Run Gary Moore

Run for Cover took the heavy metal ingredients of Gary Moore's previous two albums and added a little pop refinement to the mix. Thankfully, this did not compromise the overall heaviness of the record, and Moore even achieves a successful remake of his classic ballad "Empty Rooms." Calling on his many friends to help in the studio, Moore obtains fantastic vocal performances from former Deep Purple bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes on "Reach for the Sky" and "All Messed Up," and former Thin Lizzy leader and childhood friend Philip Lynott on the dramatic "Military Man." The latter also trades vocals with Moore on the album's biggest single, "Out in the Fields." Written about the religious turmoil in their native Ireland, it was actually Lynott's final recorded performance before his tragic death. It also presaged the musical and lyrical Irish themes which would dominate Moore's future work.

Run For Cover (1985). Run for Cover took the heavy metal ingredients of Gary Moore's previous two albums and added a little pop refinement to the mix. Thankfully, this did not compromise the overall heaviness of the record, and Moore even achieves a successful remake of his classic ballad "Empty Rooms." Calling on his many friends to help in the studio, Moore obtains fantastic vocal performances from former Deep Purple bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes on "Reach for the Sky" and "All Messed Up," and former Thin Lizzy leader and childhood friend Philip Lynott on the dramatic "Military Man." The latter also trades vocals with Moore on the album's biggest single, "Out in the Fields." Written about the religious turmoil in their native Ireland, it was actually Lynott's final recorded performance before his tragic death. It also presaged the musical and lyrical Irish themes which would dominate Moore's future work…

This live album, recorded circa 1980 at London's Marquee Club, is a mixed bag, featuring material from Gary Moore's 1979 solo album Back on the Streets and his band project G Force. Most impressive, perhaps, is the incredible musicianship in this performance from Moore and drummer Tommy Aldridge. Besides rocking out with "Back on the Streets" and "Run to Your Mama," the band locks into a great groove on "She's Got You." But they reach an absolute peak with a beautiful rendition of Moore's first U.K. hit, the instrumental ballad "Parisienne Walkways," a melody so lovely that Moore plagiarized himself 12 years later, tweaking it only slightly to create his hit "Still Got the Blues."

Robert William Gary Moore was a Northern Irish guitarist and singer-songwriter. During his teenage years in the 1960's, Moore played in the line up of a number of local Belfast based bands, before a move to Dublin, Ireland, after being asked to join the Irish band Skid Row, whose soon to depart lead singer, was one Phil Lynott. Later on, Moore could be seen playing in the likes of Thin Lizzy and British jazz-rock fusion band Colosseum II, as well as having his own, highly successful solo career split between the genres of heavy metal and blues. Moore shared the stage with such blues and rock musicians as B.B. King, Albert King, John Mayall, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Albert Collins, George Harrison, and Greg Lake.

The album adopted Celtic elements from Gary Moore's homeland of Northern Ireland, and was dedicated to Moore's childhood friend, Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, who passed away the earlier year.
Wild Frontier attempted to repeat the pop-metal formula of Gary Moore's 1985 album, Run for Cover, but falls short for various reasons. First, the songwriting wasn't quite up to par and except for "Over the Hills and Far Away, the title track, and "The Loner" - a beautifully moody guitar instrumental, Moore seemed to be going through the motions. Second, and most fatal was the decision to use a drum machine throughout the album; a failed experiment which just plain sounds wrong. Still, this is hardly a bad record, just slightly disappointing.