UFO Drummer Explains New Album Title

antiMusic's Morley Seaver recently conducted an interview with drummer Andy Parker of the legendary British band UFO. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

antiMusic: What's the story behind the title of the [new UFO] record ["The Visitor"]?

Andy: The black and white engraving in the middle is something that Phil [Mogg, vocals] came up with. He had it in his head that he wanted to use something that was a little old, on this cover. So he went on the Internet and researched things and came up with the holograph engraving. You can't tell from the advance copies but it's actually supposed to be an engraving of a mental asylum. And it's actually quite old. It's back from the 1500s or somewhere around there. Which is great because we don't have to pay for it (laughs). And apparently back then you could pay a penny or something and look into the asylum and get a look at things you normally wouldn't get to look at. And my take on it is, it's sort of the same as when a band releases a record, you sort of get a chance to sit back and get a look into the band that you wouldn't see before. But that's just me. And I kind of like the fact that people can put their own spin on it.

antiMusic: You've been at the rear of the stage for every show and have been able to observe all the shenanigans that have gone on that may have escaped other people. What is the most memorable Pete Way [bass] fall that you have been witness to?

Andy: Fall? Man! Too many to remember. Back in the early days, I remember in a small club in England. Back then, as I imagine most rock bands run into at some time or another, you end up playing to some people who have no interest in the band whatsoever. They're kind of eyeing the TV that's on in the corner somewhere, you know? And so this one night, there were these two girls sitting at a table right up front. They were clearly not interested in us at all and were talking away and having a beer. So I think that Pete thought he would wake them up. So he leapt onto their table which promptly collapsed. The table went one way and Pete went the other way. And the band kept playing. I think the cord to his bass came undone which he didn't notice half the time anyway (laughs). So he definitely got their attention. They certainly kept their eyes up after that.

Read the entire interview at www.antimusic.com.