Favorite Male Lyricists #2 - Gary Moore

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It's rarefied air time. We are at #2 in my Favorite Male Lyricists series, a distinction held by the late Gary Moore. Irish guitar virtuoso Gary Moore had quite the career (in Europe. Not so much here in the States.) A hard-rocking guitar hero who later followed his passion and became a bluesman, Moore also did a couple stints in Thin Lizzy (and often collaborated with Phil Lynott after going solo,) as well as the band Colosseum II. He also appeared on records by a wide range of artists, including The Traveling Wilbury's and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. A statue of Gary Moore stands in Skanevik, Norway (he played a blues festival there every year.) The guitar hero also had something to say, however. He was a protest songwriter's protest songwriter (growing up in war torn Belfast might have fueled those fires.) His list of such songs is long. "End of the World" is a diatribe against nuclear weapons, while tunes such as "Out in the Fields," "Military Man," and "After the War" represent Moore's anti-war stance. And one of his best, "Murder in the Skies," protested the Soviet Union's shooting down of a civilian Korean jetliner that had strayed into Soviet airspace in the 1980's. Gary Moore had a softer side as well, however. "Empty Rooms" is probably the saddest power ballad you've never heard. I have always loved this guy. If I ever do a Favorite Guitarists series, Gary Moore wins hands down. However, I love his lyrics as well. He is definitely one of my all-time favorite songwriters. R.I.P. Gary. Thank you for the music. (P.S.: Yes, that is Jack Bruce on vocals. Enjoy!) (Info verified by Wikipedia)