(1947-06-29)29 June 1947 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died
15 July 2015(2015-07-15) (aged 68) Italy
Genres
Rock
Occupation(s)
Musician
Instrument(s)
Keyboards
vocals
Musical artist
Eric Wrixon (29 June 1947 – 13 July 2015) was a musician from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and a founding member of Them and Thin Lizzy. He came up with the band name "Them" (from the 1954 sci-fi film Them![1]), but as he was a minor his parents declined to sign a recording contract on his behalf and he was replaced in July 1964 prior to recording with the band. By August 1965, he had completed his studies and very briefly returned to Them.[2]
Wrixon was next a member of Belfast R&B group The People and probably played on the two tracks they contributed to the February 1966 compilation album Ireland's Greatest Sounds: Five Top Groups From Belfast's Maritime Club (both tracks feature keyboards). While based in Blackpool, Wrixon left the band in mid-1966[3] to join another Belfast band, the Wheels, with whom he recorded the single 'Kicks' in August 1966.
In 1967, he moved to Germany with The Never Never Band and subsequently joined Irish midlands-based pop group The Trixons, who also released a number of singles in the late 1960s. He quit in 1969, when he and fellow-Belfast exile Eric Bell began recruiting a new band from among the Dublin musical scene. The result in early 1970 was Thin Lizzy, but Wrixon left in July of that year due to lack of finances and returned to Germany [4] although he featured on their first single "The Farmer" released that year.
Wrixon briefly joined a reformed Them in Hamburg, recording the 1979 album, Shut Your Mouth but leaving before its promotional tour. In 1993, he formed 'Them – The Belfast Blues Band' – often billed by media and promoters as 'Them' – for "progressive rhythm and blues" live performances throughout Europe (including a 1996 tour), featuring his songs such as Crazy Woman and Marcel's Song. Wrixon later lived in Italy and toured with a line-up including himself (vocals and keyboards), Billy McCoy (guitars), Luca Nardi (bass) and Tom Wagener (drums). The band also recorded a studio album and were planning a live concert DVD.
Wrixon died on 13 July 2015 in Italy at the age of 68.[5][1]
^ ab"R.I.P. Eric Wrixon". HotPress.com. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
^Them, GarageHangover.com; accessed 15 July 2015.
^Profile Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, IrishShowbands.net; accessed 15 July 2015.
^The Trixons profile at irishrock.org; accessed 15 July 2015.
EricWrixon (29 June 1947 – 13 July 2015) was a musician from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and a founding member of Them and Thin Lizzy. He came up with...
Lynott, EricWrixon and Brian Downey. Bell named the group Thin Lizzy, after Tin Lizzie, a robot character in The Dandy comic. Organist EricWrixon left...
songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist EricWrixon, although Wrixon left after a few months. Bell left at the end of...
bassist and vocalist Phil Lynott, guitarist Eric Bell, drummer Brian Downey and keyboardist EricWrixon. The band broke up in September 1983, at which...
Wrixon is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: EricWrixon (1947–2015), Northern Ireland musician Henry Wrixon (1839–1913), Australian...
formed by Ronnie Millings, Billy Harrison and Alan Henderson in 1962. EricWrixon, still a schoolboy, was the piano player and keyboardist. Morrison played...
Edward Greenfield (86), British music critic and broadcaster. 13 – EricWrixon (68), British musician from Belfast, Northern Ireland (Them, Thin Lizzy)...
Knight. Shortly thereafter, Brian Rossi left the band to be replaced by EricWrixon, previously of Them, on keyboards. It was during this time that the Wheels...
Lynott and Downey were introduced to guitarist Eric Bell via founding member of Them, keyboardist EricWrixon (Bell had played in a later line-up of Them)...
Archived from the original on 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2015-07-12. "R.I.P. EricWrixon". Hot Press. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015. Falcone, Dana Rose...
identifies them as: Van Morrison – vocals, harmonica Jim Armstrong – guitar EricWrixon, Jackie McAuley, Peter Bardens – keyboards Alan Henderson – bass Pat...
formed pop outfit The People along with former Them keyboard player EricWrixon. They contributed two songs to the February 1966 compilation album Ireland's...
influence of Moore's was Eric Clapton, whom he first heard on the John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton. Moore later described...
with guitarist Billy Harrison, bassist Alan Henderson and keyboardist EricWrixon and formed the band that would eventually become Them. "One Two Brown...
including Van Morrison, Henry McCullough, Mick Hanly, Rory Gallagher, Eric Bell, EricWrixon and Colm Wilkinson. The 1987 Roddy Doyle novel The Commitments is...
and playwright. Martin Litchfield West, 77, British classical scholar. EricWrixon, 68, Northern Irish keyboardist (Them, Thin Lizzy). Gerhard Zwerenz,...
of respiratory disease and heart failure at the age of 93. July 13 – EricWrixon, founding member and former keyboardist of Thin Lizzy, died from undisclosed...
singer, 88 Edward Greenfield, music critic and broadcaster, 86 13 July – EricWrixon (Them, Thin Lizzy), 68 22 July – Eddie Hardin, singer-songwriter and...
soldiers (died 1972). Eugene McMenamin, SDLP MLA Frank Ormsby, poet EricWrixon, musician 2 January – Tom Ross, cricketer (born 1872) 4 January – Forrest...
Elva Trill as Gillian; an employee at Dunbar's Susannah De Wrixon as Joan Dunbar; Eric's mother Enda Oates as Phillip McGrath (Series 2—) Michael James...
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