Thin Lizzy
Formed: 1970
From:
Ireland
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Thin Lizzy News
Below is our complete Thin Lizzy news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 21 - 40 of 58 1 2 3 Last
OpEd
Empty Hearts: A Tribute To Gary Moore
Nowadays, the term "Guitar Hero" has become synonymous with a rhythm based video game, but prior to this, the term was used as a tag of respect to those who breathed, ate and lived for their instrument, and displayed a skill and passion for the six stringed axe that elevated them to the status of kings to their listeners. These guitar heroes created music that resonated within the very souls of their fans and bore riffs that would become as memorable to rockers as their child's first word or their wedding day. Regardless of how the term is thrown around now, Gary Moore is, was and forever shall be, a true guitar hero.
Gary Moore was born in the Northern Irish capital of Belfast on April 4th 1952 and begun his foray into music at the age of eight, using an old acoustic guitar. He showed dedication to the guitar even in his youth, when at the age of fourteen, he learned how to play his first "proper" guitar right handed, despite being a southpaw. His influences were similar to many young musicians of the time; The Beatles, Elvis Presley, but his approach to his instrument was changed forever when he witnessed a Jimi Hendrix concert. After attending the show, his style morphed into the blues rock style for which he would become most well known.
At the age of sixteen, Moore moved to Dublin to join the band Skid Row, which also featured future Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott. With Skid Row, Moore recorded two studio albums, "Skid" and "34 Hours," before setting out on his own and releasing his debut studio album, "Grinding Stone" in 1973. The album is not seen by some as a Gary Moore album, as it is attributed to "The Gary Moore Band" but nevertheless brought the young guitarist to the attention of many contemporaries. The following year, Moore reunited with Lynott to record the song, "Still Loving You" for the Thin Lizzy album, "Night Life." This would not be his only tenure with the band however, as he also worked with the group on their album, "Black Rose: A Rock Legend," regarded by many fans to be one of the best Thin Lizzy albums in their catalogue. He also appeared with the band in the music videos for the songs, "Do Anything You Want To" and "Waiting For An Alibi."
In 1979, the same year Thin Lizzy released, "Black Rose," Moore once again began to compose solo material, culminating in the album, "Back On The Streets," which fetured Phil Lynott appearing on and co-writing several tracks and an album cover depicting Moore leaving the infamous Wormwood Scrubs Prison in West London. The album featured the song, "Parisiene Walkways," one of his best known compisitions and following the record's release, Moore continued to release solo albums regularly, experimenting in many forms of music including blues, rock, jazz, heavy metal and country music. He still found the time to contribute to other artists work though, including an appearance on the Charity single "Let It Be," which was billed as Ferry Aid and raised money for the survivors of the MS Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, which was considered one of the worst maritime catastrophes since the Titanic sunk.
With a discography spanning twenty studio albums and numerous live and compilation records and a life rooted in music for more than five decades, Gary Moore will always be remembered as one of the true devotees to music. His style has influenced countless guitar players worldwide, including Zakk Wylde, Joe Bonamassa, Randy Rhoads, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard and Tygers Of Pan Tang guitarist John Sykes, who himself would become a large part of Thin Lizzy history. It's a testament to not only Gary Moore the guitarist, but Gary Moore tha man, that in the short time that his death was announced, tributes, memories and praise have poured out from fans and fellow musicians alike, none of whom seem to have a bad word to say about him.
He left us too soon, and we've Still Got The Blues.
Gary Moore. 1952 - 2011
More...
Henry Rollins And More Pay Tribute To Gary Moore
As was reported yesterday, guitar hero and former Thin Lizzy axeman Gary Moore has passed away. Since the news broke, tributes have been pouring in from fans and peers alike. Former Black Flag frontman and spoken word artist Henry Rollins stated:
"He was too young to go, those Lizzy recordings with Moore were as good as it gets. His solo records were rocking."
Former Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow and Uriah Heep bassist Bob Daisley commented: "It is with great sadness that I acknowledge Gary Moore in this way. His passing has come as a sad and terrible shock and I have difficulty believing that he’s gone. I have many fond memories of our years together, both in the workplace of music and as friends. I have love and respect for Gary as a musician and as a person, he was one of the greatest. Farewell and rest in peace Gary my friend." More...
Steve Gaines Offers Thoughts On Gary Moore
Abattoir and Anger As Art vocalist Steve Gaines has posted the following statement regarding the death of legendary guitarist Gary Moore:
"Super Bowl Sunday, and I find this news.... simply terrible. This hits me as hard as Ronnie Dio's passing.
"About ten years ago, I was starting to make the jump from bass to guitar... and was lacking some inspiration. While working on some Pagan War Machine recordings, I was shown some live video of Gary Moore, and quite simply it changed my life. Instead of the shreddy, arpeggio swepping whammy bar guys that dominate the thrash scene, here was a guy who played bluesy hard rock — who could hold a note for what seemed like forever ('Parisienne Walkways') that would bring tears to your eyes. From there I discovered his whole career... blues, prog, whatever, he did it better than most.
"It is not a stretch to say that if not for Gary Moore, that first Anger As Art album never would have been done. Unashamedly I admit to ripping off his technique for that whole record.
"Gary, I hope Phil [Lynott] was there to greet you. You guys have some time now... Go find Cozy [Powell], and we expect that you have a few records worth of material for us by the time we join you.
"Rest in peace, Gazza!"
More People Pay Tribute To Gary Moore
As reported earlier today, blues rock legend and former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore passed away this morning while on holiday in Spain. Tributes have already begun to pour in from fans and peers, including his former Thin Lizzy bandmate Scott Gorham, who stated:
"He was a superb player and a dedicated musician. Playing with Gary during the Black Rose era was a great experience, he was a great player and a great guy. I will miss him."
Also paying tribute was Black Sabbath bass player Terry "Geezer" Butler, who said: "I was very saddened to hear of the passing of one of the greatest guitarists of all time- Gary Moore. His Still Got The Blues album was one of the great albums, certainly one of my favourites. His way of playing can not be learned- it comes from the soul. R.I.P Gary."
Nightwish singer Annette Olzon added: “A super guitarist and for me, a man who has given me wonderful songs to listen to and dance my first slow dances to, has been found dead early this morning in Spain.
He was so young still, just 58 years old and it´s just a big loss for music. Nightwish has recorded one of his songs as a cover – ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’ - a great song he made. I hope you may rest in peace, Gary, and thanks for all the songs I just love!”
Opeth Frontman Comments On The Death Of Gary Moore
Mikael Åkerfeldt, the frontman of Swedish progressive metal favourites Opeth, has commented on the passing of blues rock legend and former Thin Lizzy guitarist, Gary Moore, which was announced earlier today. His statement reads as follows:
"We are devastated to hear about the passing of Gary Moore. Both myself and Fredrik (Åkesson; guitar) are massive fans of his, and we've been listening to his music since we're kids. He was such a integral part of our musical upbringing, so it's with great sadness we have to try and accept these horrible news. One of the very best hard rock lead guitar players EVER! We love you Gary, rest in peace."
Headline News
Gary Moore Passes Away
Legendary Northern Irish blues rock guitarist Gary Moore has unfortunately passed away. The former Thin Lizzy guitarist reportedly died in his sleep while on holiday in Spain in the early hours of this morning. He was 58 years old. Moore made a name for himself in the rock world after performing in a band named Skid Row in the late 1960s and released his first solo album in 1973, before joining Thin Lizzy for periods of time and collaborating with such other legendary artists as Ozzy Osbourne, B.B. King and George Harrison. More...
Twenty More Bands Announced For Download 2011
The organisers of Britain's Download Festival has announced a further twenty more names for this year's event, in addition to the previously confirmed bands Linkin Park, System of A Down, Rob Zombie and Avenged Sevenfold. The festival will be held at Donington park from June 10th-12th.
The lineup is now as follows:
Alice Cooper
Alter Bridge
Avenged Sevenfold
Black Veil Brides
Bullet For My Valentine
Clutch
Danzig
Escape The Fate
FM
The Gaslight Anthem
Gwar
Hollywood Undead
Korn
Linkin Park
Mr. Big
Pendulum
Rise To Remain
Rob Zombie
System Of A Down
The Cult
The Damned Things
Thin Lizzy
OpEd
Remembering Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott
Rock is responsible for some of the biggest icons and best frontmen in the history of music, there's no doubt about it. Freddie Mercury, Jimi Hendrix, Bon Scott, they were all rockers and will always be remembered for their commanding performances and outstanding music. Twenty five years ago today, a man easily as great and special as all of the those mentioned previously passed away at the age of thirty six. The man was Phil Lynott, best known as the singing bassist of Thin Lizzy, one of the biggest bands to ever come from the Republic Of Ireland. Lynott was the main composer for the band and was responsible for penning what are arguably some of the best songs in the history of rock music. "The Boys Are Back In Town," "Jailbreak," "Dancing In The Moonlight," look at the credits and you'll see his name by each of these songs. As a frontman, Lynott will always be known as one of the best. One only has to listen to "Live And Dangerous," the classic live album from Thin Lizzy, to hear how he commanded the attention of the audience. He is perhaps the main reason why that album never fails to reach any critics list of best live records.
The influence of Lynott and Thin Lizzy has reached countless bands from Judas Priest to the Happy Mondays to Atreyu, as well as rock fans across the globe, including yours truly. Indeed, I was only five years of age when I became aware of them, owing predominantly to the use of "The Boys Are Back In Town" on a trailer for the movie, Toy Story. I became as interested in that song and who sang it as much as I did the film and later that year was given, "Wild One: The Best Of Thin Lizzy" as a birthday gift. This was made all the more special in that it was my first album and all the more interesting with each passing track. I was blown away by the sonic onslaught of "Cold Sweat" and "Killer On The Loose," while being subdued by the melodies of "Whisky In The Jar" and "Sarah." Ever since I received that CD, with Lynott's face emblazened on the front cover in sepia, I have loved Thin Lizzy and to this day, consider them to be perhaps the greatest pound for pound rock band of all time. More...
Atreyu's New Covers EP Streaming Online
Atreyu's entire new EP, "Covers Of The Damned," featuring Aerosmith’s “Living On The Edge” is now streaming on Monster Energy's site. You can find it in their music player and then by selecting Atreyu in the artist dropdown.
Before Orange County, CA-based modern rock band Atreyu launch their "Congregation of the Damned" tour October 20 in Anaheim, CA, the band will release a free five-song digital EP titled "Covers of the Damned" on October 12 via www.guvera.com (US only). "Covers of the Damned" will also be available worldwide on iTunes, amazon.com and all popular music download sites. Limited edition vinyl copies will be available exclusively at each show on the tour (dates below). The tour will see several of these songs performed live with special guests.
"Covers of the Damned," produced by Noah Shain (As Tall As Lions, Orson, Endless Hallway), features two cover songs by Atreyu and three collaborations with the other bands on the tour. Shain notes that, “These young bands all have a unique and different approach to rock music...such radical interpretations of dangerously classic songs. It was amazing to see and hear these guys work together! We recorded the album in a very short amount of time and everyone followed their instincts, so what you hear is an honest interpretation of the music of an older generation filtered through the ears and hands of the generation of artists making the music that defines today's culture. Kind of a once in a lifetime gig for me. And not only is it a bad ass record, it's gonna be a f__king amazing tour!” Adds Atreyu’s Alex Varkatzas, “A whole tour teaming up to release an EP is a rare thing. We wanted to collaborate with the bands on our tour to create a fun series of covers. This shit was fun to record and will be fun to listen to.”
Atreyu and the members of Chiodos, Blessthefall and Endless Hallway recorded the EP in White Buffalo Studios from September 12 to 17. Architects (UK) vocalist Sam Carter recorded his parts remotely from the UK.
The songs are:
Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge” (Atreyu)
Dead Kennedys “Holiday in Cambodia” (Endless Hallway and Travis Miguel of Atreyu)
Volbeat’s “Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood” (Atreyu)
Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town” (featuring Atreyu vocalist Alex Varkatzas and guitarists Travis Miguel and Dan Jacobs along with Endless Hallway members Evan MacCarthy and Joe Mullen, Chiodos vocalist Brandon Bolmer, Architects (UK) singer Sam Carter and Blessthefall vocalist Beau Bokan)
Deftones “My Own Summer” (Atreyu guitarist Travis Miguel and bassist Mark McKnight with Brandon Bolmer and Tanner Wayne of Chiodos, Sam Carter of Architects (UK) and Jono Evans of Endless Hallway
All of the songs on the EP were important to the members of Atreyu in their formative years and contributed to their development as a band. Fans can see the behind-the-scenes footage of the making of this EP soon at RevolverMag.com.
Here are the latest Atreyu tour dates: More...
Column
Sunday Old School: Thin Lizzy
On January 4th 1986, the world of hard rock lost one of it's greatest figures and heavy metal lost one of it's biggest influences in the form of Phillip Parris Lynott, the lead vocalist and bass player of Thin Lizzy, when he passed away from multiple organ failure at the age of thirty six. Lynott has since been remembered for being one of, if not the best, lyricist in heavy music, drawing much inspiration from poetry and Irish folklore and is constantly mentioned as one of the best frontmen of all time, easily contending for the title along with Bon Scott, Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger. You only have to listen to "Live And Dangerous", a classic in the field of live albums, to hear how well Lynott could work the audience. The line "Is there anybody here with a bit of Irish in them? ... Is there any girls out there who'd like a bit more Irish in them?" from this record has gone down as one of the most memorable quotes in music history. He was well known for living the rock and roll lifestyle which included drink, drugs and sex as main ingredients, so much so that after he passed away, a doctor reportedly said "He died from a lifestyle." Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll may have been a song by Ian Dury, but no-one personified it quite like Phil Lynott.
Phil Lynott joined Thin Lizzy in December 1969, along with his friend Brian Downey. The two performed together as part of the band Orphanage and were spotted by organ player Eric Wrixon and guitarist Eric Bell, who were previously members of the famous band Them, fronted by the legendary Van Morrison. Bell and Wrixon approached Lynott and Downey after Orphanage finished playing their set and suggested they form a band together, which was agreed on the condition that Lynott also play bass guitar and that they would perform some of his own compositions. This lineup would release only one record, a single entitled "The Farmer" through EMI. The single only sold 283 copies and has since become a rare collectors item. Following from this commercial failure, Wrixon left Thin lizzy to return to Them, leaving the band as a three piece. Thin Lizzy soldiered on and signed to Decca Records in 1970, releasing their self-titled debut album the next year. The album sold fairly well and the band followed with the much more Celtic orientated album, "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage" in March of 1972. Neither of the bands first two albums found a place in the charts but they received a high profile support slot when they were invited to tour with the hugely popular Slade and Suzi Quatro later that year.
The band tasted their first chart success soon afterwards when Decca Records, against the band's wishes, released their cover of the Irish ballad "Whiskey In The Jar." The single topped the Irish charts and entered the U.K. charts at number six, leading to their first appearance on the revered show, Top Of The Pops. The band were not quite as succesful with their next singles which only entered the Irish charts. More...
Sigh Vocalist Appears In Heavy Metal Cookbook
Dr. Mikannibal of Japanese metallers Sigh is sharing her Habanero Gyudon recipe with the world in the new cookbook "Hellbent For Cooking: The Heavy Metal Cookbook." The book, which was put together by Annick "Morbid Chef" Giroux, is now available from Bazillion Points Books. "Hellbent For Cooking" features 101 entries from 32 countries and includes entries from bands such as Thin Lizzy, Anthrax, Destruction, Possessed, Obituary, Accept, Doro, Gwar, Toxic Holocaust, EyeHateGod, Saint Vitus, Amebix, Melechesh, Cauldron, Uriah Heep, and more. About 30% of the entries are vegetarian. More info on the cookbook can be found at this location.
Guitar Hero 5 Tracklisting Revealed
The complete tracklisting for the forthcoming new installment in the popular "Guitar Hero" video game franchise, "Guitar Hero 5" has been revealed. You can check it out below.
3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"
Arctic Monkeys - "Brianstorm"
Blink-182 - "The Rock Show"
Dire Straits - "Sultans Of Swing"
Jimmy Eat World - "Bleed American"
Johnny Cash - "Ring Of Fire"
Megadeth - "Sweating Bullets"
Mötley Crüe - "Looks That Kill"
Muse - "Plug In Baby"
Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Queen & David Bowie - "Under Pressure"
Stevie Wonder - "Superstition"
The Killers - "All The Pretty Faces"
The Raconteurs - "Steady As She Goes"
TV On The Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
A Perfect Circle - "Judith"
AFI - "Medicate"
Attack! Attack! UK - "You And Me"
Band Of Horses - "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands"
Beastie Boys - "Gratitude"
Beck - "Gamma Ray"
Billy Idol - "Dancing With Myself"
Billy Squier - "Lonely Is The Night"
Blur - "Song 2"
Bob Dylan - "All Along The Watchtower"
Bon Jovi - "You Give Love A Bad Name"
Brand New - "Sowing Season (Yeah)"
The Bronx - "Six Days A Week"
Bush - "Comedown"
Children Of Bodom - "Done With Everything, Die For Nothing"
Coldplay - "In My Place"
Darker My Love - "Blue Day"
Darkest Hour - "Demon(s)"
David Bowie - "Fame"
Deep Purple - "Woman From Tokyo ('99 Remix)"
The Derek Trucks Band - "Younk Funk"
The Duke Spirit - "Send A Little Love Token"
Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf"
Eagles Of Death Metal - "Wannabe In L.A."
Elliott Smith - "L.A."
Elton John - "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)"
Face To Face - "Disconnected"
Garbage - "Only Happy When It Rains"
Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc."
Gov't Mule - "Streamline Woman"
Grand Funk Railroad - "We're An American Band"
Iggy Pop - "Lust For Life (Live)"
Iron Maiden - "2 Minutes To Midnight"
Jeff Beck - "Scatterbrain (Live)"
John Mellencamp - "Hurts So Good"
Kaiser Chiefs - "Never Miss A Beat"
King Crimson - "21st Century Schizoid Man"
Kings Of Leon - "Sex On Fire"
Kiss - "Shout It Out Loud"
Love and Rockets - "Mirror People"
My Morning Jacket - "One Big Holiday"
Nirvana - "Lithium (Live)"
No Doubt - "Ex-Girlfriend"
Peter Frampton - "Do You Feel Like We Do? (Live)"
The Police - "So Lonely"
Public Enemy Featuring Zakk Wylde - "Bring the Noise 20XX"
Queens Of The Stone Age - "Make It Wit Chu"
Rammstein – "Du Hast"
The Rolling Stones - "Sympathy For The Devil"
Rose Hill Drive - "Sneak Out"
Rush - "The Spirit Of Radio (Live)"
Santana - "No One To Depend On (Live)"
Scars On Broadway - "They Say"
Screaming Trees - "Nearly Lost You"
Smashing Pumpkins - "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
Sonic Youth - "Incinerate"
Spacehog - "In The Meantime"
Sublime - "What I Got"
Sunny Day Real Estate - "Seven"
T. Rex - "20th Century Boy"
The Sword - "Maiden, Mother & Crone"
Thin Lizzy - "Jailbreak"
Thrice - "Deadbolt"
Tom Petty - "Runnin' Down A Dream"
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "American Girl"
Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk"
Weezer - "Why Bother?"
The White Stripes - "Blue Orchid"
Wild Cherry - "Play That Funky Music"
Wolfmother - "Back Round"
John Sykes Explains Why He Left Thin Lizzy
Former Thin Lizzy guitarist/vocalist John Sykes has issued a statement regarding his recent departure from the band. It reads as follows:
"First, I would like to thank the fans for all the support over the years and say it has been truly a privilege and an honor to sing and play Philip's (Lynott) great songs in Thin Lizzy. After dedicating many years to the band, I feel it's time to get back to playing my own music, and I very much look forward to touring in the near future. As always, love and respect to Phil. See you all soon."
Headline News
Thin Lizzy Guitarist/Vocalist John Sykes Quits
John Sykes, the guitarist and vocalist for rock legends Thin Lizzy has reportedly left the band for reasons unknown at this point. As a result, all of Thin Lizzy's shows for this year have been cancelled. A message from guitarist Scott Gorham reads:
"Its been a very tough time of late for the band and myself, firstly with drummer Tommy Aldridge’s injury and now the subsequent decision for John and the rest of the group to go their separate ways. I can only apologize to everyone who has supported us over the years, but we will be back up to full speed soon."
Thin Lizzy Pulls Out Of AC/DC Shows
Rock legends Thin Lizzy has announced that they will be unable to perform their scheduled shows with AC/DC as a result of an accident drummer Tommy Aldridge has sufffered. A message from the band reads as follows:
"Thin Lizzy regret to announce that due to the prolonged recovery of drummer Tommy Aldridge after his recent accident, they have been forced to cancel the three shows with AC/DC: Wembley Arena - June 26th, Dublin Punchestown Racetrack - June 28th and Glasgow Hampden Park - June 30th.
"The band sincerely apologies for the disappointment to their fans attending these shows."
Four More Bands Added To Sonisphere 2009
The organizers of the British leg of this years Sonisphere festival have announced that four more bands will be joining the bill at Knebworth. Welsh alternative rockers Feeder will be performing at the event, as will Skindred, Frank Turner and Taking Back Sunday. The lineup for the festival, which will be held between August 1st-2nd, is now as follows:
Metallica
Linkin Park
Airbourne
Alice In Chains
Anthrax
Avenged Sevenfold
Bullet For My Valentine
Feeder
Frank Turner
Killing Joke
Lamb Of God
Machine Head
Mastodon
Nine Inch Nails
Skindred
Taking Back Sunday
The Sword
Thin Lizzy
More Bands Added To Rocklahoma 2009
The organizers of the Rocklahoma festival, which is held at the Catch The Fever Festival Grounds, located four miles north of Pryor, Oklahoma, has announced some new names for this years edition of the event. The biggest news is that Stryper has been confirmed to headline the main stage on Friday where they will be joined by new additions Night Ranger and Warrant. Added to the Saturday are rock legends Thin Lizzy and Sunday will see a newly confirmed performance from Skid Row.
Speaking on the festival, Stryper frontman Michael Swet said: "Rocklahoma is an event that I've heard about from peers and friends and they have always said that Stryper would be a perfect fit for this festival. Oklahoma holds a special place in my heart since my family lived in Moore, Oklahoma. I have a lot of family in Oklahoma. We're excited to finally be able to perform at Rocklahoma and look forward to an amazing night!"
More Bands Added To Sonisphere Festival U.K.
Four more band have been added to the first edition of the Sonisphere Festival in Britain this year in the forms of Anthrax, Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke and Airbourne. The festival will take place at the famous Knebworth Park between August 1st and 2nd.
The lineup is now as follows:
Airbourne
Alice In Chains
Anthrax
Avenged Sevenfold
Bullet For My Valentine
Killing Joke
Lamb Of God
Linkin Park (Headliner)
Machine Head
Mastodon
Metallica (Headliner)
Nine Inch Nails
The Sword
Thin Lizzy
Metallica Adds More Bands To Dublin Show
Metallica has announced that several more bands will be joining them at their show at Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland on August 1st. Among the newly confirmed bands are Irish rock legends Thin Lizzy and grunge icons Alice In Chains in addition to Lamb Of God, Mastodon, The Sword and Avenged Sevenfold. Tickets go on sale Tuesday and are priced at 76.50 Euros.
Bullet For My Valentine Added To Sonisphere
Welsh rockers Bullet For My Valentine has been added to the bill of the Sonisphere festival at Knebworth, England this year. The festival lasts for two days and takes place between August 1st and 2nd. Headlining the show will be Linkin Park and Metallica and the bill also boasts performances from Lamb Of God, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Machine Head, Thin Lizzy, The Sword and Avenged Sevenfold.