Today marks the 35th anniversary of the death of a true music great. Irish rocker Phil Lynott passed away 4th January 1986 at Salisbury District Hospital.
Lynott was born in the West Midlands of England, but grew up in Dublin with his grandparents. He remained close to his mother, Philomena, throughout his life. He fronted several bands as a lead vocalist, including Skid Row alongside Gary Moore, before learning the bass guitar and forming Thin Lizzy in 1969. After initial success with "Whiskey in the Jar", the band had several hits in the mid-1970s such as "The Boys Are Back in Town", "Jailbreak" and "Waiting for an Alibi", and became a popular live attraction combining Lynott's vocal and songwriting skills with dual lead guitars.
Lynott's last years were heavily affected by drug and alcohol dependency, leading to his collapse on 25 December 1985 at his home in Kew. He was discovered by his mother, who was not aware of his dependence on heroin. She contacted his wife, Caroline, who knew about it and immediately identified the problem as serious. After Caroline drove him to a drug clinic at Clouds House in East Knoyle, near Shaftesbury, he was taken to Salisbury Infirmary where he was diagnosed as suffering from septicaemia.
Although he regained consciousness enough to speak to his mother, his condition worsened by the start of the new year and he was put on a ventilator.He died of pneumonia and heart failure due to septicaemia in the hospital's intensive care unit on 4 January 1986, at the age of 36.
Lynott and Thin Lizzy were regular visitors to Cardiff being one of the first bands to play Cardiff Castle on the same bill as 10cc, Steeleye Span and Welsh rockers Man.
The band’s first ever Welsh gig was believed to be at the unlikely Skewen Rugby Club on 12 July 1971, their first Cardiff gig being Cardiff University, 4 March 1972, with the band Arrival. This was followed by a return in December to Cardiff’s Top Rank in a package that included Slade and Suzi Quatro.
Their next appearance was at the same venue on 17 Feb 1974, returning to the Rank again later in the year, 3 Dec.
Lizzy also made three appearances at Sophia Gardens for the Black Rose Tour 1980, The Chinatown tour 1980 and Renegade tour in 1981 promoting albums of the same titles.
The band ( including Lynott) last played Cardiff at St David’s Hall, March 1983.
Thin Lizzy’s line-up for the farewell tour is Phil Lynott on bass guitar and vocals, Scott Gorham on guitar and backing vocals, John Sykes on guitar and backing vocals, Darren Wharton on keyboards and backing vocals and Brian Downey on drums and percussion.
All Images maybe subject to copyright