Gary Moore - Back On The Streets (1979)

Back On The Streets was Gary Moore’s first bona fide solo album released in 1979 and featuring two of Moores’ previous (and to be future) band-mates in Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott and Brian Downey – along with various other musicians including the omnipresent Don Airey on keyboards, top session drummer Simon Phillips (Judas Priest, Jeff Beck etc) and ex-Colosseum II bassist Jon Mole.

Whilst the musical pedigree of the album is impeccable both in terms of composition and execution, it’s not the most flowing/consistent of albums veering from Colosseum II style jazz rock/fusion numbers to what are, basically, Thin Lizzy numbers. However, this is not a criticism as both styles have great merit but it’s just interesting to marry the two on one album.

The album kicks-off with the title track – a ballsy, straight-forward Thin Lizzy style rocker – even featuring wah-wah soloing, twin-harmony guitars and Phil Lynnot on backing vocals – followed by a down-tempo and bluesy interpretation of Thin Lizzy’s Don’t Believe A Word which works well – with Moore providing some Peter Greenesque solo flourishes – until the final few bars when the tempo increases to an upbeat shuffle.

Fanatical Fascists follows which is a very simplistic riff-driven number (and B-side to Parisienne Walkways: quite a contrast). Then, it’s almost like you’ve switched albums as Flight Of The Snow Goose begins with dissonant strings backing some McLaughlin style acoustic work from Moore before Simon Phillips fades-in and suddenly there’s Airey/Moore rekindling their Colosseum II jazz fusion partnership with Airey in particular going into Jan Hammer/Mahavishnu Orchestra mode before Moore let’s rip with a lengthy inspirational solo.

Next we’re in a track that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Billy Cobham’s Spectrum, or indeed Colosseum II’s Electric Savage, a real uptempo jazz fusion belter with Simon Phillips turning in a polished performance and Moore really wringing out some screeching guitar soloing ably accompanied by Airey.

Next we are presented with the rather bland Song For Donna before Simon Phillips kicks in with a nicely syncopated beat ushering in What Would You Rather Bee Or A Wasp – a funky fusion number that builds nicely and again would have fitted in nicely on one of Colosseum II’s albums. Then suddenly, we’re back in Lizzy territory with the joint Lynnot/Moore-penned and sang Parisienne Walkways (a number 8 hit in the UK) that is probably Gary Moore’s most well-known track – and who’s central melody has proved fodder for generations of budding guitarists!

The re-release also features a bonus track – Spanish Guitar – which, inspite of the image conjured up by the title, is in fact a mellow rock blues ballad with the odd castanet thrown in here and there for good measure.

If you think of the largely the three facets of Gary Moore – fusion, blues and rock – all are ably demonstrated here and the variety really gives something for everyone. Above all, the sheer versatility and ability of Moore really shines through which I guess is the whole point.

• Gary Moore – Guitar/Vocals
• Phil Lynott – Bass/Vocals
• John Mole – Bass
• Don Airey – Keyboards
• Brian Downey – Drums
• Simon Phillips – Drums

Thin Lizzy - Fighting (1975)

Whilst Jailbreak is the ‘classic’ Thin Lizzy album in many eyes, I’d have to go with Fighting as being equally as important in defining what was a truly great rock group. I bought a copy at a school jumble sale about 25 years ago and still play it today (well, not that vinyl version, but you know what I mean!).

Not only was it the first Thin Lizzy album to feature the twin harmony guitar stylings of Brain Robertson and Scott Gorham, an approach which really defined Lizzy’s sound for the remainder of their career, but also featured a cleaner production than the follow-up, Jailbreak, allowing for you to really hear the twin guitar work nuances and the criminally under-rated Brian Downey’s drum work.

That said, the album kicks-off with Brian Seger’s ‘Rosalie’ which is not one of my favourites by any stretch of the imagination – but became a popular live staple of Thin Lizzy’s for many years to come – but from there on in they really raise the bar. For Those Who Love To Live really shows the first example of the ‘Lizzy’ harmony guitar sound and features some nice melodic guitar riffing throughout, Suicide is a real standout track too (see below with Snowy White and Gorham on guitar) and also showcases the trading of solos approach which featured on many a Lizzy number in the future, along with some fine drumming from Downey.

Unusually for an album (going back to vinyl here), side 2 maintains the quality and Spirit Slips Away is a stunningly poignant number – a track that seemed all the more profound when I played it on the night of Phil Lynott’s death many years later.

Anyway, before I over-eulogise about this album I’ll stop but urge anyone into hard rock to purchase this release without hesitation: even the cover’s an absolute gem!

• Phil Lynott – Bass/Vocals
• Brian Downey – Drums
• Scott Gorham – Guitar
• Brian Robertson – Guitar