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Top of the playlist...

Top of the playlist...
John Nicholson|

Top of the playlist today is Thin Lizzy. Quite unusual that the best stuff is their later stuff. I have the whole collection and things don’t really get going until 1976’s Jailbreak and I think it peaks with Black Rose.

Live And Dangerous is the classic live album. Controversially, I think the second Life is at least as good, featuring all their guitarists.

I remember Black Rose coming out in 1979 and it was the sound of a confident band, the title track especially. A marvellous workout, Gary Moore’s guitar is positively joyful as he revels in the melodies and shifting rhythms. It still sounds like nothing else, except perhaps something by Horslips. It was the highest chart position.

When they drafted John Sykes in from Tygers Of Pan Tang, who we used to see in bars in Newcastle all the time, the sound became tougher and more metallic, but he and Darren Wharton put energy into the band.

I have most of the singles but am missing the early ones. It was a great run from Jailbreak in 76 to Killer on the Loose in 80. Afterwards, not so much though Cold Sweat and Thunder and Lightning are superb. Their blend of hard rock and melody is fantastic.

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