Rock Block: Thin Lizzy – Are You Ready?

There was only 1 rock band I listened to for about 5 years solid and that band was Thin Lizzy. Actually I listened to them so much I was pretty burnt on them up until a year ago. Luckily You Tube is lifting the moratorium and I can hear stuff besides the studio albums and crappy bootlegs.

I think it’s fairly well documented about Phil Lynott being a visionary and a musical genius in his genre. One of my favorite things about them is they were doing proto speed metal way back in the late 70’s. Of course Phil hung out with diverse people as Midge Ure, Lemmy and the Sex Pistols so its not like he was unaware of what was really going on at the time. He even was good friends with Huey Lewis(!?!)

Are You Ready shows such badass metal mastery that its one of my most favorite tunes by Thin Lizzy. I liked the sappy stuff as much as the next guy, but when they turned it up it was a wonder to hear.

Rock Block: Thin Lizzy – Sha La La

Behold Thin Lizzy possessed by the spirit of Maiden… Or WERE THEY?
This song was written in 1975, a good 5 years before Maiden even put out a record…
And what a drum solo at the end pure badassery, pure unadulterated badassery!

Rockblock: Rainbow

So here’s an excerpt from the 80’s era Rainbow. Even their 2nd Singer, Graham Bonnet, dressed up like Bryan Ferry, can’t stop the Rock n Roll Juggernaut that is Ritchie Blackmore.

Witness as the massive sonic assalt of Blackmore’s solo is only interrupted by the ritual beheading of his guitar. And not only does he smash his guitar real good like … well I won’t spoil the rest. Yes it seems that Spinal Tap parodied Rainbow specifically but Blackmore’s guitar and songwriting are just so damn good that you can fuck with his far reaching effect on all of Rock music.