Vinnie Moore

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Vinnie Moore
Vinnie Moore, 2011
Vinnie Moore, 2011
Background information
Birth nameVincent Moore
Born (1964-04-14) April 14, 1964 (age 57)
New Castle, Delaware, United States
GenresNeoclassical metal, hard rock, heavy metal, Progressive rock, Progressive metal, instrumental rock[1]
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
InstrumentsGuitar, vocals, keyboard
Years active1986–present
LabelsShrapnel
Associated actsUFO, Alice Cooper, Vicious Rumors, Red Zone Rider
Websitevinniemoore.com
Vinnie Moore in a concert with UFO in Cercemaggiore
Vinnie Moore playing in Brusque, Santa Catarina, Brazil, in 2010

Vincent "Vinnie" Moore (born April 14, 1964) is an American guitarist and a member of the British hard rock band UFO.[2] Moore is one of the most influential and important guitarists to emerge from the virtuoso boom in the mid to late 1980s.[1]

Biography[]

Moore was born in New Castle, Delaware, only a couple of miles from fellow musicians George Thorogood (and The Delaware Destroyers). He began his professional career at age 12 after receiving a guitar as a Christmas present. During a 2018 interview, Moore stated, "I got my first guitar for Christmas when I was like 12, basically just because I saw a picture of a guitar in a catalog, a JCPenney's catalog.  I thought, 'Hey that looks pretty cool.  I want that.'  That was my motivation at the time, and I got it for Christmas, and really didn't bother with it a whole lot.  Then, I started taking lessons for the next year.  Then I really started to get obsessed with it."[3] During that same interview, Moore was asked who his earliest teachers were, and he stated, "The first teacher was Mary Biddle, and I studied for a year with her, just some basic lessons at the local music shop.  After about a year, I had advanced, and she referred me to another guy named Nick Bucci, who was a great player in my local area.  He was studying jazz guitar with Pat Martino, and was also a rock guy, and he just taught me a lot of stuff; theory, and exercises, and all different kinds of stuff to make me become a better player and musician."[3] Moore played clubs and bars until Shrapnel executive Mike Varney discovered him via a demo and biography that Moore submitted to the Spotlight column, which Varney headed for Guitar Player. His connection to Varney led to an opportunity to appear in a Pepsi commercial in 1985[4] (only Vinnie's hands appeared in the commercial as his guitar playing is heard).[2][5] Following this, Moore recorded his first solo album, Mind's Eye (1986),[6] released on Shrapnel Records and featuring Tony MacAlpine on keyboards. The album received several awards from guitar magazines and sold over 100,000 copies.[citation needed]

Moore played lead guitar with the heavy metal band Vicious Rumors on their debut album, Soldiers of the Night (1985).[6] The album featured Moore's solo-song "Invader", which was in the style of Van Halen's "Eruption". The shred guitar craze of the late 1980s led to more releases for Shrapnel.[citation needed] Moore also began performing with other hard rock and heavy metal bands.[citation needed]

Moore joined Alice Cooper's band for a tour and then appeared on the Hey Stoopid (1991) album.[6][7] Moore released two instructional videos on guitar playing.[8][9]

Moore has been the lead guitarist for UFO since June 2003, releasing his first studio album with them You Are Here the following year. This has been followed by The Monkey Puzzle (2006), The Visitor (2009), Seven Deadly (2012) and A Conspiracy of Stars (2015).

On August 5, 2013, Moore came on stage to perform live with Peter Frampton on Frampton's Guitar Circus concert at Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Moore played guitar on Red Zone Rider's debut album Red Zone Rider released on September 16, 2014.[2]

Equipment[]

Moore is currently endorsed by Dean guitars, with whom he has several signature models. Prior to his endorsement with Dean, he used guitars made by various other brands over the years including Ibanez and Fender, most notably the Talon model that was manufactured by Heartfield, one of Fender's sub brands. Moore also currently uses amplifiers and DiMarzio pickups.

Discography[]

Discography[]

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US
[10]
Mind's Eye
  • Released: 1986
  • Label: Shrapnel Records
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP, DL[11]
Time Odyssey
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: Shrapnel Records
  • Formats: CD, LP
147
Meltdown
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Relativity
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP
Out of Nowhere
  • Released: April 16, 1996
  • Label: Mayhem
  • Formats: CD
The Maze
  • Released: March 23, 1999
  • Label: Shrapnel Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[13]
Defying Gravity
  • Released: July 10, 2001
  • Label: Shrapnel Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[14]
To the Core
  • Released: May 26, 2009
  • Label: Mascot
  • Formats: CD, DL[15]
Aerial Visions
  • Released: October 23, 2015
  • Label: Mind's Eye Music
  • Formats: Digital, CD
  • Released: October 4, 2019
  • Label: Mind's Eye Music
  • Formats: Digital, CD
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums[]

Title Album details
Collection: The Shrapnel Years
  • Released: March 14, 2006
  • Label: Shrapnel Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[16]

Live albums[]

Title Album details
Live!
  • Released: January 25, 2000
  • Label: Shrapnel Records
  • Formats: CD, DL[17]

Instructional videos[]

Title Album details
Advanced Lead Guitar Techniques
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Hot Licks
  • Formats: VHS
Speed, Accuracy, & Articulation
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Hot Licks
  • Formats: VHS

Other appearances[]

Title Year Notes
Vicious RumorsSoldiers of the Night 1985 band member
Alice CooperHey Stoopid 1991 band member
UFOYou Are Here 2004 band member
Jordan RudessRhythm of Time 2004 guest
UFOShowtime 2005 band member
UFOThe Monkey Puzzle 2006 band member
DestructionD.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. 2008 guest
Michael Angelo BatioHands Without Shadows 2 – Voices 2009 guest
UFOThe Visitor 2009 band member
Glen DroverMetalusion 2011 guest
UFOSeven Deadly 2012 band member
Red Zone Rider – Red Zone Rider 2014 band member
UFOA Conspiracy of Stars 2015 band member

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Vinnie Moore. "Vinnie Moore | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Vinnie Moore Interview". Guitarhoo!. Guitarhoo.com. December 15, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "R.Y.A.N. - Season 2, Episode 5: Vinnie Moore". Soundcloud.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  4. ^ "80's Pepsi Commercial". YouTube. April 6, 2006. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  5. ^ "Vinnie Moore". Vinnie Moore. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1999). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 301/2. ISBN 0-7535-0257-7.
  7. ^ "Vinnie Moore's Official Web Site". March 28, 2010. Archived from the original on March 28, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  8. ^ "Vinnie Moore". Vinnie Moore. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  9. ^ "Vinnie Moore". Vinnie Moore. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  10. ^ "Vinnie Moore - Chart history | Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  11. ^ "Mind's Eye by Vinnie Moore". Music.apple.com.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Sludge Scan As of January 16, 2000". Metalsludge.tv. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  13. ^ "The Maze by Vinnie Moore". Music.apple.com.
  14. ^ "Defying Gravity by Vinnie Moore". Music.apple.com.
  15. ^ "To the Core by Vinnie Moore". Music.apple.com.
  16. ^ "The Shrapnel Years by Vinnie Moore". Music.apple.com.
  17. ^ "Vinnie Moore (Live) by Vinnie Moore". Music.apple.com.

External links[]

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