Sir, – As first manager of Thin Lizzy and still in possession of the relevant diary, I am so upset to see An Post bringing out stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Thin Lizzy on October 3rd.
In December 1969, there was talk of a new band and I was involved with this idea. However, nothing actually happened until January 1970, when this new band began rehearsals at the Countdown Club in Dublin’s Mary Street. The name Thin Lizzy and/or Thin Lizzie was only decided in February 1970 before their first gigs. It is well established that a band is only a band when they have a name. The are many examples of this with world-class bands, even with some who had a name but decided to change it. Whatever the new name is becomes the beginning of the newly named band, even if they have the same members.
In 1969 there was no Thin Lizzy/Thin Lizzie. It did not exist. An Post now knows this but refuses to hold back the stamp until it is actually the 50th anniversary. It is now spinning that the stamp is available from October 2019 to October 2020. This has absolutely no significance.
An Post saying that this is the 50th anniversary is rewriting contemporary Irish rock’n’roll history. This is not just my opinion. It is fact: 2019 is the 49th anniversary of Thin Lizzy.
It’s sad to see how such an important project has been so badly researched.
Next they’ll be commemorating the Christmas 1915 Rising at the GPO. – Yours, etc,
TERRY O’NEILL,
Liverpool.