Thin Lizzy has long been known for its revolving door of electric guitar talent, with names like Eric Bell, John Sykes, and the legendary Gary Moore gracing its ranks. Yet, some of the band’s most iconic moments—and its distinctive dual-guitar sound—came from the partnership between Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. The duo joined the band in 1974, helping forge the now-famous “twin guitar attack” that came to define Thin Lizzy’s sound.
Scott Gorham, who would become the group’s longest-serving guitarist, has played alongside many musicians over the years. But it was his collaboration with Robertson that laid the foundation for the band’s most influential work.
Their story begins in June 1974, during an audition held at a London supper club. Thin Lizzy was seeking a second guitarist to join forces with Scottish Les Paul virtuoso Brian Robertson. Gorham, a California native who had moved to England just a year earlier in 1973, walked into the session with limited knowledge about the band—only vaguely familiar with their minor hit Whiskey in the Jar from two years prior.
“I had 30 days left on my visa or they’re gonna throw me out of the country,” Gorham recalled in an interview with Guitarist magazine. “I was late and the first guy I meet is [frontman] Phil Lynott, who goes, ‘Let me introduce you to the guys.’ So we walk in and Phil goes, ‘Hey, everybody, this is Scott,’ – and Robbo and Brian Downey [drums] just go, ‘Yeah, yeah.’”
Their frosty reception had a reason behind it. Unknown to Gorham, he was the 25th guitarist to audition for the role.
“I didn’t know they’d already auditioned 24 guitarists,” he explained. “I guess they thought, ‘Well, here’s another one we’re going to reject.’ So they didn’t want to get too friendly.”
Robertson, tired of showing the same songs to countless candidates, had little interest in babysitting a newcomer.
“Robbo showed me the first song really quickly and said, ‘You got that?’” Gorham recounted. “Then we’re off and running and I’m watching Robbo’s hand on the neck, trying to follow every move, barely making the changes in time.”
As the songs went on, Gorham found himself both challenged and inspired. “I’m realizing, as I’m struggling with these chord patterns, that these guys are really good. And it was probably after the third song, I said to myself, ‘I gotta be in this band.’”
Despite being younger than Gorham, Robertson came with a deep well of musical knowledge. His father had played saxophone in Art Blakey’s jazz band, so from an early age, Robbo had been immersed in music theory—scales, tones, and technical precision.
“He was absolutely more technical than me and our styles were different,” Gorham said. “But we had to put our egos aside and toe the line.”
That willingness to blend their unique approaches would ultimately birth a defining chapter in Thin Lizzy’s history, creating a legacy that continues to influence rock guitarists to this day.
