Eric Bell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Bell
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Bell in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Robin Bell |
| Born | 3 September 1947 England |
| Origin | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
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| Years active | 1966 – present |
Eric Bell (born 3 September 1947) is a talented musician from Northern Ireland. He plays rock and blues music. He is best known as a founding member and the first guitarist for the famous rock band Thin Lizzy. He was part of the band from 1969 to 1973.
After leaving Thin Lizzy, Eric Bell started his own band for a short time. Later, in the mid-1970s, he joined the Noel Redding Band. Since then, he has released several solo albums. Today, he often performs with his blues-focused band, the Eric Bell Band.
Contents
Eric Bell's Musical Journey
Starting His Music Career
Eric Bell was born in England in 1947. He grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a young boy, he loved the music of Lonnie Donegan. He was also very impressed by the guitar playing in the band The Shadows.
He began his music career playing with local bands in Belfast. One of these bands was Them, which included Van Morrison. This was in 1966. He also played with bands like Shades of Blue and The Dreams. He left The Dreams in 1969 because he wanted to play a different style of music.
Later that year, he formed a new band with Irish musicians Phil Lynott, Eric Wrixon, and Brian Downey. Eric Bell suggested the band name Thin Lizzy. He got the idea from a robot character named Tin Lizzie in The Dandy comic.
Playing with Thin Lizzy
After a few months, Eric Wrixon left Thin Lizzy. The remaining three members then signed a contract with Decca Records. As the lead guitarist, Eric Bell played on Thin Lizzy's first three albums. These were Thin Lizzy, Shades of a Blue Orphanage, and Vagabonds of the Western World. He also played on their popular song "Whiskey in the Jar".
Eric Bell helped write several songs with Phil Lynott and Brian Downey. One of these was "The Rocker", which became a favorite song at their live shows. He also wrote one song by himself called "Ray Gun" for their first album.
Thin Lizzy became very popular in the early 1970s. However, the busy life of recording albums and touring became very demanding. Eric Bell left the band after a concert on New Year's Eve in 1973. He later said he had no regrets about leaving. He explained that he was very tired and found the rock star life too much to handle. Gary Moore temporarily replaced him in the band.
Joining The Noel Redding Band
In 1974, Eric Bell formed his own band for a short time. Then, he was asked to join the Noel Redding Band. This band was started by Noel Redding, who used to play with Jimi Hendrix. Eric Bell recorded two albums with this group before they broke up in 1976. He wrote the song "Love and War" for their second album, Blowin'.
Music in the 1980s
In 1980, Eric Bell played with Thin Lizzy again. They recorded a tribute song for Jimi Hendrix called "Song for Jimmy". This song was released on a special flexible record called a flexi disc in 1981. Eric Bell also appeared as a guest during Thin Lizzy's final tour in 1983. He played on their live album from that tour, Life.
Eric Bell also started his own band again in the late 1970s. They released a short album called an EP in 1981.
He later joined a blues rock band called Mainsqueeze. They toured around Europe and recorded a live album in 1983. They also toured as the backing band for the famous musician Bo Diddley. They recorded the album Hey... Bo Diddley: In Concert together in 1986.
Recent Music and Awards
Eric Bell has continued to perform and record with the Eric Bell Band through the 1990s and 2000s. He has released several albums with his band. He has also recorded music with another group called the Barrelhouse Brothers.
In 2005, he joined Gary Moore on stage to play "Whiskey in the Jar". This was at a tribute concert for Phil Lynott in Dublin. The concert was released on a DVD called One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott.
Eric Bell has lived in Dublin, London, and different parts of Ireland. In November 2024, Eric Bell received the Legend Award at the Northern Ireland Music Prizes.
Albums and Songs
With Thin Lizzy
- Thin Lizzy (1971)
- Shades of a Blue Orphanage (1972)
- Vagabonds of the Western World (1973)
- "Song for Jimmy" – Flexipop single (1981)
- Life (1983) (1 track)
With The Noel Redding Band
- Clonakilty Cowboys (1975)
- Blowin' (1976)
- The Missing Album (1995)
With Eric Bell Band
- "The Eric Bell Band E.P." (1981)
- "Lonely Man / Anyone Seen My Baby" – single version of the E.P. (1981)
- Live Tonite (Sweden, 1996)
- Irish Boy (Spain, 1998)
- Live Tonite Plus (Extra tracks, 2001)
- A Blues Night in Dublin (2002)
- Lonely Nights in London (2010)
- Belfast Blues in a Jar (2012)
- "Lonely Man " – 10inch vinyl (2021)
Solo Albums by Eric Bell
- Exile (2015)
- Standing at a Bus Stop (2017)
With Mainsqueeze
- Live at Ronnie Scott's Club (France, 1983)
- Hey... Bo Diddley: In Concert – as backing group for Bo Diddley (1986)
Other Albums
- The Dreams – The Best of Dreams (1969)
- Whistler – Ho Hum (1971)
- Brush Shiels – Brush Shiels (1977)
- Smiley Bolger – Ode to a Black Man (1991)
- Honeyboy Hickling – Straight from the Harp (2000)
- Barrelhouse Brothers – Pick It Up, Pass It On (2002)
- The Animals and Friends – Instinct (2004)
See also
In Spanish: Eric Bell para niños
