Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous 1978 (Vertigo)
Hard Rock
A red hot comet streaks across the sky!
Recorded in three different locations (London, Toronto and Paris) between 1976 and 1977, the double
Live and Dangerous captures one of the most captivating of all live artists in Thin Lizzy at the height of their powers. After a string of acclaimed albums
Fighting,
Jailbreak,
Johnny the Fox and
Bad Reputation, it was only obvious at some stage that these Dublin based rockers would issue a live-set. Saying this though,
Live and Dangerous hadn’t been planned by the band, as around this time they had planned to record another studio album with producer Tony Visconti, who of course had taken over production duties for the band from John Alcock on the previously released
Bad Reputation. But with Tony Visconti running a tight schedule at this time, the band came up with the idea of compiling a live-double album instead and an album that would satisfy their fanbase. The album has had its detractors who state the heavy use of overdubs for the album, but then again I hardly see this as a negative, as a similar type of enhancement had been used for the legendary Kiss
Alive! album a few years earlier and that had achieved remarkable results and with Tony Visconti at the production helm, it was only also obvious that he was going to go in for the best recording of the band that he could get. The real strength of
Live and Dangerous is not in the actual song selection being used, as it would for most other bands, but just how well the tracks chosen have been executed, as songs like “Emerald” “Rosalie” “Massacre” “Don’t Believe a Word” “Suicide” and "The Rocker" have never sounded better and sit side by side as equals with the even better known material. The album would also see the final outing for the band with guitarist Brian Robertson, as ex-Thin Lizzy man Gary Moore returned to the fold, despite having already having undertaken a solo career. As things stand, Thin Lizzy’s
Live and Dangerous still ranks amongst live-accolytes as one of the finest live albums of the 1970s. A fact that is often mirrored in ‘greatest ever lists’ and without naming them all, the lists include well known sources ranging from Kerrang! to the likes of NME. There is also a remastered version of the album which was released on both cd and dvd in 2011 and it contained a couple of additional tracks.
Phil Lynott- Bass/Vocals
Scott Gorham- Guitar
Brian Robertson- Guitar
Brian Downey- Drums
Production- Tony Visconti
London, Tokyo and Paris 1976-1977