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**Wild Frontier: Gary Moore's Celtic Thunder**

By 1987, Gary Moore had already lived several musical lives. The Belfast-born guitarist had blazed through Thin Lizzy's ranks alongside Phil Lynott, crafted some of the most scorching blues-rock of the early '80s, and established himself as one of Europe's premier six-string virtuosos. But nothing quite prepared fans for the cultural about-face that was "Wild Frontier" – an album that found Moore trading his usual blues licks for Celtic mysticism and Irish nationalism, creating what might be the most successful fusion of traditional folk and hard rock this side of Led Zeppelin's "III."

The seeds of "Wild Frontier" were planted during Moore's increasingly frequent returns to Ireland throughout the mid-'80s. Disillusioned with the commercial pressures of the music industry and deeply affected by the ongoing Troubles in Northern Ireland, Moore found himself drawn back to his Celtic roots with an almost spiritual intensity. The album emerged from a period of intense personal reflection, as Moore grappled with questions of identity, heritage, and belonging that had been simmering beneath the surface of his previous work.

What makes "Wild Frontier" so remarkable is how seamlessly Moore weaves together seemingly disparate musical elements. This isn't some clumsy attempt at world music fusion – it's a genuine artistic statement that finds the common DNA between Celtic folk traditions and electric blues. Moore's guitar work remains as fiery as ever, but it's now informed by the modal scales and melodic sensibilities of Irish traditional music. The result is something entirely unique: hard rock with a soul that's unmistakably Celtic.

The album opens with its title track, a thunderous anthem that sets the tone for everything that follows. Built around a hypnotic riff that seems to echo across ancient battlefields, "Wild Frontier" features some of Moore's most emotionally charged playing, with his guitar alternately weeping and roaring over a backdrop of traditional Irish instrumentation. It's a perfect mission statement for an album that refuses to choose between past and present, tradition and innovation.

"The Loner" stands as perhaps the album's most successful marriage of Moore's blues background with his newfound Celtic consciousness. The song's lonely, windswept atmosphere is enhanced by subtle use of uilleann pipes and whistle, while Moore's guitar tells a story of exile and longing that resonates on multiple levels. His solo here ranks among his finest work – not just technically impressive, but emotionally devastating.

But it's "Over the Hills and Far Away" that proves to be the album's masterstroke. This epic seven-minute journey begins as a gentle acoustic meditation before building into a full-blown Celtic rock symphony. Moore's guitar work is simply transcendent, channeling the ghosts of ancient Irish warriors while remaining thoroughly modern in its emotional impact. The song became a massive hit across Europe, proving that audiences were hungry for music that honored tradition while pushing boundaries.

"Friday on My Mind," Moore's electrifying cover of the Easybeats classic, might seem out of place at first glance, but his Celtic rock treatment transforms the '60s pop hit into something entirely new. It's a masterclass in how to honor source material while making it completely your own.

The album's production, handled by Moore himself alongside Peter Collins, deserves special mention. The sound is both massive and intimate, allowing space for traditional instruments like bodhrán and tin whistle to coexist with Marshall stacks and thunderous drums. Every element serves the songs rather than overwhelming them.

"Wild Frontier" was both a commercial and critical triumph, reaching the top 10 in multiple countries and establishing Moore as more than just another guitar hero. The album's influence can be heard in countless Celtic rock acts that followed, from The Waterboys to Horslips to more recent acts like Flogging Molly.

Today, "Wild Frontier" stands as Moore's most cohesive artistic statement – a passionate love letter to Irish culture that never feels forced or calculated. In an era when world music fusion often feels like cultural tourism, Moore's deep personal connection to his subject matter makes every note feel authentic. It remains a high-water mark for Celtic rock and a testament to Moore's artistic courage. More than three decades later, the wild frontier he mapped out still feels thrillingly unexplored.