Op-Ed: Phil Lynott plays the O2

London - Twenty-six years after his premature death, the Boy is back in Town for a two and a half month stint at the O2 in London's Docklands.

Those who die young become the stuff of legend. Fortunately for rock fans, in his 36 years Phil Lynott left a considerable body of recorded work, mostly his own compositions or co-written with his regular collaborators including Brian Downey (the only drummer Thin Lizzy ever had) and Gary Moore, who died last year. If the name is not familiar to you, The Boys Are Back In Town will be; check out this in-depth article for information on Philip Parris Lynott and follow the links, including to the Grand Slam Tour Guide for 1984. The Philip Lynott Exhibition opened April 5 and runs until June 24, details can be found here. Its title, Still In Love With You, is taken from one of his better known downtempo songs. The ticket prices are very reasonable in these inflated times, and this is not purely an exhibition for die hard fans. Phil Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy were one of the most influential forces in 1970s and early 1980s rock. There are currently 38 Thin Lizzy songs in the SongFacts database, and 6 from Lynott solo projects. Chances are you will have heard a few of them, even if for you were born into a post-Lynott world.