12 MIN READ TIME
130TH ANNIVERSARY

SCOTT GORHAM

Few bands harnessed the might of the Les Paul as powerfully as Thin Lizzy. Scott Gorham was the backbone of the band’s sound, but, as he recently revealed, he secretly sketched artworks to stay sane on tour. From chaotic auditions to the Les Paul that landed him in court, this is the inside story of early Lizzy, as only Scott Gorham can tell it Words Jamie Dickson & Henry Yates

Scott Gorham is in his element. Holding court at London’s Gibson Garage, surrounded by the tools of his half-century trade, with a wickeduncle twinkle and an e-cigarette on the side that represents his last unkicked habit, the Thin Lizzy veteran remains the very best company in rock ’n’ roll.

You sense it’s a relief for Gorham to be back on home turf, having struggled in recent weeks with a nasty case of imposter syndrome. The official reason for our interview is the 73 year old’s unveiling of his historic artwork (pictured on page 79): a series of wild, fantastical pencil sketches that he worked up while on tour with Lizzy, then hid under the bed for decades. But even after the successful launch of his collection at the Karma Sanctum Soho Hotel in April, the guitarist still flinches at the ‘A’ word.

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Guitarist
August 2024
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