Author Topic: Rory Gallagher (Read 7536 times)

doctorpep · « **on:** July 04, 2008, 10:45:20 PM »

I'm just starting to get in to this guy. Why is he considered Blues or Blues-Rock? He sounds a lot more like Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple to me. What do you guys think?

Bunker Hill · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2008, 11:59:34 PM »

Don't get me going on this. I'll just say that the 2006 two volume Routledge Encyclopedia Of The Blues, which was vaunted as the be all and end all of such enterprises, devotes 500+ words to Gallagher whilst poor old Jesse Fuller is only deemed important enough to deserve 40.

Parlor Picker · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2008, 02:09:01 AM »

I seem to remember people waxing lyrical about his acoustic (National) playing. His frenetic scrabblings weren't a patch on the real British slide players like Sam Mitchell, Roger Hubbard, Graham Hine and Kevin Brown.

His electric rock-blues stuff (NB rock-blues not blues-rock) was quite good if you like that kind of thing.

dj · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2008, 03:52:05 AM »

Quote

Why is he considered Blues or Blues-Rock?

Ummm... Because the popular definition of blues and blues-rock has changed significantly over the last 50 years, and continues to do so? That would be my guess.

dj · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2008, 05:28:53 AM »

After that rather flip answer, I watched the excellent Robert Nighthawk video that Slack posted. You know, if you took Nighthawk's guitar playing and increased the tempo a fair amount, "John Bonham-ized" the drums so that the bass drum was much more prominent, and channeled James Brown via Steve Marriott or Roger Daltrey for the vocals, you'd have electric Rory Gallagher, and a good example of what, post 1970, became "blues-rock".

Cooljack · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2008, 09:00:06 AM »

Quote

Why is he considered Blues or Blues-Rock?

Probably because he covered a leadbelly song or somthing.. but then again, didn't Nirvana?

doctorpep · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2008, 05:18:25 AM »

Again, I'm not a musician, but the guy reminds me more of Ritchie Blackmore than he does of Stevie Ray Vaughan or Johnny Winter, let alone Muddy Waters or Freddie King (hahaha).

NevadaPic · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2008, 06:51:38 PM »

If I could resurrect, to all their creative and playing glory, the top three guitar players would be in this order:

Reverend Gary Davis
Jimi Hendrix
Rory Gallagher

Rory's playing was fantastic. His peers recognized this fact. That he is a relatively unknown in the music world is a matter of marketing I guess... May God rest his Irish soul.

Pic

doctorpep · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2008, 10:38:37 PM »

Sorry to bring it up again, but am I wrong in thinking his style is similar to Blackmore's style in a way?

pete12string · « **Reply #9 on:** July 10, 2008, 12:55:06 PM »

Quote from: doctorpep on July 08, 2008, 10:38:37 PM

Sorry to bring it up again, but am I wrong in thinking his style is similar to Blackmore's style in a way?

I guess a lot of the 60s/70s "(blues) rock" guitarists had similar styles. These guys learned a lot of their licks from old blues records, but I think Rory stayed closer to his blues roots then most others. I can hear some similarities between them, but I think Rory Gallagher was a bit more raw than Ritchie Blackmore - and Rory was also a great slide player and he did some nice acoustic blues numbers (IMO). I would have to list both Rory and Blackmore as among my favorites (along with Jimi Hendrix, Blind Willie Johnson, Barbecue Bob, Leo Kottke, Huddie Leadbetter, Jeff Beck, Blind Willie McTell, Mance Lipscomb, ... too many to list!)

ayhcult · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2009, 06:31:40 PM »

I was born the same day as Rory.Been a fan since jr high (mid 70s)
I never thought much about similarities between Blackmore & Rory,and I listen to both ,religiously ,but since you mention it,they both exploited the stratocaster/treble booster combination.I hear some major similaity in tone ,not so much technique or any o' that

I'll have to tell my Rory story

Pan · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2009, 03:33:03 AM »

FWIW Gallagher does a nice flatpicked version of "Pistol Slapper Blues".

Blind Boy Fuller really can't be beaten, but I like Gallaghers' singing too.

Cheers

Pan

Rivers · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2009, 05:52:03 AM »

I saw Rory play many times on the UK college circuit and festivals. In fact I saw Taste on the same bill as Stefan Grossman at a festival at Oxford Polytech, maybe 1969 or 70, just as my fascination with fingerpicking was taking hold. Sugar Mama and Catfish were always the big numbers in their set. Rory was a cut above the pack.

Mike Billo · « **Reply #13 on:** January 23, 2009, 11:47:17 AM »

I love Rory's solo, acoustic playing. However, when he plays electric, with a band, I lose interest entirely.

I find this to be true of some other guys too (e.g. Jorma Kaukonen, Johnny Winter). My prefernce for acoustic undoubtedly colors my judgment on this matter, but there are also guys, about whom, the reverse is true (e.g. Mark Knopfler).

Although there are some notable exceptions, I think one's "voice" on the guitar is either playing acoustic or electric. Very few do both equally well.

Rory's acoustic playing stands up very well, this many years after his death. He was, in my opinion, definitely the "real deal".

ayhcult · « **Reply #14 on:** January 24, 2009, 10:05:27 AM »

Believe or not,I was never a big fan of Rory's acoustic stuff,not the blues numbers anyway.But I sure like this

Dig Ian Gillian's jacket,years ahead of Miami Vice.....probably got it in Italia

Mike Brosnan · « **Reply #15 on:** January 24, 2009, 11:14:38 PM »

i dig the acoustic and the electric stuff.

WARNING: do NOT watch/listen to this if you're an audio/video connoisseur. nothing too profound. just an older rory trying to connect the dots between blues and celtic music on a (harmony?) 12 string. followed by a bunch o' pics an' a couple more tunes including "when i was a cowboy" (with tabla?/mrindangam?).

Annette · « **Reply #16 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:57:09 PM »

I loved Rory too!

Particularly this:

Probably the first time I ever saw someone play mandolin (I knew of Yank Rachell and Johnny Young but had never seen anyone play one)!

Annette

Rivers · « **Reply #17 on:** March 29, 2012, 06:54:30 PM »

Very cool. It was so long ago, I can't recall ever seeing him play mando so that was a revelation, some great chord melody going on there I must try and figure out.

Rory always had this infectious joyous passion for old country blues, not to mention a superb voice, and live he was one of the great natural musical communicators. I miss him.

The other two members of Taste in that clip seem to be caught on the back foot, until the drummer finally gets on the kick drum back beat. They both seem surprised and attentive so I reckon it might have been spontaneous and unrehearsed. Excellent, thanks.

Annette · « **Reply #18 on:** March 30, 2012, 07:52:21 AM »

I saw Rory play Going to my Hometown 3/4 times - and Gerry McAvoy and Wilgar Campbell both always played it the same way!

Rory bought me a drink once (pint of Guinness of course) I was a steward at the Crystal Palace Bowl concert and was despatched to find an errant child that belonged to a friend of his. I was only 16 at the time so was somewhat in awe of him - but he seemed a nice genuine - amazingly modest guy.

At the same gig I refused Bernie Taupin entry at the gate because he'd forgotten his back stage pass....

There are some arrangements of Going to my Hometown here:

and:

And a discussion here:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?46690-does-anyone-know-im-going-to-my-hometown

Annette x

colm kill paul · « **Reply #19 on:** March 30, 2012, 03:28:10 PM »

Quote from: Rivers on March 29, 2012, 06:54:30 PM

They both seem surprised and attentive so I reckon it might have been spontaneous and unrehearsed.

Rivers, it does have that feel but as I looked at mic set up especially for the mando (Rory knocks it off it's stand at 3.53 approx) I began to doubt if it was unrehearsed. Then I noticed the drummer is on his hi hat for the intro, then I noticed how the band let the intro build itself up into the first verse ....and began to think this is very carefully rehearsed to give a very spontaneous feel. I guess that's show business folks!

Annette thanks for posting this clip up. Brute, force & ignorance was about all I had heard of RG (appropriately) but this is something else! Brilliant! I think I'll burn my guitar and take up golf! I could never come close to a performance like this. He is amazing. Great personal memory you have to treasure there of getting to share a pint with Rory. It is sad he died so young. Colm

Rivers · « **Reply #20 on:** March 30, 2012, 07:31:05 PM »

Rehearsing in order to appear under-rehearsed, love the concept. I'm a natural, don't have to rehearse that whole under-rehearsal thing.

Thanks for the instructional vids Annette, as a beginning mandolinist they were very helpful. He needs to work on his vibrato though.

colm kill paul · « **Reply #21 on:** March 30, 2012, 11:05:43 PM »

Rivers, I think you'll have to man up here and admit that the idea that Rory Gallagher, on a recording for German television, abandoned the planned set and launched into an unrehearsed mandolin tune holds little credibility. Especially since Annette confirms that he always performed this acoustic number in this way. Colm

Rivers · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2012, 10:42:19 AM »

I have no clue either way. Depends on the dates I guess.

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Author Topic: Rory Gallagher (Read 7536 times)

Cooljack