Rory Gallagher (Official Thread)

[E-Z]

hi E-Z, have you read Gerry McAvoys book titled 'Riding Shotgun'?...its a very good read...the book was first published about 20 years ago.

Yes I have Blues/Rocker I originally read it when I bought it when I first saw it published as you say about 20 years ago and before that a French guy a Rory Gallagher fan published a hardcover book about Rory covering mainly his 'solo years' with the Rory Gallagher band between 1971-1995 although I forget his name at the moment but the book that he wrote appeared sometime around 1997-98 I think from memory and was the first book about Rory I believe?.

 

[E-Z]

With regards to the albums PHOTO FINISH (1978) & TOP PRIORTY (1979) I didn't name any particular favourite album tracks cos I like all the tracks on both albums although if pushed I must say I particularly like on Photo Finish Shadow Play, Fuel To The Fire, Overnight Bag & The Last Of The Independents and from Photo Finish I like Follow Me, Philby, Wayward Child, Keychain, At The Depot, Bad Penny, Just Hit Town & Hell Cat (as a bonus track on the cd reissue) Off The Handle & Public Enemy No.1

JINX (1982) has several tracks that I particularly like especially Big Guns, Double-Vision, Signals, Jinxed, Easy Come-Easy Go & Loose Talk

 

[E-Z]

https://bridgehouse.bandcamp.com/album/bassics

some info about Gerry's album 'Bassics.'...if you scroll down it will give you some details.

According to Gerry he actually recorded 2-albums back around 1981-82 the aforementioned 'Basics' and a second album although the second album was never released.

 

[BluesRocker]

Yes I have Blues/Rocker I originally read it when I bought it when I first saw it published as you say about 20 years ago and before that a French guy a Rory Gallagher fan published a hardcover book about Rory covering mainly his 'solo years' with the Rory Gallagher band between 1971-1995 although I forget his name at the moment but the book that he wrote appeared sometime around 1997-98 I think from memory and was the first book about Rory I believe?.

yes, the author of that book on Rory you mention was from a guy named Jean-Noel Coghe..i have also read it..There is another book on Rory from an Irish guy named Marcus Connaughton, but the book wasn't that detailed, lots of pics if i remember.

 

[BluesRocker]

According to Gerry he actually recorded 2-albums back around 1981-82 the aforementioned 'Basics' and a second album although the second album was never released.

i can only remember 'Bassics'..don't think i ever heard of another album.

 

[BluesRocker]

With regards to the albums PHOTO FINISH (1978) & TOP PRIORTY (1979) I didn't name any particular favourite album tracks cos I like all the tracks on both albums although if pushed I must say I particularly like on Photo Finish Shadow Play, Fuel To The Fire, Overnight Bag & The Last Of The Independents and from Photo Finish I like Follow Me, Philby, Wayward Child, Keychain, At The Depot, Bad Penny, Just Hit Town & Hell Cat (as a bonus track on the cd reissue) Off The Handle & Public Enemy No.1

JINX (1982) has several tracks that I particularly like especially Big Guns, Double-Vision, Signals, Jinxed, Easy Come-Easy Go & Loose Talk

yes, i am a fan of Rorys rockier albums in late 70s and early 80s.

 

[E-Z]

i can only remember 'Bassics'..don't think i ever heard of another album.

Yeah Gerry mentions a second album being recorded after the 'Basics' album although no name of this album is mentioned so I presume it never received an official name in a book I have called GALLAGHER, MARRIOTT, DERRINGER & TROWER published in 2000 although Gerry goes on to say the second album was never released.

 

[E-Z]

yes, i am a fan of Rorys rockier albums in late 70s and early 80s.

Yes I also particularly liked the Rory, Gerry & Ted McKenna line up (1978-1981) that played the heavier blues/rock material myself and released Photo Finish, Top Priority & the live Stagestruck album.

 

[BluesRocker]

hi E-Z, not sure if you have seen this before. its from Rorys rockier era..it was in 1980 on a Tyne-Tees TV music show called 'Alright Now.'...Billy Connolly introducing Rory at the start of the clip, and sitting next to Connolly is Zep drummer John Bonham. this was one of Bonham's last ever TV appearannces before his death....Those Geordie headbangers rocking out to Rory, BRILLIANT.

 

[E-Z]

Ted McKenna also recounts in the same book Gallagher, Marriott, Derringer & Trower that one day in the studio Ted added a second bass drum to his kit and when Rory saw the second bass drum he 'broke out in a sweat' (laughs) and said to Ted "Ted, I'm not sure about this double-bass drum set up?." So Ted said ok Rory but I just thought that you would like to try it out?. Ted says in the book that double-bass drums back then was associated with 'heavy metal bands' and Rory never considered himself as 'heavy metal' even though around that time 1979-80 many young NWOBHM guys were showing up at the gigs wearing denim jackets with Status Quo, Motorhead & Saxon patches on there jackets.

Ted does say they did play about 3-gigs with Ted playing a double-bass drum in his kit but it was removed after the third gig and reverted back to the single bass drum again.