Phil Lynott did it a bit for fun, but his 1984 Grand Slam had a great look, a lot of allure, and enormous potential. The beautiful project collapsed like a house of cards given the addictions of the great Phil (who died shortly after), and Grand Slam was suddenly considered a real waste. They needed to be really strong to reactivate the project and, above all, give it credibility.
This is what Laurence Archer, the guitarist at the time, achieved. Formerly of Wild Horses and Stampede (honest British second divisions), then a freelancer with the UFO institution, Archer found in Mike Dyer the perfect singer. Finally, one with Phil Lynott’s signature voice. Bingo. “Hit The Ground” in 2019 confirmed the resurrection of this colossus with feet of clay. Better still, Londoners are coming to our second edition of GARF (in 2022 at the Palais des Congrès) and turning everything upside down. It’s a favorite for many. It’s with immense pleasure that this worthy representative of the English rock aristocracy will discover the Chênée Cultural Center. No excuses. Attendance is mandatory.
