Thin Lizzy – UK Tour 75

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Major League Productions
Produced by Mike Dixon

Recorded November 21, 1975 at Derby College of Technology, UK Tour 75 captures the classic Lynott/Gorham/Robertson/Downey line-up of Thin Lizzy at the beginning of what is widely recognised as their creative peak.

This tour follows the two excellent albums Nightlife and Fighting and shows more than a little of the creative spark that would lead to a string of successful (gold) albums in Jailbreak, Johnny The Fox, Bad Reputation and Black Rose over the next four years.

This show, like all the releases from UK label Major League Productions, was originally recorded for radio broadcast and has been re-mastered from the original tapes for this release. Sound quality remains reasonably consistent throughout and the band have rarely sounded heavier, even if at times things get a little distorted, and proves beyond doubt that the classic line-up of the band flourished in a live setting.

The 77-minute set, include a short jam from the soundcheck that night as a bonus, includes near-enough every one of their most popular songs from their five albums to date, storming versions of It’s Only Money, Showdown, For Those Who Love To Live and several other tracks which, after their more commercial success with subsequent albums, rarely if ever made it back into the set and are therefore not included on official live albums Live And Dangerous and Life.

Of the songs which did continue to find a place in the live set after this tour, Still In Love With You has got to be one of the most heart-felt performances to be recorded, particularly the guitar work, and the early version of Cowboy Song (at the time still untitled and unrecorded; Phil Lynott dubbed it ‘Derby Blues’ for the night) is very interesting to hear.

This is a goldmine for Lizzy fans, for whom good quality live recordings are somewhat hard to come by, particularly from the early years, before the big 1976 and 1977 tours which lead to the seminal Live And Dangerous album. This could be used as a good introduction to the band as well for those who want to hear what they were doing before the likes of Boys Are Back In Town, Jailbreak and Don’t Believe A Word.

“ flourished in a live setting ”

Tracklist: Fighting My Way Back / It’s Only Money / Wild One / For Those Who Love To Live / Still In Love With You / Showdown / Suicide / Rosalie / The Rocker / Sha La La / Baby Drives Me Crazy / Me And The Boys / Cowboy Song / Little Darling / Sound Check Jam

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2008, Hard Rock, Live Albums, Thin Lizzy