The Irish blues band that launched legends and sparked a bizarre international naming dispute
In short: Before they became global icons, Phil Lynott and Gary Moore cut their teeth in a Dublin blues rock outfit called Skid Row. While the band achieved moderate success in the early 1970s, their legacy became entangled in a strange, decades-long debate over the ownership of their very name.
Formed in August 1967 by bassist Brendan 'Brush' Shiels, the original Skid Row lineup included a young Phil Lynott on vocals. The band served as a vital training ground for future stars; Lynott eventually departed to form Thin Lizzy, while guitarist Gary Moore, who joined in 1968, went on to international acclaim. During their peak, the group toured Europe and the United States, even supporting Fleetwood Mac in 1970. Their debut album, Skid, reached number 30 on the UK Albums Chart, but the band struggled to maintain consistent commercial momentum, leading to various lineup changes and eventual dissolution in the mid-1970s.
The band's name later became the subject of a peculiar transatlantic conflict. In 1987, the American heavy metal band Skid Row sought to use the moniker after signing with Atlantic Records. Lead singer Sebastian Bach claimed the group paid Gary Moore $35,000 for the rights to the name. However, Brush Shiels has consistently disputed this narrative, maintaining that Moore merely directed the Americans to him for negotiations that never actually took place. Shiels, who retained a deep connection to the band's history, later issued a public request via YouTube in 2012 for Jon Bon Jovi—who held publishing interests in the American band—to address the matter.
Beyond the naming controversy, the original Skid Row remains a significant footnote in rock history for its role in the early careers of its members. The group's recorded output, including rare demo tapes from 1968 that were presumed lost for decades, has been revisited through various compilations and reissues. Despite the band's limited commercial reach during its active years, the persistence of Shiels in preserving the legacy and the enduring fame of his former bandmates ensure that the Irish Skid Row remains a point of fascination for rock historians and fans of the era.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Skid Row (Irish band)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-skid-row-irish-band.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in UK & Irish culture · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
