Back in the post-Thin Lizzy days, Laurence Archer wrote and performed with Phil Lynott. Sadly, Grand Slam was cut short in its prime, with Phil Lynott’s untimely death leaving a hole in the fabric of rock music to this day.
Laurence went on to make his name playing with UFO but always nurtured a long-term plan to rebuild the Grand Slam machine. And here it is — primed and ready.
The new band (Laurence alongside Mike Dyer, Benjy Reid and Dave Boyce) honours the band’s history whilst also looking to the future — classic tracks co-written by Lynott and Archer sit alongside a set of brand new songs that embody the same ethos of freedom, positive and adrenaline that ran through Grand Slam in 1984. – (Marshall)
Grand Slam have gone straight into the official rock charts at number seven with album ‘HIT THE GROUND’ the reaction has been incredible.
The first track of this album ‘Gone Are The Days’, is a hard rock opener with an amazing chorus to it, making it a great lead single. ‘Crime Rate’ has an almost like jazzy chorus, but still has the rock vibe to it. ‘Nineteen’ was actually a Phil Lynott single, but this new version has more of an updated punchier riff.
In the middle of the album there is a song called ‘Long Road’ marking an acoustic section, with the soft vocals blending into the song.
‘Dedication’ is more bass-focused, but also breaks away to soft melody acoustic and a solo vocal, as well as a fiery, uplifting intro.The final song on ‘Hit The Ground’ is ‘Grand Slam’, finish with the heavy rock as well as a powerful instrumental. There is a flamenco-style part in the in the middle of the song, before breaking away, and returning to the rock in the outro.
‘Hit The Ground’ is a fresh and exciting addition to Grand Slam’s legacy.
Stream ‘Hit The Ground’ on Spotify.
Grandslam was never “Archer’s band”. It was Phil Lynott’s band which he founded together with Mark Stanway and other members of the Phil Lynott Solo Band. Archer only came in after John Sykes left Grand Slam. Mark Stanway was also the one who revived Grandslam a couple of years ago. Taking advantage of the band name to promote some none related songs with some none related players adds nothing to the Grandslam legacy. Only Mark Stanway in the lineup would have given this band any credibility. Phil would not approve.
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