🎸 Gary Moore – Wild Frontier (1987)
Released in May 1987, Wild Frontier is a solo studio album by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore. The album blends hard rock with Celtic influences, reflecting Moore’s Irish roots while maintaining his signature blistering guitar work and melodic sensibility.
This album is notable for being Moore’s first release after the death of Phil Lynott, his longtime friend and Thin Lizzy bandmate. Several tracks on the album serve as tributes to Lynott, and the record overall features a mix of arena-ready rockers and emotive ballads.
📀 Album Credits
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Artist: Gary Moore
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Title: Wild Frontier
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Type: Studio album
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Released: May 1987
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Label: 10 Records / Virgin / CBS
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Producer: Peter Collins
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Recorded at: Townhouse Studios, London
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Genre: Hard rock, melodic rock, Celtic rock
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Length: 42:30
Personnel:
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Gary Moore: guitars, lead vocals, keyboards
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Neil Carter: keyboards, backing vocals
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Bob Daisley: bass
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Eric Singer: drums
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Peter Collins: producer
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Additional Musicians: Strings on select tracks
Wild Frontier represents Moore’s shift toward a Celtic-flavored rock style while retaining his hard rock edge.
🎶 Tracklist
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Over the Hills and Far Away – 4:28
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Wild Frontier – 4:32
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The Loner – 3:53 (instrumental; tribute to Gary Moore’s mentor, Jeff Beck)
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Take a Little Time – 4:12
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The Boy and the Blues – 4:05
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Empty Rooms – 4:45 (re-recorded version)
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Thunder Rising – 4:20
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Military Man – 4:30
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All Messed Up – 4:45
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Crying in the Shadows – 3:50
The album blends up-tempo rockers, ballads, and instrumental showcases, reflecting Moore’s versatility and personal musical influences.
🎸 Notable Songs
🔥 “Over the Hills and Far Away”
A Celtic-influenced hard rock single and one of Moore’s biggest hits, reaching Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart. The track features anthemic guitar riffs and soaring melodies, blending rock with Irish folk elements.
🎶 “The Loner”
An instrumental tribute showcasing Moore’s emotional phrasing and technical guitar skills, inspired by Jeff Beck’s original composition. This track highlights Moore’s expressive and melodic playing.
🎵 “Military Man”
A hard-hitting track addressing social issues and war, featuring driving riffs and Moore’s aggressive guitar tone.
💖 “Take a Little Time”
A melodic ballad demonstrating Moore’s ability to combine heartfelt lyrics with soaring guitar solos.
🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia
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🎸 Tribute to Phil Lynott: Many songs on the album were written or inspired in the aftermath of Lynott’s death in 1986, giving the record an emotional depth.
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🔊 Celtic Influence: Tracks like “Over the Hills and Far Away” incorporate traditional Irish motifs, reflecting Moore’s heritage.
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📀 Production: Produced by Peter Collins, known for his polished 1980s rock sound, giving the album arena-ready sonics.
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🎵 Instrumental Mastery: “The Loner” became a signature guitar instrumental, showcasing Moore’s ability to convey emotion without lyrics.
💡 Did You Know?
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“Over the Hills and Far Away” was accompanied by a highly memorable music video, featuring Moore performing in rugged Irish landscapes, emphasizing his Celtic roots.
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Wild Frontier reached No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming one of Moore’s most commercially successful solo albums.
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This album marked the first time Moore fully integrated Celtic musical elements into his hard rock sound, influencing future solo works like After Hours and Still Got the Blues.
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Eric Singer, the drummer on the album, later became a member of KISS, adding a powerful rhythmic foundation to the record.
📊 Legacy & Impact
Wild Frontier is widely regarded as one of Gary Moore’s quintessential 1980s albums, blending hard rock virtuosity, melodic sensibility, and Celtic influences. Its combination of commercially successful singles and emotional tributes gave Moore both critical and popular recognition.
The album paved the way for Moore’s continued blues exploration while cementing his status as a top-tier guitar hero of the 1980s. Tracks like “Over the Hills and Far Away” and “The Loner” remain staples in Moore’s catalog, demonstrating the emotional depth and technical mastery that defined his solo career.
