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>> THIN LIZZY
I am associated with Thin Lizzy as the producer of 3 of their albums. I met Thin Lizzy in late autumn of 1975. It wasn't until the following year that they released their first top 10 album, Jailbreak, with the rock anthem "The Boys Are Back In Town" a top 10 single. But in 1975 they were already established artists who'd recorded five albums. I was up in the studios at Capital Radio in London, getting ready for a live interview with Sparks, when I walked through a studio where Thin Lizzy were rehearsing for a live broadcast. Phil Lynott was easily recognizable -- how many black Irish rock stars are there? We shook hands, grinning (they had heard of me, too), and went our separate ways. Then the following spring I got a call from their management requesting a meeting. I lived in Melrose Terrace, Hammersmith, with my then wife Mary Hopkin and our young son Morgan. Mary was in her final trimester of a pregnancy which would produce our daughter, Jessica. I was mellowing out in my three-storied terraced house containing a 16 track home studio, years ahead of its time in concept. Like so many professionals who have project studios today, I felt I could make better records in the more relaxed atmosphere of my own home. This is the same studio where I mixed Diamond Dogs and Young Americans for Bowie, and also recorded and mixed Indiscreet by Sparks. Being a father and studio owner brought about a certain air of responsibility and sobriety. I didn't expect a stretch limo to pull up outside my modest home and two inebriated rock stars to get out, waving large opened cans of Fosters lager. The rock stars were Phil Lynott and Scott Gorham. After greeting them at the door I could tell that these were not the first cans of lager they'd had that day. They were three sheets to the wind -- maybe four! But they were laughing and friendly and full of enthusiasm. After a short tour of my little studio we sat down to talk about working together. It was apparent that Thin Lizzy were a very loud rock band and their gear couldn't possibly fit into my ground floor project studio. There was another problem -- income tax! In those days rock stars were penalized for putting Britain on the music map of the world by being charged up to 75% income tax. During the Wilson years the Beatles paid something like 95% (listen closely to the lyrics of "Tax man"). I heard that very wealthy people actually paid a "super tax" of 105% for a short period in socialist Britain. So much for socialism, because everyone found out how to beat it -- record abroad! This Lizzy album had to be recorded outside the borders of Britain. Canada was chosen. I liked the new material they played for me and accepted the job. It looked like fun! Many heartfelt thanks to Cindy Morgan for editing these articles. |
