Chatting with UK artist Laurence Archer of Grand Slam

By Mike Alahverdian, Rock At Night New England

Interview: Laurence Archer of the band Grand Slam – Recorded April 30, 2024

Laurence Archer is a British guitarist and songwriter notable for his work with British rock bands UFO and Phil Lynott’s Grand Slam. He wrote many of Grand Slam’s songs together with Phil Lynott and Mark Stanway, some of which were released as Thin Lizzy songs. Archer was also a member of British band Wild Horses, Stampede, Lautrec, Medicine Head and Rhode Island Red with Gary Leiderman on bass (ex-Talk Talk, Thin Lizzy), Manolo Antonana on drums and frontman/actor/writer Mike Dyer.

In this interview, Laurence Archer discusses how he began his music career at age 17 1/2; his experience working with Grand Slam and Phil Lynott; reviving Grand Slam and songs written in the 80s with Lynott (the original reels were stolen from Lynott’s studio after his death); quitting guitar for 10 years after working in the film industry; the new upcoming album Wheel of Fortune and the re-release of Hit the Ground, an album released in 2019 prior to COVID; and much more!

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GRAND SLAM:
Mike Dyer – vocals
Laurence Archer – guitars
Benjy Reid – drums
Rocky Newton – bass

VIDEO

The album Wheel of Fortune will be released on digital and physical formats on June 7^th.

Grand Slam will also re-release their debut album Hit The Ground. Re-mixed, re-mastered and featuring new Artwork, Hit The Ground – Revised, will be released on May 10^th on digital formats and June 7^th on physical formats.