You should then also enjoy him with Taste, "On the Boards".
Also get his two live releases, "Live in Europe" and "Irish Tour". Great stuff!
Also get his two live releases, "Live in Europe" and "Irish Tour". Great stuff!
Rory Gallagher Original Album Classics
Probably late to the party but just picked up this re-mastered box set from Amazon. Have listened to 3 of the 5 CDs and so far - great music, great sonics, great value. On my system and to my ear, this seems like re-mastering done right. If you like the blues and don't know Rory, check it out. Didn't bother to search for prior threads. Worth a repeat (I think) even if there are.
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i thought 70s stuff is his best--calling card, fresh evidence, top priority--it's aged remarkably well. i like that he didn't just rework the 12-bar form or slavishly ape chicago bluesmen, but actually wrote some very good, nuanced songs. supposedly, he was gonna replace mick taylor in the rolling stones, but backed out because he wouldn't be allowed to sing. |
Loomis- The box set includes Deus (1971), Calling Card (1976), Top Priority (1979), Jinx (1982), Fresh Evidence (1990). I believe I've got those dates right. I'd heard Rory back in the day - had one or two LPs by him. On the other hand, listening a lot to "underground" FM from NYC back then (WNEW) he wasn't getting the exposure he deserved. I'm still working my way through the 5 disks (also picked up Tattoo, separately). The song writing on what I've listened to so far is strong. Seems to have held up well over these 30-40 years. That's ironic about him being a possible replacement for Mick Taylor except they wouldn't let him sing (but Keith's allowed????) Pretty funny (and I'm a Stones fan). His singing is definitely second to his guitar playing but, at his best, he reminds me of Johnny Winter. He is one smokin' guitar player. His band was also very tight. I hope the Hendrix quote is true. |
Loomis: Bit of a correction on your Gallagher "wouldn't be allowed to sing" comment. The Stones auditioned several players after Mick Taylor left, Rory Gallagher among them. Once Gallagher had done a bit of jamming with them, they put him up in a hotel room. And made him wait, and wait, and wait some more, with nothing said about future plans for the band. Gallagher had a Japanese tour to attend to and so left the Stones a note, essentially saying that there was no point to him waiting around any more. He left, and that was that. And I'm glad of it; I couldn't ever have imagined him dueling with Keith Richards, whose ego wouldn't have been able to handle the hugely impressive six-string competition. |
jafant...I think that quote from Jimi about RG is apocryphal/"urban legend"...but have heard it before (and very cool if it were true). It is also claimed Jimi said it about Phil Keaggy http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/keaggy.asp Elsewhere found Jimi being cited as saying Billy Gibbons was the greatest! Hope you do get some music by Rory. The Irish Tour movie is really great too (sound isn’t so hot but still worthwhile). |
Hi again, jafant. I ain’t making this sh** up! If you want some profound discussion ;-) about exactly WHO is the GREATEST GI-tar player, check out the link below. It’s also the source for that Billy Gibbons/JH nomination...see Bill H.’s post on 7/4/2001 at 1:56AM. Actually, if you are interested in the topic, there are some good nominees. Have fun. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-76739.html BTW - Listening to Rory’s "Against the Grain"...really enjoying track 8, All Around Man. That album was a separate purchase...not part of the package the thread is about. |
'Sfunny....I went with a pal to see RG (he was a fan, I was just tagging along). I went on to see him 2 more times, he was incredible! BUT....I never got into his records. I owned one or two but as you can see, they were totally unmemorable to me. I'm sure it has something to do with me but...go figure! |
That Straightdope thread was a good one, gh, I enjoyed it a lot. Lot's of good nominees, though kind of heavy on soloing rather than music making, but that's to be expected when guitarists or non-musicians list guitarists. Players known for their taste and economy, musicality (coming up with signature song parts), subtlety, and beautiful tone (George Harrison's on "Nowhere Man" is just fantastic) get short-changed; guys like James Burton and Vince Gill. But it was great to see Ry Cooder, David Lindley, and Richard Thompson mentioned, though Albert Lee was nowhere to be found, fer cryin' out loud! At least John Jorgenson (The Hellecasters, The Desert Rose Band---with Chris Hillman of The Byrds and Bluegrass great Herb Pedersen) was. It's interesting how Rock players (primarily 70's focused) are much more into Blues influenced players than Country one's. It's fascinating to hear players of one instrument talk about players of another, like pro bass player's on their favorite drummers. They often look at it from a whole different perspective and point of view, and it reveals how the best players of one instrument appreciate and value different aspects of the playing of other instruments than do the player's of that instrument. If you follow me! |
Pleased you enjoyed the straight dope thread, bdp. I think you make a good point about a bias there that favors soloist (shredders!) vs music makers. Wasn't it B.B. King said, "It's not about the notes you play but the notes you don't play!"...or maybe that was just written about B.B. Taste, economy, musicality - exactly...things that separate an artist from a technician. I spent a good amount of time last night listening to Danny Gatton Live in 1977 - The Humbler Stakes His Claim. I'd heard his name but have to admit I didn't know his playing. He was amazingly fast and I definitely heard the varied styles he could play in. For me, though "too many notes!". Maybe a false impression driven by the track selection on that compilation. Certainly a matter of personal taste, in any event. Great guitarist, no doubt. Interesting to read on Wiki that he had roomed with Roy Buchanan and the two were "frequent jamming partners". While admittedly no Gatton expert, my preference style-wise would be for Buchanan over Gatton. To me, this harks back to your "taste, economy, musicality" touchstones. |