Eric Bell Irish rock musician (guitarist) and songwriter. Known as one of the founders of Thin Lizzy. Date of Birth: 03.09.1947 Country: Ireland

Biography of Eric Bell

Eric Bell is an Irish rock musician (guitarist) and songwriter, best known as one of the founders of Thin Lizzy. He was born in Northern Ireland and began his professional playing career by performing with amateur bands in Belfast and the surrounding areas. One notable experience during this time was his brief stint with the band "Them," which included Van Morrison. Bell also played with other groups such as "Shades of Blue," "The Earth Dwellers," and "The Bluebeats." He had a fruitful collaboration with the Irish band "The Dreams" until 1969 when he decided to form his own group.

With the support of Phil Lynott, Eric Wrixon, and Brian Downey, Bell formed the band Thin Lizzy. The band was named after a character in the comic book "The Dandy." Although Wrixon didn't remain in the group for long, the remaining trio achieved significant success. Thin Lizzy worked under the guidance of Decca Records, and Bell served as the lead guitarist on their first three albums: "Thin Lizzy," "Shades of a Blue Orphanage," and "Vagabonds of the Western World." Bell co-wrote several songs with Lynott and Downey.

In the early 1970s, Thin Lizzy enjoyed considerable success, but the demanding lifestyle of constant touring, intense studio sessions, and typical rock star excesses eventually led Bell to seek a quieter pursuit. He left the band after a pre-New Year's Eve concert in 1973, throwing his guitar in the air and leaving the stage. Bell later admitted that he had no regrets about parting ways with the group, as health issues left him with no other choice. Gary Moore temporarily replaced Bell in Thin Lizzy.

After leaving Thin Lizzy, Bell formed the Eric Bell Band and later joined forces with Noel Redding, Dave Clarke, and Les Sampson. Initially skeptical of the direction Redding intended for his group, which was named simply "The Noel Redding Band," Bell remained with the band until 1976, during which they released two albums. It is known that Bell wrote the music for the composition "Love and War" himself.

In 1980, Bell returned to Thin Lizzy to record the song "Song for Jimmy," dedicated to Jimi Hendrix. Later in 1983, Bell rejoined his old band for their final tour. He also performed with saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith in the rock group "Mainsqueeze," which extensively toured Europe and released a live album in 1983.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Bell actively performed with the Eric Bell Band, releasing several albums during this period. He also collaborated with the Barrelhouse Brothers. In 2005, Eric Bell and Gary Moore performed "Whiskey in the Jar" together at a concert in Dublin's Point Theatre, honoring Phil Lynott. The concert was later released on DVD as "One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott."

Eric Bell spent a significant portion of his life in London before relocating to West Cork, Ireland in 2010.