Brian Downey (drummer)

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Brian Downey
Brian Downey by Alec MacKellaig 2011.jpg
Downey performing with Thin Lizzy at Aberdeen Music Hall, 6 January 2011
Background information
Birth nameBrian Michael Downey
Born (1951-01-27) 27 January 1951 (age 73)
Dublin, Ireland
Genres Hard rock, blues rock, heavy metal
Occupation(s)Drummer
Years active1967–present
Formerly of Thin Lizzy, Funky Junction

Brian Michael Downey (born 27 January 1951 [1] [2] ) is an Irish drummer. He was a founding member of the rock band Thin Lizzy and the only other constant in the band aside from leader Phil Lynott until their disbandment in 1983. [3] Downey also co-wrote several Thin Lizzy songs. Allmusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia has argued that Downey is "certainly one of the most underrated [rock drummers] of his generation". [4]

Contents

Career

Downey in a 1974 television show Brian Downey - TopPop 1974 (cropped).png
Downey in a 1974 television show

Growing up in Crumlin, Dublin, Brian's early musical influences came from his father who played in a local pipe band and loved jazz, and also from his 1960s heroes: The Kinks, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. [1] In his youth, Downey met friend, co-founder and bass guitarist Phil Lynott, who attended the same school. Before forming Thin Lizzy, Downey had been in numerous school bands, beginning with The Liffey Beats, Mod Con Cave Dwellers, and briefly The Black Eagles (with Lynott). He moved on to performing in a local band, Sugar Shack, and then was persuaded by Lynott to join him in another band, Orphanage. [5] Upon meeting guitarist Eric Bell, the trio formed Thin Lizzy. Although the line-up of musicians within the band changed over the years, with the exception of Lynott, for the next thirteen years Downey remained the only other permanent member of the band, as well as drumming on Lynott's solo albums.

After Lynott's death in 1986, Downey played in the tribute Thin Lizzy line-up with John Sykes, Scott Gorham, Darren Wharton and Marco Mendoza, but had been absent from subsequent Thin Lizzy touring bands. After Sykes' departure from the group in 2009, guitarist Scott Gorham created another line-up of Thin Lizzy. Downey, Mendoza and Wharton rejoined, along with two new members: Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell and former vocalist from The Almighty, Ricky Warwick. This version of Thin Lizzy started an extensive world tour in January 2010 and continued to tour until early 2013, with new permanent guitarist Damon Johnson eventually replacing Richard Fortus. Gorham had stated that the band members were considering recording new material, [6] and this project eventually emerged under the Black Star Riders name, with which Downey chose not to be involved due to the pressures of consistent touring. [7]

Downey was a guest at the unveiling of Lynott's statue in 2005, and drummed for Gary Moore at the tribute concert that followed. Downey also appeared on Moore's 2007 album, Close As You Get , and subsequent tour.

Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous in 2022. Brian Downey's Alive & Dangerous.jpg
Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous in 2022.

In early 2016, Downey formed a trio, later a four-piece band, called Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous. The quartet initially consisted of Downey, bassist/lead vocalist Matt Wilson, and guitarists Brian Grace and Phil Edgar. The band have toured the UK and Europe, and mostly perform Thin Lizzy songs. Grace and Edgar have since been replaced by two new guitarists, Michal Kulbalka and Joe Merriman. [8]

Discography

With Thin Lizzy

Other albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thin Lizzy</span> Irish rock band

Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Thin Lizzy initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon, although Wrixon left after a few months. Bell left at the end of 1973 and was briefly replaced by Gary Moore, who himself was replaced in mid-1974 by twin lead guitarists: Scott Gorham, who remained with the band until their break-up in 1983, and Brian Robertson, who remained with the band until 1978 when Moore re-joined. Moore left a second time and was replaced by Snowy White in 1980, who was himself replaced by John Sykes in 1982. The line-up was augmented by keyboardist Darren Wharton in 1980. The singles "Whiskey in the Jar" (1972), "The Boys Are Back in Town" (1976) and "Waiting for an Alibi" (1979) were international hits, and several Thin Lizzy albums reached the top ten in the UK. The band's music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or sometimes heavy metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Lynott</span> Irish musician (1949–1986)

Philip Parris Lynott was an Irish musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, bassist, and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Thin Lizzy. He was known for his distinctive pick-based style on the bass and for his imaginative lyrical contributions, including working class tales and numerous characters drawn from personal influences and Celtic culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Gorham</span> American guitarist (born 1951)

William Scott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who is one of the "twin lead guitarists" for the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. Although not a founding member of Thin Lizzy, he served a continuous membership after passing an audition in 1974, joining the band at a time when the band's future was in doubt after the departures of original guitarist Eric Bell and his brief replacement Gary Moore. Gorham remained with Thin Lizzy until the band's breakup in 1983. He and guitarist Brian Robertson, both hired at the same time, marked the beginning of the band's most critically successful period, and together developed Thin Lizzy's twin lead guitar style while contributing dual backing vocals as well. Gorham is the band member with the longest membership after founders Brian Downey (drummer) and frontman and bass guitarist, Phil Lynott.

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Brian David Robertson is a Scottish rock guitarist, best known as a former member of Thin Lizzy and Motörhead.

<i>Chinatown</i> (Thin Lizzy album) 1980 studio album by Thin Lizzy

Chinatown is the tenth studio album by Irish band Thin Lizzy, released in 1980. It introduced guitarist Snowy White who would also perform on the next album as well as tour with Thin Lizzy between 1980 and 1982; he replaced Gary Moore as permanent guitarist. White had previously worked with Cliff Richard, Peter Green and Pink Floyd. Chinatown also featured eighteen-year-old Darren Wharton on keyboards, and he joined Thin Lizzy as a permanent member later that year.

<i>Life</i> (Thin Lizzy album) 1983 live album by Thin Lizzy

Life is a double live album by Irish rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1983. This double album was recorded during their farewell tour in 1983, principally at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, UK. Phil Lynott had felt reluctantly that it was time to disband the group after the 1983 tour and to mark the occasion, former Thin Lizzy guitarists Eric Bell (1969–73), Brian Robertson (1974–78) and Gary Moore joined the band on stage at the end of these gigs to do some numbers. This was called "The All-Star Jam".

<i>One Night Only</i> (Thin Lizzy album) 2000 live album by Thin Lizzy

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<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Thin Lizzy album) 2004 greatest hits album by Thin Lizzy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Sykes</span> British guitarist

John James Sykes is an English guitarist, best known as a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang. He has also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder and released several solo albums.

<i>Wild One: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy</i> 1996 greatest hits album by Thin Lizzy

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<i>BBC Radio One Live in Concert</i> (Thin Lizzy album) 1992 live album by Thin Lizzy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Wharton</span> Musical artist

Darren Leigh Wharton is a British keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He has fronted his own band, Dare, since 1985, but first came to attention as a member of Thin Lizzy. In 2023, Wharton launched a second band alongside Dare, Darren Wharton's Renegade. His son, Paris, is also a musician.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Brian Downey". The Official Thin Lizzy Website. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  2. "Brian Downey". Drumsoloartist.com. 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  3. Prato, Greg (27 January 1951). "Biography at". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  4. "Bad Reputation". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  5. "Thinlizzy.org". Thinlizzy.org. 27 January 1951. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  6. "700 unreleased Thin Lizzy songs discovered". NME. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  7. "Thin Lizzy to End, Black Star Riders to Begin". noise11.com. 20 December 2012.
  8. "Alive And Dangerous". Official website. Retrieved 12 May 2024.