INTERVIEWS
Simon Mulholland meets Ricky Warwick in Leeds to talk about fronting Thin Lizzy.
Add to this that Vivien Campbell was tuning up in the same room, Scott Gorham was nipping in and out and experiencing a Spinal Tap moment with Marco Mendoza trying the find the dressing room backstage. So thanks guys for making me welcome and putting up with my attempts at an interview. I first asked Ricky about the tour which was four nights in, starting in Aberdeen. Glasgow and Newcastle seems a bit of a baptism of fire for the new boy? Ricky: You have to start somewhere so you might as well start there, you know, Bonnie Scotland, and three sold out shows. Three great performances and three happy venues with people leaving with smiles on their faces, you can’t ask for more than that. How on earth do you even start to prepare to fill the void left by Phil? Ricky: Well you don’t, you can’t, you know, there was only one Phil, one Phil Lynott and there always will be and when people come along and say it’s not the same, it’s true. If Phil was here I’d be standing with you watching the show but unfortunately he’s not. So all you can do is try and put on a rock show that is a little bit different but still keeping the honesty and integrity in the songs he wrote maintaining the rhythm, energy and passion and I think that’s the greatest tribute you pay to Phil. I think it is the best thing Scott could have done, some people say to Scott, why didn’t you get a guy from a tribute band but that’s the biggest insult you could give to Phil trying to copy the guy, what’s the point in that, to be fair there will only ever be one Phil Lynott so let not try to replace him but try and do something a bit different and I think that’s what Scott did and that’s why he asked me to join. You have got to sing the songs, the lyrics in the right places and the little Philism’s as I like to call them have to be in there that people know and love but I’m not going out there to sound like Phil every night, I want people to be happy but 50% of its me, Ricky Warwick, you know. That’s the only way you can do it, there is no way we are trying to replace Phil. So, more of a celebration of the man than trying to replace him? Ricky: More of a celebration yes but Scott, Brian and Darren wanted to continue the band and move forward, it’s been 25 years so you go, ‘ok we had a fantastic band but we still want to get out and play’. Living in the past is a terrible thing and it’s something I think should be discouraged, life goes on. Remembering the past is great, paying homage to the past is great but living in the past - not healthy.
Ricky: Its nuts, I’m completely honoured, surprised, blown away and I can’t believe its happening. I’ve always got a big smile on my face, I wake up every day going ‘I’m going to sing with Thin Lizzy tonight’ and it’s really wonderful, a dream come true. It is common knowledge that Jo Elliott was instrumental in putting your name forward, when did you get the nod? Ricky: Sure, but I’ve Known Scott for a while, we’ve been friends for a long time, he played on my first solo record. My name came up, Scott was talking to Joe about it and asked what I was doing, so we had a few meetings, me and Scott chatted about what he expected from me and that was it. I wasn’t going to say no when someone asks you to join one of your all time favourite bands, you aren’t going to turn something like that down you know. Do you consciously go out there fronting Thin Lizzy as opposed to Ricky Warwick solo? Ricky: It’s absolutely different, I’m in Thin Lizzy I’m thinking about Thin Lizzy totally. It’s completely different, even to approaching the stage as The Almighty, it’s a different thing all together. I’ve had to do a lot of work, I’ve had to rethink a lot about how I sing and how I project myself because it’s completely different but it’s been great fun and I’ve enjoyed doing that. Have you met Philomena, she seems to keep Phil’s spirit alive and I guess she took an interest in your appointment. Ricky: You know what, I’ve never met her, I saw her briefly a couple of years ago in Dublin and I said hello but that was it, how you doing. I know she’s coming to the show in Dublin and she’s still in touch with all the boys. No seal of approval then? Ricky: I know Scott, Brian and Darren have so that’s all you need and hopefully she’ll dig it in Dublin. How did the band go about choosing the set list for the tour? Ricky: We were all asked to pick our 25 favourite Lizzy tracks and the ones that matched up between us were the keepers and then we whittled that 25 down to 21 that became the set list. What’s your favourite Lizzy track and has it changed from a listening to performing it live? Ricky: My favourite track was ‘Do Anything You Want To’ just because I love the lyrics of it, it meant a lot to me as a kid and even now. I love singing ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ but there is not one song I can pick out, singing them is all fucking great you know. What’s its like playing with two other guitarists on stage, especially as its Vivian and Scott? Ricky: There is for most of the show, but not all of it. Scott is handling his parts and Vivian is covering Robbo’s parts, I’m just the meat between the two adding a few power cords and playing acoustic on a couple of tracks too. What is it like to be stood up there between these guys? Ricky: You have moments when you up there and you look to your left and right and you’re onstage with some the greatest musicians that are out there and you turn round to see the Thin Lizzy logo behind Brian and it feels surreal but fantastic. Is there is a marked difference in the set up that goes with a major tour as opposed to your solo outings? Ricky: It’s a big rock show compared to the solo acoustic shows, which are more intimate and laid back but this is all about putting on a show but I love both. Being able to get up and play music for a living is something that I don’t take for granted no matter what it is! Did you have much involvement in getting the Supersuckers on as support? Ricky: Same management, but its great getting them on first, I was delighted and they are going down really well, it’s a great audience for them to play to. Are there any long term plans to continue the current set up? Ricky: US tour, festivals, we should be going for a full year of Lizzy which is awesome. It should go on and on, as long as everyone is happy to be doing what we’re doing. Download would be good or Sonisphere (I did recommend joining Priest at High Voltage for purely personal reasons). At that point I left Ricky and co. to get ready for what was to be an outstanding Lizzy gig and may he long remain the front man for one of the all time great bands. |
