Gary Moore - Gary Moore: The Collection (1990)

While such Gary Moore collections as 2003's Gold are fine and dandy, they completely bypass such early Moore solo outings as 1979's G-Force and 1984's Dirty Fingers. Another compilation from 2003, The Collection, helps fill in the aforementioned gaps. Those looking for a compilation of Moore's blues years will have to look elsewhere these tunes are plucked from an era in which Moore was still aiming to launch a career as a headbanger. But for proof that there were other worthwhile hard rock guitarists during Eddie Van Halen's reign of the late '70s/early '80s, The Collection will do the job. While some of the lyrics can get quite Spinal Tap-ish at times (nobody has ever bought a Gary Moore record for its lyrical content, but rather for the six-string heroics), the guitarist more than delivers on such tracks as "White Knuckles," "Rockin' and Rollin'," and "Dirty Fingers," plus live takes of "Nuclear Attack" and his hit 1979 collaboration with Phil Lynott, "Parisienne Walkways." While it's not as balanced or strong as the aforementioned Gold set, The Collection is a worthy accompanying purchase when paired together, both releases cover nearly all the bases.