Tough day on the street. The wind was so strong I had to set up shop with my back to the side of a bus shelter. No one stopped by. I closed up after two hours. We're back in the deep freeze for a few days, but at least there's no snow in the forecast.
Guitarist Gary Moore, a native of Belfast, passed away in a hotel room a few days ago. He was only 58. He first gained notoriety in Thin Lizzy, teaming with Phillip Lynott to create rock n roll mayhem. TL burst onto the scene in the late '70's with The Boys Are Back in Town and its catchy twin lead and lyrics ("...Friday night down at Dino's bar and grill/ Drinks will flow and blood will spill...."). Moore soon went solo and turned to the blues, where he did some fine work. Lynott od'd in 1986. I wonder what life expectancy is for rock musicians. It's sad how so many succumb to the trappings of the trade. I actually wrote a novel, Rising Star, about it, borne of my love of the genre. Music is one of the things that has kept me sane. Although my taste has become much softer now, I still appreciate what rock did for me in my most challenging years.
Moore's soaring work on Still Got the Blues will live long after him. I get misty whenever I hear his lead on that incredible piece. I think: Man, he really loved that girl. That's what makes artists of his caliber so special. They are able to express in their work what all humans experience in life, and make it so beautiful despite the obvious pain. RIP, sir.
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