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A story I read a couple weeks ago led me to Phil Lynott which of course was a precursor to listen to the music of Thin lizzy. They were never on my radar in the 70's and 80's and only heard thier 'popular' stuff occasionally on the radio when I arrived in the UK. Just curious to hear what everyone thought of them, were they taken seriously? Were they good live? I noticed that most of thier songs on YouTube are about 2 to 2.5 mins long which sort of implies they were just a commercial group interested in radio play. I'd be interested to see what everyone thought of them. I quite like them and think that Mr. Lynott had a great unique voice. I know they've popped up in various threads before.
Was never really into them, though they were definitely very talented.
Phil's Mom used to spend our holidays in our hotel when I was a kid. The Dublin trawler boats used to fish off Castletownbere every August, and their families would stay with us. Philomena wasn't from a fishing family but her best friend was so she came along with her.
Lovely woman, quiet and gentle. I used to serve them food and drink and she was always nice to us young ones. I can't remember if she was a good singer. I must ask my parents.
"The opposite of love, after all, is not hate, but indifference."
I've always liked Thin Lizzy too, Though Phil died when I was 9.
I went out with a girl from Dublin so while over we went to pay our respects to Phil, it was a bit cold and no one about and that part of the cemetery has flat headstones so after an hour we couldn't find him but at one point 'Emerald' popped into my head randomly so I think he was nearby.
I did get to meet Scott Gorhan at 'Live voltage' in 2010 nice guy, I told him he was one of my guitar heroes cliche or what eh?
Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent
Phil was a good guy. He was a lovely man, incredibly talented, but very troubled. Fame and fortune didn't help him.
I met him when I worked at a cocktail bar (not as a waitress! As a cocktail barman) in Richmond called Cars Cafe. This was around 1982. He used to come in and sit by the bar on his own, which I thought was quite strange in itself, and he would chat to me, whilst I mixed drinks. But the bar was always very busy, and people seemed to ignore him.
Anyway, one night he invited me back to his house on the Kew Road. I was only 21, so you can imagine how flattered and excited I felt. I thought we were going to party on down. But when we got there, we sat in his kitchen and he poured his heart out to me. He was broken by the failure of his marriage to Caroline Crowther. I felt very uncomfortable in the role of a confessor. I left there feeling depressed and bewildered by the experience. He was on a downward spiral and he couldn't pull out of it. It is tragic that no one was able to help him. Tony Visconti commented that when he recorded the last album with Thin Lizzy, Phil's voice was ruined by the amount of coke he was doing.
In the Louis Theroux thread about his interview with Pete Doherty, you can see a similar thing happening, except Doherty has survived, so far.
Thin Lizzy had a unique sound, but the key to it all was Phil, with his brilliant sense of melody, his bass playing, his ability to conjure that feeling of excitement and danger, but also love and heartbreak.
Got to see them around for the last time at a festival in Castlebar Co Mayo in 86, I think . Madness , Boomtown rats and Lizzy . It was poorly attended . Sadly the west of Ireland at the time wasn’t ready for rock behemoths . Lizzy were dreadful on the day and it was obvious Phil was struggling. Later seen them without Lynott at the famous (or infamous , depending on your opinion) self aid gig. Bob Geldof stood in as lead singer and butchered pretty much very song. Don’t remember much about the day as I was ver ver drunk!
Right back in the day I was waiting for the crowd to leave after a game at the back of South Africa stand when I looked over and saw Phil and the band chatting and signing autographs for fans! I was in a rush so had to leave I guess they were just taking in a game but it was great to see them at HQ!
Phil was a good guy. He was a lovely man, incredibly talented, but very troubled. Fame and fortune didn't help him.
I met him when I worked at a cocktail bar (not as a waitress! As a cocktail barman) in Richmond called Cars Cafe. This was around 1982. He used to come in and sit by the bar on his own, which I thought was quite strange in itself, and he would chat to me, whilst I mixed drinks. But the bar was always very busy, and people seemed to ignore him.
Anyway, one night he invited me back to his house on the Kew Road. I was only 21, so you can imagine how flattered and excited I felt. I thought we were going to party on down. But when we got there, we sat in his kitchen and he poured his heart out to me. He was broken by the failure of his marriage to Caroline Crowther. I felt very uncomfortable in the role of a confessor. I left there feeling depressed and bewildered by the experience. He was on a downward spiral and he couldn't pull out of it. It is tragic that no one was able to help him. Tony Visconti commented that when he recorded the last album with Thin Lizzy, Phil's voice was ruined by the amount of coke he was doing.
In the Louis Theroux thread about his interview with Pete Doherty, you can see a similar thing happening, except Doherty has survived, so far.
Thin Lizzy had a unique sound, but the key to it all was Phil, with his brilliant sense of melody, his bass playing, his ability to conjure that feeling of excitement and danger, but also love and heartbreak.
Phew, for a while there I thought this was going in a very different direction.
ADVICE......Do yourself a favour. Go see "Limehouse Lizzy" on tour back end of this year and early next. They are without doubt the best tribute band (not just Thin Lizzy Tribute) I have ever seen. Weirdly, they've been active longer than the actual band.
I saw them at MK Bowl back in the day , they were late coming on stage and the crowd was getting restless ,so the organisers put four lads on playing air guitar to music which didnt go down well and they were pelted with bottles of piss , and thats the only thing i can remember about the concert
A friend of mine used to help his dad with his milk round in Kew. Phil Lynott made an arrangement where they left a couple of bottles of vodka a day as well. All seemed super cool rock star behaviour at the time, not so clever in hindsight.
Even us punky kids loved Lizzy, probably as we were mostly Irish catholics. One of us got alive and Dangerous the morning it came out and we all gathered in a music room at lunchtime to listen to it instead of playing football. Unprecedented.
The Radiators From Space were led by the late Philip Chevron who later on joined The Pogues.
Which leads me on to a tale of my own. I went to a St. Patricks night at The Klub Foot in Clarendon Hotel and when I walked in, one of the first sights I saw was Phil Lynott with a pint of green beer and a condom as an earring. Also in there was Declan McManus with Cait O'Riordan, Shane McGowan and, I would guess from your comment, that Phil Chevron would have been there too. I don't remember the bands but the aforementioned all took a turn on stage to jam during the night and I think I enjoyed myself.
I've always liked Thin Lizzy too, Though Phil died when I was 9.
I went out with a girl from Dublin so while over we went to pay our respects to Phil, it was a bit cold and no one about and that part of the cemetery has flat headstones so after an hour we couldn't find him but at one point 'Emerald' popped into my head randomly so I think he was nearby.
I did get to meet Scott Gorhan at 'Live voltage' in 2010 nice guy, I told him he was one of my guitar heroes cliche or what eh?
High Voltage Pete, if you recall, Scott was very magnanimous, and had fond memories of mixing with Stan. Lizzy live? As good as it gets, equalled of course, before and since but never bettered, the Robbo years on stage were magical, captured brilliantly on 'Live and Dangerous', the cover says it all. A good analogy by NW5, UFO mit Schenker also showcased on 'Strangers in the Night', giving us, without argument, two of the greatest live albums ever recorded, highlighting the massive impact of 'being there'.
High Voltage Pete, if you recall, Scott was very magnanimous, and had fond memories of mixing with Stan. Lizzy live? As good as it gets, equalled of course, before and since but never bettered, the Robbo years on stage were magical, captured brilliantly on 'Live and Dangerous', the cover says it all. A good analogy by NW5, UFO mit Schenker also showcased on 'Strangers in the Night', giving us, without argument, two of the greatest live albums ever recorded, highlighting the massive impact of 'being there'.
I would add Lynyrd Skynyrd’s One More From the Road and Maze Live in New Orleans to the list of magnificent live albums.
High Voltage Pete, if you recall, Scott was very magnanimous, and had fond memories of mixing with Stan. Lizzy live? As good as it gets, equalled of course, before and since but never bettered, the Robbo years on stage were magical, captured brilliantly on 'Live and Dangerous', the cover says it all. A good analogy by NW5, UFO mit Schenker also showcased on 'Strangers in the Night', giving us, without argument, two of the greatest live albums ever recorded, highlighting the massive impact of 'being there'.
Yes meeting Scott Gorham with you at High Voltage 2011 was a highlight. First saw Lizzy at Hammersmith Odeon in 1980 and then again a year later at the MK Bowl. Recently saw Brian Downey's Alive & Dangerous at the Roadmender in Northampton they were brilliant. Emerald on the Jailbreak album is still one of the most stunning headbanging tracks ever recorded. Personal favourite track is Don't Believe a Word, total classic. Let's face it Thin Lizzy were a brilliant hard rock band.
High Voltage Pete, if you recall, Scott was very magnanimous, and had fond memories of mixing with Stan. Lizzy live? As good as it gets, equalled of course, before and since but never bettered, the Robbo years on stage were magical, captured brilliantly on 'Live and Dangerous', the cover says it all. A good analogy by NW5, UFO mit Schenker also showcased on 'Strangers in the Night', giving us, without argument, two of the greatest live albums ever recorded, highlighting the massive impact of 'being there'.
Yeah he was the perfect gent, considering we all walked up and started chatting. I remember you talking to him about Stan, they were pretty good with Ricky Warwick Live aswell.
Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent
One of the gigs I saw they were supported by an Irish punk band The Radiators from Space,they were absolute rubbish,no idea if they had albums before or after.
I'm Irish, so there is naturally a subconscious bias when I'd comment on such bands. But as a schoolkid growing up in Dublin in the years before the Boomtown Rats and U2 they were iconic. The fact that their music has stood the test of time should be an independent testament as to how good they were.
Go on, treat yourself to a listen of their Greatest Hits album.
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