"In a largely cynical music journalism world from the 1970s onwards, Harry was one of the Good Guys," wrote May in his web diary. The notoriously press-phobic guitarist added: "He was a trusted friend, one of the very few that I ever had in the music press, and I will miss him greatly."

Gorham, speaking from America whist preparing the second album from Black Star Riders, enjoyed a similarly trustworthy relationship with Doherty. Together they wrote the 2012 Thin Lizzy biography, The Boys Are Back In Town. It was a long time in the making. Doherty worked closely with Lizzy in the 1970s and was admitted to their inner circle. Leader Philip Lynott set wheels in motion for the book to be written back in 1977, circa the Bad Reputation album (to which Harry proudly contributed - he is credited on the sleeve as 'Harry The Handclap'). However, it was mothballed when its "warts and all" contents (Doherty's own words) were deemed too raw and personal.

When Lynott died in 1986, Gorham and Doherty remained determined to publish what the tome's intro eventually called "the full story - the tale of a band that never knew when to stop and what to stop." A version first appeared when it was printed in three parts in Classic Rock (issues 103-105).