Classic Rock It would be tempting to state that nothing ever changes in ’s world. In arranging this interview, Phil Mogg and I play phone tag for a few days. In one of the messages that he leaves, the singer apologises for missing my own call, attributing his absence to being “out delivering Christmas presents”; the date is January 31.
UFO have just begun a campaign to promote their new album, , but this time there’s a big difference: guitarist Michael Schenker is no longer with them. Vinnie Moore, an American, has been brought in to replace the erratic German, whose drunken antics brought a sudden end to a 2000 tour on the back of their album. The successor to ‘Mad Mickey’ has been making his own records since 1986’s , a critically acclaimed debut that sold 100,000 copies.
He also played briefly with US power metallers Vicious Rumors. Now occupying UFO’s drum stool is none other than skilled sticksman Jason Bonham (son of drummer John), who has played with the likes of , Slash, Richie Sambora and . Let us not forget that Jason has also deputised for his dad on occasions, taking his place alongside vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist/ keyboard player John Paul Jones when those three musicians have regrouped under the Led Zeppelin name.
UFO have attempted to work without the talismanic Schenker many times in the past, and the results have been wildly erratic. Mick Bolton, (later of Whitesnake) and Larry Wallis of the Pink Fairies all warmed .