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Thin Lizzy



 
 
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 band who formed in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 in 1969. The band were led throughout their recording career by bassist
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
, songwriter and singer Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott

Philip Parris Lynott was an Irish singer, bassist, instrumentalist, and songwriter, who first came to prominence as the frontman of Thin Lizzy....
, and are best known for their songs "Whiskey in the Jar
Whiskey in the Jar

"Whiskey in the Jar" is a famous Ireland folk music about a highwayman , who is betrayed by his wife or lover. One of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs, it has been recorded by professional artists since the 1950s, but was first given wide exposure by the Irish folk band The Dubliners who performed it internationally as a sign...
", "Jailbreak
Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy song)

"Jailbreak" is a song by Thin Lizzy that originally appeared as the title track on their 1976 album Jailbreak . Along with "The Boys Are Back in Town", it is one of their most popular songs, and is a classic rock radio staple, receiving steady airplay....
" and "The Boys Are Back in Town
The Boys Are Back in Town

"The Boys Are Back in Town" is a single from Ireland hard rock/Heavy_metal_music#Origins:_late_1960s_and_early_1970s band Thin Lizzy. The song came out in 1976 on their album Jailbreak ....
", all major international hits still played regularly on hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 and classic rock
Classic rock

Classic rock was originally conceived as a radio station radio format which evolved from the album oriented rock format in the early-1980s. In the United States, this rock music format now features a large playlist of songs ranging from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, with some stations including a limited number of current releases....
 radio station
Radio station

This article is about radio broadcasting, for other uses see Radio .Radio broadcasting is an audio broadcasting service, traditionally broadcast through the air as radio waves from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device....
s.

Consistent with being Thin Lizzy's leader, Lynott was composer or co-composer of almost all their songs. He was also one of the few black men to achieve significant success in hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
.






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Encyclopedia


Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 band who formed in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 in 1969. The band were led throughout their recording career by bassist
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
, songwriter and singer Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott

Philip Parris Lynott was an Irish singer, bassist, instrumentalist, and songwriter, who first came to prominence as the frontman of Thin Lizzy....
, and are best known for their songs "Whiskey in the Jar
Whiskey in the Jar

"Whiskey in the Jar" is a famous Ireland folk music about a highwayman , who is betrayed by his wife or lover. One of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs, it has been recorded by professional artists since the 1950s, but was first given wide exposure by the Irish folk band The Dubliners who performed it internationally as a sign...
", "Jailbreak
Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy song)

"Jailbreak" is a song by Thin Lizzy that originally appeared as the title track on their 1976 album Jailbreak . Along with "The Boys Are Back in Town", it is one of their most popular songs, and is a classic rock radio staple, receiving steady airplay....
" and "The Boys Are Back in Town
The Boys Are Back in Town

"The Boys Are Back in Town" is a single from Ireland hard rock/Heavy_metal_music#Origins:_late_1960s_and_early_1970s band Thin Lizzy. The song came out in 1976 on their album Jailbreak ....
", all major international hits still played regularly on hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 and classic rock
Classic rock

Classic rock was originally conceived as a radio station radio format which evolved from the album oriented rock format in the early-1980s. In the United States, this rock music format now features a large playlist of songs ranging from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, with some stations including a limited number of current releases....
 radio station
Radio station

This article is about radio broadcasting, for other uses see Radio .Radio broadcasting is an audio broadcasting service, traditionally broadcast through the air as radio waves from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device....
s.

Consistent with being Thin Lizzy's leader, Lynott was composer or co-composer of almost all their songs. He was also one of the few black men to achieve significant success in hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
. As well as being multiracial, the band drew its members not only from both sides of the Irish border but also from both the Catholic
Catholic

Catholic is an adjective derived from the Greek language adjective , meaning "whole" or "complete". In the context of Christianity ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages....
 and Protestant communities. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including country
Country music

Country music is a blend of popular American music forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in Traditional music, Celtic music, gospel music, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s....
 and traditional Irish folk music
Folk music

Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including:* Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous with the term "Traditional music", also often including World Music and Roots music; the term "Traditional music" was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the other definition...
, and psychedelic
Psychedelic

The word 'psychedelic' is an English term coined from the Greek language words for "soul," ???? , and "manifest," d???? . A psychedelic experience is characterized by the perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly ordinary fetters....
 rock but is generally classified as hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 or heavy metal
Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified Distortion , extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall...
.

Critic for allmusic John Dougan has written that "As the band's creative force, Lynott was a more insightful and intelligent writer than many of his ilk, preferring slice-of-life working-class dramas of love and hate influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison
Van Morrison

George Ivan Morrison Order of the British Empire is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, author, poet and multi-instrumentalist, who has been a professional musician since the late 1950s....
, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss", is an American songwriter, singer and musician. He has recorded and toured with the E Street Band....
, and virtually all of the Irish literary tradition
Irish literature

For a comparatively small island, Ireland has made a disproportionate contribution to world literature in all its branches. Irish Literature encompasses the Irish Language and English Language languages....
." Van Morrison, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck

Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an England rock music guitarist. He was one of the three noted guitarists — the others being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page — to have played with The Yardbirds....
 and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix

James Marshall Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter whose guitar playing continues to be a considerable influence on rock music....
 were major influences during the early days of the band, and later influences included American artists Little Feat
Little Feat

Little Feat is an United States Rock music formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboard player Bill Payne in 1969 in music in Los Angeles, California....
 and Bob Seger
Bob Seger

Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock musician and singer-songwriter.After years of local Detroit-area success, recording and performing in the mid-1960s, Seger achieved superstar status by the mid-1970s and continuing through the 1980s with the Silver Bullet Band....
.

Thin Lizzy were ranked #51 on VH1
VH1

VH1 is an United States cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in television, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slighter older demographic than its sister channel, focusing on the lighter, softer side of popular music....
's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

History


Early years (1969-1974)

Thin Lizzy were founded one night in December 1969 in Dublin
Dublin

Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Republic of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region....
, Ireland, when Belfast
Belfast

Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of Devolution#United Kingdom Northern Ireland Executive and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland....
 guitarist Eric Bell
Eric Bell

Eric Bell is a rock music musician and guitarist.He was the lead guitarist for Thin Lizzy, and played on the band 's first three albums Thin Lizzy , Shades of a Blue Orphanage and Vagabonds of the Western World....
 met up with organist Eric Wrixon
Eric Wrixon

Eric Wrixon is a musician from Northern Ireland. He was a founder member of both Them and Thin Lizzy.In 1996 Them started a new tour in Europe....
 in a pub and found that they shared an ambition to form a group. Both musicians had previously played with Them
Them (band)

Them was a Northern Ireland group formed in Belfast in April 1964 in music, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria " and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career....
, fronted by Van Morrison
Van Morrison

George Ivan Morrison Order of the British Empire is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, author, poet and multi-instrumentalist, who has been a professional musician since the late 1950s....
. The same night, they went to see the band Orphanage, which featured vocalist Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott

Philip Parris Lynott was an Irish singer, bassist, instrumentalist, and songwriter, who first came to prominence as the frontman of Thin Lizzy....
 and drummer Brian Downey
Brian Downey (drummer)

Brian Michael Downey is a drummer. He was born in Dublin, Ireland.He is best known for co-founding the Rock music Musical ensemble Thin Lizzy; along with bassist-singer Phil Lynott, he was the only constant member of the pioneering hard rock group....
. Bell and Wrixon introduced themselves after the gig and suggested the four of them form a band together. Lynott and Downey were aware of Bell's good musical reputation, and agreed with the condition that Lynott play bass guitar
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
 as well as sing, and that they perform some of his own compositions.

In the summer of 1970, Thin Lizzy released a single, "The Farmer" / "I Need You", on EMI
EMI

The EMI Group is a United Kingdom music company comprising the major record label EMI Music ? which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in London, England, United Kingdom ? and EMI Music Publishing, based in New York City....
 with the B-side written by John D'ardis, who owned Trend Studios where the single was recorded. The single only sold 283 copies and is now a collectors' item. Wrixon left the band before the single's release, meaning there was a greater share of income for the three remaining members. He moved to Europe before returning to Belfast, rejoining his old band, Them.

By the end of 1970, Thin Lizzy were signed to Decca Records
Decca Records

Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 in music by Edward Lewis . Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; later the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, and they travelled to London in January 1971 to record their debut album, Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy (album)

Thin Lizzy is the first studio album by Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1971. ....
. The album sold moderately well but did not chart in the UK despite airplay and support from influential DJs John Peel
John Peel

John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, Order of the British Empire , known professionally as John Peel, was an England disc jockey, radio presenter and journalist....
 and Kid Jensen.

Around March 1971, the band permanently relocated to London, before the release of the unsuccessful "New Day" EP in August. Despite poor sales, Decca agreed to finance the band's second album Shades of a Blue Orphanage
Shades of a Blue Orphanage

Shades of a Blue Orphanage is the second studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1972. .The title is a combination of the members' previous bands: Shades of Blue and Orphanage....
, released in March 1972. Like the previous LP, the songs were filled with Lynott's personal anecdotes and references to his life in Dublin and the people he knew there. Musically the style was Celtic
Celtic music

Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic peoples of Western Europe....
, with little warning of the hard rock direction that the band were to take in the future. Again, the album did not chart in the UK.

In mid-1972, Thin Lizzy were asked to record an album of Deep Purple
Deep Purple

Deep Purple are an English Rock music band formed in Hertford, Hertfordshire in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of Heavy metal music and modern hard rock, although some band members have tried not to categorize themselves as any one genre....
 covers, which was released under the title Funky Junction
Funky Junction

Funky Junction were an Ireland rock music band formed in 1972 specifically to record a single album of songs made famous by United Kingdom band Deep Purple, which was released as Funky Junction Play a Tribute to Deep Purple in January 1973....
 Play a Tribute to Deep Purple
. No mention was made of Thin Lizzy on the record. Vocals and keyboards were handled by members of another band, Elmer Fudd, and a few instrumental tracks composed by the band were also included on the album. The album was released in January 1973.

"Whiskey in the Jar"
In late 1972, the band embarked upon a high-profile tour of the UK with Slade
Slade

Slade are an England glam rock band. Slade were one of the most recognizable acts of the glam rock movement and were, at their peak, the most commercially popular band in the UK....
, who were enjoying a string of hit singles at the time, and Suzi Quatro
Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro is an United States singer-songwriter, musician, radio personality and actress....
. Around the same time, Decca decided to release Thin Lizzy's version of a traditional Irish ballad, "Whiskey in the Jar
Whiskey in the Jar

"Whiskey in the Jar" is a famous Ireland folk music about a highwayman , who is betrayed by his wife or lover. One of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs, it has been recorded by professional artists since the 1950s, but was first given wide exposure by the Irish folk band The Dubliners who performed it internationally as a sign...
" as a single. The band was angry at the release, feeling that the song did not represent their sound or their image, but the single topped the Irish chart, and reached No.6 in the UK in February 1973, resulting in an appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops

Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a long-running United Kingdom UK Singles Chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006....
. It also charted in many countries across Europe. However, the follow-up single, "Randolph's Tango", was a return to Lynott's more obscure work, and it only charted in Ireland.

The band's next album, Vagabonds of the Western World
Vagabonds of the Western World

Vagabonds of the Western World is the third studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1973 . It was also their last album with original guitarist Eric Bell....
 was released in September 1973 to positive reviews, but again failed to chart. The accompanying single "The Rocker
The Rocker

"The Rocker" is a song by Ireland rock group Thin Lizzy, included on their 1973 album Vagabonds of the Western World. It was also released as a single in an edited format, the original album track stretching to 5:17, most of the extra length being taken up by an extended guitar solo by Eric Bell....
" again only charted in Ireland, and the momentum gained from their hit single was lost.

Eric Bell suddenly left the band on New Year's Eve 1973 after a gig at Queen's University Belfast, due to increasing ill-health and disillusionment with the music industry, and young ex-Skid Row guitarist Gary Moore
Gary Moore

Gary Moore is a Northern Irish guitarist. In a career dating back to the 1960s, he has played with artists including Thin Lizzy, Colosseum II, Greg Lake and the Blues-rock band Skid Row , as well as having a successful solo career....
 was recruited to help finish the tour. Moore only lasted until April 1974, but the band recorded three songs with him, including the version of "Still in Love With You" that was included on the fourth album Nightlife
Nightlife (Thin Lizzy album)

Nightlife is the fourth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1974 , and produced by Ron Nevison and Philip Lynott. The album cover contains a panther-like creature in a city scene, and the panther was intended to represent Lynott....
.

With the departure of Moore, Thin Lizzy had to recruit two temporary guitarists to complete a tour of Germany, Andy Gee and ex-Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster

Atomic Rooster were an England progressive rock band , formed by ex-Arthur Brown members, Vincent Crane and Carl Palmer in late 1969. Their only chart-topper single came in 1971 with "Tomorrow Night" , and "The Devil's Answer" ....
 guitarist John Cann
John Du Cann

John Du Cann is a guitarist primarily known through his work in the 1970s musical ensemble, Atomic Rooster. His first band's included the Wiltshire based The Sonics and London based The Attack , which released "Hi Ho Silver Lining" a few days prior to Jeff Beck....
. Neither were considered as permanent members, and Lynott and Cann did not get on well personally. After the tour, and with the contract with Decca coming to an end, a disillusioned Downey quit the band and had to be begged to return.

Auditions were held for new members, and Lynott and Downey eventually settled on the 17 year old Scottish guitarist Brian Robertson
Brian Robertson

Brian "Robbo" Robertson is a Scottish guitarist....
, and Californian Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham

Scott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known as a member of Thin Lizzy. Though not a founding member of that group, Gorham played with Thin Lizzy for most of its existence , and is generally regarded as a key part of the group's sound....
. The new line-up gelled quickly, dropped most of the old songs when they played live, and secured a new record deal with Phonogram
Phonogram Records

Phonogram Records was started in 1962 in music as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972 in music, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
, but the resulting album Nightlife was a disappointment for the band due to its soft production and underdeveloped style. Robertson described Ron Nevison
Ron Nevison

Ron Nevison is an United States record producer and engineer. He has worked extensively with many prominent artists. He worked on Quadrophenia by The Who and It's Only Rock 'n' Roll by The Rolling Stones....
's production as "pretty naff" and Gorham said the record was "ridiculously tame". Like the previous three albums, it failed to chart.

"The Boys Are Back in Town" (1975-1977)

In early 1975, Thin Lizzy toured the USA for the first time, in support of Bob Seger and Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Bachman-Turner Overdrive is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that enjoyed a string of hit albums and singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums just in that decade....
. When BTO toured Europe later in the year to support their hit single "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" is a rock music written by Randy Bachman and performed by Bachman-Turner Overdrive on the album Not Fragile. It was released as a single in 1974 in music with an instrumental track "Free Wheelin'" as the B-side....
", Thin Lizzy again accompanied them on what was a very high-profile tour. They then recorded the Fighting
Fighting (album)

Fighting is the fifth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1975 . After spending four albums trying to find their niche, Thin Lizzy finally forged an identifiable sound featuring the twin guitars of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson....
 album, which became the first Thin Lizzy album to chart in the UK, reaching No.60, although the singles still did not chart. It showed the first real evidence of the twin guitar sound that would lead the band towards their greatest successes, particularly with the dual harmonies of "Wild One" and both guitarists' soloing on "Suicide".

After a successful multi-band tour in support of Status Quo
Status Quo

Status Quo, also known as The Quo or just Quo, are an England rock music band whose music is characterized by the twelve-bar blues....
, the band recorded the album Jailbreak
Jailbreak (album)

Jailbreak is the sixth studio album by Irish people hard rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976 in music. This album proved to be Thin Lizzy's commercial breakthrough in the United States The singles include "Jailbreak " and "The Boys Are Back in Town", the latter being Thin Lizzy's biggest hit....
, which proved to be their breakthrough record. Released in March 1976, it featured the worldwide hit "The Boys Are Back in Town
The Boys Are Back in Town

"The Boys Are Back in Town" is a single from Ireland hard rock/Heavy_metal_music#Origins:_late_1960s_and_early_1970s band Thin Lizzy. The song came out in 1976 on their album Jailbreak ....
" which reached No.8 in the UK, and No.12 in the US, their first charting record in that country. The twin guitar sound had been fully developed by this time and was in evidence throughout the album, particularly on the hit single, and other tracks such as "Emerald" and "Warriors". The album also charted well on both sides of the Atlantic, and the follow up single, "Jailbreak
Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy song)

"Jailbreak" is a song by Thin Lizzy that originally appeared as the title track on their 1976 album Jailbreak . Along with "The Boys Are Back in Town", it is one of their most popular songs, and is a classic rock radio staple, receiving steady airplay....
", also performed well. Thin Lizzy toured the US in support of various bands such as Aerosmith
Aerosmith

Aerosmith is an United States hard rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston, Massachusetts" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band"....
, Rush
Rush (band)

Rush is a Canadian Rock music band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale, Toronto neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, currently composed of bass guitar, keyboard instrument, and singer Geddy Lee; electric guitar Alex Lifeson; and drum kit and lyricist Neil Peart....
 and REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon

REO Speedwagon is an United States Rock music band that grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s....
, and they planned to tour there again in June 1976, this time with Rainbow
Rainbow (band)

Rainbow were a hard rock and Heavy metal music band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975 in music. In addition to Blackmore, the band originally consisted of former Elf members; lead singer Ronnie James Dio , keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule, bassist Craig Gruber, and drummer Gary Driscoll....
. However, Lynott fell ill with hepatitis
Hepatitis

Hepatitis implies injury to the liver characterized by the presence of inflammatory cell s in the Tissue of the organ. The name is from ancient Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation" ....
 and the tour was cancelled, which set them back a few months.

While Lynott was ill, he wrote most of the following album, Johnny the Fox
Johnny the Fox

Johnny the Fox is the seventh studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976 . This album was written and recorded while bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott was recovering from a bout of hepatitis that put him off the road halfway through the Jailbreak tour....
. The album was recorded in August 1976 and the sessions began to reveal tensions between Lynott and Robertson; for example, there was disagreement over the composition credits of the hit single "Don't Believe a Word". Lynott was still drawing on Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology

Celts mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure....
 and his own personal experiences for lyric ideas, which dominated Johnny the Fox and the other albums of Thin Lizzy's successful mid-1970s period. The tour to support the album was very successful and there were further high-profile TV appearances, such as the Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart

Roderick David "Rod" Stewart Order of the British Empire is a British singer and songwriter born and raised in London, England and currently residing in Epping....
 BBC TV Special
.

A further tour of the USA was planned for December 1976, but it had to be cancelled when, on 26 November, Brian Robertson suffered a hand injury when trying to protect Scottish singer and friend Frankie Miller
Frankie Miller

Frankie Miller is a Scottish people rock music singer-songwriter and Singer who had success in the 1970s. Miller was raised at Colvend Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Glasgow with his parents, Kathy and Frank, and elder sisters Letty and Anne....
 in a fracas at the Speakeasy Club
Speakeasy Club

The Speakeasy Club, 48 Margaret Street London W postcode area, was a late-night haunt for the music industry from 1966 to the late 1970s. The club was managed by Laurie O'Leary from 1968 to 1977....
 in London. Robertson maintains that, contrary to reports at the time, he was not drunk and had only gone to the venue for a meal. Lynott was angry and replaced Robertson with Gary Moore for another tour of the States, this time supporting Queen
Queen (band)

Queen were an England rock music band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Meddows-Taylor, with bassist John Deacon completing the lineup the following year....
. The tour was a success and Lynott asked Moore to stay on, but he returned to his previous band, Colosseum II
Colosseum II

Colosseum II are a United Kingdom band who rose from the ashes of the original Colosseum . Formed by the drummer of Colosseum Jon Hiseman in 1975, the new line-up featured Don Airey, Gary Moore, Neil Murray and Mike Starrs....
. Robertson had not been sacked but was unsure of his position and made plans to start another band with Jimmy Bain
Jimmy Bain

Jimmy Bain is a Scotland bassist most famous for playing in the bands Rainbow and Dio with Ronnie James Dio. He has worked with Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, co-writing on his solo albums....
 of Rainbow.

Thin Lizzy flew to Canada in May 1977 as a three-piece to record Bad Reputation
Bad Reputation

Bad Reputation is the eighth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1977 . As the front cover suggests, most of the tracks feature only three-quarters of the band, with guitarist Brian Robertson only playing on tracks 3 and 6 ....
, with Gorham handling all the guitar parts. A month into the sessions Robertson joined them, in his own words, "as a session player" and in Lynott's words, "as a guest". Robertson added guitar tracks to two songs, and was officially reinstated later in the year. The album was released in September and sold well, reaching No.4 in the UK, after a successful single, "Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)".

The return of Gary Moore (1978-1979)

In 1978, Lizzy released their first live album Live and Dangerous
Live and Dangerous

Live and Dangerous is a live double LP by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1978 in music. It was recorded in London and Toronto in 1977, during the tours accompanying the albums Johnny the Fox and Bad Reputation....
. There is some disagreement over just how much of the album is actually recorded live - producer Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti

Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of notable performers, including the Moody Blues, as well as T....
 claimed that the only parts that weren't overdubbed were the drums and the audience, although Brian Robertson refutes this. The album was a huge success, reaching No.2 in the UK, and was ranked as the best live album of all time by Classic Rock Magazine
Classic Rock (magazine)

Classic Rock is a magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer....
 in 2004. But this success was overshadowed by the permanent departure of Robertson some time after a gig in Ibiza
Ibiza

Ibiza is an island and town located in the Mediterranean Sea about 80 km off the coast of Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands autonomous community ....
 on 6 July 1978, the disagreements with Lynott having developed to an impossible level. Robertson soon teamed up with Jimmy Bain to front their new band, Wild Horses
Wild Horses (British band)

Wild Horses were a United Kingdom musical ensemble, who at an early stage featured former Wings guitarist, Jimmy McCullochWild Horses was formed by Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson, and former Rainbow bassist, Jimmy Bain....
.

Lynott replaced Robertson with Gary Moore again, and around this time the band loosely joined forces with Steve Jones
Steve Jones (musician)

Stephen Phillip Jones is an England rock music guitarist and singer, best known for his highly influential work as guitarist and founding member of punk band the Sex Pistols....
 and Paul Cook
Paul Cook

Paul Cook, born on 20 July 1956, is an England drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols....
 of the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. The band are widely credited with initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and creating the first generation gap within rock and roll....
, and also Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding

Chris Spedding is an England rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session musician work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the United Kingdom's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as sporadically attempting a solo c...
 and Jimmy Bain, to form The Greedy Bastards, who played a small number of gigs playing a varied selection of songs. In this way Lynott was able to align his band with the punk
Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock....
 movement and avoid being tagged as a 'dinosaur' as many other 1970s rock bands had been.

In August the band began another tour of the USA, followed by a trip to Australia and New Zealand. Brian Downey did not accompany them, citing exhaustion and preferring to spend some time in Ireland with his sick son. He was replaced for the tour by American drummer Mark Nauseef
Mark Nauseef

Mark Nauseef , is a drummer and percussion instrument who has enjoyed a varied career, ranging from rock music during the 1970s with his time as a member of the Ian Gillan Band and, temporarily, Thin Lizzy, to a wide range of musical styles in more recent times, playing with many notable musicians from all over the world....
. On their return, Downey rejoined the band and at the beginning of 1979 they recorded Black Rose: A Rock Legend
Black Rose: A Rock Legend

Black Rose: A Rock Legend is the ninth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1979 in music.The album debuted at its #2 peak in the UK album charts and is the band's most successful studio album to date....
 in Paris. The sessions were marked by the increasing drug
Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function....
 habits of Lynott and Gorham, and the general presence of drugs around the band. This also showed in the subject matter on the album, in songs such as "Got to Give It Up". Celtic influences remained, however, particularly in the album closer "Róisín Dubh", a seven-minute medley of traditional Irish songs given a twin guitar rock veneer. Two singles, "Waiting for an Alibi
Waiting for an Alibi

"Waiting for an Alibi" is a rock song included on Thin Lizzy's album, Black Rose: A Rock Legend. Black Rose was recorded while Gary Moore was once again a member of the band, although he left soon after....
" and "Do Anything You Want To", were successful, and the album reached No.2 in the UK. A third, moderately successful single, "Sarah
Sarah (Thin Lizzy song)

Sarah is a pop song released in 1979 by Ireland rock group Thin Lizzy, included on their album, Black Rose: A Rock Legend. The song was written by the band's frontman Phil Lynott and guitarist Gary Moore about Lynott's newborn daughter....
" was Lynott's ode to his new-born daughter.

However, in July 1979, Gary Moore abruptly left Thin Lizzy in the middle of another tour of the USA. Years later, Moore said he had no regrets about walking out, "but maybe it was wrong the way I did it. I could've done it differently, I suppose. But I just had to leave." After continuing the tour for a few nights as a three-piece, Lynott brought in Midge Ure
Midge Ure

Midge Ure Order of the British Empire is a guitarist, singer, Keyboard instrument, and songwriter. He had particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in a number of bands, including Slik, Thin Lizzy, The Rich Kids, Visage and most notably as frontman of the band Ultravox....
 to replace Moore on a temporary basis. Ure had prior plans to join Ultravox
Ultravox

Ultravox are a British New Wave music band that rose to prominence in the late 1970s/early 1980s. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the early 1980s....
, but had co-written a song, "Get Out of Here", with Lynott on Black Rose: A Rock Legend, and agreed to help Thin Lizzy complete their touring commitments.

Before a tour of Japan beginning in September, Lynott decided to bring in another guitarist, Dave Flett
Dave Flett

David "Dave" Flett is a Great Britain rock music guitarist born in Aberdeen, Scotland, chiefly known for his time with Manfred Mann's Earth Band between 1975 and 1978....
, who had played with Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a jazz/rock group formed by Manfred Mann , in 1971 in music....
, to enable Ure to switch to playing keyboards where necessary. The tour was completed successfully, but the line-up now contained two temporary members, and Lynott was spending a lot of time on projects outside Thin Lizzy, including composing and producing material for other bands, as well as putting together his first solo album, "Solo in Soho
Solo in Soho

Solo in Soho is the first solo album by Philip Lynott, released while he was still in Thin Lizzy. Current and former Lizzy members guested on the album including Scott Gorham, Brian Downey , Huey Lewis, Snowy White and Gary Moore....
". Lynott also reactivated The Greedy Bastards, who released a one-off Christmas single, "A Merry Jingle", in December 1979 as simply The Greedies. With the group now composed of Lynott, Gorham and Downey with Sex Pistols Jones and Cook, the single reached No.28 in the UK.

Later years and break-up (1980-1983)

While Lynott searched for a permanent guitarist, he and the other members of Thin Lizzy, past and present, worked on Solo in Soho which was released in April 1980, and the next Thin Lizzy album, Chinatown
Chinatown (album)

Chinatown is the tenth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1980 . It introduced guitarist Snowy White who would also perform on the next album as well as tour with Thin Lizzy between 1980 and 1982; he replaced Gary Moore as permanent guitarist....
. Lynott also got married during this time, and his wife gave birth to a second daughter in July. Dave Flett had hoped to be made a permanent member of Thin Lizzy but Lynott chose Snowy White
Snowy White

Snowy White is an English people guitarist, primarily known for having played with Thin Lizzy and with Pink Floyd and, more recently, for Roger Waters' band....
, who had played with Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd are an English Rock music band who initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock and space rock music, and later, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music....
 and Peter Green
Peter Green (musician)

Peter Green is a United Kingdom blues-rock guitarist and founder of the band Fleetwood Mac.A figurehead in the British blues movement, Green inspired B....
. Midge Ure was still acting as a temporary keyboard player at gigs during early 1980, but was replaced by Darren Wharton
Darren Wharton

Darren Dean Wharton is a British keyboard player / singer / songwriter born December 25th 1962. He has fronted his own band Dare since 1989 but first came to attention as a member of Thin Lizzy....
 shortly after White joined the band. Wharton was only 17 at the time and was initially hired on a temporary basis. This new line-up completed the Chinatown album between short tours, and two singles were released from it. The first, "Chinatown" reached No.21 in the UK, but the second, "Killer on the Loose" reached the top 10 amid much adverse publicity due to the ongoing activities of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe
Peter Sutcliffe

Peter William Sutcliffe is an English serial killer who was dubbed The Yorkshire Ripper. Sutcliffe was convicted in 1981 for murdering 13 women, and attacking several others....
, known as "The Yorkshire Ripper".

Chinatown was finally released in October 1980, and reached No.7 in the UK, but by this time Thin Lizzy albums were not even reaching the top 100 in the USA. After a successful tour of Japan and Australia, the band undertook what was to be their final tour of the USA in late 1980.

At the beginning of 1981, Lynott began work on his second solo album, using Thin Lizzy members among a large group of backing musicians. Around the same time, the band were recording material for the next Thin Lizzy album, and as before, the sessions seemed to merge to the extent that musicians were not always sure which album they were working on. Producer for the Thin Lizzy sessions, Chris Tsangarides
Chris Tsangarides

Chris Tsangarides is a England Grammy nominated music producer, sound engineer, and mixer. He is best known for his work with many classic heavy metal bands including Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Helloween, Black Sabbath, Anvil and another bands like Brazil's Angra and Yngwie Malmsteen....
, stated, "The feeling of confusion was in the air in that sometimes nobody knew if they were working on a Phil solo record or a Lizzy album." Snowy White had previously felt that, as a member of Thin Lizzy, he should have been paid as a session player to appear on Lynott's solo recordings.

In April 1981, the band's first 'greatest hits' album was released, and The Adventures of Thin Lizzy
The Adventures of Thin Lizzy

The Adventures of Thin Lizzy is a 1981 compilation album by the Rock music group Thin Lizzy....
 reached No.6 in the UK. But a stand-alone single, "Trouble Boys", only reached No.53, the band's worst chart placing since 1975. According to White and Wharton, Lynott was the only person who wanted to release it, and nobody else liked the song. "Trouble Boys" had even been pencilled in as the title for the new album, but the single's chart failure resulted in the song being dropped from the album and the title changed to Renegade
Renegade (album)

Renegade was the eleventh studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1981 . Though not his first appearance, this was the first album in which keyboard player Darren Wharton was credited as a permanent member, becoming the fifth member of the line-up....
.

One highlight for the band at this time was headlining the first ever Slane Castle
Slane Concert

Slane Concert is a concert held most years since 1981 in Slane Castle in Slane village, County Meath, in the Republic of Ireland. Slane lies between Navan and Drogheda, about 45 km northwest of Dublin....
 concert on 16 August, with support from Kirsty McColl, Hazel O'Connor
Hazel O'Connor

Hazel O'Connor is a United Kingdom singer-songwriter and actor. Daughter of a sailor from Galway who settled in England to work in a car plant, she went to Coventry Art College after leaving school....
 and U2
U2

U2 are a rock music band from Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The band consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. .The band formed in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency....
.

Lynott's second solo album, The Philip Lynott Album
The Philip Lynott Album

The Philip Lynott Album is the second solo album by Philip Lynott, released in 1982 ....
 was delayed until 1982 while Renegade was completed and released in November 1981. The album was not successful, only reaching No.38 in the UK and No.157 in the US. A single, "Hollywood (Down on Your Luck)" also flopped. Despite only two songs from the album being written solely by Lynott, and other members of the band contributing more to the compositions, both Gorham and Wharton have since stated their dissatisfaction with some of the songs, such as "Angel of Death", "Fats" and "Mexican Blood". Wharton's photo was omitted from the band photos on the back of the record sleeve, despite the fact that he was by this time a permanent member of the band. "It hurt me a great deal", he said.

"Thunder and Lightning"
The beginning of 1982 was marred by both Downey and Gorham having to take breaks from touring to recover from personal problems. Downey was beaten up at a nightclub in Denmark, and Gorham was suffering from drug-induced exhaustion. Later in the year, Lynott went on a solo tour and released his second solo album, which did not sell particularly well. Snowy White left the band in August 1982, having tired of the disorganised schedules and Lynott's drug problems, although by his own admission he was too restrained and quiet to fit in well with his more raucous bandmates. White went on to achieve top ten chart success in the UK with his single "Bird of Paradise" in 1983. Long-time co-manager Chris O'Donnell also left at this time, later stating, "A once-brilliant band was turning to crap before my very eyes."

Lynott wanted to find a replacement for White before starting to record the next album, which would turn out to be the band's last. By September 1982, he had settled on John Sykes
John Sykes

John Sykes , is an England Heavy metal music/hard rock guitarist who has played with Streetfighter , Tygers Of Pan Tang, Badlands , Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Blue Murder , and his solo project John Sykes....
 who had been a member of Tygers of Pan Tang
Tygers Of Pan Tang

Tygers of Pan Tang are a Heavy metal music band originating from Whitley Bay in the North-East of England, formed in 1978. They are a notable band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement....
, and he co-wrote the first single from the album, "Cold Sweat", although the rest of the album had already been written. Thunder and Lightning
Thunder and Lightning

Thunder and Lightning is the twelfth and final studio album by heavy-rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1983 . Following the departure of Snowy White and the appointment of John Sykes, there was a longer delay between 1981's Renegade and this album, released in the UK in March 1983....
 was released in March 1983, and was much more successful than its predecessor, reaching No.4 in the UK. Sykes' presence had rejuvenated the band musically, the composing credits were evenly-shared, and the style had grown much heavier, veering towards heavy metal
Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified Distortion , extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall...
.

The tour to support the album was to be a farewell tour, although Lynott was not convinced that this would be the end of the band. Sykes wanted to continue, although Gorham had had enough. The tour was successful, and some concerts were recorded to compile a live album. Partway into the tour, many of Thin Lizzy's past guitarists were invited onstage to contribute to some of the songs they had originally recorded, the only exception being Snowy White. The album was released in October 1983 as Life
Life (Thin Lizzy album)

Life is a double live album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1983. . This double album was recorded during their farewell tour in 1983, principally at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, UK....
 and reached No.29 in the UK. The tour continued while two more singles were released, the last of them, "The Sun Goes Down
The Sun Goes Down (Thin Lizzy song)

"The Sun Goes Down" was a single released by Ireland hard rock band Thin Lizzy, the last single to be released before they split in 1983. It is featured on the group's 1983 album, Thunder and Lightning....
" only reaching No.52 in August. Lynott also undertook another solo tour, accompanied by Downey and Sykes, under the name of The Three Musketeers.

After a difficult leg of the tour in Japan, where some members of the band had difficulty obtaining heroin
Heroin

Heroin is a opioid synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. It is the 3,6-acetate ester of morphine . The white crystalline form is commonly the hydrochloride salt diacetylmorphine hydrochloride, however heroin Freebase may also appear as a white powder....
, Thin Lizzy played their final UK concert before their break-up at the Reading Festival on 28 August 1983, which was eventually released in 1994 as their BBC Radio One Live in Concert
BBC Radio One Live in Concert (Thin Lizzy album)

BBC Radio One Live in Concert is a live recording from 1983 by Ireland rock band Thin Lizzy, eventually released in 1994. This show at the Reading Festival in 1983 came at the end of their farewell tour, and was originally intended to be the band's last concert....
 album. The last concert came in Nuremberg
Nuremberg

Nuremberg is a city in the Germany State of Bavaria, in the Regierungsbezirk of Middle Franconia. It is situated on the Pegnitz River river and the Rhine?Main?Danube Canal and is Franconia's largest city....
 on 4 September, at the Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock

Monsters of Rock was an annual rock music festival in England held every August at the Castle Donington Donington Park from 1980–1996 . Monsters of Rock festivals have also been organized in other cities around the world....
 festival, after which the band went their separate ways.

Post-Thin Lizzy projects and tributes (1985-1996)

Before the end of 1983, Phil Lynott formed a new band called Grand Slam
Grand Slam (band)

Grand Slam or Phil Lynott's Grand Slam were a Rock music band, formed in 1984 as the brainchild of ex-Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott....
, but they were never able to secure a contract with a record company and split by the beginning of 1985. Sykes and Downey initially agreed to be a part of the band, but Sykes joined Whitesnake
Whitesnake

Whitesnake is an England hard rock band, founded in 1977 by David Coverdale . The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple and by the mid eighties Whitesnake were writing in a melodic hard rock style....
 and Downey also changed his mind. Lynott began to focus more on his solo career and enjoyed a No.5 hit single "Out in the Fields
Out in the Fields (song)

"Out in the Fields" is a single by former Thin Lizzy band members Gary Moore and Phil Lynott, released in 1985.The song is reminiscent of the sound of their band and draws many influences from both artists' wide musical palettes....
" with Gary Moore in May 1985. The song, composed by Moore, was taken from his solo album Run for Cover
Run for Cover (album)

Run For Cover is an album by Gary Moore, released in 1985 and is often considered as Gary Moore's break-through album.The album includes a remake of the hit single 'Empty rooms' , one of Moore's biggest successes and top 5 single 'Out In The Fields" the albums biggest selling single....
 featuring various contributions from Lynott. Lynott's solo efforts did not fare so well, and his last single, "Nineteen" only reached No.76 in the UK. He was planning a third solo album but died in hospital in Salisbury
Salisbury

Salisbury is a city status in the United Kingdom in Wiltshire, England. The city forms the largest part of the Salisbury . It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement at Salisbury, Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire....
, on 4 January 1986, aged 36. He was suffering from internal abscess
Abscess

An abscess is a collection of pus that has accumulated in a cavity formed by the tissue on the basis of an infection process or other foreign materials ....
es, pneumonia
Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an Inflammation illness of the lung. Frequently, it is described as lung parenchyma/alveolus inflammation and abnormal alveolar filling with fluid ....
 and septicaemia
Sepsis

Sepsis, is a serious medicine condition characterized by a whole-body Inflammation state and the presence of a known or suspected infection.
, brought on by his drug dependency, which led to multiple organ failure.

Before his death, Lynott had spoken to Downey about a possible reformation of Thin Lizzy around March 1986, with Gorham and Sykes, and had booked studio time for January of that year.

On 17 May, Thin Lizzy reformed for the Self Aid
Self Aid

Self Aid was a benefit concert held in Dublin, Republic of Ireland on 17 May 1986. The concert performances were primarily by Irish musicians, although Elvis Costello and Chris Rea were designated "honorary Irishmen" for the day....
 concert, with a line-up of Gary Moore, Downey, Gorham, Wharton and Bob Daisley
Bob Daisley

Robert "Bob" Daisley is a hard rock bass guitar player and lyricist who has performed in genres from Heavy metal music to rock and roll and the blues....
 on bass. Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof

Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof KBE, known as Bob Geldof , is an Republic of Ireland singer, songwriter, actor and political activist who became famous as a member of the Rock music The Boomtown Rats....
 and Moore handled most lead vocals, though various singers got onstage for "Whiskey In The Jar".

A compilation album, Soldier of Fortune, was released in 1987, and also that year, the "Vibe for Philo" tribute concert in Lynott's memory was organised by Dublin DJ and promoter Smiley Bolger, which continues on an annual basis on the anniversary of Lynott's death.

The remaining members of Thin Lizzy did not work together until the recording of the single "Dedication" in October 1990, when a rough demo of Lynott's was worked into a finished song to commemorate the fifth anniversary of his death. The song dated from the Grand Slam days and had been originally written by guitarist Laurence Archer
Laurence Archer

Laurence Archer is a guitarist. He is famed for his work with British rock bands UFO and Phil Lynott's Grand Slam .Previously in Stampede who recorded 2 albums for Polydor Records, "The Official Bootleg" and Hurricane Town"....
. Modern recording techniques were used to replace the guitar and drum tracks with new work by Downey and Gorham. Gary Moore had agreed to participate as well, but ultimately did not do so. The song charted in the UK at No.35 during early 1991, and featured on another greatest hits compilation album, Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy
Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy

Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy is a compilation album released by rock music group Thin Lizzy in 1991....
, released in February of that year, which reached No.8. However, a follow-up reissue of "The Boys Are Back in Town" only reached No.63.

Following this, numerous small reunion projects began to appear. In 1991, a lineup featuring Robertson and Downey performed with Bobby Tench on lead vocals, ex-Grand Slam member Doish Nagle on guitar and Doug Brockie on bass. They toured Ireland briefly with a series of "An Evening of Thin Lizzy" concerts. In August 1994, Downey, Bell, Robertson and Wharton held a tribute concert in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of the West Midlands , England. In 2004, the local government district had an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of List of English cities by population, which makes it the 13th most populous city in England....
, together with tribute bands Limehouse Lizzy, Ain't Lizzy and Bad Habitz. Another version of Thin Lizzy was formed later that year by John Sykes (now also performing lead vocals) with Downey, Gorham and Wharton, and with bass parts played by Marco Mendoza
Marco Mendoza

Marco Mendoza is an American musician - bass player and vocalist. He was born in San Diego, California, in 1956. He spent his formative years living with his grandmother in Tijuana, Mexico....
, who had played with Sykes in Blue Murder from 1991-1993. The tour was advertised as a tribute to Phil Lynott. This line-up also played at the Vibe for Philo gig on 4 January 1996, with a number of other notable musicians including Eric Bell, Midge Ure, Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins is an United Statesn singer-songwriter, spoken word, stand-up comedian, author, actor, activist and publisher.After joining the short-lived Washington, D.C....
, Therapy?
Therapy?

Therapy? are an alternative metal musical ensemble from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist/vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland....
 and Joe Elliott
Joe Elliott

Joseph Thomas Elliott is the Singer of the United Kingdom heavy metal music Musical ensemble Def Leppard....
 and Rick Savage
Rick Savage

Rick "Sav" Savage is the bassist and one of the founders of the England Rock music band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" so that there will not be any confusion between him and another Rick in the band -- drummer Rick Allen ....
 from Def Leppard
Def Leppard

Def Leppard are an England Rock music band from Sheffield, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Largely on the strength of their albums Pyromania and Hysteria , Def Leppard became one of the List of best-selling music artists rock bands throughout the 1980s, selling over 65 million albums worldw...
.

In 1994, a collection of Thin Lizzy tracks from the BBC Radio One Peel Sessions
The Peel Sessions (Thin Lizzy album)

The Peel Sessions is an album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1994. This album consists of a series of recordings made for BBC Radio 1, and originally broadcast on the John Peel show....
 was released, and yet another compilation album was brought out in 1996, called Wild One: The Very Best Of Thin Lizzy
Wild One: The Very Best Of Thin Lizzy

Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy is a 1996 compilation album by Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. It was released ten years after the death of frontman Phil Lynott in 1986, and as a tribute to him....
. This was successful, although strangely it did not feature the title track, "Wild One".

On 20 August 1996, Rude Awakening
Rude Awakening (band)

Rude Awakening was formed in 1986 in Richmond, Virginia at the height of the art-rock scene which centered around Virginia Commonwealth University and also spawned such bands as GWAR, the Alter-Natives and the Good Guys....
 bassist Robert Ryder held "A Celebration of the Life of Philip Lynott" at the Palace in Hollywood, California at the request of Lynott's mother, Philomena, to commemorate both Phil Lynott's birthday and the tenth year of his passing. Philomena Lynott, her partner Dennis Keeley, and Smiley Bolger (Ireland's Vibe For Philo promoter) were flown to Los Angeles by Ryder to make a personal appearance at the show. It featured concert performances by Rude Awakening, Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan

William 'Billy' Sheehan is an United States bassist known for his work with Talas , Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big , and Niacin . Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style....
, Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo

Rudy Sarzo is a bass guitarist born Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont in Havana, Cuba on November 18, 1950. He emigrated to the United States in 1961....
, John Norum
John Norum

John Norum is a Swedish hard rock guitarist of Norwegian background and co-founder of the Sweden band Europe . Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a side solo project....
, Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice

Carmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian ancestry. He is sibling to Vinny Appice, who also plays drums professionally. He was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa had a classical music training....
, Phantom Blue
Phantom blue

Phantom Blue was an all-female Heavy metal music band formed in Hollywood, California, United States in 1987. After a promising start they were undermined by lineup instability and finally petered out in 2001....
, Soma
Soma

Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the later Vedic civilization and Greater Iran cultures....
, producer Roy Z
Roy Z

Roy Z is a guitarist, composer and Record producer known for his work with Bruce Dickinson , Rob Halford and Judas Priest. He also is the founder and mastermind of Tribe of Gypsies, a Hard Rock band with Latin influences....
 and his band the Tribe of Gypsies, Mark Ferrari, Oslo, Bang Tango
Bang Tango

Bang Tango is an United States funk metal hard rock and glam metal band....
, Stash, Iron Cross and Ireland's own Mark Dignam.

Thin Lizzy without Lynott (1996-present)

In 1996 John Sykes decided to reactivate Thin Lizzy, presenting the band as a tribute to Phil Lynott's life and work. He decided to take on the role of lead vocals himself in the absence of Lynott, and persuaded Scott Gorham, Brian Downey and Darren Wharton to return to the fold. To complete the lineup, Marco Mendoza continued in Lynott's role as bass player. They received criticism for using the Thin Lizzy name without Lynott being present, but the band only played hits from Thin Lizzy's back catalogue, and did not compose any new material.

In 1997, Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge

Tommy Aldridge , is a veteran heavy metal music and hard rock drummer. Aldridge is noted for his work with numerous bands and vocalists, most notable being Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy....
 filled in on drums when Brian Downey was unable to, and became a full member when Downey left shortly thereafter. This lineup remained stable through to 2000, when the group recorded a live album, One Night Only
One Night Only (Thin Lizzy album)

One Night Only is a live album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 2000. . Lizzy had reformed in 1996 for a series of gigs marking ten years since the death of singer/songwriter/bassist Phil Lynott....
. The band went on hiatus from 2000 until 2004, with Sykes releasing two solo albums in the gap in between, while Gorham worked with his band 21 Guns
21 Guns

21 Guns was a melodic hard rock band formed in the early 1990s by the ex-Thin Lizzy's guitarist Scott Gorham. The band was fronted by master vocalist Tommy La Verdi formerly of the band A440....
.

Wharton left the band around the time that the album was released, feeling that Thin Lizzy would have been better suited to playing fewer concerts, in bigger venues. He also felt that Brian Robertson should have been invited to take part. Sykes has said that all the previous Thin Lizzy members are welcome to play with Thin Lizzy at any time.

In 2004, Thin Lizzy worked together again, with Sykes and Gorham bringing in ex-Angel
Angel (band)

Angel are a glam rock and Heavy metal music band from Washington, DC, formed in the mid-70s by Punky Meadows and Mickie Jones. They were signed to Casablanca Records, and had the image of dressing in white....
 bassist Randy Gregg, and drummer Michael Lee
Michael Lee (musician)

Michael Lee was an England drummer who toured and sound recording and reproduction with former Led Zeppelin musicians Robert Plant and Jimmy Page....
, who had played with Robert Plant
Robert Plant

Robert Anthony Plant Order of the British Empire , is an England Rock and Roll singer and songwriter, famous for his membership in the former rock band Led Zeppelin as the lead vocalist, as well as for his successful solo career....
 and The Cult
The Cult

The Cult are an England Rock music band which gained a dedicated following in their native Britain with mid-1980s singles like "She Sells Sanctuary" before breaking into the American metal market in the late '80s with "Love Removal Machine"....
 among others. This lineup proved temporary however, with Mendoza returning in 2005, and Aldridge returning in 2007. There are no plans for a new album though Thin Lizzy continue to tour. At the London Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo

The 'HMV Apollo' is a major entertainments and concert venue located in Hammersmith, London, England. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the 'Gaumont Palace' cinema....
 concert of 13 December 2007, the lineup was Sykes, Gorham, Aldridge and Francesco DiCosmo on bass.

Sykes has stated that the current Thin Lizzy is "more of a tribute thing" and that it would be wrong to record new material under that name. He added that while the existing band members might record together, it would not be as Thin Lizzy. In 2007, Gorham said that Lynott still receives the biggest cheer of the night at concerts, and that the current Thin Lizzy is not active simply for money. "We'd stop if we thought we were just going through the motions... I think that has a lot to do with the songs - if they were inferior, then maybe we would have got tired of it all. But they're not and we haven't," he said.

Origin of the band name

The band's original lead guitarist Eric Bell, who was a fan of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, bought a copy of The Dandy
The Dandy

The Dandy is a long running children's comic published in the United Kingdom. It is published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. The first issue was printed in 1937 and it is the world's second longest running comic, second only to Detective Comics ....
 comic after seeing Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton Order of the British Empire is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. He is "probably most famous for his mastery of the Stratocaster guitar." Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds, of Cream , and as a solo performer, being the only person to...
 depicted reading a copy of its sister publication The Beano
The Beano

The Beano comic is a United Kingdom children's comic book, published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.The comic first appeared on 26 July 1938 and was published weekly....
 on the cover of the 1966 album Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton
Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton

Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton is a 1966 electric blues album by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton as lead guitarist. It is often referred to as The Beano album because the photograph on the album cover shows Clapton reading The Beano, a well-known British children's comic....
. He suggested Tin Lizzie, the name of a robot character from the comic, itself named for the common nickname for the iconic Ford Model T
Ford Model T

The Ford Model T was an automobile produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. The Model T set 1908 as the historic year that the automobile came into popular usage....
 car. Bell also suggested they change 'Tin' to 'Thin' to play on the Dublin accent's propensity to drop the 'h'. After a while, Lynott and Downey agreed to the idea and the name stuck, as they thought the confusion was amusing and would create a talking point. For some of their early gigs, the band were mistakenly promoted as "Tin Lizzy" or "Tin Lizzie".

Style

From 1974, Thin Lizzy switched from using one lead guitarist to two. Though others had earlier used similar techniques, Thin Lizzy are widely recognised as one of the first hard rock bands to employ double lead guitar harmony - a technique pioneered by Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash are a United Kingdom Rock music band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s with their distinctive mellow sound, and popular records including Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub and New England ....
 in the UK, whilst independently in the USA by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd is an United States Southern rock band. The band became prominent in the Southern United States in 1973, and rose to worldwide recognition before several members, including lead vocalist and primary songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, died in a plane crash in 1977....
 and The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band is a Southern rock band based in Macon, Georgia, Georgia . The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman ....
. This style was later refined and popularised by bands of the emerging New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal is a heavy metal music movement that started in the late 1970s, in Great Britain, and achieved some international attention by the early 1980s....
, such as Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music band from Leyton, East London, England, formed in 1975. The band is led by founder, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris ....
, Motörhead
Motörhead

Mot?rhead are a British hard rock band formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Lemmy, who has remained the sole constant member. Usually a power trio, Mot?rhead had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Singles Chart....
, and Def Leppard
Def Leppard

Def Leppard are an England Rock music band from Sheffield, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Largely on the strength of their albums Pyromania and Hysteria , Def Leppard became one of the List of best-selling music artists rock bands throughout the 1980s, selling over 65 million albums worldw...
. Iron Maiden in particular have praised Thin Lizzy extensively and covered the song "Massacre" from Thin Lizzy's Johnny the Fox
Johnny the Fox

Johnny the Fox is the seventh studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1976 . This album was written and recorded while bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott was recovering from a bout of hepatitis that put him off the road halfway through the Jailbreak tour....
 album.

Further Thin Lizzy releases and tributes

A boxed set of four CDs of Thin Lizzy material was released in 2002 as Vagabonds, Kings, Warriors, Angels
Vagabonds, Kings, Warriors, Angels

Vagabonds, Kings, Warriors, Angels is a Boxed set by Irish people Rock music group Thin Lizzy, which also contains a booklet chronicling the life of the band and the music in some detail....
. It contained all of the band's major hits, and included some rare songs, such as the first single "The Farmer", and single B-sides. In 2004 and 2006, two further greatest hits compilations were released.

On 19 August 2005, Gary Moore staged a concert known as "The Boy Is Back in Town" featuring Eric Bell, Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham. A DVD of the concert was released as One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott
One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott

One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott is a live DVD by Gary Moore credited to "Gary Moore and Friends".In 2005, Gary Moore staged a concert featuring Brian Downey and ex Thin Lizzy guitarists Brian Robertson and Eric Bell....
.

The independent Irish film "Once
Once (film)

Once is a 2007 in film Republic of Ireland musical film written and directed by John Carney . Set in Dublin, this naturalistic drama stars musicians Glen Hansard and Mark?ta Irglov? as struggling musicians....
" features a Thin Lizzy tribute band who busk in the streets of Dublin.

On 8th September 2008, Thin Lizzy UK Tour 1975 a 15-track album was released featuring the band performing at Derby College on November 21st, 1975. The deluxe album includes a 20-page booklet of unseen photos, liner notes written by Brian Downey and extra material of the band jamming during their sound check.

Personnel


Discography


External links

  • - Album artwork, photos and remembrances by Lizzy/Lynott friend, Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick
    Jim Fitzpatrick (artist)

    Jim Fitzpatrick is an Irish ethnicity artist famous for Irish Celtic Art. Perhaps his most famous piece is his :Image:FitzpatrickChe.jpg created in 1968 and based on Che Guevara ....