Receiving a message that Pink Floyd is trying to get in touch with you would seem to be a rewind moment for sure.  Deciding to ignore that message, well, that's Snowy White.  He's a blues rocker by nature.  But he eventually followed up and learned that Pink Floyd, and later...parts of Floyd, wanted him for touring gigs that would last off and on for 30-plus years.  He also became a member of Thin Lizzy which culminated into two terrific rock albums.  Along Snowy White's rock-n-roll journey, he has also released 23 well-received albums of his own.  And I suppose you could put an asterisk beside another one.  Pink Floyd's "Animals."

Yeah, that's right.  Snowy laid down a beautifully awesome guitar solo for the original song..."Pigs On The Wing."  This was before the song was divided into the more recognizable two-part version, but not before it was released as one complete song on the early 8-tracks.  Both are outstanding.  But Snowy's guitar contribution to this song sounds almost like a long-lost friend.  Snowy White, who's celebrating his 75th birthday this month, will be the first one to say his accomplishments have been mostly a whole lot of luck.  Still, getting an invite to someone's house doesn't mean you'll be asked to stay for supper.  Luck or no luck, you best be bringing some skills and a bottle of wine when you get to the front door.  As for the luck of Snowy White, well, he'll be having a second glass of your very best.  Snowy White.  Go get you some.

Snowy White:  That's a long time ago. (laughs)  Well, I had a message saying that Pink Floyd's manager...Steve (O'Rourke) was trying to get in contact with me because they were looking for an additional guitar player to maybe go out on tour with them.  I was a blueser and didn't know anything about Pink Floyd, so I didn't ring.  Not right away.  I thought they may be sorta drug-crazed hippies. (laughs)  But a friend of mine encouraged me to give a ring anyway and just find out.  Steve said my name had been mentioned a few times, and would I like to come to the office and talk about it.  So I went into London and their manager said, 'The guys are actually recording in their studio around the corner.  Do you wanna come and meet them?'  And that was how it began.  I just fell into it, really.

Casey Chambers:  What were they working on when you went in?

Snowy White:  They were finishing the "Animals" album when I went into the studio.  The atmosphere was really not very nice because they had just accidentally erased one of Dave Gilmour's really good solos.  And it's always a bummer that.  Especially when it was a good one. (laughs)  So then Roger (Waters) said to Dave, 'Take Snowy into the office and tell him what the gig's about.'  Dave said, 'Well, you'll need to play a bit of rhythm and a bit of 12-string and maybe a bit of lead.  You know, a bit of harmony.  And a bit of bass.  You can play bass, can't you?  So do you want the gig?' (laughs)  I said, 'Oh, yeah, that sounds alright.  But you know, maybe we should have a jam so you can hear me play.'  And Dave said, 'You wouldn't be here if you couldn't play, would you?' (laughs)  And that was it.  When we went back into the control room, Roger said, 'Well, while you're here, you might as well play something.'  And then they put up this track called "Pigs On The Wing," and asked if I'd do a solo in the middle.  Dave said, 'Yeah, use any of those guitars.'  So I picked up a white Strat and got plugged in.  Fiddled about and went through it twice and I got lucky and did something really quite nice.

Casey Chambers:  I recently heard the guitar solo you played on "Pigs On The Wing" and it's a beautiful fit.  And it was originally released as one song on the early versions of "Animals"...but only on the 8-tracks.  It was exciting to hear your solo on a song I thought I already knew.  Both versions are fantastic.

Snowy White:  Thank you.  Roger eventually decided to split "Pigs On The Wing" up into two parts the way you hear it now.  One part at the beginning of "Animals" and one at the end.  So there was no longer a need for the solo anymore.  But as you said, the song "Pigs On The Wing" did get released as one song on the 8-tracks (UK and US) that went out.  I later added the complete track to my compilation called "Goldtop." (1995)  I phoned Dave to ask if I could use "Pigs On The Wing" because Pink Floyd...they've never allowed just one track to be used anywhere really.  Dave said, 'Yeah, you can use it if you like, and if Roger agrees.'  I called Roger and he said, 'If you can find the tape, you can put your guitar back in for your compilation album.'  So I went into the studio, found the tape, put my guitar back in, and added Rick's (Wright) organ as well.  I did a little mix of it really for my compilation   So along with the original Pink Floyd "Animals" 8-track...the complete song is also on my "Goldtop" album.  It's a good little mix of stuff.

Casey Chambers:  So Pink Floyd added your skills for their "Animals" tour.  No small potatoes.  What was that like?

Snowy White:  It was cold. (laughs)  I've got a photo of me playing bass with gloves on while we were in London.  I mean it was really cold.  But yeah, it was okay.  I mean, I didn't know anything about Pink Floyd really.  I think I was probably the only person in England who hadn't knowingly heard any of "Dark Side of the Moon."  As I said, I was a sort of blueser and fairly limited in what I could do and fairly limited in what I wanted to do.  But rehearsals were fairly easy enough.  They'd sent me a few albums beforehand and I think I first listened to "Wish You Were Here" and thought, 'Yeah, this isn't bad at all.  There's some bluesy stuff on here. I think I can sit in quite well.'  So yeah.  It was good.

Roger wanted me to play bass on the ones where he wanted to concentrate on singing or playing the acoustic.  Doing what he does.  So, it was suggested that I play bass on "Sheep."  And I think I played bass on, "Welcome To The Machine."  And a couple of others things.  Maybe, "Dogs."  I actually phoned up my mate Jim Cregan and said, 'Can I borrow your bass 'cause I've got to learn how to play it...and I've got three weeks.' (laughs)  I hadn't really played bass very much, but I learned those particular tracks.  And it's funny because...being a bass player...I was hoping to get sort of funky, ya know? (laughs)  I was using my fingers to play it and I got blisters all over them.  I thought, 'I must get this. It's gonna be painful for a little while, but I must get this together.'  And I did.  But I had all these blisters. (laughs)  When we finally started rehearsing together,  we started with "Sheep."  After the song, Roger said, 'Yeah, that's good, Snow, but can you play with the plexor like I do?' (laughs)  Anyway, yeah, it was alright.

Casey Chambers:   It gives a new meaning to comfortably numb. (laughs)  So you did Pink Floyd's "Animals" Tour...and later "The Wall" Tour.  Pretty heady stuff.  And then shortly after, you were invited to become a member of Thin Lizzy.  Another great rock band.  So how did that happen?

Snowy White:  Well, I got a call saying, 'Cliff Richard is stuck for a guitar player. His guitar player is ill, and he's got this gig next week. It's called the Greenbelt Festival. It's an open-air festival and would you play guitar?'  And I'm no good at that sort of thing really.  I'm not a session guy.  I'm not a quick learner.  I don't read music.  But for some reason, I said yes. (laughs)  So I was rehearsing with Cliff and in the next room, Thin Lizzy was trying out guitar players. I didn't know anything about that, you know, but as I opened the door, Scott Gorham, their other guitar player was coming through the other way.  We literally bumped into each other and he said, 'Oh man, I saw you at Madison Square Garden playing with Pink Floyd.  That was a hell of a concert.'  

And then Scott said, 'Hey, we're trying out guitar players next door.  We're looking for somebody.  Do you wanna come and have a go?'  And I told him I couldn't because I was rehearsing with Cliff.  Anyway, I got a message a few days later that said they hadn't found anybody yet and did I want to come along and have a play.  So I went and we all played a bit and Phil (Lynott) said to the guys, 'Well, shall we get Snowy in the band, then?'  And they said, 'Yeah, yeah, that's great.  You wanna join the band, Snowy?'  (laughs)  It was sort of loose.  It's funny how these things happen, but they're pretty loose most of the time when they do.  People think it's a big thing and there are all sorts of procedures.  But luck's involved and things just fall into place sometimes.

Casey Chambers:  And you recorded both the "Chinatown" (1980) and "Renegade" (1981) albums with them.  You stepped in and made some good music.  Good stuff.

Snowy White:  Oh, thank you.  Yeah, I thought I might not be the right guy for that gig 'cause I'm not a rocker that jumps about on stage really.  That aspect of things I wasn't very good at.  But I think I managed to add something musically to one or two things.  So yeah, it was mostly an enjoyable time.  While I was rehearsing for "The Wall" shows in Los Angeles with Floyd, they gave me an apartment just off Sunset Strip.  And in the afternoons before I went to rehearsals, I was listening to Thin Lizzy stuff and learning.  Two days after the shows, I went straight into the studio with Lizzy.  I sort of knew quite a lot about what things they liked by then and I said, 'I've got a couple of ideas.'  And I came up with the riff on "Chinatown," for instance,

Casey Chambers:  Great riff.

Snowy White:  Yeah, it was nice.  And then everybody jumped in and did their thing.  Phil wrote some words and it sort of came together.  There was no talk about who was writing what.  I just said, 'I've got a couple of ideas.  Oh yeah, that's great. Let's try...let's do this.'  So it was all fairly loose.  I sort of added things like that really.

Casey Chambers:  You also wrote the title track for..."Renegade."  Epic.  Just an epic piece.  And features some of your best work while with Thin Lizzy.  

Snowy White:  Yeah, well I basically came up with the guitar idea.  All the guitar bits.  And Phil put some words to it and we kicked it around.  I think I ended up playing all the guitars on it apart from some rhythm that Scott did in the middle section.  But I did all the harmonies 'cause it was quicker and I knew what to play.  We ended up doing that quite a lot, I think, in the end.  Scott would do the harmony on his bits because it was just easier in the studio.  So yeah, I think I did most of the stuff on "Renegade."  I quite like that song actually.  It was not bad at all.

Casey Chambers:  Good stuff.  And then after you left Thin Lizzy in '82, you scored your most successful solo song with the top-ten hit, "Bird Of Paradise." (1983)  

Snowy White:  My only successful solo song.  You're talking to a genuine one-hit wonder here, Casey. (laughs)  

Casey Chambers:  Well, your fans certainly don't think of you that way, Snowy.  

Snowy White:  No, nor do I really.

Casey Chambers:  But, "Bird Of Paradise" nonetheless was a huge song.  You recorded it on your first solo album, "White Flames," right?  

Snowy White:  Yeah, yeah.  It was a bit strange really because, on the first album I did, I wasn't planning to sing on it at all.  So all the stuff I put down, I was waiting to find somebody to sing it.  And I ended up not finding anybody that worked.  In the end, the producer Tom (Newman) said, 'Look, why don't you just try some vocals?  You've been doing rough vocals, let's put them together.'  So we did.  And the record company said, 'Let's put this out as a single.'  I said, 'Well, I want somebody else to sing on it 'cause I'm not very good at singing that sort of song.'  And they said, 'No, it's great like it is.'  So we remixed it and actually speeded it up a little bit.  And I cut out one of the long guitar solos in the middle to make it into a single type of thing.  And I was thinking, 'Well, it doesn't matter...'cause it will sink without a trace anyway.'  But then it started to get airplay.  And I found myself having to sing it. (laughs)  I fell into that one as well, Casey. (laughs)  You know, my life has been falling into things without really doing much about it.  I wrote "Bird Of Paradise" originally because I wanted to do a guitar solo over those nice chords.  And then I thought I'd put some verses in and it just came.

Casey Chambers:  It must have knocked you out when you started hearing the song on the radio.

Snowy White:  Well, it was weird.  I know where I was 'cause my management told me that the DJ Steve Wright was going to play it in the afternoon.  He had a big afternoon show on Radio 1.  A big show.  Massive.  So I was actually driving over Putney Bridge in London when it came on the radio.  I put it on because I wanted to know what it sounded like on the radio.  And it wasn't because I thought it was anything special.  But he played it and then played the end again.  The end solo.  He was really eulogizing about it.  And when I got to the management office, they were sort of jumping up and down.  'Did you hear that?  Did you?' And I said, 'Well, yeah, yeah, it's nice and good.'  They were all like, 'No, but it's the biggest show and it's this and that.' (laughs)  And it sort of took off from there, really.  But it's not my area, that sort of thing.  I didn't feel very comfortable doing all that sort of pop singer stuff.

Casey Chambers:  It's a beautiful song.  Very atmospheric and timeless.  It's aged very well.

Snowy White:  Well, you know what I realized?  I was watching a TV program about the music of the '80s a while ago.  Sort of by accident really.  And I suddenly realized that "Bird Of Paradise" was completely different from everything else that was around at that time.  Sound-wise and style-wise.  And I think that's one of the reasons people picked up on it.  Just 'cause it was completely different.  And yeah, I still hear it sometimes on the radio.  Occasionally when I'm driving and I've got the radio on.  And Steve Wright, the DJ who played it originally, he still plays it sometimes.  He made it a hit actually...because then everybody else picked up on it.  You need that little stroke of luck.  

Casey Chambers:  I had the opportunity to listen to your latest album..."Driving On The 44" and once again, the title track does not disappoint.  And it's all groovy atmospheric blues rock.  "Was a cool thing..."  A nice album to spin.

Snowy White:  Yeah, thank you.  I've been putting solo albums out for the last 25 or 30 years, actually.  It's what I do, I guess.  And they've all been reasonably well received.  Then, of course, we had the lockdown situation.  But I was happy to work on this album at home in my little studio doing all the overdubs and bits and pieces.  And I got my son Thomas on drums to do a lot of the tracks.  So it was a home-based album, the last one, which is called "Driving On the 44." (2022)  You're in Wichita, yeah?  I mentioned your town Wichita in the title track.  Working from home is quite good in a way because there's no time limit.  If I feel like putting something down, I just go into the studio and have a go.  It was a very relaxed way of doing things for me.  So yeah, that's the latest album.  

Casey Chambers:  It's good stuff.  Loved it.  And hearing Wichita dropped into a song is just bonus.  Before I let you go, I'd like to ask you to recommend an album or two from another artist you really like.  

Snowy White:  From another artist?  Yeah, there's one called "The End of the Game" by Peter Green.  It's totally, totally off the wall and uncommercial and you probably won't like any of it, but I think it's fantastic.  Just a lot of jamming instrumentals, but Peter was taking his guitar into a completely different area.  Completely original.  And then he sort of stopped playing after that mostly, but that's a great album.  And there are many albums, but there are some tracks on albums that really affected me a lot when I was younger.  One album was "Blues Is King" by B.B. King.  There's a track on there called "Night Life" and it just blew me away.  Great album.  Funny enough, I've still got all my vinyl and the record player arrived yesterday.  I'm just setting it up. (laughs)  I'm gonna go through all my old stuff.

Casey Chambers:  That's gonna be some time well-spent. (laughs)  I'm gonna do the same thing later myself.

Snowy White:  Yeah, absolutely.  If it's playable.  We'll keep our fingers crossed. (laughs).  

Casey Chambers:  Snowy, thank you so much for speaking with me today.  And thank you for all the good music you've given us.  It's been a real pleasure.

Snowy White:  Yeah, it's been a pleasure for me too, Casey.  Appreciate the interest.  Thanks very much.