Memories of Rory

I saw Rory in National Boxing Stadium in Dublin between 1970-1978.  His concerts were very personal and intimate - even in front of 3,000 people.

A friend of mine met Rory at the Cork Film Society after they had viewed the new documentary.  She was shocked how shy and soft spoken Rory was.  She listened to his Music all day long as I painted her house.  So she was expecting this high energy powerhouse of a man. 

Donal, his brother, has a similar personality. 

Rory’s music kept me sane at a time when Ireland was in a depression and paramilitary war surrounded us in Belfast. 

I saw Taste on Irish  TV in 1969.  One of twenty five 13-14 year olds going wild at his intense music.   "Sugar Mama"   "Bullfrog Blues"   I wore out the album “On the Boards” which was a perfect blend of jazz, rock, fusion known at the time as progressive Rock.  I had a German double LP of "The Best of Taste"   Taste was very raw and incredible, fusing jazz and rock elements.

Rory, when he went solo, went back to basics in rock, instrumental and folk/blues.   What maybe would be called roots music later.    I wore out his Solo album and Blueprint and bought new LPs.

Rory mixed it all.  Traditional folk.  Acoustics.  Blues.  Full out Fender Rock.  A raw music giant.

John McMahon    from  USA

I just came across this video of dear Rory playing in the Mean Fiddler in London  on the 10th of April, 1989.   

Rory was kickstarting the Irish Rock Festival week.    I was there at this amazing gig and proud that we had our own Irish Rock Festival in London.  Organised by one of our own ; the music man extraordinary,  Vince Power,  from Tramore, County Waterford, Ireland.  

It was truly a unique and memorably gig, where we Irish rocked London that night.    The pinnacle of the night was when my Irish hero, dear Rory , played the song of my American hero, Boy Dylan,  " I shall be released "   which is on this Youtube video clip.  (please see below) 

A  special  night, which I and my fellow Irish music lovers were proud and privileged to be part of 

in the Mean Fiddler with Rory and his band.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

A  Russell 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EvpZ83gqts

Backstage at the Agrora, I was talking to Rory.  I asked him "Could you give me something.. a souvenir you don't want?"  We were both standing near a table where he had this elongated black box.  He opened it and pulled out a guitar slide.  He smiled at me saying.. “This is how you put it on”   He actually put it on my finger as an ‘Engagement ring’.. the finger on my right hand.  And he said  “When you learn to play Guitar.. this is where you put the slide.. the 3rd finger”   Ok Rory, I tried to learn to play guitar but I managed only to strum.  I'm better on Piano.  I managed to learn to play "Oh Danny Boy"

Dwana G. Horner from USA

Hi everyone here.   Reiko has asked me to write and describe how I became a friend of Rory's for a few months between late 1968 and early 1969.   I was still in school and had a Saturday job in one of the music shops in Belfast.   I'd no idea of who he was or anything, l was just told he came in to see the Manager who played bass and who deputised for him whenever his own bass player couldn't.   I don't know how it happened but we just started talking like we were already old friends about guitars, music and just whatever and l was getting into trouble for ignoring what l was there to do.   I don't know if he suggested it but he started coming in Saturdays and we'd go off to this cafe for lunch to just eat and talk about everything under the sun.   I still didn't know who he was, all l knew was that he played in a band, we got on and could talk about anything, religion, politics, bands, anything he wanted to talk about or l did.   The manager did say to me once that's Rory Gallagher but I was still none the wiser, l just knew him as a guy who played guitar l could talk to about guitars as l was trying to teach myself at the time.   It only dawned on me when after having disappeared for a while he came into the shop carrying a copy of the cover of the first Taste lp which had yet to be released.   All l remember is his being wildly enthusiastic and really proud of getting to show it off and he gave it to me, and I kept that cover the whole time and the whole way throughout his career, and still everytime l see a photo l go right back to how it was then and how great he was just to be around.  

John   from   Northern Ireland

I discovered Rory pretty much by accident on April 14, 1973 during a concert I attended that was headlined by Deep Purple and Fleetwood Mac.  Rory was the opening band.  I was a fan of the first two bands (which is why I was there) and had never even heard of Rory Gallagher.  

Rory came out totally blazing.  I knew none of the songs of course, but I was completely mesmerized by what I was seeing and hearing.  Rory was totally on fire with unhinged enthusiasm and I was hooked right then and there.  As Rory left the stage, and before we realized he had just blown away the other two bands, he uttered his often-used departure line, “See you again soon!”  My friend who was there with me turned to me and said “I know he will!”  Sure enough, about a month later Rory came back to my University and played a show that was free to the students.  This time he was even better!  

By then I had picked up the album Blueprint, so this time I knew some of his songs.  At that point I was a fan for life. 

Doug Pugh  from USA

I made it to the Manchester show, the last tour with Lou and Rod.   Rory started off with "Secret Agent"     The balcony was bouncing up and down.     He played new songs like "Fuel to the Fire", "Mississippi Shieks"  and "Brute Force and Ignorance"     I wonder if there are any recordings of these gigs or the Euro leg.    

Rory played the same venue with Ted McKenna in October ?     I recorded that on a cassette player  :0     There was a power cut in "Calling Card"    Ted carried on the drums for a few minutes, then Rory came and did his accoustic set with no power, until the last few bars of "Going to My Hometown".   The steel resonate guitar was audible as was Rory's singing way up on the bouncy balcony.   I remember everyone joining in on the count of "Too Much Alcohol" and could still hear Rory's singing on top. 

Jed  from UK

*1978   April 13th               Manchester    Apollo Theater

*1978   April 29th               was the last gig with Rod and Lou   (  at Hammersmith Odeon, London  ) 

*1978   December 15th      Manchester    Apollo Theater      with  Ted McKenna

In '76, I was Rory's FOH sound engineer.   Reading Festival that year was a real challenge !!   

We had been on a long tour of the US up until a week or so before, and Rory & I stayed on in San Fransisco to redo some mixes at His Master's Wheels with Elliot Mazer for the "Notes from SF" album, whilst the rest of the band flew home early.   We left SF Thursday and flew back to London via Chicago, arriving early Friday.   The same afternoon (after a quick run home to change clothes & shower) we were back at Heathrow that pm, and on a private jet to Germany.   

Saturday, August 28th, we played early afternoon at the Rottweil festival, and then raced back to Heathrow on the same private jet to be met by police motorcycle outriders to escort us to Reading.   We arrived minutes before Rory was due on stage and I went straight to the mixing tower while Rory & the band headed backstage.   I think I was pretty much in a daze for all of that show, just remember the jobsworth for Thames Valley Council waving his decibel meter at me and saying something like 

"It's too Loud" !!!

Martin Westwood  --  English but now living in Spain

Having graduated from college, getting married, and raising a family, my introduction to the magic of Rory Gallagher came much later in life then most ardent fans.

In the early 1990’s, I developed a music trading web site that was devoted to collecting and trading the live performances of the Texas legend of Stevie Ray Vaughan.  

Music collectors of live recordings began to contact me from all over the world to trade for a performance that may not have been in their collection and in return send me a performance that was not in mine.  Often times the trade would not involve the music of SRV in return if there wasn’t something of interest that was in their collection, thus other artists were chosen instead.

One particular trade that was completed for SRV live performances was with an individual from New Hampshire, USA.  I was treated to an unexpected live performance to an artist that I was not familiar with, a complete unknown blues guitarist by the name of Rory Gallagher.  The performance that was sent to me happened to be a VHS tape of “Rory Gallagher, Live at Rockpalast, 1976”.

Upon viewing this video tape and seeing the guitar artistry, high energy, and personality of this gifted individual; I was completely hooked by this young guitarist and wanted more!  

I then began to seek either live audio or video performances to begin a collection of anything by Rory I could get my hands on available through trading or purchase.

On March 2, 2005, I attended the Rory Gallagher Tribute that was organized by a member of “The Loop”  in Philadelphia, PA.   In which she brought 3 Rory tribute bands from Europe to the USA to play that evening which were outstanding.   Namely, Barry Barnes -  Sinnerboy,  Phil Hoolahan - Defender, and group of youngsters whose group name I cannot recall.   Unfortunately, this event would be the closest to ever seeing a live performance by Rory himself.   My love for Rory and his music was only reinforced by attending this special evening.

Making the evening more memorable was winning the raffle that was held for a “Fender Custom Shop Rory Gallagher Signature Guitar”.   I, of course, still have the guitar to this day; which I might add, was used by the musicians that evening.

I shut my trading web site down on March 31, 2010 after obtaining well over 300 live audio and video performances of Taste, and The Rory Gallagher Band in my collection.   As well as his commercially produced cd’s and DVD’s.

My complete collection of Rory’s music may still be viewed at the following url:   http://litlfeat.www6.50megs.com/litlfeat%27s_rory_page.htm  

My passion for Rory remains as strong as ever and I try to see musicians that pay homage to Rory today,  ie., Band of Friends featuring Davy Knowles, and  Davy Knowles, when playing with his band.

Littlefeat    from    USA

In 1986, I already loved Rory’s music.  My collection of LPs was not very large yet, as it took me a while to get a record player.  But cassette tapes  were already beginning to fill shelves on the shelf.  Between vinyls and cassettes, I got Live in Europe (my favorite), Blueprint, PhotoFinish and, I think, Jinx.    In stores in small provincial towns like mine, record distribution was not as complete as in big cities.   And besides, a young kid doesn't have enough money to buy all the records he wants.

In a music magazine, I saw that 200 km West of my house The Kinks would perform at  “Plaza de Toros de El Bibio”.   I wasn't a big fan of  them, but I couldn't miss that opportunity, and went to Gijón to see them.   It was not an outstanding concert, but the satisfaction of seeing such a legendary band was realistic enough.

And right there, I saw posters on the walls announcing a concert that Rory Gallagher was going to give at that same  arena on July 12.   I couldn't help myself from buying the ticket. And I went.

The concert was opened by a local band called "Los Stukas", whom I had already seen on other occasions. They were very motivated, because opening for Rory was a unique opportunity, and they gave the best performance ever.  And Rory came in, runnig with his Strat, and started the recital.   Alternating energetic songs, high octane rock, blues and much more delicate songs.   That was a religious experience, an artist / audience connection was nothing I have ever seen before.   I don't know how long it took me to notice the work of the rest of the band, my eyes were fixed on Rory, always smiling.   It seemed as if the guitar was part of his own body.  He played his guitar so naturally that everything his fingers interpreted seemed simple.  Right after guitar solo you couldn't even blink.  Intense, natural, passionate.

At one point during his acoustic performance, the guitar strap came loose and, without Rory stop playing, a bearded man emerged from behind him who in seconds had managed to adjust the strap to his guitar . Memorable concert.   It was something magical.   My bus ride home was like flying on a cloud.

Some time later I found out that the next day, on July 13, Rory had performed in Lekeitio, 200 km east of my house.  If I had found out in time, I would probably have followed the journey on that bus without going home.

I will never forget !

Nacho   from   Spain

I happened across Rory’s music by chance. 

I liked to listen to Joe Bonamassa’s radio show everyday around noon.  One day, he played Rory’s Cradle Rock and it was like the heavens opened up and it was the music I always was searching for.  I then drove directly to my local music shop and I bought The Beat Club Sessions and Calling Card.  I just drove around until I listened every song on those cds.  I listen to lots of music, but I never had an experience of listening to something so perfect.  Sometimes, you don’t realize you were looking for something until you actually find it.  That’s what Rory’s music did for me.  

From there, I made several good Rory friends across the globe.  I even met my husband who also shares a love of Rory when a group of friends from different countries decided to make a pilgrimage to Ireland to pay homage to the man’s homeland.  I guess you can say Rory changed my life in many ways for the better.  Not only did he leave us with music, he left us with a sense of camaraderie that cannot be matched.   All this because of just happening upon Cradle Rock.

Sue Turner   from USA

One of the times I saw Rory play was at the original Marquee in Wardour st, circa ’74.    I was sixteen and a young guitar player.   It wasn't the first time I'd seen him, but this night he tore the house down.   After the show, I went round to the dressing room and Rory was kneeling on the floor putting his iconic strat back in it's case.  I  knelt down in front of him, gave him a scrap of paper, actualy an old "Aero" wrapper, and asked him for the chords to Pistol Slapper Blues. He looked at me with a smile and said sure, and wrote them down  c  f  g7.  I said thanks, looked down at that strat of a god ,looked at Rory.  He was looking into my eyes with such kindness it will stay with me all my life.   That expierience saved me from a life of crime, he was my saviour and I'll love him forever for it.

Kenny   from  UK

Hello, I´m Jocarelo, and I live in Portugal.  The first time that I heard Rory was in 1978, I think!   It was on the Portuguese radio, in a one hour program, they played one side of "Calling Card" and one side of "Photo Finish".   I recorded the program in a K7 that I played till she couldn`t be played anymore.  I tried to find out more about Rory but it was impossible.  Until March 1979, the time that Rory came to Portugal, I couldn`t find records.  Then I bought "Top Priority" and "Photo Finish".  I was 14 years and I couldn`t go to the show.   But the love for Rory music continued until today.  I never had the chance to see him live, but since then I have started my Rory collection, that I´m proud of.  It´s not a great story but is mine.  With the internet, I've found many Rory fans that turned into friends, and traded many shows.  It was fantastic, and still is!  Sorry for my English!  Rory music must live forever!   Rory on!

Jocarelo   from  Portugal

The first time I saw the name Rory Gallagher,  I felt my heart pounding in my chest like a pile driver on cement.   My entire body was vibrating.  (I knew something was about to happen)   

I had a friend who came to my room, and she had one question  "I want to go out.   Let's go to the Agora."   We both went down and I was in the front row.   When Rory came out on stage.. I was mesmerized.  I couldn't take my eyes off him.  I was hooked from the first note.   Five minutes before the show was over, I noticed one of the stage crew who worked there...Mark was his name.   When the show was over,  he ran up to me asking 'How would you like to meet Rory Gallagher?"  I couldn't say 'Yes'  fast enough.  I walked backstage to meet him and he was standing at the back wall.  My friend got his autograph and left.  I got mine and shook his hand.  I started to step back when I felt his grip on my hand.  I looked down at our hands and back up at his face..  He had this smile on his face.  I moved up closer and kissed him on the cheek.  Once again I tried to moved back but he pulled me back into his arms and kissed back on my cheek.  (He had grip on me like a "bear")    I can sill feel his grip on me now..   decades later..

Dwana G. Horner    from US