Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy is an Irish hard rock proto-heavy metal band formed in 1969. Originally they were a trio with Phil Lynott on bass, Eric Bell on guitar, but probably Lizzy's most famous lineup was that of singer and bassist Phil Lynott, Brian Downey on drums and Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson on lead guitars. Later line-ups featured guitar heroes like Gary Moore (Black Rose), John Sykes (Thunder and Lightning) and Snowy White (Renegade, Chinatown). The band finally split in 1983, largely as a consequence of financial trouble and drug excesses. They are now recognised as one of the pioneers of the dual lead guitar harmony.

The band was at its peak during the mid to late 70s, especially following the release of Jailbreak which contained their most recognisable track today, "The Boys Are Back In Town". They were particularly famed for their live performances, Lynott's obvious rapport with the fans being a key feature. Indeed, their live album Live and Dangerous, although accused from some quarters as being over-dubbed, is widely considered to be one of the greatest live albums recorded. U2 and The Darkness are amongst their most notable fans, as well as Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose who has Thin Lizzy's black rose tattooed on his arm.

You can also hear Thin Lizzy's influence on later heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Metallica.