Thin Lizzy are a hard rock band who formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969. The band was originally led by bassist, songwriter and singer Phil Lynott. They are best known for their 1976 songs "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back in Town", both major international hits still played regularly on hard rock and classic rock radio stations.
Critic John Dugan writes 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, Bruce Springsteen, and virtually all of the Irish literary tradition." or hard rock
Though others had earlier used similar techniques, Thin Lizzy is widely recognised as one of the first hard rock bands to employ double lead guitar harmony (the twin guitar clash) - a technique pioneered by Wishbone Ash in the UK, whilst independently in the USA by Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band. This style was later refined and popularised by bands of the emerging New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden especially. The latter group in particular has praised Thin Lizzy extensively and even covered the song "Massacre" from Lizzy's popular Live and Dangerous album. Examples of this dual guitar harmony technique include "The Boys Are Back in Town" and "Cowboy Song" from Jailbreak. Brian Robertson's unconventional use of the wah-pedal as an extension of the instrument during soloing rather than as a purely rhythmic effect, as described in the Total Accuracy video "Still in Love with the Blues" (featuring Brian Robertson & Stuart Bull), is a distinctive and influential sound.
Lynott is one of the few black men to achieve significant success in hard rock. As well as being a multiracial band, members were drawn from both sides of the Irish border and from both Catholic and Protestant communities.

With Phil Lynott (1969-1984)
In 1985, Gary Moore and Phil Lynott released a single together called "Out in the Fields". With Brian Downey present on drums, this single put the early 1974 lineup of Thin Lizzy back together. Lynott died in January 1986, a victim of drug abuse. In the summer of the same year the band members reunited for the Self Aid concert in Dublin with Bob Geldof stepping in on lead vocals. After this, the band members did not work together until the recording of the single "Dedication" in 1991, when a rough demo of Lynott's was worked into a finished song to commemorate the fifth anniversary of his death. There was also a greatest hits compilation album, Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy. This is the only post-Lynott studio track to have been published by the band - several previously unheard live tracks have been published though.

Breakup (1984-1996)
In 1996 latter-day guitarist of Thin Lizzy, John Sykes decided to try and re-assemble 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 Brian Downey and Scott Gorham to return to the fold. To complete the lineup, Marco Mendoza (who played with Sykes in Blue Murder from 1991-1993) filled Lynott's shoes playing bass. Darren Wharton, who had been the band's only official keyboardist, also joined. Lizzy itself had only had a keyboardist as an official member from 1980-1984, but it added to the new Thin Lizzy's credibility nontheless.
In 1997, Tommy Aldridge filled in on drums when Brian Downey was unable to. He became a full fledged member when Downey left shortly, feeling the group was "too disorganised". This lineup remained stable through to 2000, when the group recorded a live album, One Night Only. The band went on hiatus from 2000 until 2004, with Sykes releasing two solo albums in the gap in between (he would release one more in 2005).
Once again in 2004, Thin Lizzy returned. This time, Sykes and Gorham brought in Randy Gregg on bass (former Angel and Michael Lee on drums (Robert Plant, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Cult. This lineup proved temporary however, with Mendoza returning in 2005, and Aldridge returning in 2007. There are however, no plans for a new album though the band continues to tour.

Reunion - Thin Lizzy Live (1996-present)
There are at least three versions of the origin of the name Thin Lizzy. Since there do not appear to be any recorded interviews with members of the band confirming any of them, they must remain as speculation.
The most popular version describes how the band's lead guitarist Eric Bell, who was a fan of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, bought a copy of Dandy comic


Origin of the band name
Over the years, membership of the band went through many changes. Below is a comprehensive list of personnel:
Band Split

Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Eric Bell - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Eric Wrixon - keyboards
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Eric Bell - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Gary Moore - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Brian Robertson - guitar
Scott Gorham - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Gary Moore - guitar
Scott Gorham - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
Snowy White - guitar
Scott Gorham - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Darren Wharton - keyboards
Phil Lynott - bass, lead vocals
John Sykes - guitar
Scott Gorham - guitar
Brian Downey - drums
Darren Wharton - keyboards
John Sykes - guitar, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Marco Mendoza - bass
Brian Downey - drums
Darren Wharton - keyboards
John Sykes - guitar, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Marco Mendoza - bass
Brian Downey - drums
Tommy Aldridge - drums
Darren Wharton - keyboards
John Sykes - guitar, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Marco Mendoza - bass
Tommy Aldridge - drums
Darren Wharton - keyboards
Band on hiatus
John Sykes - guitar, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Randy Gregg - bass
Michael Lee - drums
John Sykes - guitar, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Marco Mendoza - bass
Michael Lee - drums
John Sykes - guitar, lead vocals
Scott Gorham - guitar
Marco Mendoza - bass
Tommy Aldridge - drums Personnel

Lead Vocals: John Sykes (1996-present)
Guitar: John Sykes (1982-1984, 1996-present)
Guitar: Scott Gorham (1974-1984, 1996-present)
Bass: Marco Mendoza (1996-2000, 2005-present)
Drums: Tommy Aldridge (1997-2000, 2007-present) Present Lineup

Phil Lynott - lead vocals (1969-1984)
Brian Downey - drums (1969-1984, 1996-1997)
Eric Bell - guitar (1969-1973)
Gary Moore - guitar (1974, 1978-1979)
Brian Robertson - guitar (1974-1978)
Darren Wharton - keyboards (1980-1984, 1996-2000)
Randy Gregg - bass guitar (2004-2005)
Michael Lee - drums (2004-2006) Former members

Eric Wrixon: keyboards (1969-1970) and featured on the first single, "The Farmer".
John Cann (AKA John Du Cann): guitar (1974)
Andy Gee: guitar (1974)
Midge Ure: guitar (1979), replaced Gary Moore to complete Black Rose tour.
Dave Flett: guitar (1979), appeared on Top of the Pops in November 1979 on single Sarah.
Mark Nauseef: drums (1978), stood in for Downey during a tour of Australia in 1978. The most notable appearance is Thin Lizzy Live in Sydney. Temporary members

Discography

Thin Lizzy (1971)
Shades of a Blue Orphanage (1972)
Vagabonds of the Western World (1973)
Nightlife (1974)
Fighting (1975)
Jailbreak (1976)
Johnny the Fox (1976)
Bad Reputation (1977)
Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979)
Chinatown (1980)
Renegade (1981)
Thunder and Lightning (1983) Studio albums

Live and Dangerous (1978)
Life (1983)
BBC Radio One Live in Concert (1994)
The Peel Sessions (1994)
Boys Are Back in Town: Live in Australia (1999)
One Night Only [live] (2000) Live albums

The Beginning, Vol 12 (Decca, 1974 - Germany)
Remembering (Decca, 08/76)
Rocker (1971-1974) (London, 1977 - USA)
Continuing Saga of Ageing Orphans (Decca, 09/79)
Profile (Decca, 1979 - Germany)
The Japanese Compilation Album (Vertigo, 25/02/80 - Japan)
The Adventures of Thin Lizzy (Vertigo, 27/03/81)
Lizzy Killers (Vertigo, 1981)
Whiskey in the Jar (Decca, 1981 - Germany)
Rockers (Decca, 12/81)
Thin Lizzy - Der Weisse Serie (Decca, 1982 - Germany)
Whiskey in the Jar (Karussell, 1983 - Germany)
The Boys Are Back in Town (Pickwick, 11/83)
The Collection (Castle, 11/85)
Whiskey in the Jar (Pickwick, 04/86)
Soldier Of Fortune (Telstar, 11/87)
Lizzy Lives (Grand Slamm, 03/89 - USA)
Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy (Vertigo, 04/02/91)
Wild One: The Very Best Of Thin Lizzy (04/01/96)
Whiskey in the Jar (album) (Karussell, Spektrum, Universal, 1996, 1998, 2000)
Master Series (Deram, 1998 - Germany)
The Boys Are Back in Town (Vertigo, 06/12/00 - Sweden)
Vagabonds, Kings, Warriors, Angels (Mercury, 07/12/01 - 4CD Box Set)
Thin Lizzy Greatest Hits (Universal, 07/06/04)
The Definitive Collection (Thin Lizzy) (Island Mercury, 20/06/06) Compilations
Track listing is as follows:
1. "Fireball"
2. "Dan"
3. "Palamatoon"
4. "Corina"
5. "Black Night"
6. "Speed King"
7. "Strange Kind of Woman"
8. "Rising Sun"
9. "Hush"
At the foot of the back sleeve is written: 'Funky Junction - The Sound of Today'
The vinyl version of the album is quite rare.

Tribute To Deep Purple (Stereo Gold Award, January 1973)
In 1972, Bell, Lynott and Downey took part in a recording session for Decca Records for the Tribute to Deep Purple album. Vocals and keyboards were handled by Benny White and Dave Lennox respectively, both from the Dublin band Elmer Fudd. Thin Lizzy were struggling financially at the time and this project was designed to bring in some money. The makeshift group was given the name Funky Junction and a photo of an entirely different band was put on the cover of the album. Thin Lizzy singles