Hail (Taste) (LP 4062 - 4066)

Taste  Taste (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1969) ****  

Taste  On the Boards (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1970) ****  

Taste  Moving On (Vinyl, Karussell Records, 1971) **** 

Taste  Live (CD, Polydor Records, 1971) **** 

Taste  Live at the Isle of Wight (CD, Polydor Records, 1971) **** 

Genre: Blues rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Manchester music shop (Moving On)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: On the Boards , Gamblin' Blues (Live)

Gear costume: Same Old Story (Taste), If I don't Sing I'll Cry (On the Boards)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: If you thought Rory Gallagher's career really started with his terrific solo album in 1971, think again. Beginning in 1966, Taste was his first power trio (with a different bass/drums combo).

For those first and second studio albums Richard McCracken and John Wilson provide the bass and drum support for Rory to explore a mix of originals and covers (Ledbetter, Hank Snow on the debut). Nothing much changed throughout the years, did it - the blueprint (sorry) is right here in the blues power chords that Cream had pioneered.

Taste's second album, On the Boards was also recorded in 1969 and issued at the start of 1970 - the work ethic was set in stone right from the off - perpetual work!

This time all the songs are Rory originals. What a talented guy he was - song writer, vocalist, played alto sax and harmonica, and, of yes, was the world's greatest guitarist (just ask Jimi). On the Boards continues the variety of looks from the debut - jazzy runs, Cream like blues, country picking, folk songs...Rory could do it all.

There are a few Taste compilations out there, but I prefer the el cheapo Karussell one (Polydor artists like Suzanne, John Mayall, Cream were subject to this treatment in the sixties/ seventies).

Moving On came out quickly after On the Boards to cash in on Rory's solo debut success (I guess).

It has the requisite bad taste (sorry again) cover, and cobbles together tracks from both Taste studio albums.

There are two live documents of Taste in action on the boards - Live (recorded live at Montreux Casino in Switzerland in 1970) and Live at the Isle of Wight - both were released in 1971. 

Given the gigs were around the same time there is an overlap with some songs (a lengthy I Feel So Good, Sugar Mama and Catfish). There are plenty of highlights - the amazing bottleneck on Gamblin' Blues is just one on Live. 

Where do they all belong? And then it's on to Rory's solo career.

Watch out (Fleetwood Mac) (LP 2614 - 2616)

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac In Chicago (Vinyl, Sire Records, 1969) *****  

Fleetwood Mac Heroes Are Hard To Find (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1974) ****  

Rory Gallagher Blueprint (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1973) ****  

Genre: Blues rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Watch Out (FM in Chicago)

Gear costume: I'm Worried (FM in Chicago)

Active compensatory factors: Thankfully, the blues became an obsession with a whole generation of young poms. Among them: Eric Clapton; John Mayall; John McVie; Stan Webb; Christine Perfect; Mick Fleetwood; Peter Green...the list is long and includes a youngster from Cork - Rory Gallagher.

In January 1969 Fleetwood Mac, a band made up of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, plus three guitarists - Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwin, went to Chicago and recorded with some giants of the blues. The Chicago blues musicians who played at this session were Otis Spann (piano, vocals), Willie Dixon (upright bass), Shakey Horton (harmonica, vocals), J.T. Brown (tenor saxophone, vocals), Buddy Guy (guitar), Honeyboy Edwards (guitar, vocals), and S.P. Leary (drums).

The result is outstanding! The musicianship is first class and sounds fresh as a daisy in 2024.

The inclusion of studio chatter is particularly appropriate. It definitely puts you right there, listening along with the engineer and producers Mike Vernon and Marshall Chess. I can visualise the band in the Chicago studio vividly, as they take advantage of this return to the source.

By 1974 the band had been transformed into a different beast entirely. On board for this one are Fleetwood and McVie, plus Christine McVie, and Bob Welch. Chris provides four songs, Bob seven.

I love Christine's bluesy sway and her lyrics, which explore her vulnerabilities. Bob is more pop oriented and together they provide a template and a bridge from the blues to the pop world for the next iteration of the band, when Buckingham/ Nicks arrive. Bob and Chris have great voices that blend together well.

Sidebar: Not sure what they were aiming for with that cover. I was always put off by the image - a very tall, very thin Mick Fleetwood and his daughter shot in black and white.  It's so incongruous to the music of the album, which is very full bodied, warm and groovy. 

I somehow neglected to get Rory's Blueprint when I was buying the rest of his canon back in the seventies and eighties. Bizarre given how Rory and Irish Tour'74 were such landmarks for me in those early seventies.

Listening to it now, I'm thankful it wasn't a peak that I'd missed out on, like that live album. The studio was problematic for Rory. As I've subsequently come to understand, he certainly played many of the other songs live but only Walk On Hot Coals from Blueprint would make it onto the original Irish Tour '74 album.  

It's still a very worthwhile purchase and I'm thankful to finally have it nestled between Live in Europe and Tattoo.

Where do they all belong? That will do me for a while. I now have a complete collection of Rory's albums and enough Fleetwood Mac for the time being.

More power (Liam Gallagher) (LP 2609 - 2611)

Liam Gallagher  C'mon You Know (CD, Warner Records, 2022) ***  

Rory Gallagher Transmission Impossible (3CD, Eat To The Beat Records, 2022) **** 

Crowded House Gravity Stairs (Vinyl, BMG Records, 2024) **** 

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Everything's Electric (C'mon You Know)

Gear costume: Black Water, White Circle (Gravity Stairs)

Active compensatory factors: A recent trip to Palmerston North resulted in these purchases (these and more but we'll get to them in due course).

C'mon You Know is Liam's fourth solo outing and probably the weakest, if truth be told. However, given I gave all of the others four stars, this is a three-star (pretty fine) album.

Opening track (More Power) has a kids' choral group introducing the song's opening lyrics. It's cheesy and doesn't bear repeat listens. But then Liam's vocals kick in and all is (mostly) forgiven. He is unique and he sings with real authority.

The rest of the album is good but not great and certainly not a patch on his first solo album which is untouchable.

Rory's triple CD pack collects up songs not on his BBC Sessions double set. The first CD features Taste in BBC sessions from 1968-1969. The power trio is a great setting for Rory. This is raw and in your face. So - good, in other words.

CD 2 and 3 feature sessions from 1971 to 1974 and Rory delivers every time. Some great slide guitar on Could Have Had Religion from a John Peel 1971 session. There are tons of other highlights.

Crowded House's latest iteration have just released their new album - Gravity Stairs. Its sound harks back to the dream-pop of Liam and Neil's Lightsleeper project from four years ago. That's good news, I love that album.

Neil's voice lends itself to this kind of music and he's ably supported by his sons, Mitchell Froom and Nick Seymour. Even Tim and Sharon make appearances, so at times it has a Woodface feel to it. I'll be playing this one often I suspect.

Great Revolver style cover too!

Where do they all belong? Other purchases to come along the way.

Just the smile (Rory Gallagher) (LP 2577 - 2589)

Rory Gallagher  Cleveland Calling (Vinyl, Chess Records, 2020) ****

Rory Gallagher  Cleveland Calling Pt 2 (Vinyl, Chess Records, 2021) ***  

Rory Gallagher  Irish Tour '74 (40th Anniversary Edition) (Vinyl, Chess Records, 2014) ****  

Rory Gallagher  Live in San Diego '74 (Vinyl, Chess Records, 2022) *****  

Rory Gallagher  Check Shirt Wizard - Live in '77 (Vinyl, UMC Records, 2020) *****  

Rory Gallagher  Photo Finish (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1978) ****  

Rory Gallagher  Top Priority (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1979) *****  

Rory Gallagher  Stage Struck (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1980) *****  

Rory Gallagher  Jinx (Vinyl, Chrysalis Records, 1982) ***  

Rory Gallagher  Fresh Evidence (Vinyl, Capo Records, 1990) ****  

Rory Gallagher  Blues (CD, Chess Records, 2019) ****  

Rory Gallagher  Wheels Within Wheels (CD, UMC Records, 2018) ****  

Rory Gallagher  Kickback City (CD, Sony Music, 2013) ***  

Genre: Rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy; JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Cradle Rock (Irish Tour '74); Shadow Play (Stage Struck)

Gear costume: Too Much Alcohol (Irish Tour '74)

Active compensatory factors: This post is a catch up of some Rory Gallagher albums that I've not yet written about on this blog.  

First a restating of my basic rule of thumb for Rory - Live Rory trumps Studio Rory. I base this on three things. 

1) Irish Tour '74 is the best live album of all time.

2) His Auckland Town Hall concert in 1980 was the best gig I've ever attended.

3) Shadow Play as done live at Montreux (it never ends) is the most exciting live video of all time 

Cleveland Calling is a great addition to the Rory Live legacy. Like Live! In Europe it's also from 1972. Rory is performing an acoustic set for a Cleveland radio station (Carolyn Thomas is the sympathetic interviewer).

The sound hits the spot and Rory is up close and personal. I grinned from the start of Pistol Slapper Blues to last song Blow Wind Blow. 

Gypsy Woman (a Muddy Waters song) is inspired, and so is Rory's harmonica playing. He's a one-man band - guitar, vocals, and harmonica!

Cleveland Calling Pt 2 is the electric half and has a similar set list to Live! In Europe. 

Our story resumes with Irish Tour '74 (40th Anniversary Edition). I have waxed lyrical about this album a few times before in this blog (here and here).

The 40th Anniversary edition is an expanded triple album and comes without the after-hours jam session.

Let me say right now - I prefer the original double album. That one kicks off with Cradle Rock and never let's up. This one has Cradle Rock after Messin' With The Kid, which just feels slightly wrong.

Rory obviously didn't want to include songs that had appeared before - hence removing Messin' With The Kid, In Your Town, Laundromat, Hands Off, Going To Your Hometown and reducing the acoustic set in the middle to just As The Crow Flies on the original. All good decisions!

Nothing wrong with including all of these additions on the 40th edition, it's just that I'm used to this album sounding a certain way, with a certain flow. So I'll stick with the three sides live + jamming double album version. Less is more.

Rory was hot in '74, as Live in San Diego shows. A double album, it covers the same basic set as Irish Tour '74 but he stretches out on Cradle Rock and In Your Town to great effect.

In '77 Rory still had the '74 band and they were absolutely smokin' as Check Shirt Wizard shows. Some new songs had emerged from his studio albums between those years so some Rory classics like Moonchild, Calling Card, Souped-Up Ford, Country Mile mix it with some of the stars of Irish Tour '74.

It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway - Rory's on form on guitar and that means he's hard to beat (just Hendrix ahead of him in my book).

Back to the studio albums and Photo Finish emerged after the aborted San Francisco sessions of 1977 (which has already appeared on Goo Goo  here). 

  

There are some great moments on the album - notably Shin Kicker, The Last Of The Independents, Brute Force and Ignorance, and best of all - Shadow Play. Overall though it's a mixed bag with some other songs that don't live up to Rory's high standards.

Better was to come in the following year - a real peak with Top Priority. His hair was still the same length, but the punk sensibility from 1976 and 1977 really pervades this album's short sharp songs. 

Ted McKenna had taken over the drum stool for Photo Finish, but he came into his own with his muscular approach on Top Priority and 1980's live Stage Struck. Gerry McAvoy, is, of course still brilliant on bass.

Stage Struck is a faithful record of Rory live in 1980. Listening to it always takes me back to that Auckland Town Hall gig - a seminal moment in my musical life. Thank you Rory.

Take another look at Shadow Play (a highlight of Stage Struck) from Montreux. He came alive on stage!

Next studio album, Jinx, came 3 years after Top Priority. A huge gap in Rory's world. And it would be followed 5 years later by Defender (which I covered here).

Jinx is the first album with new drummer - Brendon O'Neill. The sound is back to Photo Finish era with the punkish years behind him. Which is to say, a bit inconsistent and not as inspired.

This leaves the final studio album and some posthumous releases on CD to end this post.

Fresh Evidence came three years after Defender and Rory doesn't look in rude health on the cover - he was to die 5 years later, sadly, at the age of 47. That said, Fresh Evidence is a very good album. He lavished extra time on its recording - maybe sensing this would be his last studio album. There are also other hints with heaven, mortality and health being sub themes in the songs.

The sound is augmented by some horns, accordion and piano (by Lou Martin). Standout tracks: Kid Gloves; The Loop; Heaven's Gate.

Bottom line: Rory sounds like Rory and plays like Rory. That's high praise!

The three compilations listed above are memorable and worthy of inclusion here (I haven't added the more straightforward The Essential Rory Gallagher, a 2CD compilation from Capo Records which emerged in 2008). 

Blues, Wheels Within Wheels, and Kickback City collect various odds and ends from his career. They are compiled with various themes in mind - Blues is obvious, Wheels is more folk influenced songs and Kickback City is noir/crime centred.

Blues collects some lost radio sessions from 1971 to 1994.

Wheels Within Wheels compiles some lost recordings and outtake with a folkier acoustic style.

Kickback City is a good idea - hardboiled crime fiction was what Rory loved to read and it often cropped up in his lyrics, so this one collects a CD of those items, plus a live CD and a CD of Ian Rankin's novella The Lie Factory.

Where do they all belong? So, that's it for Rory Gallagher - he devoted his life purely to music. He never married, and fathered no children, but he created joy for thousands of music lovers. For that we should take our hat off to him and keep his memory alive.

Blueprint is an obvious gap (doh!) and I'm sure there will be more live albums to come. I'd particularly love to see material from the 1979 to 82 period. 

Dancing on air (Jack Bruce) (LP 820)

Jack Bruce   Live In America (Vinyl and CD, Let them eat vinyl/The store for music, 2007) ****  

Genre: Blues rock 

Places I remember: Vinyl copy from Amoeba Music San Francisco. CD copy The Warehouse.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hit And Run

Gear costume: Born Under A Bad Sign  (this version features Rory Gallagher on guitar)

Active compensatory factors: A great band on this set as Billy Cobham (drums), David Sancious (keyboards) and Clem Clempson (guitar) join the GOAT on bass - Jack Bruce.

The set list takes in some hits (White Room, Politician, Theme for an Imaginary Western) and some deep cuts. 

The band is tight/loose (these guys just lean and produce). Loads of impromptu improvisation makes this feel like jazz.

The packaging of both is terrible though - it makes it feel like an upmarket bootleg. Because of the different covers I mistakenly bought the vinyl version without realising I had the CD at home. Doh!

It actually plays better as a CD - as it provides a natural flow without the need to get up to flip sides (double album, single CD).

Where do they all belong? A few more CDs to come in the Jack Bruce collection.

Harder (Box Of Frogs) (LP 616)

Box Of Frogs Box Of Frogs (Vinyl, Epic, 1984) *** 

Genre: British pop/rock 

Places I remember: Second hand shop in Woodville

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Edge

Gear costume: Into The Dark 

Active compensatory factors: I only bought this for the two tracks that feature Rory Gallagher on lead guitar (featured above).

Generally, rock music of the eighties was pretty confused and an album featuring three former members of The Yardbirds with a journeyman vocalist and a slew of guitarists (including Jeff Beck) didn't overly excite me at the time.

It's okay as it goes (Rory is superb btw) but it's as confusing as you'd expect - not The Yardbirds, not Jeff Beck's jazz rock shapes, not pop, not heavy rock. 

Where do they all belong? A stand alone in my collection. They stuck around for a second album (without Rory's input) and that was that.

I know where I belong (Joe Bonamassa) (LP 392)

Joe Bonamassa A New Day Yesterday Live (CD, J & R Adventures, 2004) ****

Genre: Blues 

Places I remember: JB HiFi (Palmerston North)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Cradle Rock




Gear costume:  A New Day Yesterday  

Active compensatory factors: If guitar wig outs are your thing (as they are mine) then you already know about Joe. 

He's amazing. Very unassuming, looks like a bank manager. 

Then he plugs in his guitar and transforms into a axe weilding monster!

He's also very prolific. 

This was first live album (now there are about 537 live Joe albums) and if you can stay neutral after the opening Blues Jam/Cradle Rock (yes the Rory Gallagher song), then this album is definitely not for you.

So that would mean you don't like guitar wig outs. Shame.


Where do they all belong? This is the last genre in this round of the CD albums from the vault. back to vinyl next - which, of course means a return to the greatest band of all time.

Edged in blue (Rory Gallagher) (LP 355)

Rory Gallagher Calling Card (Vinyl, Chrysalis, 1976) ****

Genre: pop/rock 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records (Auckland)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Country Mile




Gear costume:  Moonchild 

Active compensatory factors: Roger Glover (yes, the bassist for Deep Purple) came on board for this album and added some finesse and clarity to proceedings for Rory: Moonchild and Calling Card are good examples.

It's quite a varied album from Rory this time. Calling Card is a nice change of pace, Moonchild is almost a love song (as much as Rory ever does a love song), Barley and Maple Rag is folk, I'll  Admit You've Gone is an accoustic beauty and there are some rock songs in the mix as well.

Thanks to the band being on top form (Lou Martin plays some lovely piano on Calling Card and Rod de'Ath is also at his best) with Glover producing, Rory can excel on vocals and guitar.


Where do they all belong? The last with this line up - only Gerry McAvoy remained beyond this one.

20:20 vision (Rory Gallagher) (LP 251 - 252)

Rory Gallagher Tattoo (Vinyl - Chrysalis, 1973) ****
Rory Gallagher The French Connection (Recorded at RTL Studios Paris France 1974) (Vinyl - UMC 2018) ****

Genre: Irish pop/rock

Places I remember: Tattoo - Marbecks Records; The French Connection - Real Groovy Records 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: A Million Miles Away 




Gear costume:  Cradle Rock (as always - a real favourite of mine)

Active compensatory factors: Tattoo is a biggie in the canon. 

Four of the tracks were in the set list for the next few years (cf Irish Tour) and three are on The French Connection in the following year.

The live versions are better (Rory is always better live) but it's still great to hear those first studio stabs at the songs from 1973.

The French Connection is a recent release - recorded live in the studio - it's always great to hear Rory live in 1974 but Irish Tour (and expanded version has also just been released this year) remains the definitive statement.

Where do they all belong? Still a few seventies albums to go before we head into the eighties and end game for Rory - tons of great guitaring to come then. 

Fuel to the fire (Rory Gallagher) (LP 198-199)

Rory Gallagher Notes From San Francisco (CD - Sony/Capo, 2011) *** (** for the studio side, **** for the live side)
Rory Gallagher Meeting With The G-Man+ (CD - Sony/Capo, 2003) **

Genre:  Irish pop/rock

Places I remember: Fopp (London) 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: If You Keep On Walkin (aka Wheels Within Wheels) is amazing and yet didn't even get on the revamped Photo Finish!!*; Shadow Play (every version is special!)




Gear costume: Off The Handle (live version on Notes...); The Loop (G-Man)

Active compensatory factors: Don't be fooled by the release dates. The posthumously released San Francisco set comes from 1978/79 and, similarly, the G-Man+ was recorded live in 1993 - just two years before his death but not released at the time.  

Notes from San Francisco was recorded in SF 1978, and shelved, as Rory was unhappy with the song quality. *Being Rory, he broke up the band ('cept for Gerry of course), started again, and ended up with Photo Finish, also in 1978. 

He didn't muck about did our Rory.

So - how does it stack up? Well not as good as Photo Finish - that's for sure. It's a brave attempt to fill out the sound in an American context but I think he was wise to scrap it and return to a trio format. Besides, Photo Finish contains Shadow Play! Need I say more?

Live? Another story entirely - the power trio arrived back in SF 1979 and kicked arse!! The live tapes show Rory in peak shredding form, with the rhythm section containing much needed muscle and grace. Gerry McAvoy and Ted McKenna - take a bow.

And then there's G-Man+. The sound quality is not the greatest so it's hard to judge how good the nineties band really was. It's like those audience recorded YouTube clips: superior bootleg quality.

Having said that, Rory is rarely off and his guitar is still sharp on this set.

Where do they all belong? Still loads of RG vinyl to come, as well as back to the future moments when comes Taste, the band.