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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Captures Rory Gallagher in peak form,
By
This review is from: Irish Tour (Audio CD)
Let's just say that "Irish Tour," which has sold the most copies of any of the late Rory Gallagher's albums, captures one of the finest blues-rock guitarists of our time in peak form. This gem of a live recording was assembled from various gigs across Mr. Gallagher's troubled native Ireland in 1974, and he clearly relishes playing for the home crowd.
Mr. Gallagher and company churn through some longer versions of Walk on Hot Coals, Too Much Alcohol, and Who's That Coming, which allows Mr. Gallagher to improvise and experiment a bit. (There's not a bad number here, but why is Just a Little Bit not included on the CD version?) I'm not prone to lavish adjectives on recordings, but there is more than enough intensity, passion, and virtuosity here to help the uninitiated learn what all the fuss is when it comes to Rory Gallagher's place in rock history. Why four stars instead of five? It has nothing to do with Mr. Gallagher but rather a display of frustration about the omission of any bonus material!
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lost Genius,
This review is from: Irish Tour (Audio CD)
The first time I saw Rory Gallagher live he was a warmup act, and he stole the show from Deep Purple, no easy thing to do. He was that good, blessed not only with technical skill but with a musical soul that shone through his music. This 1974 live recording is a tribute to his fiery blues-rock guitar playing and the heart behind it. I've been told by people who knew him that he was the nicest guy on earth, something that comes through in the video version of this recording available now on DVD, he was all music, no showbiz, a bluesman who seemed almost embarrassed when he became a rock star as well. If you don't know his work, this live album is a good place to start, just be prepared to buy more once you get a taste. The public has largely forgotten Rory just as they have Roy Buchannan, but guitarists will be impressed no end when you mention his name, they know how good he was and how much he loved the music. Maybe that's why the Rolling Stones considered him as a replacement for Mick Taylor, but somehow I can't see Rory wearing leopardskin jackets and leather pants. His life was too short, but at least we have this wonderful music to remember him by.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rory rocks Belfast,
By
This review is from: Irish Tour (Audio CD)
When Rory and his killer band toured Ireland in 1974, other reviewers have got it dead right that the majority of rock acts wouldn't go near the place. The Gaelic funsters were in the full throes of murdering and torturing their fellow man. So the Melody Maker, Britain's best-ever and sadly defunct music weekly (written by such five-star observers as Ray Coleman and Chris Welch - see my review of Chris' book "Cream"), had as its front-page headline, "Rory rocks Belfast," followed by an ecstatic description of not only his fantastic playing and band, but of his single-minded belief that music would break down all barriers.
I first saw Rory in 1968 when, as I said in many other reviews, he blew poor old Jimi H off the stage at the Woburn Abbey Festival. I got to know him quite well and have, among other things, one of Richie McCraken's bass guitar string cases on which Rory wrote his name and addresses of his agents for booking. I loved this man and his music, and preferred him to almost any other musician in the world. I find him much more intresting than Duane Allman (there is no law against playing in tune, D) or Stevie Ray Vaughan, and miles better than Hendrix, who was usually so awful live. He interpreted the blues in an unbelievably sensitive and skilful way, never forgetting his comprehensive respect and knowledge of the greats (he adored Muddy Waters, Blind Blake, Hutto, Albert King and so on). Coupled with that, he was a pretty good singer and a first-rate song-writer, as well as being a great guitarist, slide player, mandolin player, harp player and sax player. I lost count of the times (well over 38) I saw Rory say, "Thanks a million, thanks a million," in his inimitable brogue before holding an audience spellbound with one acoustic guitar. This fantastic record of Rory includes "A Million Miles Away", Walk on Hot Coals,", "I wonder who,", "Who's that coming, " and a host of other gems, all played by the band of bands. Listen to Rod D'Ath's drums, Gerry McEvoy's bass and Lou Martin's drums. Primitive gear, stunning playing. Who can hold a candle to this gentle, polite, kind and decent man? Please let us stop comparing him to the usual suspects - he was in a different league in so many ways and the world is just beginning to wake up. He was quite unique in so many ways. Listen to the "London Muddy Waters Sessions" - he's the only one who really "got it." Essential and vital listening. Much more enjoyable than the disjointed DVD by Tony Palmer.
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