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Taken from Express.co.uk (Oct 29, 2020)
Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham on how The Boys Are Back In Town's success SURPRISED Phil Lynott
THIN LIZZY guitarist Scott Gorham has shared how The Boys Are Back In Town's success was a huge surprise to the band and especially the late Phil Lynott.
by George Simpson
Phil Lynott: Songs For While I'm Away is set for release in UK cinemas on October 30 (Image: PRESS) |
The Boys Are Back In Town has to be Thin Lizzy's most famous song. But when frontman Phil Lynott wrote it he and the rest of the band had no idea how much of a hit the track would be. In fact, it turns out the iconic song was almost left out of Thin Lizzy's 1976 album Jailbreak entirely.
Speaking exclusively with Express.co.uk, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham shared the surprise rise of The Boys Are Back In Town and Phil's incredible reaction to the news.
The 69-year-old said: "Truth be told we didn't even have it on the shortlist to put it on the album."
For their new record which became Jailbreak, Thin Lizzy were feeling the pressure from the record company and their management as they felt the band really needed a hit.
So after putting together 15 demos, the band shortlisted them down to 10 and The Boys Are Back In Town was amazingly not included.
Phil Lynott and Scott Gorham - Thin Lizzy: (Image: UMG) |
Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham today: (Image: GETTY) |
However, it was their management who suggested The Boys Are Back In Town, in its pre-guitar harmonies format, should make the final 10 tracks on the album.
So Thin Lizzy agreed but they still didn't make the song a single and neither did the record company.
Scott said: "It was two guys, two disc jockeys in Louisville, Kentucky, who just took a love to this song."
The duo ended up playing The Boys Are Back In Town twice an hour for a week or so.
Scott added: "It was almost overkill!"
It wasn't long before other stations in the area caught onto the song and started playing The Boys Are Back In Town too.
The Thin Lizzy legend added: "And then you could see this magic circle of all these other stations picking up on it and it became a huge nationwide hit in America."
Meanwhile, the band were playing a club around 100 miles away from Louisville.
Jailbreak had been out a while and Thin Lizzy were sitting backstage when their manager burst in saying: "Well boys, looks like we've got a hit on our hands here in America!"
In disbelief, Thin Lizzy asked which track had become so popular and he said The Boys Are Back In Town.
Scott said: "And honest to God, Phil said, 'Well I guess we'd better put it back in the set!'
"That's how unsure we were of what was going to be a single."
Scott was promoting the new Thin Lizzy Rock Legends super deluxe edition, while this week sees the cinematic release of a new documentary movie on the late Phil Lynott's life.
Directed by Emer Reynolds, a fellow Dubliner, Phil Lynott: Songs For While I'm Away sees new interviews with the Thin Lizzy star's close friends, family and bandmates.
The filmmaker herself even briefly met Phil once, but despite never really getting to know him personally she felt: "The film was my chance to get to know him."
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Taken from Express.co.uk (Oct 30, 2020)
Phil Lynott death 'Asking for help was sign of weakness for him' Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham
PHIL LYNOTT died at just 36-years-old after his last few years were badly affected by drug and alcohol dependency. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham has shared the last time he saw the star.
by George Simpson
Phil Lynott: (Image: UMG) |
In late 1985, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham went to visit his bandmate Phil Lynott. The bandmates hadn't seen each other in a year, with Scott having stepped away from the clubs and concerts to overcome his heroin addiction. However, Phil was still very much dependant on drugs and alcohol and tragically died just three weeks later.
Speaking exclusively with Express.co.uk, Scott admitted: "It was kind of in Phil's nature not to ask for help.
"For him, asking for help was like a sign of weakness."
On the last time he saw his friend at his home, the Thin Lizzy guitarist said how he had some demos and wanted to catch up with Phil.
The 69-year-old remembered: "He opened the door and he looked f***ing terrible."
Scott continued: "The look on his face, seeing that I was this glowing thing of health, really shocked him."
The Thin Lizzy bandmates gave each other a big hug before Phil invited him in to hear what he'd been working on.
After playing his acoustic guitar to Scott for about an hour, the last star said: "Y'know we've really got to start writing songs again, we're really got to get the band back together again."
Scott was absolutely on board but said how Phil needed to be in a good condition to be out on the road again.
Phil said: "I'm gonna get rid of this s***and get myself back into shape."
Scott even admitted, "He was so convincing", thinking it would actually happen, but added,"Unfortunately three weeks later he was dead."
On Christmas Day 1985, the Thin Lizzy frontman collapsed at home in Kew where he was discovered by his mother.
At Salisbury Infirmary Phil was diagnosed with septicaemia, but his condition worsened by the beginning of 1986, so he was put on a ventilator and transferred to the intensive care unit.
And then on January 4, 1986, Phil Lynott died of pneumonia and heart failure as a result of septicaemia.
Scott assessed: "He couldn't bring himself to say, 'How did you do it? Who can I go to? Can you give me some help here?'
"He wasn't that guy. I was waiting for him to ask me. He just never asked me.
"Maybe he was just the kind of person that would live fast and die young."
The Thin Lizzy guitarist added: "I don't think he ever wanted to die though.
"He loved the spotlight too much to be able to give it up."
Phil Lynott: Songs For While I'm Away, a new documentary film about the Thin Lizzy star's life, is set for release in UK cinemas on October 30. See www.phillynottfilm.com for further information & tickets.
The film's London Premiere is taking place at the Doc'n Roll Festival on Nov 1st with an exclusive director and special guests Q&A being shown at Everyman Music Film Festival. Thin Lizzy Rock Legends super deluxe edition is out now.
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