Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
On this week's episode, we take a listen to another Listener's Pick: Thin Lizzy's sixth studio album, Jailbreak from 1976. It took some time, but by the time they recorded Jailbreak, Thin Lizzy's had figured out their formula and Jailbreak became their breakout LP.
Showcasing the tuneful songs of Phil Lynott and the expert twin guitar interplay of Scott Gorman and Brian Robertson, the album is the ultimate combination or power and melody.Lyrically, Lynott tapped into mythos of both Irish folklore and the American west to create his own version of story songs written by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison. Musically, Jailbreak is an absolute blast to listen to, providing future inspiration for both punk bands and bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
No recommendation for this episode.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Thin Lizzy’s classic line-up.
Pictured (from L to R): Brian Downey , Phil Lynott, Scott Gorham, and Brian Robertson.
A young Phil Lynott, with neighborhood kids in Crumin, Ireland.
The Black Eagles, circa1965. The band was simply know as the Eagles until Lynott joined the band. They weer active until 1967.
Skid Row was Lynott’s next band. He was Skid Row’s lead singer until 1969.
Pictured (from L to R): Brush Shiels, Phil Lynott, Gary Moore and drummer Robbie Brennan
Orphanage was a band composed of formal local band outcasts, hence the name.
Pictured (from L to R): Brian Downey, Joe Staunton, Phil Lynott, Pat Quigley, and Teryy Woods.
The band name came from a robot character called Tin Lizzie, who was the robot maid in the British print comic The Dandy (pictured).
The band spelled it Thin Lizzy as a play on the hard “T” sound of the Dublin pronunciation of “TH” where “thin would be pronounced “tin.”
The first interaction of Thin Lizzy: Eric Bell, Phil Lynott, and Brian Downey.
In late 1972, Thin Lizzy recorded a traditional Irish ballad, "Whiskey in the Jar,” Their label released it as a single. The band was angry at because they felt the song did not represent their sound or their image. To their surprise, the single topped the Irish charts, and reached No. 6 in the UK in 1973. As a result, they earned an appearance on Top of the Pops.
Here’s the band performing “Jailbreak” live form 1976.
In 1978, during a break from Thin Lizzy, Lynott, Scott Gorham and Gary Moore formed a band with Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols. They called the band the the Greedy Bastards, which was shortened to just the Greedies to be more commercial acceptable.
In 1979, the Greedies recorded one single, 'A Merry Jingle' a Christmas single. Here is a clip of them performing on the "Will Kenny Everett Make It To 1980?" new year's eve show. The lyrics were changed to wish everyone a Happy New Year as well as a Merry Christmas.
Lynott and his mother, Philomena .
