the other plates were rather lower. This piece has convinced me right away and therefore remains one of my favorite songs from the disc. Bluesujaco-funkujace even with many elements of jazz, quiet Soul Caravan is not a heading, followed by si?galbym every day, but not kluje ears. I think that Vinnie just wanted to show his versatility as a musician and prove that not only gives advice in the style of rock. Podciagni?cia strings, wibrata, stop the sound after the extraction, all of us to the next Jigsaw. artykulacyjnej lot of virtuosity, but somehow the path I do not believes. Maybe because I heard that the twins already zagrywek thousands, even in the work of the Vinniego. Remorse Satriani would play again and this time just similarities in style are so big that I had difficulty distinguishing between the two guitarists. A bit quiet, almost illustrative, good for relaxation, which does not require a particular focus. As a whole, do not come to me Tailspin, although some moments are nothing themselves. First of all, to my taste is too much improvisation here, which seems to be a track creation with no rhyme or reason, without any concept of Guidance. the impression that Vinnie was just a few ideas, they do not know what do, and cast all in one bag. Another item on the relaxation, that is, Over My Head. quiet, ballad blues, play on the delicate przesterze and again remind me of times out of nowhere. If this was a piece on this disc, by ujmy imprint did not bring. ucho delighted more in SECI Into The Open Highway, which is not necessarily contrary to the title of associate szalencza driving on the motorway. excludes the average rate of the number, the only association offering a ride to work wplecione sounds of the engine. very successful composition, uniformity, While some moments may be distinguished in it. One of them is, for example, riff of the song at the end sleepers, not sophisticated, but still in my taste. At the end of Moore serves illustrative piece, also strongly embedded in bluesie. Into The Sunset is essentially free, but places acceleration. as well as bringing music into a film, where one of the heroes wyszedlby before the house to watch the sunset, or by the glass wpatrywal the dal.

I like the album, despite the fact that there is something particularly revealing. Knowledgeable in the discography Vinniego Moore does not find anything you do not know of the earlier discs, and especially from out of nowhere, but you will find high quality, which they expect from a virtuoso. In addition to the next set of successful compositions provided Vinnie something else - superior production. Defying Gravity On bass and drums were a little cloudy here all the weaknesses of this type have been completely eliminated. Fans of instrumental guitar music, of course, I recommend the disc.

Official site of artist: www.vinniemoore.com

Guitarrizer

Copyright 2009 © Hard Rock Service. All rights reserved

Vinnie Moore - To the Core

TRANSLATED from Dutch:

(Mascot / PIAS)
Vinnie Moore (known from eg UFO) is a guitarist of the type of 'fast-faster-fastest. And if such an instrumental guitar solo CD, which often degenerates into viewing annoying even mom-without-hands thing. Fortunately, that in this case very them. To the Core contains eleven pieces, each with a unique atmosphere and design award and is still best be described as instrumental songs. No infinitely long solos that go nowhere, but carefully set up arrangements with the main attention is paid to the related parties as to the solo work. The band go to Moore (with Van Romaine on drums in top form) plays tight and present a solid foundation for the arts of the real star of the plate and the electric guitar. Granted, it's still fast-faster ', but' fastest 'is only used in moderation, and that's a relief. Moore is extremely creative with his guitar sound so fresh and delicious all the varied sounds. My only criticism is that he is a little too often bezondigt to that horror of horrors: the fade-out, which many in number nothing disappears. Suppose now that in a review do dn so. t ... r. l. vo ... u.. ... d. tz. .. n .. c. ....

copyright 2009

Vinnie Moore: "To the Core"
By Rafael Sartori

TRANSLATED from PORTUGESE:

First of all, it is good to clarify: Vinnie Moore is one of the greatest guitarists in history. Known to the general public for their tickets by Vicious Rumors, Alice Cooper and have become integral with UFO, he has a brilliant solo career and was idol of guitar players and lovers of instrumental music from the old 80s.

"To the Core" is another chapter in the discography of the musician, recorded during breaks from touring the UFO, which the group still participates. The sound here is somewhat different from what fans are used and this is far from a defect. After all, Vinnie Moore has always been a subject eclectic, able to stroll through Rock, Metal, Progressive, Hard Rock, Neoclassical, Jazz and other styles with more resourcefulness.

In the album in question, the guitarist has just mixing it. Some songs like "Fly", "Jigsaw" and "Into the Open" bring 'riffs' heavy and full of distortion, followed by passages filled with' groove '. The fast and technical divide land area taken with 'swing' and purely emotional themes such as "Over My Head" and "Into the Sunset." It is worth noting also the 'feeling' of the duet between guitar and sax on "Soul Caravan".

The new facet of Vinnie Moore presented here is its approach to some elements of R & B and Hip Hop, and some percussion - "transcendence," for example. The production, done by the musician, is detailed and the tracks change a lot, bringing in different tones and takes guitar. The trio that follows consists of Van Romaine on drums, John on bass and JD DeServio Tim Lehner on the keyboard.

Vinnie Moore does not initiate any solo album since "Defying Gravity" in 2001. The hopes, however, compensated. In "To the Core", which shows the guitarist still able to surprise and offer something relevant and creative, unlike most of his contemporaries who ended up making only "fritadores.

4/5

copyright 2009

I’ve been following Vinnie Moore's career since the mid-80s when he blew everybody’s mind with his first record, Mind’s Eye. Although his style has morphed from neo-classical to instrumental rock, he’s always played with enviable articulation and feel.

On top of that, Vinnie gets to fly all over the world playing “Rock Bottom,” “Lights Out,” and “Doctor Doctor” with Phil Moog, Andy Parker and Paul Raymond. As an added bonus, he gets paid to do this. UFO is on their third studio record with Moore, and it seems that hardcore fans accepting him as a replacement for the legendary Michael Schenker is no longer an issue.

Somehow, he managed to balance his work with UFO with his ever-evolving solo career. His new record, To The Core, is a blazing-yet-soulful notefest that explores his many influences ranging from funk and R&B to rock and techno. Moore loosens up and gives us a taste of the blusier aspects of his playing without sacrificing the fiery note selection his fans come to expect. It’s a fine record and I have yet to take it out of rotation on my car CD player. I caught up with Moore just before taking off for a tour with UFO.

I remember working through your instructional videos back in the '80s. They really helped me become a better guitarist.

Thank you. I’m trying to get those re-released on DVD. I just established contact with the company that bought Hot Licks. They’re slowly doing DVDs for all their older stuff but they haven’t gotten around to it. Hopefully they’re going to step it up quickly. I’ve been pretty busy so I think it’s a good time to get it out there again on DVD.

Are you considering doing any more instructional videos?

I’ve kicked it around and I’ve had a lot of people ask me to do it, but I’m not exactly sure yet.

Is it that you don’t have anyone you’d like to work with, or are you undecided about what you’d like to teach?

A little of both, plus I’ve been so busy with touring. I haven’t had a lot of time and I don’t know what I’d cover anymore. I don’t know any more licks. (Laughing)

You covered a lot of ground. Besides the awesome licks, I thought the section on modes was extremely helpful. It made me “get it.” You wouldn’t believe the teachers I’ve heard who take a simple concept and over complicate it.

It’s weird. I’ve heard so many people say that. It was so unclear to them and then they see that video and it really helped. That’s so good for me to hear. I just tried to make it idiot-proof and simplify it so anyone could understand.

What have you been up to lately?

I’ve had a little time off but it’s about to get real busy. UFO is going on the road at the end of May and we’re doing a lot of shows. We start in Germany and then we have England, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and Belgium. All festivals and club dates.

What’s it like playing in UFO?

It’s been a blast for the most part. We have our third studio record coming out on June 2 and we did a live DVD. It’s a lot of fun playing with a rock band. I’m so used to doing my solo instrumental stuff, it’s a nice contrast. I’ve done so many gigs. It's just really good exposure to be playing out there in front of people.

It sounds like you’ve got the best of both worlds. Not only are you playing the classics, but you also get to create new material with an established band.

It’s fun to play these old tunes that I grew up listening to and it’s fun to write the new stuff with the band.

How do you write for UFO?

I write a lot of stuff, record it and send it to Phil Moog. He sifts through it and chooses the songs that are best for him vocally and the ones that he likes the best. Then we meet. Our home base is in Hanover, Germany because our manager lives there. All of our gear is in Europe. We get a rehearsal studio and just go through the stuff. We tighten it up and choose which songs we’re actually going to record, then go to a studio and lay it down.

When you send Phil the songs, are they full-blown songs with lyrics, chords and melodies or are they just riffs?

I never usually write lyrics but what I usually do is I give him two versions. I’ll send him just the music and then on the second CD I’ll send the songs with just me scatting out some vocals. I’m just singing notes or making up lyrics on the spot. This is just so he knows which part needs to be what. What’s the verse, what’s the chorus, that type of thing. He gets the basic structure. I sing lyrics and make them up on the spot to give him ideas, but I don’t know that he always listens to them. He likes to be inspired by the music. My vocal and melody ideas are just a last resort for him.

He probably switches around sections of the song as well.

Sometimes. He’ll sing a chorus over what I intended to be the pre-chorus. It’s just typical stuff when you work with a singer. They’re going to have their own ideas and hear things in their own way. Sometimes songs stay just as I’ve written them and sometimes he sings differently than I initially intended.

Do you submit material that you think will work for the classic UFO sound or do you submit whatever you have?

I present him with ideas that I think are musically right for UFO. With my solo stuff there’s a lot more open territory that I can move into. I can experiment and explore a little more with different genres of music. With UFO you can’t be throwing in jazz and this and that. It’s a straight-ahead rock band so I send him those kinds of ideas.

Your new record To The Core rocks heavily. I have your other releases, but this new one is more of a rock record than anything you’ve done before. It’s funky, too... a bit of a Santana vibe on some songs.

I’ve always been hugely influenced by Santana. I’ve been working on this record for a while now. I’ve been so busy touring that I haven’t been able to designate a whole clump of time to do it. I dove in between things and it’s taken a long time to get it finished. I’m happy it’s finally out there.

I’ve always wanted to do solo records. I need that creative outlet. When I started writing for it, my only plan was to be adventurous, let the music flow and go in any direction I wanted. When I did the record, I had no record label--I did it all myself. I presented the label with a finished copy. I think this is important because it made me feel like I was totally free to do anything I wanted musically. I’m into a lot of different styles of music and I wanted all that to come out. I think this is probably the most versatile record I’ve done and shows more of what I do as an artist.

I agree. Some of it reminds me of a solo you once played on a backing track for a lesson in Guitar Techniques magazine. It was the rocking side to your guitar personality and a lot different than the neo-classical style you’re known for.

I do hear about that occasionally. They wrote a backing track for me and I went in and just wailed over it. I remember the guy who was recording it saying, “Man, I think people are going to be surprised when they hear this. You’re playing be-bop and all this different stuff that I didn’t know you played.”

That’s what I hear on the new record. You’ve got rock, funk, blues licks and be-bop lines all over the record. All theses styles have been hiding and it’s great to finally hear them bust out. [Laughing]

I’ve always been a rock guy. That’s basically what I am, a rock artist. But I’m into lot’s of different styles of music, and I like to throw it all in and let it flow.

How did you track everything?

I did all my guitars at my home studio. Most of my stuff was done before the drums were down. I recorded it to loops or to drums that I programmed. The drummer had a totally finished track to play to. There were a few where he recorded to my demo and then I went back and re-did all the guitars. Most of the stuff was done backwards where the drummer played after me. In some cases I even left some of the loops in the song. On the song “Transcendence” there’s all this exotic percussion. That stuff was left in the track.

I’ve always had trouble tracking with the drummer coming in last.

You gotta have the right guy.

You got Van Romaine!

He’s amazing and did an awesome job. He locked in completely. A lot of guys can’t do that. Even if they’re great drummers, they can’t lock into a track that’s already finished. It’s hard. It always amazes me because the drummer is the timekeeper. A guitarist or bass player can overdub to drums easily because that’s what we’re used to doing, but drummers aren’t use to doing that. They’re used to being the timekeeper and having other people play to their groove. It can be tricky for a lot of guys but Van just killed it.

Are you happy with the new UFO record?

Yeah. I think it came out really great. This is the first time I've had two records coming out within a week of one another.

How has playing with UFO influenced your guitar playing on To The Core?

I’d say that all the live playing I’ve done has helped me become a better musician and player. You just get better when you play in front of people. You have to go with the flow no matter what they throw at you.

Before I forget, I flipped out when I heard your solos on Jordan Rudess’ Rhythm of Time record. I didn’t even know that was you until I checked the album notes!

Thanks. I played two solos on that for him. I remember I didn’t have a whole lot of time and my manager who manages Dream Theater asked me if I would do it. I was like, “I would love to do it but I don’t have a whole lot of time. I hope he doesn’t send me some complicated piece of music that’s like in 13/8 timing or something.” He was like, “Everybody’s saying that.” [Laughing] That guy is pretty damn serious.

I really dig hearing you in different musical contexts. I recommend you do more of that.

It’s cool because you get to play on a track that you never would have written for yourself, so you end up playing differently than you normally would.

It’s good for your fan base too. I’m sure there were a ton of Dream Theater fans thinking, “Who the hell is this guy?!” Next they’ll be tracking down your catalogue.

People find it funny that Jordan actually played on my second record. That was way back.

Some of your old fans would like to know if the Vicious Rumors demos will ever be released to the public.

I don’t know. I’m not in contact with those guys. I played on four or five tunes.

Supposedly there’s material out there that contains the holy grail of early Vinnie Moore.

I don’t have it. [Laughs] I don’t even know about this. We did one gig in somebody’s backyard, like an outdoor party. I think there’s a tape of that somewhere lingering around. The guy who probably knows is the bassist Dave Starr. That was a lot of fun and way long ago. [Laughing]

You’re playing a new guitar. What is it?

I’m using a signature model made for me called the Dean Vinman 2000. I’ve been working with those guys for about two years and we immediately started talking about a signature model. They put something together for me to play based on our phone conversations and they kinda nailed it. It was probably 95% of what I wanted on the first try. From that point we started honing in on things and making some cosmetic changes and moving different things around. We spent a year refining all these small little details and now the guitar I’m playing is right off the shelf. It’s just like what someone would buy in a music store. It’s great. I’m going out to do a clinic this Saturday and I’m not even going to bring a guitar. I’m just going to play one of my signature models off the rack. It’s awesome to be able to do that.

What are some of the particulars that you had Dean work on that are different from other models?

I think the big thing is the shape of the neck. That’s really important to me. How comfortable the neck is for the left hand. Also the cutaway on the body where your arm rests, that’s another thing that I’m really picky about. One of the things is how high the strings are off the body. I don’t like guitars where the strings are really high off the body like a Les Paul. It feels awkward to my right hand. The Floyd Rose had to be recessed into the body and be a certain height off the body to accommodate my crappy technique.

Yeah right. [Laughing] Is it a C neck or a U neck?

Maybe somewhere in between. It’s kind of hard to describe. It’s not real round as in a C neck. I don’t like big and chunky, but not so thin. I think if it’s too thin you lose tone... it’s gotta have some meat to it. The body is alder and it has a piece of laminate maple top for cosmetic reasons, just to give it that cool wood grain look. It’s only an 8th inch thick so it’s not enough to really affect the sound properties of the guitar. It comes in trans finishes so you can see the wood grain. It’s really cool-looking.

You’re also endorsing a pickup.

Dean started their own pickup line called DMT. I helped them design a bridge pickup and I’ve been using that. They made me a signature pickup (The Dean Vinnie Moore Shredhead Pickup). I’m still using DiMarzios in the middle and the neck positions but the bridge pickup is the signature model.

What’s special about it?

It has less power than the ones I was using in the past. This one is about 12 or 13k. It’s not quite as weak as an old PAF, but it’s about halfway back to a PAF compared to what I was using. It’s not low power or high power, it's mid power. It’s more transparent than some of the more high power stuff. You hear more of the pick attack and the dynamics and it sounds more natural to me. You get more tone, whereas when you have high power pickups I found that it’s not as transparent.

In the neck I’m using a DiMarzio Fast Track 1 and in the middle it’s a DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Blues. I have another guitar where I switch those two pickups just to get some different tones.

The new record has some great tones. You’ve gotten away from a lot of the higher gain sounds and gone for more organic tones.

Too much gain takes away from the natural dynamics and the personality of the guitar. It makes things muddy too. Even live I’ve never really used a lot of gain compared to most people. When it gets too gainy and too fuzzy it masks all the clarity of the guitar. You lose a lot of the natural resonance. I always find that I back off on the gain on the amp. A lot of times live and in the studio, I’m constantly moving the guitar volume up and down. Sometimes I’ll move it up to ten, sometimes I’ll kick it back to seven or eight. Sometimes it’s on four. I get a lot of tones just by manipulating the guitar volume control. Turn it back to four and you get a nice, clean, half-crunchy kind of sound.

Are your amps set up to get a lead tone and then you back it off with the guitar volume?

Yeah. I set the amp for one tone on the amp all night and just leave it there. That’s what works for me. It’ll have enough gain to where if I’m playing lead and the guitar volume is on ten I get sustain but no muddiness. Then I’ll just back off when I want to clean things up. No channel switching, just one sound.

What amp are you using?

I’ve been using an Engl Special Edition head which is amazing because it has four thousand bells and whistles, none of which I use. [Laughing] I set it up for one tone and that’s it. In the studio I use a Marshall JCM2000. I have a lot of heads lying around that I use, but for some reason that Marshall JCM2000 seems to work when you throw a mic in front of it. I use the Lead 1 setting which is less gain and I’ll keep the preamp anywhere from five to eight.

What kinds of effects?

My pedalboard is always changing. I don’t even know what it’s going to be for the June tour. Normally I’m pretty simplistic with my effects. There’s a wah-wah and a delay just to give me some ambiance and that’s pretty much the heart of my sound. I’m using a Dunlop Crybaby. At one point I felt like I was getting too dependent on the wah. I was just stepping on it more out of habit because it was there, so I almost left it home. Then I made a conscious effort to have it there but not use it unless I absolutely needed it. You can easily get lost in it and overdo the wah thing.

Yeah, but you’re covering Schenker.

Yeah that’s the thing. He always had the half-cocked wah-wah pedal sound, and so sometimes I’ll kick it on for that.

Were you pressured at all to get close to his note selection and style for those songs?

Not really. When we first started rehearsing, Phil was real adamant about me doing my own thing. I was going to copy some of the Schenker stuff and he said, “No, do your own thing!” That was really cool for me to hear that they wanted a guy who had his own personality and wasn’t just a copycat. My approach is that there are certain things in the old songs where you have to play the part on the record because it’s an important part of the song. On the sections where he improvises, I just kind of go off and improvise.

I like that you’re respectful to those classic tunes, yet you bring your own thing to the table.

I’m always trying to do what’s right for the song. I don’t try to shred classical arpeggios over a rock 'n' roll song. [Laughing] It’s not tasteful and it doesn’t work. I go for the vibe of the song and let that be the guiding light.

Which delays are you using?

I’ve always liked the Boss DD-3. They’re inexpensive, they have a great sound and they just work. I started using some T-Rex pedals and the MXR Carbon Copy which has that warm analog sound. I would guess that I’ll take those three delays out on the
VINNIE'S GEARBOX

Guitar: Dean Vinman 2000

Amps:
ENGL Special Edition
Marshall JCM2000

Effects:
MXR Carbon Copy Delay
T-Rex Replica Delay
Dunlop Crybaby Wah
road and have three different delays set up. I like being able to tweak it on the fly. If it’s not sounding quite like I want it, I’ll just reach down and turn a knob. With that stuff where there are pre-sets, I find it cumbersome on stage to be able to go in and tweak things on the spot quickly. Simpler is better.

Guitarists like to compare you to Tony MacAlpine, especially in the early days. If you were to go into The Octagon with Tony MacAlpine, who would win?

[Laughing] Good question. I think we would end up playing together and having a lot of fun. Tony is a great guy and a really talented artist.

www.vinniemoore.com

Interview copyright 2009

VINNIE MOORE – “To The Core” CD ’09 (Mascot, US)

Well, well, well. Mr. MOORE has been a busy bee. Not only has he kicked ass to the max with his performance on the new UFO disc but he’s also taken the time to issue this, his latest solo release.

Without any doubt, VINNIE has moved long past his old days as a neo-classical-inspired shredder. The early album I had by him, “Mind’s Eye” was certainly impressive from a technical standpoint, as was his work on at least one Vicious Rumors album. However, not one to be convinced by a lot of fretboard wanking, I was more than pleased to see how he’d evolved upon joining UFO, incorporating a lot more blues & feel into his style, seeing it flower massively over his 3 records with them thusfar.

We see much musical diversity being flexed on MOORE’s new “To The Core” as well. While I’ll probably always prefer the band-oriented song writing approach prevalent in UFO, I’ve got to hand it to VINNIE here, he’s made an instrumental guitar album that’s fun to listen to.

Within the space of 11 cuts on this disc, you’ve got everything from butt-kicking metal to bluesy hard rock to jazzy fusion to…yes, even a bit o’techno…and it works

My favourite cuts are the length workouts of “Soul Caravan” and “Into The Open Highway” where Mr. M can open the jets and explore the frets but overall, this is a nice listen, buoyed by the solid backing band of Van Romaine – drums, Tim Lehner – keys and John Deservio – bass. It’s not going to budge “The Visitor” from the Realm-O-Matic and it’s no “Magic Elixir” but “To The Core” is cool. Six Solid Strings

http://www.vinniemoore.com/

copyright 2009 - RAYSREALM

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!

Interview by Chad Bowar ©2009, All rights reserved

Influenced by the music of Jeff Beck, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Queen, guitarist Vinnie Moore first picked up the instrument at age 12 .

After traveling the familiar route of playing clubs and bars, the Delaware born musician was discovered by legendary Shrapnel Records head honcho Mike Varney through a magazine article in Guitar Player Magazine, leading to not only a contract with the label but also the opportunity to write and perform (only his hands are seen) in a national Pepsi commercial in 1985.

The release of his debut all instrumental album 'Mind's Eye' in 1987 heralded the arrival of a supreme talent on the then overcrowded shred guitar scene of the 1980's. Despite the overabundance of virtuoso players whose sole reason for existence seemed to be to display how fast they could burn up and down the fretboard, Moore quickly rose to the top of the heap, with the release garnering him 'Best New Talent' awards from Guitar Player, Guitar and Guitar World magazines. Going on to sell over 100,000 copies, it brought him directly into the spotlight of the guitar world.

Over the next decade and a half Moore continued to impress, releasing five critically acclaimed studio and one live album. A high profile stint with rock legend Alice Cooper on both the 1989 'Hey Stoopid' album and accompanying tour served to increase his visibility and extend his influence.

While the fortunes of many players in the scene declined with the shifting of popular musical tastes in the early 90's due to the arrival of grunge - resulting in instrumental rock and any form of music with guitar solos to fall largely from favor - he continued to be extremely popular world wide, conducting hundreds of guitar clinics throughout Japan, Scandanavia, Italy, Poland, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, England, Germany and Australia.

In 2003 Moore joined renowned British hard rock icons UFO after the departure of guitarist Michael Schenker for 2004's 'You Are Here' album. While initially there was some resistance from some die-hard fans of the band unable to come to grips with anyone filling the shoes of the heroic German legend, the release of 2005's superb live DVD/CD 'Showtime' and 2006's' studio offering 'The Monkey Puzzle' seemed to silence most critics, cementing Moore's status as a world class player within the group setting.

This year has seen a renewed flurry of activity from Moore with first the release of a brand new UFO studio album 'The Visitor', which despite the absence of founding bassist Pete Way - currently battling liver disease and unable to record or tour with the band - shows the rock veterans returning to form with arguably their finest release since 1995's 'Walk On Water'. Tempering their time tested brand of Euro based heaviness with a healthy dose of 70's styled blues rock, the influence of the guitarist is stamped throughout the recording. Both compositionally and via stellar axe work he shines from start to finish.

Just released also is Moore's first instrumental solo album in eight years 'To The Core'. Wonderfully diverse, encompassing hard rock, blues, jazz and funk, the recording is a fine showcase for the prodigious talents which have made him one of the most influential and important guitarists to emerge out of the virtuoso boom in the mid to late eighties.

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Moore to discuss the brand new UFO album, his solo work, his thoughts on the state of his playing and much more.

Special thanks to Jon Freeman at SPV for coordinating, and a BIG thanks to Vinnie Moore for doing this interview with Nightwatcher's House Of Rock!

Interview and text by Nightwatcher © 2009

June 11, 2009

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock : First off, I'd like to talk with you about the new UFO album, 'The Visitor', which is coming out worldwide via SPV. Now that the album's finished, are you pleased with the results this time around?

Vinnie Moore : Yeah, I'm definitely happy with the way it came out. The selection of songs, and overall I think it's a strong record with a lot of different musical vibes. I'm definitely happy about it.

NHOR : The band reportedly initially wrote 35 songs for the album before paring them down to thirteen in Hannover, Germany. What was the criteria for a song being kept or discarded, and how was that process conducted? Was there a vote?

VM : First of all, I don't know where the 35 number came from. I think that's a bit of an exaggeration from somebody, I'm not sure. Maybe we had more like 20 songs, I would guess. Basically you put them all together, and there are certain ones that right away are so strong that you know they're going to be on the record. "Saving Me" was one of those. "Rock Ready" was another one. From the moment I sent those to Phil and he heard them he just responded so positively from the get go. It was just obvious that they were going to be on the record.

Then there are a lot of other songs, and you have to leave something out, and decide which ones to go with. It's a matter sometimes of just getting together and playing, seeing how it vibes when you all play together and jam on the song. The other thing is Phil's voice a lot of times has a lot to do with it. Perhaps what key the song's in, and what range he can sing it in. So that has a lot to do with it as well. Then you just have to go for it all based on feel. Sometimes also it's a matter where we have two or three in this style, so we need to pick another style. You need to be a bit eclectic in terms of mixing it up by having different tempos and feel.

NHOR : Were there any songs that didn't make the cut which you personally felt were worthy of inclusion?

VM : Yeah, that's always going to happen, whether it's a Vinnie Moore solo record, a UFO record, or probably any band. You don't really want to put more than ten, eleven, twelve songs on a record. So there's always going to be extras. A lot of times you can catch those later on down the road.

NHOR : There's a very bluesy vibe on several songs throughout the album. That's an undercurrent which has characterized all three of the albums the band has released since you joined in 2003, but it seems even more pronounced on this album. Was that intentional on the band's part? I know Phil and you are both big blues fans...

VM : I think that's where it comes from. But I don't think that it was a conscious effort. I don't think anyone really decided for it to be that way. It just sort of happened in rolling along with things. I'm a big blues fan, and always have been. Phil, I was really surprised when I first got to know him, that he's such a big blues fan. I didn't know he was into that style of music, but he is. I think that when both of us are put together, it's just a natural result. It's a common ground that we share musically. I think that style fits his voice really well too. He shines in that style.

NHOR : The first sounds you hear on the album, on the into of "Saving Me" are you playing slide guitar. Who are your reference points when it comes to playing the blues? You've previously mentioned Albert King as being one...

VM : When I was growing up Albert was one of the first ones. It just so happened that my stepfather had the 'Live Wire/Blues Power' album. It became a huge influence on me. There was also Chuck Berry, B.B. King...I just loved all of that stuff. Even rock players who I heard later on were guys that were influenced by the blues. There was Hendrix, Trower...people like that. You could hear the blues in their playing. You could even hear it in guys like Robben Ford and Larry Carlton, who are more fusion guys. But they all have this common base, and that's the blues. It's infectious. It's amazing how it's prevalent in so many styles of music. You can hear it as an underlying current.

NHOR : On "Stop Breaking Down" and "Can't Buy A Thrill" your solos are reminiscent of Uli Jon Roth in terms of your tone and phrasing. How much of an influence would you say Uli has been on your playing?

VM : He actually was not an influence on my playing. I didn't even really hear him until much later on. But we toured with him, I know him, and he's a great guy. He's certainly a great player. He's not one of the guys I grew up listening to, simply because I never heard of him when I was a kid. I wish I had.

NHOR : This is your third studio album with the band since joining in 2003. Are you feeling fully integrated into the band, and not so much "the new guy?"

VM : I've pretty much felt integrated from the very beginning. I think it's because the guys made me feel that way. Phil especially made it clear from the get go that he was looking for an equal member to come in and be a major contributor in the writing, and that's what he wanted. It was great for me to come into that type of situation. I felt right at home right away.

NHOR : There was resistance among a certain faction of Michael Schenker fans when you joined the band. Do you feel you're making strides towards winning over the die hard Schenker fans?

VM : I don't know. I actually don't even pay attention to it all. There are much more important things to pay attention to. I would guess that there are some that nobody's ever going to win over, even if it were Jesus himself playing. (Laughs) It's like to a hard core KISS fan, any guitarist who comes in, no matter how good they are, somebody's going to be going, "Hey, it's not Ace!". But I can't waste time thinking about that.

NHOR : One notable situation on this album is the fact that for the first time in over 20 years founding bassist Pete Way isn't involved in the recording due to his current battle with liver disease. Seeing as Pete has been there from the beginning, and has been such an intregal part of the band for the vast majority of the albums, what was the mood going into the studio with Pete not there?

VM : I really wished he could be there, and be part of it. I hoped that would happen, but it just wasn't going to work out. He's a nice guy, I really like him, and he'll be missed that's for sure. To the fans, he such a big part of the band, and he is such a big part of the band, it's a shame that things went this way.

NHOR : How is Pete doing these days? Is there a point at this time where he may be well enough to rejoin the band?

VM : I really don't know at this point. I hope so, I really do, but I don't think anybody's thinking that far ahead. Everybody's thinking, okay we've done this record, and we know we've got to tour most of the year and beyond. It doesn't look like he's anywhere in the plans, for this upcoming year anyway.

NHOR : With Pete not being there, did you record all the bass tracks as well?

VM : No, we had a guy named Pete...a session guy from Germany, where we were recording, come in and do the bass. What happened was, we went into rehearsals in Hannover, Germany...Pete wasn't going to be there, and Andy Parker really felt like he needed a bass player to play off of at rehearsals. I didn't really think that we needed anybody else, because if Pete's not going to be there, I vote for nobody at all. But everybody else pretty much wanted somebody there just to make some low end rumble. It's really more important to a drummer, as a drummer locks in with the bass player, which is what Andy wanted.

So we just brought in this local guy to kind of sit in with us and play the songs. As it turned out he was a really cool guy, we really liked him, and he was a great player with a real feel for the songs. So, we figured hey, let's get him to come in and play on the record. Because at that point we didn't even know who was going to do the record.

NHOR : What are your favorite tracks personally on the album, and why?

VM : I like "Saving Me", "Hell Driver", "Rock Ready" and "Living Proof". I like "Saving Me" and "Rock Ready" because of the blues vibe we were talking about earlier, and "Hell Driver" because there's nothing else like it on the record. It's a real rocker, which you always have to have. I like "Living Proof" because it's really funky.

NHOR : Speaking of "Living Proof", that funk element isn't something that's normally heard on a UFO album...

VM : That's my definite influence. Good or bad, or for better or worse. Surprisingly enough, that's one that Phil heard, and from the very beginning he definitely reacted to the song and loved it. It was one of his favorites. I was surprised by that, because I thought he might hear it and think - "Hmmm, that's not right for UFO". But he was hooked on that one.

NHOR : You can hear the Albert King influence coming through on the licks you play on the track as well...

VM : Man, I love Albert King. You can hear him in so much of Stevie Ray Vaughan's music also.

NHOR : Coming from your background as being known as a "guitarist's guitarist", do you ever feel some sense of relief since joining UFO in the sense that the band has fans from all areas, musician and non musician, vs. say your solo gigs where you'll undoubtedly have a group of guitarists standing in the front row with their arms crossed , with the attitude of "Okay, impress me"?

VM : Right, "Impress me" (Laughs) I'll be totally honest with you. It is a little bit easier, because you hit the stage as a band. So the weight is on everybody's shoulders. Whereas if I go and do a solo gig with my band, because it's as a solo artist I feel more pressure. If I'm doing a clinic, I'm just standing out on stage by myself, with a track that I'm playing to, and it's all on me - all eyes are on me. That's a little bit more stressful. I'm used to it, and I of course deal with it no problem, but I will tell you that going on as a band is so much more relaxed and easier.

NHOR : There's no more critical of an audience than playing for a roomful of guitarists when you're a guitarist....

VM : Exactly. They're mainly male, and the ones who show up that are female are usually with one of the guys, their girlfriends or wives, and that doesn't help at all. (Laughs)

NHOR : Last year the band played a set at the three day Rocklahoma Festival in Oklahoma. What was that experience like for you, and is that something which you'd be interested in doing again?

VM : I'd definitely like to do that again. I think it was really cool. We had a blast. We arrived a day or two after the big tornado came through and destroyed one of the stages. So we kind of saw the wreckage when we came in. But it was a beautiful day when we played. We liked it, and we'd definitely like to go back and play there again.

NHOR : UFO is, or in Phil's case not, celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. Have there been any discussions amongst Phil, Andy, Paul and yourself regarding how long the band will continue?

VM : (Laughs) "I don't want to be Status Quo". I emailed him that link, and told him, "Ah, so you're a bit of a Status Quo man, are ya?" (Laughs) As for any discussions, no, I don't think we're that organized and together to think that far ahead. Since I've been in the band, it's like we're kind of going with the flow. We're not thinking that far ahead.

NHOR : Phil's voice, after all these years still sounds fantastic. Is there anything that you've noticed that he does to keep his voice in shape like it has?

VM : No. The guy doesn't practice. When we're backstage before a show he doesn't sing a note. Sometimes we'll have opening bands, and there will be this singer in the next room doing these vocal exercises, and he'll just laugh and go, "Please". The guy does nothing. His voice holds up really well on the road too, it's great.

NHOR : As you brought up earlier you're on tour to support the album. How long do you anticipate the band being on tour this time around?

VM : We're kind of on and off. We're in England and Germany for most of this month, then we have Italy for a bit in July, and scattered festivals throughout the summer. We'll be touring America I believe starting in October, and then head back to Europe sometime again after that. There are lots of shows coming up this year.

NHOR : Has there been any talk at all about releasing a DVD from this tour?

VM : I haven't heard any rumblings about that, but I'd love to do that. That'd be really cool.

NHOR : In addition to the new UFO album, you also have a new solo album 'To The Core' which is your first solo release since 2001's 'Defying Gravity'. Why has it taken so long between solo albums, and what can one expect, stylistic- wise?

VM : One of the reasons it's taken such a long time is that I've been on the road so much with UFO, and recording with the band. So it's been hard to dedicate a lump of time to doing my solo thing. I've kind of been doing it in between touring and whatnot. It's taken longer than expected, plus I'm a bit of a perfectionist, sometimes to a fault. Left to my own devices I take a long time anyway. It's a problem I've always had. Those are probably the two factors in it taking too long to do. (Laughs)

It's a rock record, it's a guitar instrumental record basically in the rock style, with a bunch of other elements thrown in musically. Blues of course, jazz, be bop, techno, funk...that's one of the cool things about doing the solo record is that I can just kind of explore, be adventurous, go in any direction I want, and it all works.

NHOR : How do you feel this album compares in relation to your previous albums? Would you consider this a departure from what you've done before?

VM : I think it's a lot different from the last two I've done. It's a lot different than 'The Maze' and 'Defying Gravity', but it's not unlike some songs from those records. It's more like rock songs from those albums, and less like some of the classical influenced stuff. I would definitely say there's a lot less of the classical influence, and more rock. It's probably more versatile and varied. I covered some new ground on this one that I haven't in the past. It's more diverse, and it touches on some new areas which I haven't explored before.

NHOR : It's been over 20 years since the release of your first solo album 'Mind's Eye', which is considered by many to be one of the best instrumental guitar albums to come out of the 80's shred scene. It's one which has influenced many players all the way to the present day, and was probably the best selling of all the Shrapnel releases. Looking at it today, how do you feel the album holds up?

VM : Wow, has it been that long? This is not a 20th year anniversary. I don't want to be like Status Quo. (Laughs) As for how the album holds up, that's a really hard thing to answer because it's me. It's hard to have a perspective because I'm so close to it. I think in a lot of ways though it holds up. It certainly holds up technically, as far as the guitar playing without a doubt.

My one wish for that record has always been that I had more time to spend making it. I remember recording all the guitars in about four days for the album. It was pretty insane. There wasn't much time to do it. But I think the songs, composition - wise hold up too.

NHOR : When you first came to prominence as a guitarist in the late 80's, although you immediately were embraced by other guitarists and fans, the critics had a field day, calling you an Yngwie Malmsteen clone. How did that make you feel? It seemed that there was a lot more of a Ritchie Blackmore influence in your playing at that time...

VM : It certainly wasn't the worst thing in the world because he was, and is such a great player, so you could be compared to a lot worse. But after awhile it's going to get old no matter who it is. I can hear what people were saying, it's the classical influenced rock guy with a lot of technique. You hear elements of Al DiMeola and Ritchie Blackmore in there also. So for people who don't know that style very well, it may sound the same, but I think when you get into it a little more, I think our songs are way different compositionally.

NHOR : In what ways do you feel that your playing has progressed since the 1980's? Do you feel you're at your peak as a musician?

VM : Yeah. I just love what I'm doing and I'm always trying to get better. I think I've become a better songwriter over the years. I think I've gotten better at expressing myself. To be honest, my technique's not as good as it used to be, as the 23, 24 year old kid who was just shredding all day long. But that's okay. I don't mind that at all. I'll take that because I'd rather be a better musician and a better songwriter. That's more important to me.

NHOR : Grunge came along during the early 90's and kind of forced guitar soloing underground and out of the mainstream for many years. Any thoughts on why that happened, and do you foresee the art of guitar playing coming back?

VM : I don't know why it really happened. I always guessed that maybe it was because there were so many people who came out during the shred thing that perhaps it got a little tiring. But it could have had nothing to do with that. No one will ever know for sure. I already see it coming back a little bit. People are into playing again. Well, at least 'Guitar Hero' (Laughs) It's hard to see where things are going. Hopefully kids will keep learning to play and be excited about rockin' out.

NHOR : You just mentioned this...As a guitarist, what is your take on video games such as 'Guitar Hero'?

VM : You know, I've never actually played 'Guitar Hero', so I have no idea what it's all about. But I'll tell ya, I've had lots of younger kids come up to me and say, "Hey, can you play "Iron Man"?" or something like that. I'm like, how do you know that song? It's always from 'Guitar Hero'. So that's kind of cool. I think with this new generation of younger kids it's helped the music get to them. It's great.

NHOR : Have you ever been approached to have any of your songs included?

VM : No, not at this point. Actually, I'm lying. I did at one point a few years ago, and it almost happened, but for whatever reason at that point it didn't.

NHOR : Would you be open to having to having that happen now?

VM : Absolutely. I'd have to be crazy not to. It'd be totally cool.

NHOR : Are there any new guitarists whom you've seen or heard that you're particularly impressed by?

VM : There are guys like Ron Thal, who's not necessarily new, but he's great. Guthrie Govan is great as well.

NHOR : You first came on the scene, and are considered one of the prime exponents of the shred school of guitar playing, so to speak. Having that connotation...Do you feel that has been a help or a hindrance on your career?

VM : It's probably been both actually. I don't want to be labeled as just that, because I think I do a lot more musically that's outside of that. So it's kind of limiting in a way that term, to be considered just a shred guy. I think there's more about what I do than just that.

NHOR : Just listening to your albums it's obvious that there's much more than that. However, having said that, once one gets tagged as something, it's extremely hard to shake...

VM : Especially after the first records were so heavily in that direction. They judge you by your first work, and it's hard to become detached from that.

NHOR : During your off time from UFO you continue to also conduct guitar clinics all over the world. What is the most prevalent question you get asked regarding your playing?

VM : I'll get asked things like, "How do you write?" A lot of people I guess don't have a lot of experience with writing, and they just want to know how you do it. Like how you come up with a song. Where does it start, and how do you end up with a finished song. That's one of the things that's harder to explain, because if it's playing you can say practice these exercises, drills and learn new scales. Everybody's been told that, been taught that by a teacher, but nobody's really been taught how to follow their creativity and actually come up with something new.

NHOR : You've toured as part of Alice Cooper's band, opened for Rush on tour, played numerous festivals...What has been your most memorable gig thus far in your career?

VM : I guess probably one of the coolest things ever was the first time I played as a solo artist at The Spectrum in Philadelphia. Because that was the place where I saw all the concerts when I was a kid. That's where you sit in the audience and dream that someday you'll be up there onstage playing The Spectrum. And I actually got to play there, and it was very memorable and it was the coolest experience ever.

NHOR : Did you have all your friends and family in the audience that night?

VM : Sure, they all showed up. I maxed out the guest list that night for sure. (Laughs)

NHOR : Did you feel nervous that night being in front of all those people who knew you?

VM : Yeah. Not only was it the gig at The Spectrum, but it was also the first night of that tour. We were out doing clubs, then we found out we'd got the opening slot for Rush. We just literally stopped our club tour...we were at my house, drove from my house to the gig. We hadn't even met Rush, hadn't played with them, didn't know anything. We just showed up and did the gig that night. It was pretty crazy and nerve wracking.

NHOR : What was Rush like to tour with?

VM : It was pretty awesome. It was a lot of fun. We didn't come into a lot of contact with those guys, but when we did they were very cool guys. It was cool to see them play every night too.

NHOR : On the flipside of that, what has been your most 'Spinal Tap' moment?

VM : Our most Spinal Tap moment since I've been with UFO is a gig that we actually didn't end up doing. We flew into Italy just for this one festival, all this pain in the ass to get there, it was a beautiful day, other bands were playing, and about twenty minutes before we went on the skies got black. A storm rolled in, there was a torrential downpour, with lightning. The scaffolding above the stage was falling apart. All of our gear was on stage, and our techs came backstage and said, "Look, all your guitars, your pedals, your amps...everything is out there onstage. They won't even let us go out there and touch it, and it's getting drenched".

So we waited and waited, the storm passed through, and we never got to go onstage. I just remember getting my guitars and wrapping them in blankets so they would dry out on the tour bus. (Laughs) All my pedals were shot because they had got soaking wet. So we had gone all the way to Italy for this gig and we didn't even do it. I remember my guitars weighing about three pounds heavier than they normally did, because they were so soaked.

NHOR : Last year saw the introduction of the Dean USA Vinman 2000 Vinnie Moore signature guitar. For years you somewhat were resistant to the idea of having a signature guitar. What made you change your mind ?

VM : I had a bad experience in the past where the signature guitar they made for me in the shop wasn't the same guitar I was playing. It was frustrating. I thought I'm never going to do this again, because I'd go out and do clinics, and people would come up and say, "I bought your guitar. It's just like yours, right?" It was a terrible feeling, because it wasn't.

When I started talking to Dean Guitars I just got a great vibe from these guys, and I've known Elliott, the owner, since the early '90's. I used to do clinics for his music store in Florida. He just basically told me that they wanted to make a signature model and they were willing to do anything to make it exactly what I wanted. And they were. That was the difference.

NHOR : There are a lot of signature guitars from various artists in the marketplace these days. What is it about your signature guitar that makes it stand out from all the others?

VM : It has a 'VM' on the fretboard. (Laughs) I think that the shape of the neck makes it really comfortable for the left hand, and that's one of the things that's really important to me.

NHOR : Your debut release 'Mind's Eye' was tabbed by Guitar One magazine as #3 on their list of the top 10 shred albums of all time, and #6 on their Top 200 guitar albums of all time. What would you say are your top 3 guitar albums of all time?

VM :Jeff Beck's 'Wired', Larry Carlton's album which has "Room 335" on it, 'Larry Carlton', and I would also have to say Van Halen's first, 'Van Halen'.

NHOR : What is it about Jeff's playing that hits home with you so much?

VM : I don't know what it is about that guy, he just strikes a nerve. He's not the most technical guy, but he plays really cool common things, and he's so recognizable. Not everybody has that quality. There's like a handful where they can play one note and you know who it is, and he's definitely one of those guys. Blackmore's like that, Santana's like that as well. Carlos Santana has been a huge influence on me from way back.

NHOR : What is the best advice that you would give to a young player starting out?

VM : I would say find a teacher. Someone who can show you how to get from point A to point B as quick as possible. Just love what you're doing and have fun with it.

NHOR : Is there anything else that you'd like to say to all the fans out there?

VM : I would like to say since we're touring a lot, and we hope to see them out there. If we're playing in your town, we hope to see you at the show, and buy my new record damn it. (Laughs)

For more information on the new UFO album 'The Visitor' go to

http://www.ufo-music.info/

For more information on Vinnie Moore's new album 'To The Core' go to

http://www.vinniemoore.com/

Interview and text by Nightwatcher © 2009

CD Review: "To The Core" by Vinnie Moore (June 11, 2009)
by Dr. Matthew Warnock.

To The Core

To the Core is a hard rockin', deep-grooving instrumental record featuring the masterful guitar work of Vinnie Moore. The album is a veritable instruction book on how to play the guitar in a modern context. There are moments of shear face-melting soloing, melodic slide playing, soulful blues licks, funky wah-wah grooves and gothic metal riffs that would make the boys from Megadeth jealous. Apart from Moore's virtuosic runs and catchy melodic lines, the rhythm section of Van Romaine (drums), Tim Lehner (keys) and John "JD" Deservio (bass) lays down seriously tight grooves on every tune on the album. The tightness of the band comes together to allow Moore to focus on the music and do what he does best, tear up the fretboard.
All of the tunes on the album were written and arranged by Moore and each is a testament to the wide variety of influences the guitarist draws upon in his playing. There are '70s inspired rockers ("Off the Hook"), tasteful funk/jazz ballads ("Soul Caravan"), and blues laced tracks such as "Jigsaw." Most people who know Moore as a metal/rock guitarist may be surprised at the variety of grooves and the depth of each tune on the album. While Moore takes the opportunity to unleash his incredible solo chops on several tracks, it is tunes such as "Remorse" and "Over My Head" that really bring out his maturity as a performer and composer. A sensibility and respect for the melody that can only come with maturity and experience.

While many guitarists release instrumental albums for the sole purpose of showing off their soloing chops, Moore's tunes are carefully arranged and the soloing is an extension of the melody. Of course there are moments where Moore cuts loose and shreds, and rightly he should, but these pyrotechnic displays never sound forced and none of the tunes sounds like it was written for the purpose of Moore's shredding. One of the best examples of his diversity as a soloist, and one of the highlights of the entire album, is "Panic Attack."

During the tune, Moore improvises several short solos, which are bookended by melodic based phrases. During these short solos, Moore teaches a virtual clinic on the art of modern rock fusion improvising. In the first solo section, there are examples of guitaristic lines (1:27-1:29), rhythmic punctuation (1:29-1:35) and shred pyrotechnics (1:38-1:46). The diverse vocabulary of improvisatory tools from which Moore draws is further extended in the second solo on the tune. Here Moore shows off his ability to create "sound effects" on the guitar (2:34-2:38), play in a jazz fusion style (2:38-2:43) and rip through streams of heavily chromatic runs (2:46-2:51). With such a diverse palette of improvisational techniques to draw from it is hard to categorize Moore's soloing as metal, or blues, or rock. Instead, it leads one to consider him a guitarist and musician first, and then as part of a specific genre only after the fact.

Not to be outdone, the rhythm section rises to every challenge that Moore throws at them and responds by raising the level of groove and ensemble interaction throughout the album. Bassist Deservio is no stranger to any of the styles that Moore brings to the table. His slap bass lines on the opener "Fly," ethereal groove on "Tailspin" and prog influenced lines on "Into the Open" are all great examples of why he is one of the best in the business. Though he is not featured at any given length on the recording, Deservio keeps a tight groove on every track and never overplays.

Romaine is also in top form on every tune. Never is there a groove or beat that is not fully in the pocket and, though he is never given an extended feature, his rock-steady drumming is one of the biggest reasons the album is so successful. In the hands of a less experienced drummer, some of the quick switches between grooves might have come off as forced, or even cheesy, but with Romaine leading the rhythm section each transition sounds smooth and natural. The rhythm section really makes Moore's job as soloist easy.

There have been many guitar instrumental albums released over the years that were only vehicles used to showcase the band leader's chops. While Moore takes the opportunity to tear through his solos when needed, To The Core comes across as being about the music first, the groove second and the soloing third. Fans of Moore's lightening-fast runs and incredible technique will definitely find plenty to enjoy on the album, but that is not the focus of the record. It is more about the depth of the tunes, the tightness of the ensemble and the strength of the melodies.

copyright 2009, All right reserved

VINNIE MOORE - To The Core
Mascot Records
Metal Express Rating: 9.5/10
Release Date: 2009-05-26
by: GEORGE FUSTOS
Email: george(at)metalexpressradio(dot)com

write/read comments

From the very first note one hears it is unequivocally transparent that this Vinnie Moore release, To the Core, has a very powerful, dynamic, and flawless production behind it. Scrupulous detail has been placed upon every nuance in the making of this album. The final product demonstrates this quite nicely especially through an equally nice pair of headphones. It is almost night and day the difference it makes in listening to this album through normal speakers or even PC speakers for that matter and then hearing it via headphones. You will be blown away at the vivid, precise, and textural sound.

Well, well, well…what should we expect from a new Vinnie Moore album, that is the question of the day? It could be extremely difficult to answer or it could be a breeze in a manner of speaking. Which road one decides to take depends on the answer in a sense. One can be sure however, that the music will contain virtuosic guitar playing at its best. There will be a certain amount of riffage and shredding going on but it will be done so with an ever so tasteful amount of decorum? Vinnie’s entire career has been nothing short of excellence so why change what works. When the time comes he will hang up his six-string with pride and gratification with a certain amount of humility behind it.

The thirty-three years that Moore has been playing guitar is certainly evident by his latest creation... enough said. Giving this album a once over is definitely not enough. Having listened to it numerous times by now, it is still amazing how at every listen new sounds come to life that haven’t been so obvious previously. With each listen is guaranteed a new experience. Each track off of the latest release is a true testament to that statement. If proof is what you are looking for, then put this CD into your player, sit back and be prepared to have your socks knocked off. When the 59 plus minutes (11 tracks) are over and you come back down to Earth, you will get a better appreciation for this musician's true talents - Mr. Vinnie Moore does not disappoint.

Some of the finer moments of the album nedd to be looked at a bit more closely. The “Fly” is an incredibly strong opener that makes a statement right from the start and cannot be overlooked even if one tried to ignore it. Get ready to be blown away from start to finish. Vinnie’s guitar playing is better than ever if that is possible. It’s true that once you reach a certain level of play it’s hard to top that and get better. In this case you can throw that right out the window. You’ll see better yet hear for yourself.

“Panic Attack” is a pretty neat tune. It comes out guns ablaze as if almost with an attitude. Then you begin to hear some martian/alien sounds throughout that bring Jeff Beck to mind for some reason and the wizardry he performs with his Strat. “Soul Caravan” is more of a Jazzy/Bluesy/Rock tune that incorporates the sax into the mix of things. It works very well here just like some of those classic Pink Floyd tunes that used to have it as well.

The keyboard sound in the opening of “Remorse” is something that should be heard. There is something about it that one can really sink his/her teeth into. The slower parts of this track are actually slightly better sounding than when the band seems to be working harder. Vinnie seems to know just how much he has to add and when to lay off. This seems to take this track to a higher level. The keyboards and bass are the key to this tune.

“Tailspin” has Vinnie playing some of the finest shredding on the album. He adds a little Bluesy spin to his style which makes this tune shine. The bass line is deep and powerful with a cool riff that brings it to life more. Vinnie does a short solo during this track that is on the money. This is one of the better tunes on here without a doubt. “Over My Head” sounds like something that you’ve heard before, you would swear, but isn’t obviously. There is something about it however that draws you in and you can’t help but to listen to it all the way to the end. This is the first acoustical number by Vinnie on the album.

“Into the Open Highway” is a strong song and definitely in the top three. The bass, even though not extremely difficult to play, is so tight and sounds so damn good, it is a dominating factor throughout. Even the drums have a certain amount of command to them throughout. One can pick up on some Harleys heading off into the sunset at a few locations in the song… hence the title. One can hear a slight variation of the Peter Gunn theme but on an almost subliminal level if you listen hard enough near the end. This is one of the stronger tunes on here.

The closer “Into the Sunset” is truly a gem. There are instrumentals and then there are instrumentals. This is one of the better ones by far. The orchestration of this song is phenomenal. The sound just takes control of your auditory senses and takes you to another place. A lot of Vinnie’s 6-string work can be found around fret 30 thru 34 on this track. His guitar work is some of the best you are going to hear. Vinnie plays with such raw passion and emotion on this song that it is hard to beat, so don’t dare to bother.

The ensemble that Vinnie used in the making of this release is as follows: Van Romaine (drums), Tim Lehner (keyboards), John “JD” Deservio (bass) and of course the master himself on guitar. All songs written and produced by Vinnie Moore. Guitars, bass, and keyboards recorded at The Core. Drums recorded at Spin Studios, Long Island City, NY. Mixed by Paul Northfield and mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound, NYC. And as luck would have it, the North American release date for this bad boy has been slated in as May 26, 2009, so for those crazy fans of Vinnie the wait is over.

For those with inquisitive minds about their favorite 6-stringer try Googling his name or for those with less patience click on the links that follow and it will take you directly to his websites.

Record label: www.MascotRecords.com
Official Vinnie Moore website: www.VinnieMoore.com
Vinnie’s MySpace site: www.MySpace.com/VinnieMoore

REVIEW Copyright 2009, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Vinnie Moore - To The Core (Mascot Records / Border)

1 Fly (4:51)
2 Panic Attack (6:19)
3 Off The Hook (5:15)
4 Transcendence (3:53)
5 Soul Caravan (5:55)
6 Jigsaw (3:41)
7 Remorse (7:02)
8 Tail Spin (5:33)
9 Over My Head (3:57)
10 Into the Open Highway (6:47)
11 Into the Sunset (5:41)

Vinnie Moore - Guitar
Van Romaine - Drums
John JD Deservio - Bas
Tim Lehne - Keyboard

Instrumental guitar releases tend to be far too often, most show up guitarist's technical skills. In recent years, I have nevertheless taken note of a number of record in which the feeling of the music had a growing place. Vinnie Moore is perhaps best known as UFO`s guitarist and now has delivered just such an album which förövrigt is his ninth solo release.

Vinnie Moore enjoys to record an album without any restrictions and for his new styles. Basically, he referred to himself a rock guy with many influences from other genres.

On the album we hear elements from different styles as R & B / Hip Hop, funk and blues to harder acts with puffs from the more exotic. Most are still holding a pretty fusion-like setting. Some tracks that put a personal touch is the rate fixed "Transcendence" with Indian elements. "Soul Caravan" gives us a pleasant journey to work rates and the interplay with sax ala "Pink Floyd" is not so stupid. Cool 'Into the Sunset ", a totally relaxed and is also one of the favorites.

Some parts of the album requires still part of the listener, where more extreme rates obtained for example on the longest track, "Remorse" and "Into the Open Highway", both have a good drive.

This välproducerade plate was recorded on Vinnie `s growing hemmastudio where the music down. The studio has also been used for parts of the UFO's latest creations.

Solo Album:

Mind's Eye (1986)
Time Odyssey (1988)
Meltdown (1991)
Out of Nowhere (1996)
The Maze (1999)
Live! (2000)
Defying Gravity (2001)
Vinnie Moore Collection: The Shrapnel Years (2006)
To The Core (2009)

www.myspace.com / Vinnie Moore

www.vinniemoore.com

7 / 10

Conny Myrberg, ©2009 ArtRock

Defying Gravity (2001)
Vinnie Moore Collection: The Shrapnel Years (2006)
To The Core (2009)

1985 - Vicious Rumors - Soldiers of the Night
1989 - Guitar's Practicing Musicians - Free
1991 - Alice Cooper - Hey Stoop (with Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Slash)
1994 - Various Artists - Deep Purple Tribute: Smoke On The Water
1998 - Sega - "Burning Rangers' game soundtrack for the 'Saturn' video game
2004 - UFO - You Are Here
2004 - Jordan Rudess - Rhythm of Time
2005 - Various Artists - Subdivisions: A Tribute to the Music of Rush
2005 - UFO - "Showtime"
2006 - UFO - The Monkey Puzzle
2009 - UFO - The Visitor

Publisher:
Mascot Records
Website:
www.vinniemoore.com
myspace.com / vinniemoore

copyright 2009 - www.Passzio.hu

Vinnie Moore - To The Core
Mascot Records

Hardrock / AOR

Wim: Vinnie Moore is one of the first recognized shredders. He belonged to the stable of Shrapnel Records, the record company of the man who as no other had a nose for (guitar) talent, Mike Varney. Moore's first professional performance was playing the guitar in a TV-commercial for Pepsi in 1987. In the same year, he released his debut album 'Mind's Eye', an album that to this day has a high listing in the hall of fame of instrumental guitar records. Moore released a few more solo albums , is active giving guitar clinics and making instruction video’s and is still active in the British band UFO, with whom he recently recorded the new album 'The Visitor'. Moore has his own home studio, 'The Core'. As is clear from the title of his new solo album, his first in eight years and the first album on Mascot Records, it is a tribute to his own studio.

On the album Vinnie shows that he is a versatile guitarist. With all its fusion elements, opening track 'Fly' makes no mistake about that. In the following 'Panic Attack' he goes a little crazy, both in terms of riffs and solos. Other notable tracks are the jazzy ‘Soul Caravan’ (in which Vinnie’s trusted Dean Moore greatly whines), the bright and funky ‘Tail Spin’ and the playful 'Over My Head'. I think Vinnie Moore has become a mature guitarist who no longer only thinks of speed records. He pays a lot of attention to the instrumental song material, material that therefore fascinates. In that respect the songs remind me of the solo work of for example Neal Schon. Rests me to mention that Moore is assisted by drummer Van Romaine (known for his work with Steve Morse), Tim Lehner on keyboards and John Deservio (Black Label Society among others) on bass guitar. Everyone of them class musicians who nonetheless do not contribute something real interesting. Vinnie himself produced the album that sounds open and especially with your headphones on is very fine to listen to. Interesting album of an interesting musician. Although not comparable, this CD by Vinnie Moore scores one-tenth of a point lower than the CD of Paul Gilbert (with Freddie Nelson and also on Mascot Records), because I think Gilbert is just an inch better.

Rating: 81/100

http://www.vinniemoore.com

copyright 2009 - LORDS OF METAL

Vinnie Moore - New Solo Instrumental Album "To The Core"

Well in all honesty, I had never heard of him, but I heard Eddie Trunk on XMSirius interview him about this album and after listening to it, I am just blown away. The WHOLE album just has a great feel to it, you forget that you're even listening to music without words. You become fully immersed in the technical magnificence of guitar playing/melody. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check this album out, totally worth a listen.

Top Tracks IMO:
Fly
Panic Attack
Jigsaw

Vinnie Moore - New Solo Instrumental Album "To The Core"
JCAbernathy

__________________
KILLZONE 2 - - - - 'NOUGH SAID

Rock Times - German Review

Wer kennt ihn nicht, den Gitarristen, der früher an der Seite von Alice Cooper agierte und 2003 Michael Schenker als Saitenspezialist bei UFO ablöste? Sein Name: Vinnie Moore! Sicher, wer eine Gitarrengranate wie Michael Schenker ablösen darf, der ist ein Guter! Doch reichen seine musikalischen Fähigkeiten auch, um seine Anhänger mit einem instrumentalen Solo-Album im Stile eines Joe Satriani zu überzeugen?

Der Vollblutgitarrist stellt mit Song Nummer eins, "Fly", gleich mal seine Fähigkeiten an der E-Klampfe unter Beweis. "Panic Attack" verursacht bei mir nicht gerade eine Panikattacke, doch er schmiert einem das Teil ziemlich heftig aufs Brot. Sicher liegt der Schwerpunkt bei dem Scheibchen auf den extremen Gitarrenläufen von Vinnie, der damit seinen Platz unter den Top-Gitarristen untermauern wird. Doch bei den folgenden Nummern übermannt mich das Gefühl, dass ich irgendwie schon mal alles gehört habe. Moore unterstreicht schon eindrucksvoll, dass er den elektrischen Sechssaiter komplett beherrscht, und Freunde von instrumentalem Gitarren-Rock werden sicher begeistert sein.

Doch hier gilt die Formel, dass man für diese Sparte von Rockmusik offen sein muss. Oh, "Transcendence" hebt sich doch etwas vom Standard ab, denn hier wird die Gitarrenhexerei durch das tolle Schlagzeug von Van Romaine begleitet und sorgt für reichlich Abwechslung beim Song. Der "Soul Caravan" ist ein richtiges Highlight des Tonträgers. Toller dezenter Rhythmus mit Bläsereinlagen, die leider im Booklet nicht erwähnt werden. Astreines Keyboard und John JD Deservios Bassgezupfe unterstützen Moores Gitarrenspiel in absoluter Spitzenqualität! Diese Attribute kommen auch bei "Remorse" zum Tragen und beeindrucken mich schwer.
"Tailspin" heißt der Track, bei dem den Zuhörern extreme Nehmer-Qualitäten abverlangt werden. Spätestens hier wird die Spreu vom Weizen getrennt. Die einen werden diesem Silberling ein 'Platin' vergeben und andere werden eher einen 'Nerven-Doktor' aufsuchen. Doch Vinnie wirft rechtzeitig den Rettungsanker und beruhigt den angespannten Zuhörer mit "Over My Head", einer Ballade, in der die sparsamen Gitarrensoli von einer tollen Akustikklampfe begleitet werden. Ein klasse Track, der von mir fett unterstrichen wird!

Ein Motorrad-Geräusch eröffnet "Into The Open Highway", das genauso gut 'Highway To Hell' heißen könnte, denn hier geht die Post ab. Die Zuhörer werden noch mal auf eine harte Bewährungsprobe gestellt, und vom Konsumenten wird es vermutlich nur ein 'Top' oder 'Flop' geben. Zum Schluss hat sich Moore für ein ruhiges Stück entschieden. "Into The Sunset" heißt der Finalsong, der für mich ein starkes Album beendet.
Die Vinnie Moore-Fans werden sicher begeistert sein, ebenso die Gitarrenfreaks, die sich stundenlang von instrumentalem Gitarren-Rock berauschen lassen können. Moore unterstreicht eindrucksvoll seine unumstrittenen Fähigkeiten an den E-Gitarren. Darüber braucht man auch nicht streiten. Obwohl er nichts Neues erfunden hat und sich den Interpretationen eines Steve Vai,
Jeff Beck oder Joe Satriani anschließt, hat er zumindest auch deren Klasse eingehalten. Kenner wissen, dass es nicht leicht ist, solch ein hohes Niveau zu erreichen.

Ob sein Solo-Projekt bei Jedermann einschlägt? Die ersten Absatzzahlen werden es zeigen. In meinem CD-Regal hat das Scheibchen schon seinen Platz gefunden. "To The Core" hat mich nachdenklich hinterlassen und veranlasst mich zu dem Tipp, dass man zumindest in die Platte hereinhören sollte. Es ist eben wie immer, alles reine Geschmackssache.

Line-up:
Vinnie Moore (guitar)
Tim Lehner (keyboards)
John JD Deservio (bass)
Van Romaine (drums)

Copyright 2009 - Rock Times

Greek Review

Mascot Records
Fly
Panic Attack
Off The Hook
Transcendence
Soul Caravan
Jigsaw
Remorse
Tailspin
Over My Head
Into The Open Highway
Into The Sunset

Vinnie Moore - Guitar
Van Romaine - Drums
John "J.D." DeServio - Bass
Tim Lehner – Keyboards

For old schooled metalheads, his name is associated to the early VICIOUS RUMORS years. Currently his reputation has reached maximum level due to his membership in Rock legends U.F.O., plus known are his ’guest’ contributions to the making of Alice Cooper’s "Hey Stoopid!" (1991 - toured with the band for awhile, too) and Jordan Rudess’ "Rhythm Of Time" (2004) releases. Still, ’guitar virtuosos’ maniacs are already aware of the American 6-string wizard’s career, spanning almost a quarter of a century. So, here is Vinnie’s latest offering, called "To The Core", nearly a decade after his previous "Defying Gravity" CD.

Cannot get the album’s title, to be honest. Maybe I expected the ’core’ word to lead me to something quite primal and in-your-face (checking again, maybe it has to do with the The Core recording studios where I read the sessions took place). Things, however, are somehow different but – eventually – of matching quality; and that’s the one that really matters. It’s quite difficult to review an instrumental album, to be precise, since there’s not enough to judge on (especially when the artist is a respected one) and words don’t come out that easy. Hence, some criteria shelter is to be found in the transitions variety and overall sensation that may – or may not – come off the songlist.

Vinnie is a rocker and that’s an easy verdict. Still, in his late works (meaning his post-80s activities, haha!) the charismatic guitarist has also embodied different beats to step on in order to unveil his whole phrasing personality as a shredder...and not only. In "To The Core" we see Vinnie using groovy – call me R&B or Hip-Hop – beats to express his more cool/chill-out side while more straightforward rockers (similar to the Satriani/Vai standards) are also present to feed the listener’s established hunger. Dunno if this late spring release was planned on purpose, but truth is the album has a sunshine feeling and listening to it while sailing or spending time on the seaside on a sunny day can as well act as the most fitting scenario to swallow the songlist.

While waiting for U.F.O.’s upcoming "The Visitor" album, Vinnie finds the time to impress us with his newest solo release...again. Cannot jump on a conclusion regarding this album’s contribution to the man’s whole discography (and of course Vinnie’s a shredder and a man with a velvet touch whenever he wants so – or at the same time!), so let’s just say that open-minded guitar lovers shall have some nice company with "To The Core" in the future. Vinnie Moore is a creative songwriter and that’s understood; plus, "To The Core" is a tempting solo release and that’s another success.

P.S.: The sax in "Soul Caravan" is a killer...

Copyright 2009 - Reviewed by Grigoris

Translated from German:

The audience for pure instrumental guitar rock is relatively small. Those who are not into lyric-free shredding orgies and excessive fretboard "gymnastics" can easily forget about Vinnie Moore's solo albums.

"To The Core" will be released within a narrow time frame as the new UFO album, so I assume that all musical material which had not being used for UFO had been used for his solo album.

This album sounds versatile and extravagant and the guitar work is
merciless. You find funky Grooves ("Jigsaw") aas well as lounge-compatible
saxophone-Jazz ("Soul Caravan") on the album. All songs are clear
structured and they are not getting lost in triviality.

Prog-thrashy sounds like "Transcendence" are rather rare. You rather
find catchy beautiful melodies. All in all a stylistically colorful
potpourri which fans of this kind of music will love.

Points: 7/10
Copyright 2009 - (Xeledon / 22.05.2009)

Vinnie Moore - To The Core
Mascot Records, 2009

Score: 8/10

Uransa kannalta järkevimmän siirron Vinnie Moore teki liittyessään UFO:n riveihin muutama vuosi sitten. Mooresta UFO sai vakautta, jota yhtye tarvitsi kipeästi Michael Schenkerin taakseen jättämän sotkun jäljiltä. UFO-pesti puolestaan toi turvallisen työpaikan keski-ikäistyneelle kitarasankarille, jonka soololevyjen myyntiluvut ja näkyvyys putosivat jyrkästi 1980-luvun jälkipuoliskon kitarasankaribuumin jälkeen.

Suurta musiikillista uudistajaa Mooresta ei tullut UFO:lle ja hän onkin tyytynyt pysymään soittotyylissään “kajahtaneen kirvesmiehen” linjoilla, jos nyt näin leikillisesti voidaan sanoa. Sokkotestissä yhtyeen viimeisimpien studiokiekkojen You Are Heren ja Monkey Puzzlen kitarakuviot menisivät hyvin läpi inspiroituneena Schenkerinä, mikä onkin ollut kovasti UFO-fanien mieleen. Huomattavasti villimmät ideansa Moore onkin saanut säästää soololevyilleen, joilla skaaloja esitellään päivätöitä laajemmin.

Viimeisimmällä soololevyllään To The Core Vinnie Moore liikkuu vanhakantaisilla hevisoundeilla koristellun fuusion ja neoklassisen kitaramusiikin välimaastossa, puikkelehtien sujuvasti tyylistä toiseen. To The Coren kaltaiset levyt muistuttavat, että hyvätkään kitaralevyt eivät koskaan ole vain yhtä hyviä kuin niiden takaa löytyvät kitaristit, vaan kiekkojen onnistuminen riippuu sävellysten ohella muista muusikoista. Heistä riippuu pitkälti miten hyvässä valossa otelautataituri nähdään, ja To The Corelle Moore on saanut haalittua suhteellisen nimekkään ja ennen kaikkea toimivan taustamuusikkokaartin, joilta löytyy sopivasti ansioita niin fuusion kuin raskaamman musiikin puolelta. Steve Morse Bandissa ja monessa muussa yhtyeessä kannutellut Van Romaine osoittautuu oivalliseksi rumpaliksi, joka kykenee liikkumaan tyylistä toiseen. Myös Black Label Societyssa ja Drillissä basistinvirkaa hoitaneelta John J.D. DeServiolta luonnistuu niin raskaampi mättäminen kuin jazzahtavampi ote. Vain kosketinsoittaja Tim Lehner jää levyllä statistiksi, jonka pääasiallinen tehtävä on täyttää aukot tasaisella syntikkamatolla.

Periaatteessa Mooren resepti instrumentaaliselle kitaralevylle ei vaikuta kovinkaan omaperäiseltä. Lähtökohtanaan Moore käyttää yksinkertaisia melodioita, joita lähdetään kasvattamaan koko porukan voimin. Kun kappaleen melodia ja perusrunko ovat kaikille selviä, voidaankin sitten leikitellä itse muodolla. Tässä kohtaa kukin muusikko antaa sovitukseen oman panoksensa, mikä korostuu lopputuloksessa tyylitajuisina nyansseina ja kekseliäänä irrotteluna. Reseptinä yksinkertainen, mutta käytännössä sitä vaikeampi toteutettava.

Nautittavin piirre To The Coressa on kappaleiden nyanssitäytteinen lennokkuus, joka kuulostaa samanaikaisesti rennolta, mutta taidokkaalta virtuoosi-ilottelulta. Sävellykset kuulostavat johdonmukaisilta, mutta niistä löytyy piristävää yllätyksellisyyttä. Avauskappaleesta Fly ei alkuun ota selvää, onko luvassa groovaavaa funkia vai satrianimaista kitarariffittelyä, kunnes kappaleen melodinen osuus lähtee käyntiin. Mukaansatempaavassa avausraidassa Moore soittaa kuin fuusiokauden Jeff Beck, joka väliin heittelee Uli Jon Rothilta kuulostavia neoklassisia juoksutuksia.

Rakenteellisesti yksi kiinnostavimpia kappaleita levyllä on niin ikään groovaavan funkin, neoklassisen kitaramusiikin ja fuusiojazzin välimaastossa kulkeva Panic Attack, jota aletaan ensin rakentaa kromaattisia ja atonaalisiakin sävyjä hyödyntävästä musiikista kohti selkeää, melodista irrottelua.

Mooren omaama huima teknisyys yhdistettynä bluesmiehen tunteikkuuteen tulee esiin viimeistään Off The Hookissa, jonka lähtökohtana hän on käyttänyt Santanan loppuun kaluamaa sointupohjaa. Latinomeininki on kuitenkin Off The Hookista kaukana, sillä Moore siirtää kappaleen tunnelman toisaalle alkaessaan heittää Hendrixiltä ja Slashilta kuulostavia kitaratyylittelyjä. Yhtä tunteikasta soittoa löytyy myös Jigsaw´sta, jossa Moore väläyttelee taitojaan juurevana lasiputken käsittelijänä.

Itämaisia skaaloja sisältävää Transcendencea puolestaan voisi luonnehtia Black Label Societyn ja Uli Jon Rothin yhteentörmäykseksi, sillä kappaleesta löytyy sekä rankkaa riffittelyä että majesteettisia kitarakuvioita. Ilmavan kauniissa Soul Caravanissa kitaran ja saksofonin välinen vuoropuhelu henkii Frank Zappan 1970-luvun puolenvälin kitarainstrumentaaleja, nousten kiekon komeimpiin kappaleisiin.

Derek Sherinianin lanseeraaman metallifuusion pariinkin Moore hyppää levyn loppupuolella, todistaen Into The Open Highwayssa, että ko. tyylittely luonnistuu häneltäkin. Jos Moore on pyrkinyt luomaan instrumentaalisen fuusiolevyn, jossa hän yrittää kattaa koko genren tyylikeinot, hän on onnistunut siinä nautittavasti.

To The Core ei ehkä tule uudistamaan instrumentaalista kitaramusiikkia, mutta se muistuttaa, että osaavissa käsissä genrellä on vielä tulevaisuutta. Siihen ei riitä vain huikea tekniikka. Siihen vaaditaan myös tyylitajua, tunnetta, hyviä rakennuspalikoita ja osaavia taustamuusikoita.

copyright 18.05.2009, Kalevi Heino

Vinnie Moore - To The Core
Mascot Records, 2009

Score: 87/100

Click HERE for the ENGLISH - Rough Translation

Original DUTCH REVIEW

Laten we het hier maar weer eens hebben over een solistisch optreden op schijf van een rockgitarist. Stop nou niet meteen met lezen, want we gaan het wel over Vinnie Moore hebben. Erkend meestergitarist en sinds 2003 ook actief in de band UFO. Maar ook al decennia lang actief met zelfgekozen begeleiders in solo-projecten en als gastspeler in diverse bands. Met To The Core zet hij een dijk van een cd neer, een topper in zijn eigen genre.

Vinnie speelt al vanaf zijn twaalfde jaar gitaar en in 1987 verscheen zijn eerste plaatwerk. Hij wordt algemeen erkend als een van de beste (hard) rock gitaristen van de wereld. Was Vinnie in de eerste decennia op de plaat vooral bekend door soloprojecten, vanaf 2003 is hij echter ook te beluisteren in de band UFO. Op het podium heeft hij met heel veel bekende artiesten samen gewerkt en ook een poosje in de begeleidingsband van Alice Cooper gespeeld. Momenteel wordt er voornamelijk met UFO opgetreden, ook al zijn er zo her en der nog wel gastoptredens te noteren. Vinnie is overigens ook zeer bekend als leraar, geeft clinics over de hele wereld en brengt instructie cd's en dvd's uit. Maar nu ligt dus het negende album van Vinnie Moore himself in de winkels, To The Core, evenals de laatste twee solo-albums opgenomen in de eigen home studio.

Vinnie Moore is een rock gitarist pur sang. Dat die gasten graag het heft in eigen hand nemen en voor zichzelf aan de gang gaan, is historisch een feit. Dan kan je als gitarist blijkbaar toch het beste je muzikale ei kwijt. Met als basis de pure rock haalt Vinnie allerlei muzikale invloeden binnen, maar allemaal zijdelings. In ieder nummer weet hij wel weer invloeden te mengen die de muziek spannend houden en hij weet het voor elkaar te krijgen om nergens te verzanden in eindeloos gepiel. Over zijn gitaarspel hoeven we het eigenlijk nauwelijks te hebben. Vlijmscherp scheurend en raggend, flinterdun melancholisch, riffend, tokkelend en snel variërend, Vinnie kan het allemaal en laat dat ook horen. Toch zit de kracht van To The Core vooral in de composities, arrangementen en productie. Hij geeft zichzelf daarmee de ruimte om alles uit de gitaarkast te halen en een wonderschoon gitaar-georiënteerd album te produceren.

Ik ben niet altijd erg te spreken over soloprojecten van rockgitaristen. Daar waar het gaat verzanden in jazzfusion geladen ego tripperij haak ik af. Bij Vinnie Moore heb ik echter van begin tot einde geboeid zitten luisteren en mee zitten swingen. To The Core is dan ook een cd die in de platencollectie van de liefhebber, of nog liever in de speler van de liefhebber, thuis hoort. Mooie plaat zonder meer.

Tracklisting:
Fly
Panic Attack
Off The Hook
Transcendence
Soul Caravan
Jigsaw
Remorse
Tailspin
Over My Head
Into the Open Highway
Into the Sunset

Line-up:
Vinnie Moore - Guitar
John JD Deservio - Bass
Van Romaine - Drums
Tim Lehner - Keys
Links: Vinnie Moore | Vinnie Moore MySpace |Mascot Records
Score: 87/100

copyright 2009 - Gepost door: Remi Peterse Woensdag 13 Mei 2009 - 17:37

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Let's here once again have an acting alone to drive a rockgitarist. Stop reading right now not because we are going to do about Vinnie Moore have. Recognized master guitarist and since 2003 active in the band UFO. But despite decades of active self-selected leaders in solo projects and as a guest player in several bands. With To The Core, he set up a dike from a CD set, a winner in his own genre.

Vinnie has been playing guitar since the age of twelve years and in 1987 published his first sheet. He is widely recognized as one of the best (hard) rock guitarists of the world. Vinnie was in the first decades of the era especially known for solo projects. However, from 2003, he has been part of the band UFO. On stage he has with many famous artists and also worked a while in support of Alice Cooper band played. Currently, there are mainly UFO occurred, even though there are so here and still guest appearances note. Vinnie is also well known as a teacher, gives clinics all over the world and brings instructional CDs and DVDs from. But now so is the ninth album by Vinnie Moore himself in the shops, To The Core, and the last two solo albums in their own home studio.

Vinnie Moore is a rock guitarist pur say. That these guys like to handle in their own hands and for itself to the hallway, it is a historical fact. Then you as the best guitarist apparently your musical egg lost. As a basis the pure rock picks Vinnie various musical influences within, but all indirectly. In every song he knows weather to mix the music exciting and he knows it to get to nowhere to be bogged down in endless gepiel. On his guitar do we hardly have. Razor sharp scheurend and raggend, thin melancholy, riffend, pluck and rapidly varying, Vinnie can do it all and also heard. Yet we find the strength To The Core in the compositions, arrangements and production. He gives himself this space to do everything from the guitar case to get a beautiful guitar-oriented album to produce.

I'm not always keen to talk about solo projects of rock guitarists. Where it is bogged down in jazz fusion loaded ego tripperij hook me off. By Vinnie Moore I have from beginning to end fascinated sit and listen to swing seat. To The Core is a CD in the record collection of the lover, or rather in the player of the lover belongs. Nice plate no.

Score: 87/100

Review by David Rodrigo (Coon)

Translated from Spanish into English: Thanks Raul

Having to listen to CD's like this one over and over again, so I can write a review, is a pleasure. "To the core" is Vinnie Moore's latest CD, brought to us by Mascot Records. "To the core" is an album where the overall product is more important than any individual consideration, even more than Moore's personal glory. Is a record to entertain us to the full, to make as play our "air guitars", to headbang, to blow our brains trying to work out
the solos.

Eleven tracks composed with the intention of being enjoyed rather than analyzed, to entertain rather than impress. Moore's records are different to most of the other instrumental CD's in that they are not just a way to show the player's technique.

“Fly”, “Panic Attack”, “Off The Hook” or “Trascendence” are very compact songs, where a band and not just a guitar player give the best they can to achieve a solid work. But, if that's not enough, Moore's guitar delivers like most of us can't even dream of ever being capable of. Yes, you will find amazing solos and fretboard runs. But, over all that, there are amazing melodies.

“Soul Caravan”, an intimate song, is my personal favourite (that sax fits so perfectly!) and, in my opinion, is one of the best songs by this master of the six strings ever. With almost one hour of music, this record will satisfy both the fans of classic hard rock and the guitar lovers, because it has the perfect balance of both ingredients. “Jigsaw”, “Remorse”, “Tailspin” or the impressing combo formed by “Into The Open Highway” and “Into The
Sunset” are a lesson both in composition and performance.

Far from being a boring record or the stereotypical instrumental CD that loses its punch after the third time you listen to it, "To the core" is a record worth counting with in a genre we like and where it is hard to find new things, a blow of fresh air. Had it only one track less and it would be just perfect!

Rated: 8'5 out of 10

Date: April 17, 2009

copyright 2009 - Metalcry

Vinnie Moore
To The Core (2009)
Rated 85% out of 100%

(Review by Lucas Gordon, April 2009)

Translated from Spanish into English: Thanks Raul

Because most of the instrumental CD's are devoted to the guitar and give less importance to the rest of the instruments, it doesn't often happen that I find one of them to be well balanced when it comes to the role each musician plays in the overall work.

I try to be polite when I have to review a CD I don't specially like, because it is hard to find the words to explain something so subjective like personal tastes. It could very well happen that fans of that particular style find my review useless because it gives opinions and not facts.

We are now in the opposite situation. Vinnie Moore's latest work is real easy on my ears.

It is not the first time that an instrumental CD goes against my preferred styles and blows my mind, but "To The Core" has done just that.

This record has a lot of punch, is powerful without having to scatter a riff here or solo there in order to achieve the effect. The rythm is rock solid and you can't feel any trace of overgrown ego holding the pick or the fretboard.

Obviously we're not talking about flamenco, this is hard rock/heavy metal.

I already had one of the previous CD's by Vinnie and I can't recall it made me such an impact as this one had, therefore I encourage you to give it a listen and better yet, go buy it!

Tracklist Fly, Panic Attack, Off The Hook, Transcendence, Soul Caravan, Jigsaw, Remorse, Tailspin, Over My Head, Into the Open Highway, Into the Sunset

Musicians
- Vinnie Moore: Guitar
- Van Romaine: Drums
- John JD Deservio: Bass guitar
- Tim Lehner: Keyboards

Produced by Vinnie Moore

Genre Instrumental

Country USA

Label Mascot Records

Web www.vinniemoore.com

copyright 2009 - MUNDOROCK

Vinnie Moore, the guitar hero that got world recognition by playing the
guitar in that famous Pepsi TV ad back in '85, and who competed against
Malmsteen and Macalpine for the title of Neoclassical Guitar Master, is back
with a new CD that will be out on May 25th, showing that the task of
replacing Michael Schenker in UFO is no impediment to develop his own
creativity on his solo work.

Although he was at the beginning tagged with the "Neoclassical Instrumental"
label due to his Bach and Beethoven influences, Vinnie Moore has evolved as
the years have passed to a more modern "Fussion" or "Jazz-Rock" sound, as he
has been looking for different and complex ways of expression but using his
full arsenal of guitar techniques, so perfectly developed during his first
albums: sweep picking, tapping, a powerful and perfect vibrato and that
accurate and straight-out-of-hell right hand that allows him to give a
powerful yet clean and precise sound.

The new album opens with "Fly", a rock song with some techno sounds that
give the song a powerful rhythm and that reminds us of that legendary "Who
Else" from the great Jeff Beck.

"Off the hook" proves that this shredder is not short of "groove". Seventh
chords and funky riffs sound very "soul-rock", melodic and elegant but
without losing that kind of dancefloor rythm that can be felt all along the
CD. Is worth noting a lick with false harmonics, that gives you goosebumps,
though he is not using a very high gain on the amp.

From the wooden bars by the Mississippi river, full of smell of cheap
whiskey, we move on to the desert with the arabic "Trascendence". Those
licks in Major Frygian show that Mr. Moore moves across the harmonic minor
scale as a nomad travels through the sand dunes.

A distorted riff that reminds us of Rage Against the Machine is the perfect
excuse to get back to the pentatonic and a little mixolydian with tremolo
bar, very Scott Henderson-like. But the thing that is more present along the
CD is the search for techno sounds, something very obvious in "Remorse" and
in the film-soundtrack-sounding "Tailspin", just before getting to the
romantic "Over my head", that serves as a rest before the last, powerful
songs.

A motorcycle roar is a hint that the music is also revving up, and indeed it
does in "into the open highway", a song that brings memories of previous
works by Vinnie Moore, with a powerful, metallic riff that will certainly
please his old-time fans.

All in all, an exquisite work by a master of the six strings, who says
goodbye while getting "into the sunset" and searching for new horizons. We
dearly hope that he will share them with us.

Tracklist:
01. Fly
02. Panic Attack
03. Off The Hook
04. Trascendence
05. Soul Caravan
06. Jig Saw
07. Remorse
08. Tailspin
09. Over My Head
10. Into The Open Highway
11. Into The Sunset

Componentes:
Vinnie Moore (Guitarra)
Van Romaine (Batería)
Tim Lehner (Teclados)
John Jd Deservio (Bajo)

Moore spent the last several years on tour with UFO. Once off the road, Vinnie took his time meticulously laying down the tracks to his newest guitar instrumental masterpiece.

Choosing a very retro-contemporary rock style mixed with many other styles and influences, Moore decided he would make it a good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll instrumental album. It's just Vinnie Moore, his guitar, and his raw guitar talent — all the ingredients that make this album a work of art.

"The only plan I had when making this record was to do some things I have never done before," explains Vinnie. "I am into many types of music and wanted to make a record where I could just let it all pour out without limitations. I am basically a rock guy but all these other influences that filter into my music. You can hear many styles from an R&B/hip hop vibe to one that is heavy but has an indian vibe with lots of exotic percussion. I even have a couple tunes with techno elements, some funk, some blues and some bepop. Hell, there is even some motorcycles on it and I even played slide guitar on 'Jigsaw', which is fairly new for me. The common thread that ties it all together is probably the fact that it's me playing guitar through it all."

We are proud to announce that guitarist Vinnie Moore has signed to our Mascot Records label for a worldwide release of his upcoming solo album (2009). Vinnie was among the first artists with releasing instrumental guitar albums (Mind's Eye), he played with Alice Cooper amongst others and is guitarist for UFO since 2003.

Vinnie always has the song, the melody and the feel as the main ingredient in his music and just one of those handful of totally awesome players. Watch this space for further information about the release.