Recently, InstruMentalCase conducted an interview with UFO guitarist, Vinnie Moore about his upcoming solo album. Few excerpts are follows:
InstruMentalCase.com: Legend has it that you recorded all 60 minutes of your original "Hot Licks" instructional video in just one hour. Is there any shred of truth to this rumor?
Vinnie Moore: Yes, this is absolutely true… it wasn't by choice though. It was all the time that was left that day because another artist went over his designated time. I had a train to catch, so I had to just run through it. I was pretty well-rehearsed actually, which really helped. There was one edit in the entire video, because I messed something up at like 50 minutes into it and had to pick it up from there. So basically the whole video was just two pieces!
InstruMentalCase.com: How is progress coming along on your next instrumental album?
Vinnie Moore: I'm close to being finished. Van Romaine (of the STEVE MORSE BAND) played drums and John "J.D." DeServio (of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) was on bass. All guitars are almost finished. I just need to do some keyboards and then mix it. But there's no title yet.
InstruMentalCase.com: Early on in your career you were sometimes labeled an "Yngwie clone" by misinformed critics. All of that nonsense aside, was Malmsteen or any other neo-classical guitarists an influence on you at the time?
Vinnie Moore: I always thought he was great at what he did. Lots of passion in his playing. When I first heard him I could tell that we had a lot of the same influences. I was into Blackmore but there weren't really any neo-classical guitarists at the time. I think the genre sort of formed by players being inspired by guys like Blackmore, Al DiMeola, Uli Roth and classical composers.
InstruMentalCase.com: In your mind, what's one of the greatest highlights of your solo career? Which album are you most proud of?
Vinnie Moore: I honestly can't think of one particular thing… There are many things great that have happened! I am really fortunate to be able to do what I love. I like all of my records for different reasons and I hate them all for different reasons, too! [Laughs]
SILENOZ "I'M SO STOKED ABOUT" THE HEAVEN AND HELL REUNION
BW&BK spoke to DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Silenoz during the official listening session for the Norwegian black metallers' new album, In Sorte Diaboli, at the Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica in Oslo, Norway recently. A major feature on the band is set to run in BW&BK #103, out in late March.
The release of In Sorte Diaboli (in April - more info here) will coincide with Dimmu Borgir's recently-announced North American tour beginning in late April, with support from KATAKLYSM, DEVILDRIVER and UNEARTH. However, Silenoz is paying attention to a reformed group of legends going under the moniker of HEAVEN AND HELL.
"I'm so stoked about it," he says about the reunion featuring BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, with frontman Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice, for the first time in 15 years. "I'm a huge Dio fan and to watch him with Sabbath again is going to be mind-blowing. Ozzy is the icon of Black Sabbath, but vocally and musically, Dio is the best singer. But it depends on who you prefer technically. Ozzy's showmanship is killer - used to be killer. But I like both versions of Sabbath. I even like the Tony Martin version of Sabbath, especially Headless Cross. And you can't forget about Born Again. It's the same way with us, since we've had so many lineup changes. We have fans that just like the Stormblåst (1996) era, or the Spiritual Black Dimensions (1999) era. That's cool and you have to accept it. That's how it is with people. You can't please everyone."
