So, what have you been listening to lately?

[uwe]

The second song (Military Man) of this live performance is sung by Lynott for the largest part.
They also performed a new version of Still In Love With You on the same event.
Lynott obviously was the better songwriter of the two. And I prefer Lynott's singing too.
The new found collaboration worked very well for both artists. Lynott had been struggling to get a proper record deal with Grand Slam. But it was always regarded as a second rate Thin Lizzy. Gary Moore just couldn't make up his mind about what kind of musician he really wanted to be. He had never scored a real hit on his own. He desperately tried to score a hit with Empty Rooms, re-recording it three times and failing each time.
So teaming up with Lynott resulted in his first real hit Out In The Fields.
Moore really wanted to cooperate more with Lynott. But Lynott's health issues soon appeared much too serious...

I had the three track 10 inch EP too! Military Man was actually my favorite.

Phil had his demons, but Gary Moore as a young man was a prick to work with. The legion of ace musicians he drove out of his bands ... Mark Nauseef, Charlie Huhn, John Sloman, Neil Murray, Don Airey, Glenn Hughes, Paul Thompson, Craig Gruber, Gary Ferguson, Cozy Powell, Chris Slade, Cass Lewis (a bassist you should really like), at one point even Neil Carter who was his vital writing foil. Except Neil, Bob Daisley seems to have been the only guy, Gary got along with for longer periods (he would also play with Don Airey again at later stages of his career). Only Ian Paice quit at his own instigation because he essentially didn't want to tour as an opening act in the States anymore and also because the DP reunion loomed (no opening act status then!).

Ah Empty Rooms, the presumed hit that never really was. Neil Carter recorded a nice version of it on that Bob Daisley-organized tribute a few years back. His voice was always very similar to Gary's (which helped Gary live no end).



IMHO, that is the best version together with the original. Brit session crack Mo Foster's trademark phrasing on the bass solo in that (at 3:14) was never replicated, even by a bass player as good as Bob Daisley.

[Basvarken]

Yeah I have that EP too.
And agreed about Gary Moore being hard to work with.
The live video of Thin Lizzy in Australia is almost impossible to watch because of his obnoxious need for attention. He keeps jumping in front of everyone to draw the attention to him and his glitter jacket.
Neil Carter sang large parts at live concerts. As you said Gary tried to sing parts his voice really couldn't reach. In the studio they managed to fix it. But live was often hard on the ears...

Ah yes, Mo Foster. Great fretless bass player.
Also on MSG. (and many other productions in that era)

I'll look into Cass Lewis. Don't think I remember that name. Thanx for the tip.

[doombass]

Except Neil, Bob Daisley seems to have been the only guy, Gary got along with for longer periods (he would also play with Don Airey again at later stages of his career).

From interviews I've seen I'd say Bob and Don have the smallest egos in rock.

[uwe]

I'll look into Cass Lewis. Don't think I remember that name. Thanx for the tip.

You've heard of him, he's the Skunk Anansie bass player, I really like that band, it's not all 70ies dinosaur rock with me!





Before that he was with Terence Trend D'Arby, who was also a great talent - what a voice and moves to match! -, but probably even more difficult than Gary Moore.





And finally here with Gary Moore, didn't last long, but then the Skunks were on the verge of reuniting.





Gary's vocals - even after decades of honing and training - remained an acquired taste. I don't mind gruff vocals, I love Ian Hunter and Rory Gallagher, but Moore is stretching it ... And his guitar playing ... all these Moore lovers, I can't understand how they can ignore his constant overplaying, there's no light and shade with him, just 150% intensity and energy note for note for note for note. Not to forget that extreme vibraaaaaatotototo with every note too. Very tiring to my ears. Not every note has equal importance and warrants equal intensity.  Compared to him people like EvH, Blackmore, Nugent, Tipton, even Sykes (his disciple) and Yngwie are masters of laid back tastefulness.

And don't ever hand him a 12-string acoustic guitar, he obviously doesn't know what it is for ... 

[uwe]

Some friends, well, I know the singer - he's Jeff Rouse, he also happens to work at https://www.thebassshopseattle.com/  a genuinely nice guy.

May I deduce from that the enduring popularity of Grunge and REM in Seattle, Mark?

[Basvarken]

Yeah I found Cass Lewis when I googled him.
And I also found that video of Gary Moore with that godawful song Rectified.  His singing, his guitar tone, everything lacks taste on that one. That guitar tone could have fitted Metallica perhaps. Way too much gain for my taste.
The comments in the video don't agree with us though, Uwe...
I think his voice was only just good enough for the safe side of Blues.

Gary Moore was a merciless guitar player however. He really hit every note he played. He didn't fake.
When I was 15 years, I thought he was great.
But I can't stand most of his music anymore these days.

Having said that; I enjoyed re-watching that Military Man performance with Philip Lynott. And smiled a bit about Out In The Fields ;-)
I think Lynott brought out the best in him. Maybe Gary Moore respected him too much to wallow in his own endless ego trips.

[TBird1958]

May I deduce from that the enduring popularity of Grunge and REM in Seattle, Mark?

\


Indeed you may! Especially the Grunge - goes with the weather generally 

[Dave W]

[gearHed289]

Local fusion monsters Kick the Cat have just released their first album in years. Great players, great dudes. Drummer Kris Meyers is also in Umphrey's McGee.

[uwe]

Dr Feelgood with an organ? Heresy!

Eight bars of piano! (at 01:55)

[Dave W]

The original

[uwe]

The C&W version, should it meet Dave's exacting standards on the subject.

[slinkp]

I was re-listening to this lately because Jon King was just interviewed on a podcast I like (Bullseye). The interview confirmed something I had suspected since I first heard Dr Feelgood via this forum... Gang of Four were Dr Feelgood fans! I definitely hear an influence.

[Dave W]

[Dave W]

The C&W version, should it meet Dave's exacting standards on the subject.

Western swing in the spirit of Pee Wee King's version. Well done. But not quite the same song. The song sung by Smiley Lewis and Dave Edmunds was written by Dave Bartholomew in the mid 50s. It owes a lot to the song sung by Pee Wee King in the 40s.