Thin Lizzy’s 1971 debut album has been given the full deluxe treatment with a new 55th anniversary box set featuring three CDs, a Blu-ray, a new stereo mix, Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround mixes, BBC sessions, rarities and previously unreleased recordings.
This was Thin Lizzy before the twin-guitar sound, before Jailbreak, before The Boys Are Back in Town and even before Whiskey in the Jar. It captures Phil Lynott, Eric Bell and Brian Downey at the very beginning of their journey—and this new set brings us closer to those three young musicians than ever before.
Another Piece of the Thin Lizzy Box Set Story
Context is important here because Thin Lizzy’s catalogue has already produced several highly collectable deluxe editions.
We have had the expansive Live and Dangerous box set, the excellent 1976 collection built around Jailbreak and Johnny the Fox, the 1974–1975 set featuring Nightlife and Fighting, and Decca’s deluxe edition of Vagabonds of the Western World.
Many of those releases sold out quickly and now command very high prices on the collectors’ market.
That raises an interesting question: are some of us buying this new set because of our affection for the debut album, or because we already own the other boxes and do not want to leave a gap on the shelf?
For me, it is probably a little of both.
If I had bought this set first and then discovered that several of the earlier boxes were already out of print, I know I would have felt the need to start tracking them down. That fear of missing out is a powerful part of modern box-set collecting, especially when editions disappear so quickly.
However, this set also justifies its existence musically.
What Is Inside the Box?
The deluxe edition contains three CDs and one Blu-ray, presented in a rigid 10-inch square box. Unlike some releases where the discs simply slide into slots in the book, each disc is housed in its own individual card wallet. It immediately makes the package feel more luxurious while providing additional protection for the discs.
The accompanying 40-page hardback book is beautifully produced. It contains detailed liner notes by Mark Blake, photographs, lyrics, press cuttings, promotional material and memorabilia from this formative period in the band’s career.
Some of the photographs were new to me, and the book provides a fascinating account of three young Irish musicians trying to establish their own identity. Eric Bell was also involved in the project, which adds another valuable connection to the band’s original line-up.
The musical content includes the original album, Richard Whittaker’s new stereo mix, the rare New Day EP, the band’s debut single, BBC sessions recorded for Stuart Henry and John Peel, alternate versions, instrumentals and previously unreleased material—including the studio recording “Beggar’s Song.”
In total, the set contains 15 previously unreleased tracks. The Blu-ray adds the new stereo mix alongside 5.1, Dolby Atmos and an Atmos instrumental presentation. The official release listing provides the complete track listing.
Thin Lizzy Before the Twin Guitars
Some listeners remain less interested in the Eric Bell era because it predates the celebrated twin-guitar partnership that would later become such an important part of the Thin Lizzy sound.
I think that overlooks just how significant Eric Bell was to the band’s early development.
His contribution was about far more than guitar solos. His playing, arrangements, tone and musical imagination helped get Thin Lizzy off the ground. The debut album moves between rock, folk, blues, psychedelia and distinctly Irish musical influences, often sounding as if the band is still discovering what it might become.
That sense of discovery is a large part of its appeal.
Phil Lynott was only 21 and still developing as a bass player, vocalist and songwriter. Yet his personality is already emerging. You can hear the beginnings of the storyteller, the romantic, the observer and the creator of mythology who would become one of rock music’s most distinctive lyricists.
Brian Downey was still a teenager when the album sessions began, while Eric Bell was only 23. They were incredibly young musicians taking chances and learning their craft in the studio.
We know where the story eventually leads, but they did not.
Richard Whittaker’s New Mix
Richard Whittaker has worked extensively with the Thin Lizzy catalogue and is also a genuine fan of the band. I have interviewed Richard about his work, and his enthusiasm and respect for this music are immediately apparent.
The new stereo mixes have been created from the original multitrack tapes and sound superb. They reveal detail without stripping away the atmosphere or personality of the original recordings.
However, the main attraction for me is the Dolby Atmos mix on the Blu-ray.
This is where the set becomes something more than another expanded edition.
The experience is like sitting cross-legged on the studio floor while Phil Lynott, Eric Bell and Brian Downey record around you. It feels as though the band have allowed you into the room but warned you to sit quietly and not disturb them.
You are brought astonishingly close to Lynott’s voice, Bell’s guitar and Downey’s drums. Rather than turning the album into a modern, over-polished production, the Atmos mix emphasises the intimacy and chemistry of three musicians playing together.
This is why I continue to regard immersive audio as such an exciting part of the future for physical media. It can allow us to experience familiar recordings from an entirely new perspective.
BBC Sessions, Outtakes and “The Farmer”
There is a lot of additional material here, and admittedly some listeners may not return to every instrumental take or alternate vocal very often.
For dedicated Thin Lizzy fans, however, these recordings document the band’s development in extraordinary detail. The Stuart Henry and John Peel sessions are particularly valuable, capturing the group in a different environment and showing how quickly the music was evolving.
The set also includes “The Farmer” and its B-side, “I Need You.”
When I was first getting into Thin Lizzy during the 1970s, an Irish colleague told me about this almost mythical record called “The Farmer.” It had only been released in Ireland, was incredibly rare and was not included on any of the albums.
There was no YouTube, streaming service or online database where I could immediately hear it. Someone could tell you about a rare song, and you might spend decades wondering what it sounded like.
Now it is sitting here on CD2, remastered and easily accessible.
For younger Thin Lizzy fans, it is difficult to describe what records like this once represented. They were rumours passed between collectors—songs you knew existed but might never actually hear.
Do You Really Need This Box Set?
If you already own a previous expanded CD edition and are only interested in the original album, that may be enough for you.
This is also a substantial box set devoted to an album that was not commercially successful when it first appeared and does not contain the signature Thin Lizzy sound most people immediately recognise.
But if you love the Eric Bell era, want the new Richard Whittaker mixes or have a surround-sound system, this becomes far more compelling.
The remixes and Dolby Atmos presentation are what persuaded me to buy it. The book is excellent, the packaging is attractive, the archive material is extensive and the whole package has been assembled with obvious care.
I paid around £55 for my copy, and I am very happy to have it in the collection.
Will Shades of a Blue Orphanage Be Next?
The obvious question is whether Decca will now create a similar edition for Thin Lizzy’s second album, Shades of a Blue Orphanage.
The multitrack tapes appear to provide the potential for new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, while previously released bonus material could help form the basis of the additional CDs. Whether enough unreleased recordings remain to create a third disc is something we will have to wait and see.
It would certainly feel strange to stop here and leave a hole between the debut and Vagabonds of the Western World.
My one continuing frustration with the wider reissue campaign is that “Little Darling” appears to have fallen between the different periods covered by the existing sets. It is one of my favourite Thin Lizzy songs, and I would love to see it find a proper home somewhere in this series.
Thin Lizzy’s debut album may not contain the polished hard rock or twin-guitar harmonies that would later make the band famous, but that is precisely why this collection is so fascinating.
This is the sound of Phil Lynott, Eric Bell and Brian Downey finding their way—three young musicians combining rock, blues, folk and their Irish identity to create something that was already unmistakably their own.
Richard Whittaker’s new mixes bring us closer to those performances without losing their original character. The Dolby Atmos version, in particular, transforms the album into an intimate studio experience.
Do you need this set if you already own an expanded version of the album? Perhaps not.
But if you want to understand where Thin Lizzy began—and experience those beginnings from inside the recording studio—this is a beautifully assembled and deeply rewarding release.
ORDER THIN LIZZY CD / BLURAY BOX SET HERE
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
