Metal Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Thin Lizzy are a very influential rock / hard rock band. They even occasionally dabbled in heavy metal. Phil Lynott was the bassist and vocalist as well as at differing times being the primary writer. Him and drummer Brian Downey were the only consistent members that lasted until the death of Phil in 1983. Since that time the band has remained active essentially as a tribute band. Because Phil died young some of his influences will be from second hand sources as original sources are limited, but the difference will be noted.
Starting with the first album the band consisted of Phil, Brian, and guitarist Eric Bell for their first three albums. After that time the band switched to a four piece consisting of Scott Gorham on guitar, who has been the only consistent member since that time, and on second guitar was Brian Robertson for five studio albums. Gary Moore was in for one album, and Snowy White was then in the band for two. Finally John Sykes filled the second guitar role for the final Thin Lizzy album. The final two albums also saw an additional role in the band with Darren Wharton on keyboard.

Note: I’ve seen several guitar player mention that they didn’t receive as many writing credits as they probably deserved, some more bitter about it than others. Each have some credits to them though.

Phase One

Phase one of Thin Lizzy consists of the first three albums on which the band played as a three piece with Eric Bell.

Django Reinhardt

Max Roach

Buddy Rich

Elvin Jones

Elvis has been dubbed the king of rock and roll. He is said to be an influence on Phil

Roy Orbison

The Shadows were the backing band of Cliff Richards and would eventually be an instrumental rock band. Eric and Gary both named Hank Marvin as his first influence. Snowy named them as the first band he was listening to before hearing Clapton.

Wes Montgomery

Curtis Mayfield

Joe Pass was a jazz guitarist who collaborated with many other notable jazz players. Eric named him as an influence.

The Animals was a blues based rock band. Phil named their version of “House of the Rising Sun” as an influence.

The Yardbirds had a slew of important guitar players come out of the band, such as Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Eric named them as an influence. Gary named Jeff Beck with the Yardbirds as an influence.

Johnny Kid and The Pirates

The Kinks where a rock band he receive a lot of credit for the distortion on their hit “You Really Got Me”. Downey named them as an influence.

The Mamas & The Papas were a folk/pop band. They are said to have been an influence on Phil

The Rolling Stones are among the biggest bands to come out of the 60’s Downey named them as an influence. Scott is a huge fan.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the most revolutionary and influential guitarists of his day. He is said to have ben an influence on Phil. Gary also named Hendrix as an influence.

Van Morrison

Jeff Beck is one of the early guitar legends with his Jeff Beck Group. Phil named their album *Beck-Ola* as an influence. In particular he named Rod Stewart as a vocal influence and said he thought Stewart’s voice had really improved for this album. Scott is a huge fan.

Sly and The Family Stone were a Soul / Funk group. Phil was a fan.

Billy Cobham was an influential jazz and progressive rock drummer. Downey named him as a favorite.

Heads, Hands, & Feet were a British country rock band. Phil named Chas Hodges as an influence on his bass playing.

Phase Two

Phase Two of Thin Lizzy saw a change from a three piece band to a four piece with two guitar players. This phase consists of Scott Gorham on guitar along side guitarists Brian Robertson for five studio albums, Gary Moore was in for one album, and Snowy White for another two.

B. B. King is a blues great. Robertson named him as a player he admires. Gary also names him as an influence.

Freddie King

Otis Rush

Dick Dale

Albert King

John McLaughlin

Albert Collins

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers are an important blues / blues rock band featuring many important players. Gary named Eric Clapton Peter Green, and Mick Taylor with John Mayall as influences. Snowy said when he first hear Clapton with John Mayall that was what he wanted to play like.

Fleetwood Mac were a blues based rock band. Scott said he is a big fan and their stuff with Peter Green

Free were a blues based rock band. Scott named Paul Kossoff as an influence.

ZZ Top are a big blues rock band. Robertson said he was a big fan after discovering them on tour through Texas.

Return to Forever were a jazz fusion band. Gary named Bill Connors as an influence.

Rush are an influential progressive hard rock band. Downey named Neil Peart as a favorite drummer although Thin Lizzy was active prior to rush or Neil’s joining of the band.

Vinnie Colaiuta

Phase Three

Phase Three of Thin Lizzy like phase two adds a change in the band structure with the addition of keyboardist Darren Wharton. He joins for the final two Lizzy albums, and is a prominent writer on the final. The final album again sees a change in the second guitar spot, adding John Sykes. John, previously in Tygers of Pan Tang, was quite a bit younger than other guitarists of the band and his influence reflect that of a younger generation.

Ritchie Blackmore

Pink Floyd are one of the more well known progressive rock bands. Darren named them as an influence.

Genesis were a big progressive rock band. Darren is a fan.

Led Zeppelin are one of the most important hard rock bands to exist. John named Jimmy Page as an influence.

UFO are an important hard rock band. John named guitarist Michael Schenker as an influence.

Steely Dan were a soft rock / Rock band. Darren named them as an influence.

Scorpions were among the earliest heavy metal bands and teetered between hard rock and heavy metal over the years. John named Uli Roth as an influence as well as Michael Schenker who filled the same lead guitar spot in the band a different times. In particular he named *Virgin Killer and Taken By Force*, both Uli albums.

John named Gary Moore (yes, previously also of Thin Lizzy) as an influence on him.

In previous bands Phil played covers from The Beatles, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Free, and Jeff Beck.

Phil mentioned Slade having great live shows when they toured together. He didn’t specifically mention their music as an influence, but praised their state performance.

Brian Downey’s earliest influence was from his dad who was the drummer in a local pipe band when he was younger and was a lover of jazz. He said back then all he had was radio which played Irish jig music, dance bands, plus a little pop and also crooners. He also had an older cousin who lived with them and through heard country and western. He first wanted to play after hearing stuff like Elvis Presley, Billy Fury, Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Hank Williams. Then there was the Beatles which had a big impact.

Eric is influenced by Jeff Beck according to Downy. Eric didn’t name him directly, but did name the Yardbirds.

Eric says he first fell in love with music listening to classical music as a kid. He said eh first wanted to play guitar after hearing Lonnie Donegan. He also said he is influenced by some Rockabilly.

Scott’s real love of music came from the British invasion, so much so it was the reason he moved there.

Brian Robertson first began as a classically trained pianist for eight years before picking up guitar. He says he’s not a fan of flashy players like Hendrix. He mentions being a fan of ZZ Top, after discovering on tour in through Texas. He said he admires guys like B. B. King. I have seen other blues guitarists as his influences, but have not been able to corroborate them.

Gary named some favorite songs which are all songs by his noted influences with the exception of “Sarah” from the first Thin Lizzy album.

Darren was classically trained on piano as a kid.

John said Think Lizzy was one of his all time favorite bands prior to joining them.

Bands influenced by Thin Lizzy!

As this project advances, bands will be added here… there are many!

Bay Area Thrash Legends

Dio needs introduction, several of his guitar players were influenced by Lizzy

Grindcore to Death Metal to Melodic Death

eclectic heavy metal with a melodic death root

Sources:

https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1353355/Phil-Lynott-Thin-Lizzy-influences-Elvis-Presley-Jimi-Hendrix-Van-Morrison-Phil-Lynott-doc
https://www.loudersound.com/features/phil-lynott-birth-of-a-legend
https://geirmykl.wordpress.com/2022/05/24/article-about-phil-lynott-thin-lizzy-from-new-musical-express-april-21-1973/
https://blues.gr/m/blogpost?id=1982923%3ABlogPost%3A488526
https://www.musicconnection.com/in-the-box-eric-bells-thin-lizzy-journey/
https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2022/11/thin-lizzy-eric-bell-interview.html
http://www.thinlizzy.org/brian_d.html
https://www.hotpress.com/opinion/happy-birthday-brian-downey-revisiting-a-classic-interview-22889009
https://www.loudersound.com/features/scott-gorham-and-brian-downey-life-with-thin-lizzy-and-the-phil-lynott-we-knew
https://glidemagazine.com/234573/scott-gorham-of-black-star-riders-and-thin-lizzy-shares-stories-on-lynott-kossoff-new-lp-interview/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea-C83L8FWY
https://geirmykl.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/article-about-brian-robertson-thin-lizzy-from-sounds-september-28-1974/
https://www.goldminemag.com/features/brian-robertson-happily-exists-out-of-the-spotlight
http://rockandrollgarage.com/guitarist-gary-moore-and-the-13-musicians-that-inspired-him-the-most/
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/gary-moore-favourite-songs/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osWvZX3ZzNc
https://www.rockpages.gr/dare/
https://web.archive.org/web/20080410173028/http://www.johnsykes.com/AtomicInterview.htm
https://www.metalexpressradio.com/2008/01/28/interview-with-john-sykes-thin-lizzy/