Laurence Archer of Grand Slam Talks Phil Lynott, Taking on Thin Lizzy Tracks, and joining UFO

Laurance Archer Interview

Feature Photo: Courtesy of
Laurance Archer

Formed in Ireland in 1984, Grand Slam was Phil Lynott’s first official post-Thin Lizzy project. The idea was that Lynott was sober and ready to rock. And with young gunslinger Laurence Archer by side, things were looking up.

According to Archer, Lynott was in a positive state of mind and free of his chemically induced demons. Of course, history shows that if that was the case, it didn’t last long, as Lynott perished in 1986 after collapsing on December 25, 1985, after a heroin overdose.

For Archer, it was a tough pill to swallow, knowing that Grand Slam had potential. “I had become very close with Phil,” Archer says. “It was a devastating loss to me; I couldn’t really deal with it for a long while. It was a real shame Grand Slam didn’t get the opportunity to carry on and reach its full impact that it deserved.”

Archer disbanded Grand Slam not long after Lynott’s death and soon joined UFO. He stuck around for a bit and went on to other projects but has often laid low. Lately, he’s back at it with Grand Slam and is finally releasing a debut record that Lynott would have been proud of. “Phil wouldn’t have been happy with the stuff that had been out there previously,” Archer says.

But that’s not the case with what Archer has in store: “To the Hit the Ground album, I included new songs that I had from the last ten years that I thought would complement and when I found the right period in my life and personal situation to do this (after 30 years), I decided to finish working in the film industry and went straight into the studio.”

 The reality of Grand Slam is that the band will remain a case of what might have been. Archer knows this and isn’t chasing grand dreams of fame, fortune, and stardom. Still, there’s comfort in knowing he did right by Lynott, which drives him to push on. “I’m writing songs for the next album,” he says. “And I’m just about to go back to Chapel Studios to do three bonus tracks, one new, one traditional, and one acoustic version.”

“And then,” he adds. “We’re doing Paris, Sweden, and Ireland shows, and then looking for major touring and, most importantly, the new album, Wheel of Fortune, being released in June.”

He concludes, “My approach hasn’t really changed, to be honest. I don’t really listen to other players that much; there’s some fab players out there, but I just go my own way. I’m not a shredder; I’m a melody guy. You’d probably call me old school. So, I would say I’m a writer first and a guitar player who enjoys playing and creating solos that fit my songs.”

Tell me how you first met Phil Lynott.

I first met Phil as a kid when Lizzy played Bristol as a punter. I got to know Phil later, about 1980, when I did a short stint in a band called Wild Horses with Jimmy Bain, as we were managed by Lizzy’s management. Phil came to a couple of shows and got up with us at the old Marquee Club. He invited me to the studio in London shortly after, where Lizzy was recording, and we had a jam. I think it was Chinatown they were recording.

What sort of state was Phil in when you first met, considering he was coming off the end of Thin Lizzy and battling his demons?

Phil was in a very positive and excited frame of mind about a new project; he was relatively straight and sober at this point.

Given those issues, did you have any concerns about forming a band with him? 

Not really. I was very young and completely into the idea, and Phil was in a good place.

How did Grand Slam ultimately form?

Well, Phil called me almost straight away after his solo tour in Sweden, sent a car to pick me up, and we sat and discussed moving forward; I was at a point of waiting for the next advance for Stampede’s second studio album, which was dragging on.

Was the chemistry immediate?

We had great chemistry straight away. I think he liked the fact I was a writer and not just a guitar slinger, so we started writing immediately; he had some ideas, and so did I, as I’d been writing songs constantly for the next Stampede album.

Phil had Brian Downey onboard and a couple of guys from his solo touring band in mind for the band. We had to delay a little as I went to do the Magnum tour as Tony Clarkin wasn’t well, and they asked me to cover the shows.

Tell me about the tour and how you chose your setlist.

Touring was fun, and Setlist was a mix of new songs, classic Lizzy tracks, and things like “Parisienne Walkways,” which were fun times.

Was it a challenge to take on Thin Lizzy songs? Which guitar parts were the toughest, and why?

It was not too much. It was more about the performance and a few things, like the feedback note in “Parisienne Walkways.” “Sarah” was tricky live as Lizzy never did it live, and Gary [Moore] ‘s solo is incredible. We used to listen back to the desk mix after every night on the bus or car to hone everything. Obviously, as a young player, I was a big fan of Lizzy and Gary, so I think it helped me. 

What gear did you use while on the road? Did Phil have any preferences or give you pointers?

Back then, I didn’t really do effects; I just used a small boss pedalboard with three or four pedals going straight into a Marshall 100-watt JCM800. Phil was always very positive about my playing and sound. I had a lot to learn and didn’t really know what I was doing when it came to advancing my sound, just a very straight-in approach.”

When did you and Phil begin writing music together? Was there a plan to record?

Straight away, and yes, we constantly recorded in Phil’s backyard studio, mainly work-in-progress writing stuff, and then did some sessions at Rock City, EMI, and Dublin.

When did you realize that Phil might be in trouble?

We had changed many of the regular crew and put in some people to discourage the obvious partying as soon as we started gigging and touring. As I was a clean boy and a keep-fit nut back then, Phil was happy to have me around and made a big effort to stay away from temptation.

I first thought Phil was having issues when I was in the US with Huey Lewis recording.

Phil eventually came over to do two tracks for Grand Slam demos, as we were going to have Huey produce the album. It was sometime in early ’85. We were recording at the plant in Mill Valley, San Francisco, and I noticed Phil’s health and breathing had become short, and it was affecting his voice at the sessions.

After Phil’s death, you disbanded Grand Slam and joined UFO. How did that happen?

Pete Way and Phil Mogg had been asking me for some time. I knew Pete as he lived in my local area, and he had hunted me down; they had been looking and auditioning shredders in the USA but couldn’t find the right fit; Pete and Phil wanted a UK player, so after some talks, I agreed to join up.  Another band I was heavily influenced by, and it was an incredible honor to take it on.

Did your rig change much with UFO?

I started using power amps and a Galien Kruger preamp; not sure how or why I came to this rig. It just happened as an extension of the little practice amp I’d been using for recording.

What led you to reform Grand Slam and get new music out there?

It all stems from my disappointment with what had previously been posted on social platforms, which were awful recordings of work-in-progress songs that Phil and I were working on in the backyard studio.

Unfortunately, these releases came from stolen tapes taken from the studio unauthorized when Phil passed, so it was always my mission to record the songs we wrote in a proper manner that would give the fans a real idea of the final outcome of the songs in the way they would have been recorded if we had got to that point with Phil.

What does your current rig look like? 

I have Blackstar rigs, which are different for touring or flyways. I use the St. James 6L6 50 heads with two 2×12 cabs, and for flyways, I use the Amped2 Blackstar pedal amp through a 4 x 12. If I’m using the heads, I have a Boss M80 pedalboard just for drive/chorus and delay. If I’m using the Amped2 pedal amp, I just add a mini wah wah and a Pog. The guitars are mainly Gibsons, customized with Seymour Duncan JB hot sets and Ernie ball sets 10.5-48 gauge.

How does the new material stack up against what might have been with Phil?

I believe Phil would love it. The new album is a classic, even if I say so myself. It’s all new, but I write the way I write. Nothing is done by design; it’s just the way I write. 

Laurence Archer of Grand Slam Talks Phil Lynott, Taking on Thin Lizzy Tracks, and joining UFO article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

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