Last Friday, August 20, West Bromwich – a city in Staffordshire, England – unveiled a statue of late Thin Lizzy frontman and bassist Phil Lynott, who was born in the city in 1949.
Crowdfunded by fans of the band and designed by local sculptor Luke Perry, the statue was unveiled on what would have been Lynott's 72nd birthday, and boasts an engraving that reads: “Phil Lynott. Son of West Bromwich. Born in this town 20th August 1949.”
Though indisputably deserving of the honor (a statue of Lynott was already erected on Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland in 2005), some controversy has arisen over the West Bromwich statue's appearance, which some say doesn't quite capture Lynott's essence.
You can take a look at the piece – and decide on its merits for yourself – below.
This afternoon the BID team attended the unveiling of the Phil Lynott Statue on what would have been his 72nd Birthday.It now has pride of place in West Bromwich and looks fantastic. pic.twitter.com/iVak6WMrbWAugust 20, 2021
Attended the unveiling of a statue for Phil Lynott today in his birthplace of West Bromwich.Such a touching moment, happy birthday Phil 💚💚 pic.twitter.com/T7VeQZjPKTAugust 20, 2021
Having co-founded Thin Lizzy in 1969, Lynott served as the band's main songwriter, singer and bassist until their first dissolution in 1983. He died of pneumonia and heart failure caused by septicaemia in 1986, at the age of 36.
A documentary film celebrating Lynott’s legacy and his enormous influence on the development of hard-rock and metal music, Phil Lynott: Songs For While I’m Away, was released last year.
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