Live and Dangerous

Infobox Album |
Name = Live and Dangerous
Type = Live album
Artist = Thin Lizzy


Released = June 2, 1978
Recorded = 1977
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 1:16:27
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Thin Lizzy and Tony Visconti
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:cj98s30ba3rg~T1 live]
*"Rolling Stone" (Mixed) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thinlizzy/albums/album/184956/review/5944896/live_and_dangerous link]
Last album = "Bad Reputation"
(1977)
This album = "Live and Dangerous"
(1978)
Next album = ""
(1979)

"Live and Dangerous" is a live double LP by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). It was recorded during the tours accompanying the albums in London and Toronto in 1977 "Johnny the Fox" and "Bad Reputation"

"Live and Dangerous" was originally meant to be a studio album. Together with Tony Visconti they had a huge success with their previous album
Bad Reputation, and the group wanted to work with him again. But since Visconti had a very tight schedule Phil Lynott came up with the idea that theyspend two weeks together compiling a live album instead.

After they had decided which tracks they were going to use, Lynott asked if they could re-record some vocals due to technical issues. After spending some time overdubbing various bits, noticing the impact on the result, they ended up re-recording all the vocals, guitarsand bass. So the only "real" live elements of "Live and Dangerous" are the drums and the audience. Visconti justified this by stating that every track was performed before a live audience. The exception being "Southbound" which was taken from a sound check onstage inPhiladelphia [ [http://www.tonyvisconti.com/artists/thinlizzy/live.htm#c From Visconti's personal site] ]

Other sources state that although the finished album contains overdubbing, it is claimed that it is "75% live".Album booklet]

It was also the last album to feature Brian Robertson who went on to form Wild Horses with ex-Rainbow bassman Jimmy Bain. On this album, the band segues immediately from “Cowboy Song” into “The Boys Are Back in Town”, on the line “a cowboy’s life is the life for me”. This technique was revisited with the same pair of live tracks in subsequent performances, and showcased more professionally on further live albums - examples being Thin Lizzy’s later concert in Sydney with Gary Moore, and also on Thin Lizzy’s Greatest Hits.

The performance of “Still In Love With You” is considered by many to be the ultimate Thin Lizzy recording.

A DVD was released on October 16th, 2007 which contains all the recorded video from the Live and Dangerous concert, including: (in order) "Rosalie", "The Boys Are Back In Town", "Emerald", "Dancing In The Moonlight", "Massacre", "Still In Love With You", "Don't Believe A Word", "Are You Ready", "Sha-La-La", "Baby Drives Me Crazy", "Me And The Boys" (Not included on the album). It also includes various other Thin Lizzy performances, such as a recorded show from their farewell tour.

Track listing

#"Jailbreak" (Lynott) – 4:31
#"Emerald" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, Robertson) – 4:18
#"Southbound" (Lynott) – 3:44
#"Rosalie/Cowgirl's Song" (Downey, Lynott, Seger) – 4:00
#"Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)" (Lynott) – 3:50
#"Massacre" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott) – 2:46
#"Still in Love With You" (Lynott) – 7:40
#"Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott) – 3:32
#"Cowboy Song" (Downey, Lynott) – 4:40
#"The Boys Are Back in Town" (Lynott) – 4:30
#"Don't Believe a Word" (Lynott) – 2:05
#"Warrior" (Gorham, Lynott) – 3:52
#"Are You Ready" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, Robertson) – 2:40
#"Suicide" (Lynott) – 5:00
#"Sha La La" (Downey, Lynott) – 4:18
#"Baby Drives Me Crazy" (Downey, Gorham, Lynott, Robertson) – 6:36
#"The Rocker" (Bell, Downey, Lynott) – 3:58

Personnel

*Brian Downey - drums, percussion
*Scott Gorham - lead guitar, backing vocals
*Phil Lynott - bass guitar, lead vocals
*Brian Robertson - lead guitar, backing vocals

with

*John Earle - saxophone on "Dancing in the Moonlight"
*Huey Lewis - harmonica on "Baby Drives Me Crazy"

At the time of the recording, John Earle was in Graham Parker & the Rumour, and Huey Lewis was in Clover. Both of these groups were support acts for the tours that made up this album. Sadly, John "Irish" Earle passed away on 7th May 2008 in his native Dublin.

References