Editing Thin Lizzy (section)

==="The Boys Are Back in Town" (1975–1977)===
[[File:Thin Lizzy 1970s.jpg|thumb|alt=A black-and-white photo of the band|L–R: [[Scott Gorham]], [[Brian Robertson (guitarist)|Brian Robertson]], [[Brian Downey (drummer)|Brian Downey]], and [[Phil Lynott]], promotional photo, 1977]]

In early 1975, Thin Lizzy toured the United States for the first time, in support of [[Bob Seger]] and [[Bachman–Turner Overdrive]] (BTO). When BTO toured Europe later in the year to support their hit single "[[You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (Bachman-Turner Overdrive song)|You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet]]", Thin Lizzy again accompanied them on what was a very high-profile tour.{{sfn|Putterford|1994|p=106}} They then recorded the ''[[Fighting (Thin Lizzy album)|Fighting]]'' album, which became the first Thin Lizzy album to chart in the UK, reaching No.&nbsp;60, although the singles still did not chart. Opening with Seger's "[[Back in '72|Rosalie]]", the album showed the first real evidence of the twin guitar sound that would lead the band towards their greatest successes, particularly with the dual harmonies of "Wild One" and both guitarists' soloing on "Suicide".{{sfn|Byrne|2006|p=65}}

After a successful multi-band tour in support of [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]], the band recorded the album ''[[Jailbreak (album)|Jailbreak]]'', which proved to be their breakthrough record. Released on 26 March 1976, it featured the worldwide hit "[[The Boys Are Back in Town]]" which reached No.&nbsp;8 in the UK, and No.&nbsp;12 in the US,<ref name="stone">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596344/the_boys_are_back_in_town |title=The Boys Are Back in Town |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=20 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620041006/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596344/the_boys_are_back_in_town |archive-date=20 June 2008}}</ref> their first charting record in that country. The album also charted well on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching No.&nbsp;10 in the UK and No.&nbsp;18 in the US, and the follow-up single, "[[Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy song)|Jailbreak]]", also performed well. The twin guitar sound had been fully developed by this time and was in evidence throughout the album, particularly on the hit single, and other tracks such as "Emerald", "Warriors" and "Cowboy Song". The album is considered to have financially secured the band, not only enabling them to survive and continue, but also be able to feel the freedom needed to be able to experiment with higher concept thought and [[Phil Lynott|Lynott]]'s more lyrically challenging pieces that the group went on to pen.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=21 February 2021 |title=IRELAND: Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy |url=https://www.200worldalbums.com/post/ireland-jailbreak-thin-lizzy |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=200worldalbums.com |language=en |archive-date=20 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020082813/https://www.200worldalbums.com/post/ireland-jailbreak-thin-lizzy |url-status=live }}</ref> Thin Lizzy toured the US in support of various bands such as [[Aerosmith]], [[Rush (band)|Rush]] and [[REO Speedwagon]], and they planned to tour there again in June 1976, this time with [[Rainbow (English band)|Rainbow]]. However, Lynott fell ill with [[hepatitis]] and the tour was cancelled, which set them back a few months.{{sfn|Byrne|2006|p=74}}

While Lynott was ill, he wrote most of the following album, ''[[Johnny the Fox]]''. The album was recorded in August 1976 and the sessions began to reveal tensions between Lynott and Robertson; for example, there was disagreement over the composition credits of the hit single "Don't Believe a Word".{{sfn|Putterford|1994|p=120}} Lynott was still drawing on [[Celtic mythology]] and his own personal experiences for lyric ideas, which dominated ''Johnny the Fox'' and the other albums of Thin Lizzy's successful mid-1970s period.{{sfn|Byrne|2006|p=80}} The tour to support the album was very successful and there were further high-profile TV appearances, such as the ''[[Rod Stewart]] [[BBC]] TV Special''.{{sfn|Bailie|1996|p=120}}

An important tour of the US in December 1976 had to be cancelled when Brian Robertson's hand was injured by a broken bottle during a fight at [[The Speakeasy Club]] in London, the night before the band were due to fly.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/what-happened-the-night-brian-robertson-got-glassed-at-the-speakeasy|work=loudersound.com|title=What happened the night Brian Robertson got glassed at The Speakeasy|author=Johnny Black|date=30 August 2017|access-date=6 March 2020|archive-date=9 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709020239/https://www.loudersound.com/features/what-happened-the-night-brian-robertson-got-glassed-at-the-speakeasy|url-status=live}}</ref> Robertson maintains that, contrary to reports at the time, he was not drunk and had only gone to the venue for a meal.{{sfn|Byrne|2006|p=82}}{{sfn|Putterford|1994|p=128}} Lynott was angry and replaced Robertson with Gary Moore for another tour of the States in January–April 1977, this time supporting [[Queen (band)|Queen]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NmRaDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT128|title=The Dead Straight Guide to Queen|author =Phil Chapman |page=128|publisher=This Day In Music Books|date= 1 Oct 2017|isbn=9781787590502}}</ref> The tour was a success and Lynott asked Moore to stay on, but he returned to his previous band, [[Colosseum II]]. Robertson had not been sacked but was unsure of his position and made plans to start another band with [[Jimmy Bain]] of Rainbow.{{sfn|Putterford|1994|p=133}} Before the American tour, Lynott had also invited Irish guitarist Jimi Slevin to "try out a few things" with Thin Lizzy, prompting speculation that the ex-Skid Row member could replace Robertson.<ref>''Starlight'' Magazine, 16 December 1976</ref>

Thin Lizzy flew to Canada in May 1977 as a trio to record ''[[Bad Reputation (Thin Lizzy album)|Bad Reputation]]'', with Gorham handling all the guitar parts. A month into the sessions, at Gorham's urging, Robertson joined them, in his own words, "as a session player"{{sfn|Byrne|2006|p=87}} and in Lynott's words, "as a guest".{{sfn|Bailie|1996|p=126}} Robertson added lead guitar tracks to three songs as well as rhythm guitar and keyboards, and was officially reinstated in July. The album was released in September and sold well, reaching No.&nbsp;4 in the UK, after a successful single, "[[Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)]]".{{sfn|Putterford|1994|p=139}} Also in 1977, Thin Lizzy headlined the Reading Festival, and played [[Dalymount Park]] on 21 August.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mullally |first=Una |title=The summer of 1977 was the moment rock music tipped over in Ireland |work=Culture |publisher=[[Irish Times]] |date=30 March 2019 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/the-summer-of-1977-was-the-moment-rock-music-tipped-over-in-ireland-1.3834024 |access-date=24 May 2019 |archive-date=31 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331232815/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/the-summer-of-1977-was-the-moment-rock-music-tipped-over-in-ireland-1.3834024 |url-status=live }}</ref>