Gary Moore – Back On The Streets

Details: 1978, MCA Records, LP

These days Gary Moore is perhaps better known for his impressive blues albums from “Still Got The Blues” onwards, or maybe for some enjoyable, chart bothering mainstream rock from the mid to late 80s, but delve back a little further into his history and there’s something of an earlier solo legacy worth attention from the man who also served time in Thin Lizzy, Colloseum II and with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker in BBM.  Nowhere better exemplified perhaps than at times on this, his second solo album and first since the somewhat obscure “Grinding Stone” from 1973. It’s the album that contains the exquisite Phil Lynott written and sung ballad “Parisienne Walkways“. A sublime song notable for many thing including that single sustained note which can still induce goosebumps it’s a song with proven longevity, but what it perhaps also forgotten are a couple of other Lynott numbers that also appear on this album.

‘Walkways aside the most notable is a slowed down, bluesier take on Lizzy’s “Don’t Believe A Word“.  The “Johnny The Fox” track proves nearly as impressive in this different guise and indeed, was a highlight of Moore’s live set on the Monsters Of Rock Arena Tour of 2003 when he played it alongside a rendition of the faster version.  “Fanatical Fascists” is the other Lynott penned number. A somehow forgotten song of his, it provides a heavier moment on an album that covers a variety of styles.  The Moore/Campbell co-write, opener and title track “Back On The Streets” itself though is a superior rocker for my money.  One of those songs that makes you wonder why it’s so rarely heard these days it, as with the other tracks mentioned so far, is always a pleasure to get re-acquainted with.

Elsewhere there are a number of instrumentals that don’t quite work as well.  The jazzy “Flight Of The Snow Goose” is somehow at odds with the style of the songs it sits with on side one.  The flip sides more direct opener “Hurricane” is a definite improvement and as the title suggest allows Moore to display some fretboard pyrotechnics.  “What Would You Rather Bee Or A Wasp” is an interesting title but an instrumental too far for me.  A guitarists solo album is probably going to have an element of spotlight hogging by the mainman but what a shame either Moore himself or maybe Lynott didn’t have another gem sitting in the locker somewhere. Loosing one of those pieces would have been an improvement.  Mind you, the disappointing ballad “Song For Donna” isn’t a good advert for the album either.  Best described perhaps as dated, maybe it’s dedicated to the apparent half-women, half-lizard skinned creature that waits for Moore to emerge from the prison on the front cover?  A song that may cut it for you if you consider “Sarah” one of Lizzy’s finest moments… unfortunately I don’t.

Drummer Brian Downey also appears on this album and at times the Lizzy comparisons are unavoidable but those are the things that make this album worth exploring.  There’s half a fine album here and whilst “Parisienne Walkways” will always be remembered some of the other songs deserve revisiting too.

Highlight: Back On The Streets

Score: 2.5/5

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Title track “Back On The Streets” played by Moore, Lynott, Gorham, Powell and Airey on “The Old Grey Whistle Test”….

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