All images courtesy of Glass Onyon PR/Header Image credit Gretchen Johnson


By Andrew Daly
andrew@vinylwriter.com

For Vinnie Moore, a shapeshifting musical persona has long been bookended by virtuosity and deep-seated, elemental musicality.

At the tender age of 58, if Moore’s latest solo offering, Double Exposure, is any indication, the shredding luminary may be reaching his professional peak. For his 10th solo album, Moore is serving up a heavy dose of guitar nirvana ranging from late-80s hotrod heroics to blues licks that are too-coo-for-school mellow.

But what’s more apparent about Double Exposure is the level of confidence oozing from Moore’s nimble fingers to the fretboard of his trusty axe. And with his other gig in stalwart U.K. act UFO coming to a steady yet triumphant close, for Moore, it’s a tried-and-true case of the more confidence, the better.

Still, Moore isn’t about to reinvent his proverbial wheel, and if you’re a long-time fan, there’s more than enough here to harken back on, to be sure. What’s more is the guitarist’s ability to liven and freshen his established sound, easily fending off repetitive tropes that hamper his contemporaries.

As he prepares to support Double Exposure, Vinnie Moore settled in with me to recount the record’s origins, his surprising use of a Gibson SG, the evolution of his songwriting process, the latest on UFO, and beyond.

Andrew:
Break down the origins of your new record, Double Exposure.

Vinnie:
I started working on it in 2020 when everything was locked down, and no one could tour. I planned to record 5 or 6 instrumental songs and put them out as an EP or just digital files. I wanted to stay active and put some music out there and not waste the time off. At that point, no one knew how long that period would last. One evening I was listening to the song demos and started hearing vocals in my head and consequently started singing along. It occurred to me that all of the songs were basically rock songs and could easily be vocal songs as well as instrumental ones. So, the idea to do a full album with two versions of each song was born.

Andrew:
People seem to be a bit surprised that you’ve been brandishing a Gibson SG of late. Did you use the guitar on the bulk of the record?

Vinnie:
Yeah, that seems to have created a little bit of a stir, surprisingly. I used it a little when recording but definitely not for the bulk. I used Strats, Kramers, the VM2000, and even my old Ibanez splatter for one solo. Always good to mix things up while recording. When I did photos for the CD cover, I had the SG and a Pacer. It just so happened that the photo I liked best was with the SG. I do love the way that guitar looks. I have another SG with soap bar pickups that I used on the album a little as well.

Andrew:
How did the use of the SG alter your sound and approach?

Vinnie:
When I am recording, I will consider what guitar might be the right one for a particular part. Sometimes I pick up one, and it does exactly what I thought, but sometimes my choice doesn’t do what I wanted at all. So, I try different guitars until I get what works. Sometimes you can get a little crazy and overthink things, though. With the SG, I really like having both pickups on and having the volume controls set at different levels. I used this approach on the verse melodies in “Southern Highway,” which reminded me of a Dickie Betts-style tone. I tried my Les Paul on that part, too, but I really liked what the SG was doing better. In the middle solo of “Southern Highway,” it was the SG with bridge pickup and volume all the way up. Different tones make you play a little differently. The feel of a guitar, of course, does too.

Andrew:
You alluded to this before, but SG aside, what sort of gear, guitars, and effects are you deploying on this record?

Vinnie:
For most of the record, I used my Marshall JMP 100-watt head through an Engl 4×12 cab loaded with Vintage 30s. Often with a King of Tone pedal to push the Marshalls input a little harder, and the Fulltone Octafuzz was used quite a bit, too, for fuzz distortion and the octave effect. Back in 1993, I think it was; Fender made me a one-of-a-kind Strat with a slightly smaller body and an HSS configuration. That guitar has gotten a lot of usage for recording over the years. I used a Kramer SM-1 for some solos and a lot in the song Astro Man. It was my go-to guitar when I needed 24 frets. Then, of course, the SG. I also used the TC Electronic sub ‘n up pedal for higher octave F/X.

All images courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Andrew:
How would you describe the progression from Soul Shifter to Double Exposure?

Vinnie:
Well, the obvious answer is that Double Exposure has vocals. I think I play guitar a certain way, so that is the common thread that connects all my records. I always experiment. Sometimes that leads me down a different path, and sometimes that puts me on the same road I have been on before. I just sort of roll with the flow of it all.

Andrew:
Describe your present-day compositional process.

Vinnie:
I pretty much do what I’ve always done, which is to play guitar, and when something inspirational happens, I record it immediately. I don’t try to write because that kills it for me. It’s best when I play, and something comes out naturally. When I get that first spark, I usually get related ideas and just keep recording them. At a certain point, I’ll go into my studio and record everything with a drum beat. It all starts to come together as a song as I put it all together and start to organize and arrange the parts.

Andrew:
What are the origins of “Vertical Horizon?”

Vinnie:
That one is a riff-oriented, high-energy song with a dose of swing. I thought that would be a great one for Ed [Terry] and was really happy with what he came up with. I love his harmony ideas.

Andrew:
I quite enjoyed “Still Waters Run Deep.” What can you tell me about its writing and recording?

Vinnie:
That song is probably the one I struggled with most because I had too many ideas for the verse section and couldn’t decide which one to go with. I sent Brian [Stephenson] three different versions and asked him which one he liked best. So, he made the choice. I sometimes drive myself nuts with too many parts and my inability to make a decision. I gave Brian some vocal melody and lyric ideas, and he came up with many as well. It was a cool collaboration; we bounced ideas back and forth, and it took shape.

Andrew;
“Paid My Dues,” at least on the surface, feels like it may hold personal meaning.

Vinnie:
Well, you’ll have to ask Keith Slack because he wrote most of the lyrics. I came up with, “I’m coming back to take what’s mine; heaven knows I’ve paid my dues,” but he wrote all the other lyrics.

Andrew:
One of the more bluesy moments on the record is “River Flow.” How do you balance the many sides of your musical personality?

Vinnie:
I don’t know, actually. I just write and make the listener deal with it. [Laughs]. I don’t filter myself usually. I’ll just roll with any idea I have, regardless of style. Of course, when you release a record, you have to make sure there is a variety in the song styles. So, there is some thought there.

Andrew:
My personal favorite is the funky “Astro Man.” It seems to harness that late ’80s instrumental rock energy. Was that the aesthetic you were shooting for?

Vinnie:
I wasn’t shooting for anything, per se. I wish I could say I was that clever. [Laughs[. That’s just what came out of my guitar one day, and I put it all together and laid it down. That one improved when I recorded for the album, which is something that happens a lot. I’ll often use what I have done on the demo as a springboard and take it to a higher level. Other times I can’t improve upon the demo and just go with the original inspiration. Sometimes I am just bored with a melody from the demo because I have already heard it so much that I’ll write something new.

All images courtesy of Glass Onyon PR/Image credit: Harley Days

Andrew:
What significance and meaning does “Southern Highway” hold?

Vinnie:
It has a southern rock, Allman Brothers kind of vibe, so that seemed like an appropriate title. I was really into those guys, as well as Skynyrd when I was growing up. I played tons of Skynyrd tunes in a cover band in high school. Molly Hatchet too. I actually have a lot of that inside me, which probably would surprise a lot of people. This is the one where I used the SG with both pickups active and was going for a bit of a Dickie Betts sound.

Andrew:
Who’s backing you up on this record?

Vinnie:
The drums were recorded by Bob Stander at Parcheesi Studios in Long Island, NY. I did all guitars at home, and the bassists did their parts in their own studios. Bob mixed it and mastered it, and I produced it. Keith Slack, Ed Terry, Mike DiMeo, and Brian Stephenson are the vocalists. Pete Griffin and Michael Bean played bass, and Richie Monica played drums. John Passion played drums on a couple of songs. I will tour, but it’s too early to know who will be in the band.

Andrew:
With Double Exposure in the can and ready to be unleashed, describe your excitement and reflections on the process
of putting it together.

Vinnie:
The more you do something, the better you become at it. I have learned to just lay back more instead of pushing too hard. It is always exciting to have a new record coming out. You work so hard and spend so much time to make it happen that it is sort of a release to share with fans. I’m very proud of this one as I’ve been with my other releases. I always do the very best I can and love creating music. So yes, it’s a thrill to have other people finally be able to hear what you have been working on. I have no idea if it’s my best, but it’s some of my best. I think that’s for other people to have an opinion on.

Andrew:
I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on UFO. How is Phil Mogg doing? What sort of emotions are you feeling as UFO prepares to call it a career?

Vinnie:
He’s doing well and feeling better. We text one another a lot. Mostly jokes. I hope there are some more shows next year as we had to cancel our last tour. It’s always a difficult thing to have something you enjoy come to an end, especially after having done it for so long. But things don’t last forever, so it’s a lesson to enjoy things as you experience them. So, is it the end? I think it’s a possibility, but God only knows.

Andrew:
To what do you owe your longevity in music, Vinnie?

Vinnie:
Well, I honestly think it’s because I don’t know how to do anything else. [Laughs]. I think it’s my love for what I do that has kept me going through my life. I’ve more coming up, though. What’s next would be some touring and starting on a new record with a new band.

All images courtesy of Glass Onyon PR

Andrew Daly (@vwmusicrocks) is the Editor-in-Chief for www.vwmusicrocks.com and may be reached at andrew@vinylwriter.com

One response to “Vinnie Moore Discusses His Latest Solo Record, Double Exposure & the Latest on UFO”

  1. Vinnie is great guy and superb guitar player. I met him 3 times after his shows in Slovakia and he was always very friendly and funny person. Wish to see him again here around.

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