Drum Teacher Reacts to Brian Downey - Drum Solo 

Brian Downey is my favourite rock drummer of all-time, so it's tricky to not be biased. But I can honestly say that this particular solo doesn't highlight his true strengths. Even in his prime, during the Bad Reputation tour, when he would play a different solo most nights. Downey's best attribute to me (a guitarist who likes to drum, occasionally) is the fills and little flourishes he'd do on many Thin Lizzy songs and of course, his sense of swing. He really was the heartbeat of that band and only when he'd told Phil Lynott he wanted a break, that's when they called it a day in 1983. Lynott knew he couldn't find anyone who'd do the songs justice.

To be honest, and Brian Downey is one of my favourite drummers, one of the best of his era, I think his solo might be the least interesting thing about his playing. What really makes him special is the snap, swing and groove he brought to Thin Lizzy's music that very few rock drummers could probably replicate. I think songs like Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed or Massacre show off his technique to greater advantage.

And having spent a few hours backstage with him after a Chinatown show in Tokyo I can say that he is a very humble, cool guy. He treated my teenage self as an equal and not a dorky fan.

Downey's drumming makes the Thin Lizzy sound. Without his drums it doesn't sound the same. Goes to show the importance of the drummer. Watched them play live, amazing set. It's all about the groove.

A seriously underrated drummer

One of my biggest regrets is not seeing TL

Bad Reputation is superb drumming.

Have a listen to Live & Dangerous - “Sha-la-la”! And “Bad Reputation” :) Brian Downey was as important to the Thin Lizzy sound as the harmony guitars imho - speaking as a guitar player, not a drummer ;)

Brian Downey's drumming resembles war drumming,it''s thunderous and menacing.

Great drummer. Groovy and smooth. One of my favourites.

Brian's my fave drummer since about /76 from the Jailbreak era. I;ve seen better solos than this one though it's great in places no doubt.I always loved that continuous roll he did from snare to the cymbals he didn't do a lot of here.Hey he's even older than me so we can forgive him if he needs to lighten up a bit!

You have to evaluate him from the thin lizzy early days

Saw Downey with his band Alive and Dangerous the year before last, hearing this song live is amazing and he can still play with all the power he had in the 70s, those thunderous double bass drums are something else!

Check Out Bad reputation ,a Song for Jimi ,Warrior and Massacre for Some of Brians best Playing .This is Good but ... Brian is Very Under rated as many on Here Have said , better than Many of the more famous Drummers of his Era .

Brian Downey is one of rock's best drummers, but he's slipped through the net rather. He seems a quiet, reflective fellow, like Simon Kirke - maybe that's why. Of the UK hard rock bands who broke through in the late '70s, Thin Lizzy was unusual in even having a drum solo: UFO's Andy Parker never played a solo, to my knowledge (have lots of UFO bootlegs), and Judas Priest had a succession of drummers (have heard that Les Binks was good). Haven't heard a solo from Darrell Sweet (Nazareth) either.

Got to see Thin Lizzy a couple of times back in the 70's when I lived in Germany - Brian is one of the best !!

Brian is just a super drummer. Very under-appreciated.

He is Quite old here,, still awesome,, check live and dangerous sound track

Yeah he's always been a great player. He's great on Chinatown the track. Often overlooked

Still as good as ever!

love your work and the drumming if Brian Downey!!

What a brilliant, tight and clean solo.