THIN LIZZY’s Black Rose was released 13th April 1979, The British Rockers were at their peak when they released this their Ninth studio album which headed straight into the UK charts at No 2 with a distinct Celtic appeal on some of the songs the title track “Roisin Dubh” consists of traditional songs arranged by Lynott and Moore the latter amazing complex solos . Way back in 1970 the band set out as a trio of Eric Bell on guitars, Phil Lynott on Bass and vocals and Brian Downey on drums. Four year later the band had re-invented themselves as a dual guitar rock band powered quartet. Bell had left and new guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson traded licks.
In 1978 after the LIVE and DANGEROUS live album Irish Guitar hero Gary Moore joined as Robertson left the band. Moore has been in Lizzy previously, the sessions that produced BLACK ROSE with the contrast of Moore shredding guitar solos and Gorham’s more low key style bought together the band as they took on songs “Do Anything You Want To” plus the hit single “Waiting for An Alibi” plus the sombre “With Love” and the track “My Sarah” a song Lynott wrote about his then new baby daughter this was Lizzy at their best and standard Text Book rock songs “Toughest Street in Town” about substance abuse BLACK ROSE proved to be one a classic rock album of the 70’s and one of Lizzy’s best sellers with Gary Moore’s parallel star power and his guitar playing surely added to the quality of this album. The Album has been re-issued with extra tracks from the Nassau sessions “Dont Believe a Word” the slower version of had been on many a bootleg.
