'Still Dangerous'

I guess everyone has a favorite live band or artist that they love to see just because they love the music. And then there are those that they also want to see a great live show. For many it may be KISS, it may be Rush, Robin Trower or The Who, or whoever! For me it was always Thin Lizzy, with the charismatic Phillip Parris Lynott on bass and those distinctive lead vocals.

The live show Lizzy put on was always a great event to look forward to - such an energy, such a vibe and what a show! I can honestly say that with Phil up front, I was never disappointed, not once. Sadly for Thin Lizzy, that really ended with Phil on their farewell tour in 1983 and subsequently with Phil’s final band, Grand Slam when he passed away in 1986.

Scott Gorham, Lizzy guitarist and backup vocalist from 1974 until the farewell tour, and guitarist John Sykes (who was also in the final Phil-fronted Lizzy) lead the Lizzy line up on the live circuit today. Although this lineup is generally very good, it doesn’t come across with quite the same bravado that Phil added to the band, and the general overall production doesn’t give quite as much. In fact, many longtime fans even consider it disrespectful. Here’s the thing, though. Big name bands often change or replace lead members all the time, so why not Lizzy? Perhaps because Phil had a hand in everything that was written for the band.

All of that aside, Scott Gorham went digging through some old Lizzy archive tapes and found this gem of a live show from Lizzy’s 1977 Bad Reputation tour. Yes, it is a gem! My only real sadness is it’s not a new live album with Phil still around today and also, that this disc only has 10 tracks.

Anyone who ever saw Lizzy live back in the day will bear witness that you’d typically see a phenomenal show of around two hours or so, so it’s a little sad that there’s not more material here. However, it does include tracks that you don’t get on their critically acclaimed Live and Dangerous release in "Soldier Of Fortune," "Opium Trail" and "Me and The Boys."

Lizzy would typically start a show with a no-holds-barred, all out assault, often with that being "Jailbreak." Here they started with the often overlooked "Soldier Of Fortune." Then, without taking a break between tracks, they launch right into a killer "Jailbreak"!

They do the same thing with the next two classics, "Cowboy Song" right into "Boys Are Back In Town." This is probably one of the favorite double tracks that Lizzy concertgoers enjoyed the most, especially as Phil developed crowd interaction over the years. That little play with the crowd is missing here, as Phil developed that in later years, but it takes nothing away from the power these two Lizzy songs presented.

Phil introduces the next song, which, he says, “features a bit of sax and sex, it’s a number called ‘Dancin’ In The Moonlight’.” It’s a great change of pace and really showed Lizzy’s versatility. Then it’s right into "Massacre" - killer stuff! (No pun intended.)

"Opium Trail" is another very clever, powerful track that brings back many fond memories of Lizzy live in all their glory. "Don’t Believe A Word" was also another great track and is one of four songs in this set that were hit singles in the UK. It still amazes me that Lizzy never really broke the U.S. market as they did in so many other countries. Acquired taste I guess?

In "Baby Drive Me Crazy" Phil would again play with the audience and it’s a fun, rock and roll number that still rocks hard!

The band close this set with another fun track, highlighting Phil’s womanizing touch, "Me and The Boys." This track totally encompasses so much of what Lizzy were all about: killer playing, class solos, sheer power, fun.

It’s great to hear a new live product featuring the great and much missed talents of one Philip Parris Lynott and a truly underrated band who perhaps were just misunderstood here in the US.

Release date: March 2, 2009
Review by Alun Williams