What does it sound like?:
In 1976 Thin Lizzy’s quest to break America stalled as they flew home exhausted (and in Phil Lynott’s case laid low with hepatitis).
From his sick bed he mapped out the songs that would form the second album of 1976 – Johnny The Fox (released in October, just 7 months after Jailbreak).
When the supporting tour hit Hammersmith Odeon in November, the Maison Rouge Mobile Studio was parked out front to capture the 2 shows for posterity, archive, and potential use to push Lizzy in America.
The US Tour in December was cancelled when, on the night before, Brian Robertson injured his hand in a brawl at the Speakeasy Club. Robertson was replaced for the revised US Tour in January by Gary Moore, but part way through the recording of the next album – Bad Reputation – he was re-instated.
Bad Reputation was produced by Tony Visconti, and when considering their next album Thin Lizzy sought his services again. Visconti’s time was limited as he was due to start work with David Bowie. As time was limited, it was suggested a Live album would be the solution, and the tapes from Hammersmith 1976, and a variety of shows from the recent US Tour in October 1977 dusted off and listened through.
Thin Lizzy and Tony Visconti decamped to Paris to sift through and assemble the package, and it is here at the Des Dames Studio that the myths and legend of the album begins.
Is it really a LIVE album? Each participant has a different story.
• Brian Downey is adamant that no changes were made to the drums
• Phil Lynott concedes that a couple of bass parts were re-recorded/over-dubbed as they were lost in the mix of the original recording
• Scott Gorham states he only fixed one guitar part as a result of a fan climbing his leg during a solo, and re-did a rhythm part which he lost time on
• Brain Robertson claims he spent no more than 15 minutes re-recording/over-dubbing small errors and missing notes
• Tony Visconti however claims that 75% of the album was re-recorded in the studio.
Personally, I think the bulk of that 75% was assembling the various recordings, finding the best takes, and splicing together so you can’t hear the join. It’s true he was late joining up with David Bowie for the assembly and production for Stage as his work on Live and Dangerous over-ran, and I applaud Tony Visconti for spending the time capturing the energy, commitment and enjoyment of the band on stage.
Thin Lizzy on record and Thin Lizzy on stage are almost 2 different animals, and Live And Dangerous contains the best, arguably definitive, versions of many tracks – Emerald, Southbound, Rosalie, Don’t Believe A Word, Still In Love With You, and The Rocker being particularly notable.
The original CD release (1989) although claiming to be Digitally Remastered sounds flat compared to the original vinyl issue.
This 2022 Remaster rectifies that, and a rapturous audience supporting a passionate and energetic band, bouncing between all-out twin guitar attack and expressive, romantic, elegiac moments shines through.
What does it all *mean*?
This 8CD set packages the remastered version of the original document, with 6 full live shows which provided the source material, plus the March 1978 concert at The Rainbow filmed for a TV Special that was never shown.
Admittedly, all the extra shows may not be making regular visits to the turntable/CD Player/Streaming platform of choice, but their presence allows one to compare and contrast different full shows versus final album, and to marvel at the bands power and consistency.
Listening to the alternative shows casts further doubt on Visconti’s re-recording estimates . Lizzy’s commitment and energy on stage never falls – yes there are errors, but it’s all about the performance, presence, and atmosphere.
It may not need a Super Deluxe issue to cement it’s place in the pantheon of great Live albums, but this set ensure the profile of the album when the next Top 10 list is compiled
Goes well with…
Continuing the debate of “is it really live though?”
Release Date:
20th January 2023
Might suit people who like…
Those that have the original, want to hear it in all it’s glory, plus all the source materials. And a book full of photos and new sleeve notes.
Would also suit those that remain Lizzy-curious and are looking for an entrance point.
“all-out twin guitar attack”
It is compulsory to use this term when discussing Thin Lizzy
…and Wishbone Ash…
Ahem, I think you mean “axe”, sir.
There are only 9 tracks from the 2022 version on YouTube (at the moment), so here’s one of them.
The Boys Are Back In Town
Tony Visconti is obviously a great man, he is also however full of shit.
Thanks for the review, this is a classic album in anyone’s money.
Yep
Correct.
I remember reading somewhere that even the applause isn’t genuine. 😀
I find TL haven’t worn well for me, all the “hey, female” lyrics etc. Still a great album but I rarely play it now (and I have the vinyl & CD).
“Have you got any Irish in yer? ….here, have a farl”
Applause on L&D – there is the suggestion (by Tony Visconti I believe) that some of the applause felt distant, so was beefed up with applause form a Bowie concert (probably the Staqe tapes that he was about to start work on)
Pretty sure that the crowd sounds at the start of DB’s own Diamond Dogs were in turn lifted from a Rod Stewart and the Faces overtures and Beginners live album
I heard Rod Stewart too for L&D. Must have been a particularly well recorded crowd.
I think it comes down to what you want. Is it a faithful recording of a Thin Lizzy gig? No, clearly not. Does it capture the excitement and atmosphere of a great Thin Lizzy gig? Unquestionably yes. So who gives a toss where the applause came from.
Yes, you can even hear Rod in the background!
Given his reputation as a skinflint, he’s probably shouting out the odds about his royalties
If Visconti’s account is accurate, then the individual gigs presented here will provide the proof? None of these will have been cut n shut so it’s either going to validate what he said or show that he was exaggerating somewhat. I’m inclined to think the latter.
You are correct – the individual shows do de-bunk the Visconti-isms.
Yes, there are bum notes, muffled sounds in places, missed cues etc – but taken as a whole, is it any different to most live shows?
True, Live and Dangerous is a bit of a polish pulling the best cuts from various shows.
But re-recorded in the studio? nah
Great review and, despite everything TV has tried to do to denigrate it over the decades, I couldn’t give a flying feck. It’s my favourite live album, end of.
I remember reading an interview with Scott Gorham who was talking about them releasing a full gig from that tour which hadn’t been, ahhh, improved, but which was a really good representation of them live. I never saw them with Brian Robertson but did see them with Snowy White who was terrific in a different way.
You missed a treat! (smug face emoji). I saw them in Glasgow, on the Johnny the Fox tour – hometown gig for Brian and he played his heart out.
He went to my school as well…
Thinking about it, there have been 2 live cds out for a while that make it clear Visconti is talking out of his arse – Still Dangerous from 1977 which provided a few tracks on L&D, and the Live Tour 1975 set from Derby, which for my money is better than L&D. Robertson has maintained it was a tax dodge dreamt up by Visconti.
Besides, I made my recording debut on L&D as I was at the Hammy Odeon Nov 16 gig and can testify I didn’t hear a bum note all night. That said I couldn’t hear much for 2 days after the show either.
My parents bought me an album (my first) when I started high school and my older brother suggested L&D. They bought him Bat Out of Hell, and I suspect he was after L&D as well, so this way he got two albums he wanted.
I still have it, along with all the other Lizzy albums, and gave them all a good clean recently. L&D still sounds great, and I couldn’t give a monkeys about how ‘live’ it is. How many live albums truly are?
Not sure I need 8 discs of it though. Who am I kidding? As soon as it drops to a reasonable price I’ll be whipping the credit card album, knowing full well that I do need a little more Irish in me.
I remember one or other of the guitarists saying the backing vocals were re-recorded, because in the heat of the gig they would just bellow ‘anything’
Really looking forward to this. The tracks available so far on Spotify etc. are superb. L&D is my favourite album bar none however as I know it inside out it’s going to be great to hear the different versions to freshen things up a bit. Tony Visconti has been talking nonsense for years re how much this album was re-recorded. There’s no doubt that some bum notes and backing vocals were re-recorded however nowhere near as much as he has claimed and this release will hopefully put that to bed. I actually don’t mind hearing the odd mistake on live albums , adds to the live experience! With this and the upcoming Horslips box set (providing no further delay🙏) looks like my listening will be even more than ever planted firmly in the 70’s than normal!
36 years today. RIP
37 years – 36th Vibe for Philo(sorry)
TL were a consumate (HURR!) live rock act in the mid-70s. I saw them 4 times from 1977 to 1979; by 79 the heroin was slowing Phil and Scott down a tad, though Garry Moore kept them perky. I was not aware of any fluff-ups or lyrical errors at any concert, and have always been a dilligent observer of infelicities. They combined the metal show with rock-pop to a wonderful degree, having a slightly lighter touch (HURR HURR!) and being more concise. I think the rude comments about L&D are a crock. In my mind’s ear, other than the mild deafness, that’s what it sounded like, and the spots before the eyes after the flash bombs went off cannot be easily caught on a recording.
I saw them on this tour, at the Glasgow Apollo, on my 16th Birthday. They were amazing. Senora Malo has correctly pointed out that I am a sucker for the live experience of a band in this format – Les Paul/Marshalls at each side of the stage, hard driving rock and roll – The Supersuckers, Hanoi Rocks, Big Country, etc.
Sadly, the last time I saw Phil Lynott he was touring Grand Prix, and he looked dreadful – a terrible yellow, which was probably due to his liver packing in. He was still the charmingest man, flirting with the support band’s girlfriends, with a wink at the band to let them know he wasn’t serious.
I haven’t listened to it in years, having worn my 1978 copy flat, and later replaced that on CD. I’m sure it is dated, but it has a special place in my heart. And while we salute the twin guitar attack, let us also doff our hats to Brian Downey, a magnificent drummer who both rocked and, more importantly, rolled!
Yes indeed, hombre: not sure if it was the same gig (touring Johnny the Fox?) but, when I saw them at the Apollo, Brian Downey played the shortest but most concentrated drum solo I’d ever seen – still the best to date!
I saw Phil with Grand Slam* in Oxford at the then New Theatre in 1984. It was less than a third full and the whole thing just seemed flat. Phil had determined he wouldn’t play any of the Lizzy hits (the less memorable “Cold Sweat” and “Sarah” being favoured) , so whilst there was familiar stuff like “Yellow Pearl”, “Nineteen”, and “Parisienne Walkways” the Grand Slam songs weren’t familiar and it seemed like motions were being gone through.
I think Lizzy drifted downhill after Black Rose in 1979. Phil folded Lizzy when the dysfunctionality of the band became too much, but Grand Slam didn’t improve things, couldn’t get a recording deal effectively amplifying the decline and I read in one of his bios he regretted doing it.
There’s a Grand Slam album up on Spotify which includes some of the bands original material brushed up by guitarist Laurence Archer and keyboard player Mark Stanway from the original incarnation.
* There was also a metal / rock band called Grand Prix who weren’t bad
Grand Prix. Saw them supporting Iron Maiden. Really good melodic rock. Great album called Samurai.
I’m another who saw Lizzy at the Glasgow Apollo. First time was on the Black Rose tour with Gary Moore having replaced Brian Robertson, just incredible. Saw them another 4 times, bizarrely including a gig at the Irvine Magnum Sports Centre.
I saw Grand Slam at the Mayfair Ballroom in Sauchiehall Street and whilst an enjoyable gig it was clear Phil was not in a good place.