Opening for Philo in O'Mahonys .. Jimmy Smyth's 70th birthday tribute to Lizzy frontman

On what would have been Phil Lynott's 70th birthday, Navan guitar maestro and former Bogey Boy, Jimmy Smyth, today paid tribute to his hero on his Facebook page

It's '72 or early '73. I'm in St Pat's Classical School. 1st/2nd year. I have decided that I am just going to devote my life to music. I'm obsessed. Practising. Reading. Listening.
Led Zep, T. Rex. Lizzy, Mahavishnu, Merle Haggard, Roy Buchanan. 
Catholic! 
I've 'formed' my first band. A loose aggregate of whoever is available. Fenno (John Fennessy) or perhaps Andy (Andy O'Callaghan) on Bass. Vincie (Gibney) on kit.
Francis (Clarke RIP) was on rhythm guitar. But. He went to London. He died there shortly after. We rehearse in The Royal Meath Stockroom courtesy of the wonderful Kay Geraghty.
The big names for us are Horslips and Lizzy. I have recently gone up there and 'done a deal' where my band will be the resident 'relief' band in the O'Mahonys Pavilion. 
£12 a pop. A fortune. 4 bills a man. PLUS we get to see and hang with our heroes. Play through Eric Bell and Johnny Fean's gear!!! Share the dressing room! We didn't need a dressing room.
I wore my Top Hat/Jeans/Docs/Stripy Shirt combo everywhere anyway. Eyeliner too, sometimes. Until I got conjuntivitis. Probably from using my sister's eyeliner. Ah well. Still. A brave sartorial statement in early 70's Navan, let me tell you.

Lizzy have played here a few times. The first time was - for me - unforgettable. Philo in platform shoes, with a Rickenbacker bass - or, sometimes - a Perspex Dan Armstrong. He looked about 12' tall onstage! Eric With his Strat/ HH Stack. The details are indelibly imprinted. We're playing, and I notice Philo out to 'have a butchers' at us. Consequently, turn up and amp up!!
The time between our set finishing and theirs starting... Class. I'm sitting in the dressing room. Talking guitars with Eric. Chatting with Philo.

 

Jimmy Smyth

He says I'm already a cool little Rock Star, with my Ibanez Les Paul. There's a joint going 'round. Philo is sitting beside me. His chinny profile is overwhelming. Incredible presence. I'm totally aware of it, even then. He takes a toke, then offers it to me. I can't believe that I even register on this coolest of guys radar, but there it is. I don't even smoke!!! Of course I take it. Have an ineffectual pull and straight back to fevered conversation with these guys.
It's Navan. It's Philo. He's insanely tall. He has unbelievable presence. He's black, for fuck sake!! The only black man I've met to date!! None of that matters. It's a musical mancrush. We talk songwriting, poetry, music. He's reading Flann and listening to Van. I've recently discovered Rimbaud, Byron and share this with him. He is hip to them, of course. I'm taking mental notes.
I will, years later, joke with him that he 'turned me on' to drugs! He's horrified, naturally! 
I go straight out to front stage.
There's a bit of pushing/shoving. However, it's clear that I've just been onstage and am IN WITH THE BAND, so room is made for me... 
Looking up at them. Eric has a fevered intensity. Wrings every note out of his Strat. Humbucker in the neck position. Sounds just Astonishing. Brian just a fantastic drummer. Philo just awe inspiring. 'My Baby doooint loooove me....'
Sweat dripping from his chin, highlighted and backlit. An object lesson in performance. 
There are several gigs just like this, until they release 'Whiskey... ' then things go Stratospheric for them. They come back and play again, of course. But this time the place is rammed. Two thousand people, probably. Doesn't seem to matter to Philo and the boys. We 'open' for them then straight backstage. Getting just a bit of their new found magic, which they are happy to share... Same banter. Inclusive. Even tho we're just punks, punching way above our weight class. 
Good times. 
Rest easy, Phillip.