“I knew in my heart there was no way I would say no, but I had butterflies. It would be the first time I ever did something outside of Aerosmith”: That time Tom Hamilton ended up playing bass for Thin Lizzy
Aerosmith bass guitar player Tom Hamilton has revealed how a trip to see Motörhead play live with his son eventually lead to him joining Thin Lizzy in 2016.
Until that point, Hamilton, who has been part of Aerosmith since their formation, had never played a part in a musical project outside of the band. However, speaking on the Defenders of the Faith podcasthe admits this was an offer too good to miss.
“I went to see Motörhead with my son one night and after the show, we were able to spend a lot of time with Lemmy, who was so great to us,” he reveals. The pair met the rest of the band – guitarist Phil Campbell, and current Scorpions drummer Mikkey Dee – and it unknowingly laid the foundation for what was to come.
“A few months later, (Mikkey Dee) got in touch with me and said he was going to be playing with Thin Lizzy on a tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Phil Lynott’s death (and 40 years since Jailbreak). He said they were looking for a bass player and if I wanted the gig, it was mine.”
The Irish rockers had disbanded following Lynott’s passing in 1984, shortly after the release of the heavy metal-tinged Thunder and Lightning LP. Guitarist Scott Gorham announced a new-look line-up for their 2010 return, which featured original drummer Brian Downey, long-standing keyboardist Darren Wharton, Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell, and vocalist Ricky Warwick. At that point, Marco Mendoza handled bass guitar duties.
In 2012, members of the band established the Black Star Riders name to write and release new music without impacting Lizzy’s legacy. Thin Lizzy, meanwhile, was reserved for special tours and one-off events. Fast-forward several years, and a torn Hamilton had a decision to make.
“I knew in my heart there was no way I would say no, although it would be the first time I ever did something outside of Aerosmith, so I had some butterflies,” he says. “I had done some minor things outside of my day job, but never a tour.”
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Hamilton listened to his heart and agreed to get involved.
Thin Lizzy – ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ Live At Ramblin’ Man Fair 2016 – YouTube
“A few months after that, after studying my ass off learning the songs, I was in London for the first day of rehearsals. I thought I had the songs down, but I was a little behind the curve,” he accepts. Luckily, he had a get-out-of-jail-free card.
“Damon Johnson, who is now a great friend of mine, was playing guitar. He and I got together one-on-one the next day and he helped me get polished. From then on, rehearsals went better and better, and then we were off to our first gig.
“We played five or six big festivals in Europe and it was a blast,” he remembers.
The bassist says he never met Phil Lynott, but tackling his songs gave him “an immense amount of respect for what he accomplished musically.”
(Image credit: Aaron Perry)
Hamilton has since stepped down from the role, with Mastodon’s low-end bringer Troy Sanders tapped up for their last run of shows in 2019.
In August last year, Aerosmith announced their retirement from touring in light of Steven Tyler’s vocal injury, but Hamilton has refused to rule out a potential return in the future.
Meanwhile, original Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell has spearheaded a new acoustic release blending Phil Lynott’s bass and vocal parts with newly recorded guitars.
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