Straight from Birmingham, Pete Way, bassist of the rock legends UFO, talks about soccer, favourite drinks and drugs and extraterrestrials.

Straight from Birmingham, Pete Way, the bassist of the rock legends UFO , the band, which recently reunited in its almost original lineup.

 “The Monkey Puzzle” is the 19-th album of the legendary band UFO from Birmingham.

Even though UFO never reached the top of the charts, it is considered to be a transitional band between early hard rock and heavy metal and what came as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. UFO's influence was strongly felt in the 1980s heavy metal scene and they have been cited as a primary influence of Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, Kirk Hammett of Metallica and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, among others.

The new album is recorded in Germany, produced by Tommy Newton and marks the return of the founding drummer Andy Parker.

V.V.: Hello Mr. Way, where are you at the moment, what are you doing?

P.W.: I'm in Birmingham at the moment.

V.V.: The famous city of Birmingham...

P.W.: Yes, I actually live juts outside the city. I have a house and sometimes live here. But I love having the house. I like the city of Birmingham, I support the soccer team Aston Villa, so it's important to me.

V.V.: So you said Birmingham - before we start talking about UFO, please tell me what, the hell, is so special about this city of Birmingham, so we have all the big bands from the British rock history hailing from there? I'm talking about Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, even Benediction, Napalm Death, even UB40 are from Birmingham.

P.W.: I don't know really. There are great teams - Aston Villa, West Bromwich, I know Geezer Butler is a great fan of Aston Villa. I just bought this house a long time ago. I live in America sometimes and becasue of my love for being in England I bought this house and I come and live here.
I have to tell you one more thing. If I wasn't doing this interview tonight, I would be at Villa Park watching Aston Villa play. But I have to be doing this interview, so I'll watch them on television.

V.V.: I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass.

P.W.: Actually sometimes you just gotta do rock and roll things.

V.V.: It seems that the UFO lineup today is very good, very stable and very well working, but I'll ask you this question: what is the biggest issue for being in UFO now?

P.W.: It's difficult for me to tell you. I try and play well, I try and be well-behaved. I think that works for me. We try to make sure that we write good music and put on good concerts. That is very important. I hate being at home. When I'm not watching football, I love being on tour and playing music. Sometimes I think that we don't play enough.

V.V.: You and Phil have been together for so many years and you look back in time, what has been the main driving force between the two of you, guys?

P.W.: Maybe it's the UFO fans... If I'm bored, I call Phil on the phone to talk about music. Or Phil calls me. You know, it's like a family, the band UFO. Phil and I and Andy, the original drummer who's back in the band, Vinnie Moore, it's a family. We enjoy our company but we also enjoy playing rock and roll.

V.V.: Now, I think, is time to talk about your new album Monkey Puzzle, so please, tell us everything about it.

P.W.: I'm so close to it, that it's difficult to talk about it. We were rehearsing it, then we went into the studio. And the whole time we were in the studio, I was thinking it is really good. It has good sound, the songs are going really good, but I'm so close to it, that it is as if someone else has to tell whether I like it. I like it, but everybody I play it to - my wife or my friends - they tell me it's really good. As for me - I'm so used to it... It sounds great to me and it couldn't be better.

V.V.: Two more questions to go: Which is your favourite drink?

P.W.: It depends on what time of day or night it is. Whiskey and coke, or maybe sparkling wine and vodka. You can ask me what my favourite drug was?

V.V.: OK, what was your favourite drug?

P.W.: I'm not telling you.

V.V.: After the tour, what comes next?

P.W.: You mean about me, or about the band?

V.V.: Both.

P.W.: Well, for me - I have this band called Waysted and I also work with Spike from the Choir Boys who is my best friend and Robin George, who is quite well known as a solo artist and Chris Slade who played with AC/DC in a band called Damage Control amd we'll record an album. I doing these things when I'm not doing anything else, you see. I rock every day. I also have this band Waysted and we'll do 10 shows and then I have UFO, which is my family.

V.V.: Last question: Do you believe that extraterrestrials exist?

P.W.: Yeah, it depends on what time of day or night and what drug.