|
Rory Gallagher (1948-1995) was an Irish blues/rock guitarist whose career took off in the 1960s| with the legendary Taste, featuring his guitar and vocals, the jazz-tinged drumming of John Wilson and intricate bass playing of Richard McCracken. There was an earlier version of Taste whose recordings are still available and it's interesting to compare Rory's rudimentary guitar playing to the virtuosity that became evident in the later Taste. The later band made two studio albums, Taste and On the Boards, and two live recordings of the band at its incendiary best, Live at Montreux and Live at the Isle of Wight, the latter appearing a long time after the band broke up, famously, at that same Isle of Wight festival.
He went solo (dropping the band's name and hiring another bassist, Gerry McAvoy, and various drummers, the most notable being Rod De'Ath) and produced more than a dozen albums with titles such as Rory Gallagher and Deuce from 1971, Blueprint and Tattoo from 1973, Irish Tour from 1974, 1975's Against the Grain featuring his old worn out looking Fender Strat on the cover, and Calling Card in 1976.
In 1972 he was voted Melody Maker's Top Musician of the Year, his album "Live in Europe" being a big selling album not only in the UK but internationally.
He died in London on 14th June 1995 from complications following a liver transplant.
"An uncompromisingly serious musician" - The Times, 16th June 1995.
|
