Ten years in the saddle. Tireless fifth album.
Riders come and go, but Ricky Warwick has been a constant with Black Star Riders for a decade now. Bass player Robbie Crane has been there since 2014, and drummer Zak St John is a recent addition. Collectively they play like rockers with a fresh mission.
The band’s connection to Thin Lizzy has never abated; classic-era Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham will guest on some of the 2023 tour dates, demonstrating the goodwill that persists. He and Warwick effectively led the Lizzy touring band into the Riders formation. The soul of the old band is a still a guiding principle.
Album five does not stint with rousing choruses and motivational themes. Warwick gives his community a pep talk with Riding Out The Storm, steering away from negative thinking and revving out of the doldrums. That’s preparation enough for Better Than Saturday Night, a tremendous breakout anthem, with Joe Elliott on backing vocals.
The Osmonds’ 1972 hit is an ever-relevant tune about car ecology. It has been hijacked by artists including Alex Harvey and Demented Are Go, often with poor consequences. Black
