Vocalist Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders and Thin Lizzy joins Mitch for episode 191 of One On One With Mitch Lafon. In this episode's only interview Ricky Warwick discusses his three new albums When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues), Hearts On Trees and Stairwell Troubadour (a covers album), using PledgeMusic, the limited run Thin Lizzy anniversary shows with Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee, writing the next Black Star Riders album, The Almighty (and potentially playing with the band again) and much more. 

Quotes from the interview: 

On BSR: "Black Star Riders is my priority."

On new BSR material: "Damon Johnson and I have just completed the first get together in writing for the next Black Star Riders. We have twelve songs finished and ready to go."

On changing the name to Black Star Riders: "In your heart you kinda going, 'is this ok? Should we be doing this? Playing the songs live is one thing, but is this too much? This is a big risk.' Your head is going, 'You're Ricky Warwick and you're going to be on the new Thin Lizzy studio album.' So, there's this constant battle going on between your heart and your head about what was right. When the realization was made that this is absolutely not the right thing to do; there was a weight lifted off everybody's shoulders."

The return of The Almighty: "Life is just too short to hold grudges."

Warwick is set to release not one but two new solo albums next month. The electrifying When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues) and the beautifully acoustic Hearts On Trees will be released as a double CD on February 26th via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

The lyrics for a selection of tracks on the two forthcoming albums were written alongside Ricky's friend, Sam Robinson. Ricky speaks about how the partnership came about and what it's like working with Sam:

Wonder why Ricky decided on recording two separate albums? Find out is this new album trailer:

Both albums are heavily influenced by Ricky's upbringing in Belfast, which he discusses in the album trailer below:

Listen to the title track from the electric album, “When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)”, below.

Ricky commented on the track and working with Sam Robinson: "We ended up in the pub one day and Sam said the words to me that every musician hates… he said 'I’ve written some lyrics' and you know when someone says that to you nine times out of ten they're shite, they just are. You know everyone is a song writer. I’m not a plumber and I wouldn’t walk into your house and pretend to know how to do the plumbing but people seem to have this thing with song writing like it’s easy and any idiot can do it. So Sam handed me these words and I was just thinking ‘you know I really like this guy a lot’ and every time this happens they’re usually terrible or I can’t use them and you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings…but he handed me these lyrics and my jaw hit the floor. They were the lyrics for the title track “When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)” and that title alone just evoked so many memories for me from my childhood. The strange thing is that Sam and I grew up about a mile apart from each other and supported the same football team, we had the same working class upbringing but never met each other. Now here was a guy who wrote in this song about the music that his father listened to, which was the same music that my father listened to; about his father working during the week, having a flutter on the horses on a Saturday, winning money, buddies coming over, the whiskey coming out, the cards coming out and we’d get to be the dj's and get to put the records on - and when you’re 10 years old that was a big thing that you were in charge of the record player. You got to put on Sinatra, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and all these greats, and that was magical…and Sam and I both had that when were kids so as soon as he handed me those lyrics I could hear the song, I could hear the music and I could hear the melody."

Ricky recently revealed the first taste of the material with the official lyric video for “The Road To Damascus Street”. Warwick comments on the track:

"Belfast has always been the heart and soul of my creative center. The longing for home is a constant for a touring musician and Sam's lyrics inspired me to write the music. I am delighted to finally be releasing this song."

Warwick explains, “I really wanted these songs to come out. The album’s been a long time coming and in fact we’ve even made 2 albums here; electric and acoustic. We’ve played with some great musicians on this album. I think that the Black Star Riders fans will really dig this solo stuff too so absolutely delighted to be getting it out there.”

With one album, When Patsy Cline Was Crazy… showcasing his electric rock and roll side. The other disc, Hearts On Trees,  veers towards the more tender stripped-back songwriting, influenced by both Americana and, more importantly, his Northern Irish roots.

Warwick comments: “Hearts On Trees and When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues) were written by myself and my good friend Sam Robinson, both albums depict our experiences of growing up and coming from the Greater East Belfast area, not only experiences that have happened to us but historical references and stories that have been told to us by friends and family... in saying that both albums translate those experiences on to a global scale that hopefully anyone geographically can relate to.”
 
The release boasts an array of acclaimed musicians with guests such as; Joe Elliot (Def Leppard), Damon Johnson (Thin Lizzy, Black Star Riders), Andy Cairns (Therapy?), Billy Morrison (Billy Idol), Nathan Connolly (Snow Patrol), Ginger Wildheart (The Wildhearts), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers), Richard Fortus (Guns N’ Roses, The Dead Daisies).

Tracklist and formats as follows:

Double CD

CD1 When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)

“The Road To Damascus Street”
“Celebrating Sinking”
“When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)”
“Toffee Town”
“That’s Where The Story Ends”
“Johnny Ringo’s Last Ride”
“Gold Along The Cariboo”
“The Son Of The Wind”
“If Your Not Gonna Leave Me (I'll Find Someone Who Will)”
“Yesteryear”

Bonus Tracks:
“Ghost Town Road”’
“The Whiskey Song”
“Tank McCullough Saturdays” (Alternative Version)

CD2 Hearts On Trees
 
“Presbyterian Homesick Blues”
“Tank McCullough Saturdays”
“Psycho”
“Hearts On Trees”
“Said Samson To Goliath”
“Way Too Cool For Snow”
“Schwaben Redoubt”
“The Year of Living Dangerously”
“Disasters”
“82”

Bonus Tracks:
“Love Owes”
“I Can See My Life (From Here)”
“The Ugly Truth”
“Hell Or Highwater”
“Eight Bells”

Vinyl

Side A
“The Road To Damascus Street”
“Celebrating Sinking”
“When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)”
“Toffee Town”
“That’s Where The Story Ends”
“Johnny Ringo’s Last Ride”

Side B
“Gold Along The Cariboo”
“The Son Of The Wind”
“If Your Not Gonna Leave Me (I'll Find Someone Who Will)”
“Yesteryear”

Bonus Tracks:
“Ghost Town Road”’
“The Whiskey Song”

Side C
“Presbyterian Homesick Blues”
“Tank McCullough Saturdays”
“Psycho”
“Hearts On Trees”
“Said Samson To Goliath”
“Way Too Cool For Snow”

Side D
“Schwaben Redoubt”
“The Year of Living Dangerously”
“Disasters”
“82”

Bonus Tracks:
“The Whiskey Song”
“Tank McCullough Saturdays” (Alternative Version)

Warwick will have a full band on board to bring these great songs to fruition on the stage. Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts will be supporting Belfast’s own favourite sons, Stuff Little Fingers on their UK tour in February/March of 2016.