Thin Lizzy emerged as a four-piece in Dublin as the 1960s drew to a close, when guitarist Eric Bell and keyboard player Eric Wrixon, both from Belfast, encountered a band named Orphanage, which included Dubliners Brian Downey on drums and charismatic front man Philip Lynott. Evolving through a number of incarnations, through psychedelic power trio through classic four-piece guitar-toting rockers, to a quintet of heavy metal heroes, with the ever-present Lynott and Downey at its core, Thin Lizzy rose to become one of the most powerful and iconic rock bands in Europe, before the erosive effects of the rock'n'roll lifestyle took their toll.
The purpose of this book is to present a history of the band through its music - to cover every song released through official channels, presented in context, including an overview of its content. From the difficult early years of the early 1970s, which did produce the surprise hit single 'Whisky In The Jar', via their breakthrough album Jailbreak and the heavy rock excesses of the early 80s, this book follows the evolution of Thin Lizzy and its stellar cast of guitarists, from start to finish through their music, track by glorious track.
