Remembering Rory Gallagher. Gone 22 Years Ago Today

The live in Europe album is extraordinary. He was great.

 

Which is why I specifically said "the legend goes." It apparently can never be substantiated but I'd winsomely like to think that it could be true....

Jimi was so modest about his own herculean ability that it is entirely possible that he could have said that about Rory ( or about several other possible candidates ) if he were pressed with such a question that required a self referential answer.

Love your pic by the way...

 

I have zero idea how I missed this guy the first time around. I honestly can say I never had heard of him at all. I would probably have to credit this forum with Irish Tour and then I went back and bought pretty much everything. I probably enjoy him so much more now because I wasn't so familiar as a kid.

 

I also will never figure out how I never heard of him until 10 or 15 years ago.

I just got my hands on a copy of Tattoo last week.

 

Ah Rory -- growing up he was a legend to us, we thought him a god. Saw him a few times....missed him a few too as he was always touring and there was the assumption that if we missed him this time, no big deal, he'd be back soon. How I regret taking his presence for granted. I do have most if not all his albums, many on original vinyl, but I tend to think Rory really needed to be experienced live, he found it hard to get his music across in the studio. For me, I do prefer Irish Tour to Live in Europe, but oddly, that last album before he died, Fresh Evidence, was a bit of a highlight for me. Very sad to learn of his death, seemed like a bit of my own life went away that day, so ever-present had he been. Gerry McAvoy the bass player wrote a cracking account of his life on the road which has many great Rory stories, well worth picking up if you can find it - had me laughing out loud at times, but even Gerry admits that Rory was very hard to know, and ran a very tight ship on the road. I think there were some sad moments at the end of his life, but the good times live on. Rory is missed.

 

Part of the reason I may have missed his is that I don't believe he ever appeared anywhere near me (unless he opened for someone I did not see).
He certainly was not played on the (mainstream) radio.

 

Rory was great. A really talanted musician. Had the bliss to see him live once. June 5 1984 in Stockholm. He is surely missed.

 

Only a year or so ago did I first start listening after buy one of those multi release CD sets, he was fantastic. I often come back to one CD or the other. I initially put them in a large random rotation of new music and often found myself looking at the player to see who it was and most often Rory Gallagher. So while I'm not a long time listener, certainly one artist I'm glad I did not miss.

 

First saw him in 1972 at The Great Western Festival....great show there is a recording around and it's not too shabby for the time and the conditions it was made under after that I saw him several times at Rock City in Nottingham great loss.

 

One of the greatest of all time, favorites include: Duece, Irish Tour and the first Taste album. Jinx is really underrated, as is Calling Card

 

Perhaps my biggest musical regret is that I never saw Rory live, though I've been a fan since I heard the Taste "On The Boards" album in 1970.

This can literally bring tears to my eyes if I'm in the right melancholy mood. IMO, only Jeff Beck can put as much raw passion and emotion into an electric guitar as Rory did.

 

That book you mention is called 'Riding Shotgun' and it is a cracking read, far superior to the other books available about Rory.

 

I've been meaning to get that for like.....forever. Can't remember why I haven't yet, maybe it was too expensive or I couldn't find it on Amazon at the time, regardless I am going to look for it again tonight!

 

Ugh. Think I see why. Cheapest price on amazon is like $74. No thanks....

 

Rory would do that, MAKE time to talk to his fans if someone wanted to talk to him. I saw Rory three times, and was able to talk to him afterwards each time. My impression is that it wasn't so much that Rory enjoyed doing this, but that he considered it part of his "job", much like he considered it his "job" to give EVERYTHING he had every time he got up onstage.

 

A friend who is no longer with us told me that he went backstage after a show at the Chestnut Cabaret (a venue in Philly that I saw Rory at) and Rory was playing acoustic guitar in the dressing room hanging out with fans, and at one point Rory gave him the guitar to play and Rory accompanied him on harmonica!! I wish I could get the whole story again now but I don't recall the exact details.

 

stood 15 feet from him, as he opened for someone who escapes me....in about 73 or 74......I was in the front row....that huge and friendly smile.....in a 18,ooo seat arena....great memories....

 

Very nice to see someone from Cork on my thread !

My first studio album was Blueprint, which properly blew me away and put me on the road to acquire more, but my all-time favorite Rory album is his debut solo record Rory Gallagher as well.

I have owned that one on pre-recorded cassette, 8-track, LP (twice) and three different CD pressings, if that tells you anything.

Thanks for posting and Rory On !

 

Yes, that song is loaded.

 

And he's never played today on "classic rock" radio either, he's pretty much forgotten.

 

I don't listen too often to classic rock stations any more (I do on cross country trips as they are easy to find).
When I do it is "name that tune". How many notes until I can name the tune. (hence easy to find when flipping stations)
They certainly aren't playing anything they didn't play before 1985 or when ever.
Sorry for the tangent.

 

Come to think of it, over here (USA) I have NEVER heard any Rory song on the radio - EVER. And I grew up on FM radio in the 1970's.

 

Yeah, likewise.

 

I mourn him nearly every day, my favorite musician.
During the 'troubles' he was one of the few artists from the Republic to play in Belfast and other Northern Ireland cities. Politics and hatred were nowhere in attendance at those shows.
I will visit his grave at St. Oliver's straight off the plane one day soon.
God rest your soul Rory.

 

Sadly, he was not "famous" enough to get on the typical 200 songs tops classic rock radio songlist.
More's the pity but at least we all saw the light at some point.