Underrated bands of our time Part 3 Thin Lizzy

1976 was a pretty fun year for your humble correspondent here . I was a sophomore in High School and I was thinking I was pretty darn cool by this time . I already owned my first crap car that I bought with my summer job money and my friends with drivers licences had to drive us around as I only had my drivers permit . I had just seen my first rock concert which was with Jethro Tull and Robin Trower . And I was kinda a chameleon as I was a semi jock sometime nerd ( nothing In that regard has changed ) and full time troublemaker , but It was fun !

I was starting to attend all of the regular kegger parties In our neighborhood , and It was always a goal to party till the sun came up . Nowadays Mr Party Animal is thinking about bedtime by 9 PM , Man I have I turned Into a bore . And me and my friends were convinced we were gonna be the best rock band ever ! However there was a major Impediment to our plan . None of us had any talent whatsoever ! But we all shared a love of music second to none . When I look back at the great rock bands of the 1970s , I think about Deep Purple , Ted Nugent , KISS , Queen and so many more that I cannot think of at this moment . But I pose this question to you , How many of you think about Thin Lizzy ?

I was Introduced to Thin Lizzy In 1976 , I was at a social event where somehow I accidentally ran Into some beers and marijuana and I have no Idea how they got there ! And all of a sudden on the stereo there burst out a powerful blast of dueling guitars . Which I would later learn were Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham and the song was called " Jailbreak " . I was Immediately hooked ! And just like I do with everything else that I like In life , I played that record till I wore It out . And looking back and still listening to them from time to time I never realized what a tight unit they were .

Thin Lizzy had actually been around long before 1976 . The Inception of Thin Lizzy came In December of 1969 . The band was born In Dublin Ireland . The Impetus for Thin Lizzy was made by two Irishmen named Eric Bell and Eric Wrixxon who were at a pub and decided to form the band ,they later that night went to see a band called " Orphanage which was fronted by a guy named Phil Lynott and a drummer named Brian Downey two of the members of Thin Lizzy when they were at their best ! They had made a few singles from 1970 to making their self titled album In 1971 . Then after that there were multiple lineup changes well Into 1974 . At that point Brian Downey quit the band and had to be begged to come back . Then  they recruited an 18 year old Scottish guitarist Brian Robertson and a southern Californian by way of Glendale named Scott Gorham . These two would create the sound of the dueling lead guitars that would be the signature sound of Thin Lizzy ! And this was the lineup that would be the classic sound we have become familiar with .

And of course there was the ever present pioneer and creator of the band singer/songwriter as well as bass player Phil Lynott . Phil Lynott had a charisma that I can say was In the Jim Morrison league . There was no denying his tall and lanky presence and magnetism as he sang In that low growl of his . But unfortunately he went out In the same undignified and cliche way most rock stars do. He had heavy drug and alcohol dependency that culminated In him being rushed to the hospital on Christmas night 1985 and died January 4th 1986 at the age of 36 . However he and the other guys left behind a legacy of some of the most powerful rock we have known . But why do I call them underrated ?

Well I will tell ya ! When you think about the 1970s and hard rock the names that will pop up are of course Led Zep . Queen , Aerosmith , Deep Purple , KISS , etc etc . And as they should because they were all legendary bands . But Thin Lizzy Is probably not the first name that pops up they are kind of an afterthought . So I am going to give you some examples of why these guys were so great .

    I have always maintained that Brian Downey Is one of the unheralded great drummers of the modern era  . This guy was nothing short of Incredible . And he was just as critical a component as the dueling guitars of Robertson and Gorham . And on this next video you will understand why I say this . I do not understand how he did not fall over from a heart attack while playing this song !

Thin Lizzy did have a fair amount of success though . They put out a couple of major hits  In the late 70s and I would be remiss If I did not present them to you . So enjoy folks !  And listen to their two top hits " Dancing In the moonlight " and " The boys are back In town " . Now you often hear them on soundtracks to TV shows like CSI . Have fun please !!!

Well hubbers I would like to thank you for another opportunity to present to you the music that I love and for allowing me to reminisce about my misspent youth ! In the meantime be well fellow hubbers !