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Ricky Warwick of rock band The Almighty spoke to Leona Graham on the 6th episode of her podcast, released on 10th March 2025, about how the band have been working on something new in the studio.
“…we have been in the studio working on something. I can't say what it is yet, but it's about to be revealed very soon. It's pretty exciting. So, it's new music, but it's not new music as such.”
Ricky also tells us what it was like stepping into the role of the frontman of Thin Lizzy and reveals the key to his success in the world of rock n roll.
A Side
You picked up your first guitar at the age of 13. Why was that? What prompted you to start playing?
You know, it was really simple. I was starting to get into music, you know, being at high school in first year and we snuck into Belfast. It was 1980. Stiff little fingers are playing the Ulster Hall in Belfast. Obviously, there was a lot of, uh, stuff going on at that time in Northern Ireland, but we snuck in, me and my friend, totally lied to our parents, and I went to see Stiff Little Fingers play at the Ulster Hall, and it changed my life.
How did you get drafted into New Model Army for their ’87 World Tour, and what was it like to play with them?
It was unbelievable. It was just one of those things. I was in a little punk band. I'd moved to Scotland this time, and we ended up getting picked up by New Model Army's management. They put us on a few shows at New Model Army. Justin Sullivan, New Model Army singer, knew I was a big fan. So after we finished our set, he came by and said, look, you know, I need extra guitar on a couple of songs. Would you like to jump up on stage with us and play on, you know, yadda yadda yadda. I was like, oh man, absolutely. Yeah. You know, so that progressed to five songs to, you know, by the end of the tour, there was seven, eight songs in the set. And then I went back home. I got a call about a week later saying we're going on a world tour. We need an extra guitar player. The gig is yours if you want it. And I was like, okay, you know, I'm at the airport. Tell me where I need to go.
What was the music scene like in 1980s when you formed the almighty and how did you guys get together?
Well, you know, I came back from New Model Army after about just almost a year and a half of that world tour and they went into the studio to record a new album. Um, and they wanted to keep me as a live member, but I had the idea for The Almighty and the whole ethos behind that already planned out in my mind. So I went back to Glasgow, got in touch with, um, you know, a couple of old school friends, Stump and Floyd, and we started rehearsing as The Almighty. At that time, you know, there was a lot of hard rock going on because Guns N Roses, The Cult, Zodiac Mind, Warp, and all those bands were putting out their first records. So, um, there was, there was a good buzz about hard rock and heavy metal at that point. So, it was a good scene and, uh, Glasgow, like anywhere else, there's lots of places to play back in.
Now of course you're currently relocating back to Northern Ireland from LA. How much have your Northern Irish roots played a part in your music and do you find that your music changes depending on your location?
People will say my accent does. I lived in Northern Ireland for so long, so when I'm back here, the Northern Irish brogue comes out. And as soon as I go to to Scotland to hook up with the almighty guys. I'm, you know, I'm back into the Scottish, but you know, but I am definitely, I think, a true Ulster Scott. I think that culturally where you're from has a significant part to play on who you are and what you are. And I think that's no different with me. I'm certainly aware of the great heritage of music to come out from Ireland and certainly the north of Ireland, you know, all the great bands, you know, um, Stiff Little Fingers, obviously I mentioned, The Undertones, and then, you know, the Irish bands like Thin Lizzy, Roy Gallagher, Horselips, that was all very much a part of my DNA growing up and listening to those acts. And then moving to Glasgow, again, you've got such a great scene over in Scotland, you know, with the likes of Nazareth and. and stuff like that, where we were starting, you know, although they're from Dunfermline, and I don't want to get in trouble for getting that wrong. So there was plenty to soak up and take in, and we did, we were like sponges, we were absorbing it all, but we were very conscious of trying to have an identity of our own as well.
You're about to launch a solo album, what can we expect?
Lots of guitars, lots of big choruses, and we've got some great special guests on there, um, you know, hopefully songs that you can sing along to and will resonate with you. Yeah, I'm excited.
Any new music with The Almighty?
No, we have been in the studio, uh, working on something. I can't say what it is yet, but it's about to be revealed very soon. It's pretty exciting. So, it's new music, but it's not new music as such. So there you go. It's very cryptic and not giving anything away. But I think people will dig it when they hear it.
So we get a sort of exclusive on the podcast?
There's something happening. Yeah, there's definitely something happening and all will be revealed as soon as.
Listen to the full B side and all episodes of The Leona Graham Podcast which are available to stream now free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
“…we have been in the studio working on something. I can't say what it is yet, but it's about to be revealed very soon. It's pretty exciting. So, it's new music, but it's not new music as such.”
Ricky also tells us what it was like stepping into the role of the frontman of Thin Lizzy and reveals the key to his success in the world of rock n roll.
A Side
You picked up your first guitar at the age of 13. Why was that? What prompted you to start playing?
You know, it was really simple. I was starting to get into music, you know, being at high school in first year and we snuck into Belfast. It was 1980. Stiff little fingers are playing the Ulster Hall in Belfast. Obviously, there was a lot of, uh, stuff going on at that time in Northern Ireland, but we snuck in, me and my friend, totally lied to our parents, and I went to see Stiff Little Fingers play at the Ulster Hall, and it changed my life.
How did you get drafted into New Model Army for their ’87 World Tour, and what was it like to play with them?
It was unbelievable. It was just one of those things. I was in a little punk band. I'd moved to Scotland this time, and we ended up getting picked up by New Model Army's management. They put us on a few shows at New Model Army. Justin Sullivan, New Model Army singer, knew I was a big fan. So after we finished our set, he came by and said, look, you know, I need extra guitar on a couple of songs. Would you like to jump up on stage with us and play on, you know, yadda yadda yadda. I was like, oh man, absolutely. Yeah. You know, so that progressed to five songs to, you know, by the end of the tour, there was seven, eight songs in the set. And then I went back home. I got a call about a week later saying we're going on a world tour. We need an extra guitar player. The gig is yours if you want it. And I was like, okay, you know, I'm at the airport. Tell me where I need to go.
What was the music scene like in 1980s when you formed the almighty and how did you guys get together?
Well, you know, I came back from New Model Army after about just almost a year and a half of that world tour and they went into the studio to record a new album. Um, and they wanted to keep me as a live member, but I had the idea for The Almighty and the whole ethos behind that already planned out in my mind. So I went back to Glasgow, got in touch with, um, you know, a couple of old school friends, Stump and Floyd, and we started rehearsing as The Almighty. At that time, you know, there was a lot of hard rock going on because Guns N Roses, The Cult, Zodiac Mind, Warp, and all those bands were putting out their first records. So, um, there was, there was a good buzz about hard rock and heavy metal at that point. So, it was a good scene and, uh, Glasgow, like anywhere else, there's lots of places to play back in.
Now of course you're currently relocating back to Northern Ireland from LA. How much have your Northern Irish roots played a part in your music and do you find that your music changes depending on your location?
People will say my accent does. I lived in Northern Ireland for so long, so when I'm back here, the Northern Irish brogue comes out. And as soon as I go to to Scotland to hook up with the almighty guys. I'm, you know, I'm back into the Scottish, but you know, but I am definitely, I think, a true Ulster Scott. I think that culturally where you're from has a significant part to play on who you are and what you are. And I think that's no different with me. I'm certainly aware of the great heritage of music to come out from Ireland and certainly the north of Ireland, you know, all the great bands, you know, um, Stiff Little Fingers, obviously I mentioned, The Undertones, and then, you know, the Irish bands like Thin Lizzy, Roy Gallagher, Horselips, that was all very much a part of my DNA growing up and listening to those acts. And then moving to Glasgow, again, you've got such a great scene over in Scotland, you know, with the likes of Nazareth and. and stuff like that, where we were starting, you know, although they're from Dunfermline, and I don't want to get in trouble for getting that wrong. So there was plenty to soak up and take in, and we did, we were like sponges, we were absorbing it all, but we were very conscious of trying to have an identity of our own as well.
You're about to launch a solo album, what can we expect?
Lots of guitars, lots of big choruses, and we've got some great special guests on there, um, you know, hopefully songs that you can sing along to and will resonate with you. Yeah, I'm excited.
Any new music with The Almighty?
No, we have been in the studio, uh, working on something. I can't say what it is yet, but it's about to be revealed very soon. It's pretty exciting. So, it's new music, but it's not new music as such. So there you go. It's very cryptic and not giving anything away. But I think people will dig it when they hear it.
So we get a sort of exclusive on the podcast?
There's something happening. Yeah, there's definitely something happening and all will be revealed as soon as.
Listen to the full B side and all episodes of The Leona Graham Podcast which are available to stream now free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.