3 for Thursday...Great Guest Submission #3

(Scott)-Now, here's a name we haven't heard for a while, Cliff from the UK, my personal reggae "go to guy"....his been out of action for a while, he promises some more of his great reggae stuff soon, but, for now, in response to the multi-part Rory Gallagher post, Cliff submits some excellent material, including the ORIGINAL two albums from Taste (see yesterday, I have only the "Greatest Hits")

But that's not all.... he also shares with us (Taste) live at the Isle of Wight, he claims it's "one of the best live albums ever made", and he has good judgement as well, so it will probably the first thing I listen to tomorrow morning...and as another bonus, "Meeting With the G-Man", featuring Gallagher fronting his post-Taste crew, live from the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam, 1993. 

Thanks Cliff, been worried about ya buddy! Stay healthy, and when you are ready, be sure and get us some more of that fab reggae that you deliver like NO ONE else can!

TASTE-01 Blister on the Moon/02 Leavin' Blues/03 Sugar Mama/04 Hail/05 Born on the Wrong Side of
Time/06 Dual Carriageway Pain/07 Same Old Story/08 Catfish/09 I'm Moving On

ON THE BOARDS-01 What's Going On/02 Railway and Gun/03 It happened Before, It'll happen Again/04 If the Day Was Any Longer/05 Morning Sun/06 Eat My Words/07 On the Boards/08 If I Don't Sing I'll Cry/09 See Here/10 I'll Remember

LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT-01 What's Going On/02 Sugar Mama/03 Morning Sun/04 Sinner Boy/05 I Feel So Good/06 Catfish

MEETING WITH THE G-MAN-01 Continental Op/02 Moonchild/03 Mean Disposition/04 The Loop/05 Don't Start Me Talkin'/06 Ghost Blues/07 Messin' With the Kid/08 La Bamba

Taste

Forgot to put this one with the Rory Gallagher overdose, this one is also pretty much an overlooked semi-gem, Gallagher's pre-solo career band. The band released a pair of albums, "Taste" (1969) and "On the Boards" (1970), neither of which I have but I do have "The Best of Taste" which culls the better (I assume) cuts from both albums.

The trio lineup was Gallagher, of course, on guitar/vocals, Richard McCracken on bass, and John Wilson on drums. Gallagher played some saxaphone also on some of the tracks from "On the Boards", which could be described as "perhaps not the greatest of ideas", however, we can overlook that as we still get the earliest seeds of Gallagher's guitar brilliance (one of the best, for my money, I know many do not agree).....I'm not a fan of the jazzy experiments, although they aren't wretched, but this is Rory Gallagher, and of course we are talking about blues-rock guitar and vocals (I think he was much more than competent as a singer as well).

Some of the highlights: perhaps their best number "Blister on the Moon", the very cool "Dual Carriage Way Pain" (you can tell it's Rory from the first note), the constant-tempo changing "Born on the Wrong Side of Time", the rollicking "Eat My Words", the slower blues with some excellent soloing "Railway and Gun", oh, hell, if you liked any of the Gallagher posts I did recently, all of it is pretty damn good, Gallagher dominates the band's sound, it's easy to see why he decided the trio format wasn't form him, he was much more comfortable as a solo artist.

I recommend this one to anyone that was/is a fan of Rory Gallagher (obviously I am, why else would I have so much of his stuff? Well, never mind, I have a LOT of stuff I DON'T like that much also), but a classic hard blues rocker in his infancy here is well worth hearing, in fact worth hearing several times.

BEST OF TASTE-01 Blister on the Moon/02 Leavin' Blues/03 Sugar Mama/05 Same Old Story/06 Catfish/07 What's Goin' On/08 Railway and Gun/09 Morning Sun/10 Eat My Words/11 I'll Remember/12 I'm Movin' On/13 If the Day Was Any Longer/14 If I Don't Sing, I'll Cry/15 Born on the Wrong Side of Time/16 Dual Carriage Way Pain/17 Too Much Too Bad/18 If It Happened Before, It'll  Happen Again/19 Hail

Rory Gallagher Part 4, wrap up

A few more live albums, some posthumous releases, and some of this and that that are still on my shelves after the first three parts.... Rory was a great one, kind of an "anti-star" almost, and maybe not the most imaginative guy ever to set foot on stage... what he was, was a GODDAMN ROCK N ROLLER, killer guitarist, fine singer, and absolutely dynamic stage performer.... he is missed.  Here's what I have left:

The two discs "Live at Montreaux" set is an ass-kicker, a career spanning epic and as good a live document of his performances as exists....all my faves are here at least...."Cradle Rock", "Laundromat".....this is a fine live album.

"A Blue Day For the Blues" was released after his death, something of a "greatest hits" effort except that it focuses on his time on IRS Records.....thus no "Laundromat, et al, but plenty of good stuff, especially for the dabbler.

"Etched In Blue" is another posthumous mishmash of tracks, again, OK for the dabbler, but if you've been paying attention, I've covered most if not all of this stuff.....since I have a copy, though, dig in if you want it.

"In the Beginning" gives us some previously unheard tracks from Rory's WAY early years.....you can hear the seeds of his greatness here......this is NOT for the dabbler, but for real fans of Mr Gallagher's works.

I had forgotten completely about "Stage Struck" another live effort which was released during his
lifetime... once again, stellar onstage guitar and shoutin', as I've said multiple times, Gallagher was FAR more comfortable on stage than in the studio.

Finally, "Wheels Within Wheels", another posthumous release....some like this, I'm not crazy about it, it accentuates his softer, folkier side, which was not his forte in my estimation......still, I do have one, and here it is if you wanna hear it.

I also have a copy of "Big Guns", a "greatest hits" effort" that I'm not gonna post, unless someone asks, because I think I've covered all the material on it anyway.

Rory Gallagher was a bad ass......I know many who called him "generic", but all I know is the man rocked the yard, every time, on stage especially but also in the studio. God bless you Rory Gallagher, th world was a better place with you in it, but you sure as fuck left your mark on it.

LIVE AT MONTREUX DISC 1-01 Tattoo'd Lady/02 Garbage Man/03 Cradle Rock/04 Tore Down/05 Laundromat/06 I Take What I Want/07 Calling Card/08 Secret agent/09 Bought and Sold/10 A Million Miles/11 Do You Read Me/12 Pistol Slapper Blues/13 Shin Kicker/14 Last of the Independents/15 Mississippi Sheik/16 Too Much Alcohol/17 Shadowplay/18 bad Penny/19 Moonchild/20 Bankers Blues/21 Philby

LIVE AT MONTREUX DISC 2-01 Big Guns/02 Continental Op/03 Moonchild/04 I Wonder Who/05 The Loop/06 Tattoo'd Lady/07 I Could Have had Religion/08 Ghost Blues/09 Out on the Western Plain/10 Walking Blues/11 Pistol Slapper Blues/12 Messin With the Kid/13 2-13 2-13

A BLUE DAY FOR THE BLUES-01 I Ain't No Saint/02 The Loop/03 Calling Card/04 As The Crow Flies/05 Off the Handle/06 Bullfrog Blues/07 back On My Stompin Grounds/08 Empire State express/09 Continental Op/10 Shin Kicker/11 Public Enemy No. 1/12 Pistol Slapper Blues/13 Don't Start Me Talkin'/14 Nothin But the Devil/15 Alexis/16 Barley and Grape Rag

ETCHED IN BLUE-01 Loanshark Blues/02 Bought and Sold/03 bad penny/04 Cruise On Out/05 Crest of a Wave/06 I'm Not Surprised/07 Un-Military Two Step/08 Alexis/09 Edged In Blue/10 They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore/11 The Devil made Me Do It/12 Too much Alcohol/13 I Could've had religion/14 Shin Kicker

IN THE BEGINNING-01 Wee Wee baby/02 How Many More Years/03 Take It Easy Baby/04 You've
Got To Pay/05 Worried Man/06 Norman Invasion/07 Pardon Me Mister

STAGE STRUCK-01 Shin Kicker/02 Wayward Child/03 Brute Force and Ignorance/04 Moonchild/05 bad Penny/06 Keychain/07 Follow Me/08 Bought and Sold/09 Last of the Independents/10 Shadow Play

WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS-01 Wheels Within Wheels/02 Flight to paradise/03 As the Crow Flies/04 Lonesome High/05 Bratcha Dubha/06 She Moves Thro' the Air Ann Cran/07 Barley and Grape Rag/08 The Cuckoo/09 Amazing Grace/10 Walkin Blues/11 Blue Moon of Kentucky/12 Deep Elm Blues/13 Goin To My Hometown/14 Lonesome Highway Refraining

RIP Rory Gallagher, you done great!

Rory Gallagher Part 3

"Defender" closed up part 2 of this series, Gallagher would release one more studio album "Fresh Evidence" before his death due to liver problems. Of all his studio work, I probably enjoy this one the least, there is a lot going on here, and it really doesn't come together, at least for me.....but taken as a whole, his studio output was very, very good, and now we will take a look at some of his live efforts and some comps, etc....

After his passing, the first release would be the 2 disc "BBC Sessions", composed of live recordings culled together from various points in his career....great to hear some of the studio stuff given longer, more relaxed versions, such as "Calling Card" and "Daughter of the Everglades". This set is a winner.

"Live in Europe" is a release from early in his career, and it rocks from the word go.....lots of arrangements of traditional blues numbers, and of course, the great "Laundromat". This was quite a release in 1972 or whenever, still sounds quite good today.

One more for today, there will be another part to this series still to come....originally released as a double LP set was "Irish Tour '74", and was years later released as a six disc box set. All I have is the regular old CD issue, I'm afraid, that will have to suit ya.....storming versions of "Cradle Rock" and (especially) "Walk on Hot Coals".......

He was a dynamic live performer, as I said before, and these sets bear that out. Check in a few days for the rest of his stuff that I have.

FRESH EVIDENCE-01 Kid Gloves/02 The King of Zydeco/03 Middle Name/04 Alexis/05 Empire State Express/06 Ghost Blues/07 Heaven's Gate/08 The Loop/09 Walkin' Wounded/10 Slumming Angel/11 Never Asked You For Nothin'/12 Bowed Not Broken

BBC D1-01 Calling Card/02 What In the World/03 Jacknife Beat/04 Country Mile/05 Got My Mojo
Working/06 Garbage Man/07 Roberta/08 Used to Be/09 I Take What I Want/10 Cruise on Out

BBC D2 01 Race the Breeze/02 hands Off/03 Crest of a Wave/04 Feel So bad/05 For the last Time/06 It Takes Time/07 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son/08 Daughter of the Everglades/09 They Don't Make Them Like You/10 Tore Down/11 When My Baby She Left Me/12 Hoodoo Man

LIVE IN EUROPE-01 Messin' With the Kid/02 Laudromat/03 I Could've Had Religion/04 Pistol Slapper Blues/05 Going to My Hometown/06 In Your Town/07 Bullfrog Blues/08 What In the World/09 Hoodoo Man

IRISH TOUR-01 Cradle Rock/02 I Wonder Who/03 Tattoo'd Lady/04 Too Much Alcohol/05 As the Crow Flies/06 A Million Miles Away/07 Walk On Hot Coals/08 Who's That Coming/09 Back on My Old Stompin' Ground/10 Maritime

Play loud.

Rory Gallagher Part 2

In 1976, Gallagher released "Calling Card", attempting to gain a diversity of sound.....personally I think it's
pretty fair, the songs regain Rory's hard rock edge, which is what matters.....after this one, though, Gallagher would return to the tried-and-true power trio format. '"Do You Read Me" and the title track stand out on this one.

On "Photo Finish", as stated above, the return is To power trio type sounds, such as the slammin' "Shin Kicker" and "Last of the Independents"....this album took 2 years to record, due to some unfortunate circumstances, look the up, a fairly interesting story, just not interesting enough for me to rehash here.

1979's "Top Priority  is a great hard rocking effort, as well, again in the power trio format and again foregoing the ballad attempts and the like........as always there are at least a couple of raise the roof rockers, such as "Philby" and "Off the Handle".

He changed labels, again, for "Jinx", it's not a real standout, if you're a fan, of course, you'll wish to hear this, certainly "Jinxed" and "Bourbon" fulfill the tradition....

Well, next comes "Defender".....by now, the studio efforts REALLY
DO start to blur together somewhat, if you like his stuff, it really doesn't make a sharp right to suckville, but there is a sameness among the discs...."Defender" re-introduces some keyboards back to the sound, and most of side one is worth a listen.

Gallagher knew his formula and ran with it.....as I said when we get to his live efforts, his high energy performances will really shine through, but here is another batch of studio releases for your perusal.

CALLING CARD-01 Do You Read Me/02 Country Mile/03 Moonchild/04 Calling Card/05 I'll Admit You're Gone/06 Secret Agent/07 Jack Knife Beat/08 Edged In Blue/09 Barley and Grape Rag/10 Rue the Day/11 Public Enemy (B-Girl Version)

PHOTO FINISH-01 Shin-Kicker/02 Brute Force & Ignorance/03 Cruise On Out/04 Cloak & Dagger/05 Overnight Bag/06 Shadow Play/07 The Mississippi Sheiks/08 Last of the Independents/09 Fuel to the Fire/10 Early Warning/11 Juke Box Annie

TOP PRIORITY-01 Follow Me/02 Philby/03 Wayward Child/04 Key Chain/05 At the Depot/06 Bad Penny/07 Just Hit Town/08 Off the Handle/09 Public Enemy No. 1/10 Hell Cat/11 The Watcher/12 Nothing But the Devil

JINX-1 Big Guns/02 Bourbon/03 Double Vision/04 The Devil Made Me Do It/05 Signals/06 Jinxed/07
Easy Come Easy Go/08 Nothin But the Devil/09 Ride on Red, Ride On/10 Lonely Mile/11 Loose Talk

DEFENDER-01 Kickback City/02 Loanshark Blues/03 Continental Op/04 I Ain't No Saint/05 Failsafe Day/06 Road to Hell/07 Doing Time/08 Smear Campaign/09 Don't Start Me Talkin/10 Seven Days/11 Seems To me/12 No Peace For the Wicked

Rory Gallagher Part 1

Another multi-post epic, this time from Rory Gallagher, who I always liked a great deal. If you don't know,
he was an Irish blues/rock shouter/guitarist, many think of him as somewhat generic, myself I don't see it....he was what he was. Saw him live once, and he was a dynamic stage performer, and his studio albums always had at least a few slammers on them (check "Laundromat", may favorite, which appeared on the "What Is Heavy Metal" project a little while back).

Well, first of all, we will start with his numerous studio efforts....he started out in the band Taste in the mid-60's, I've got a comp of some of their stuff, I'll get to that at the end of this, because it is as a "solo" performer (he kept a lot of his backup band around for quite a while) that he made his name.

The 1971 self-titled debut is a good one, power trio format, and leads off with the crackling "Laundromat". There are also any number of other pretty good blues pounders here, "Hands Up" and "I Can't Believe It's You" for example. The CD release (the one i have) features covers of Muddy Waters and otis Rush, both worth a listen.

The same year saw the release of "Deuce", nearly as good if not better....highlighted by the great "Used to Be", there is a lot of good stuff going on here as he attmpted to diversify his sound a bit. "In Your Town" and "Crest of a Wave" standout, but this a very solid effort as well.

"Blueprint" (1973) came next, adding keyboards to the sound. Longer tracks, such as "Walk on Hot Coals" and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", again show growth and diversity. It's a good one as well...."Tattoo" was released the same year and damned if it isn't a hell of a disc as well, with the fantastic "Cradle Rock" as well as "Tattoo'd Lady" and "Who's That Coming".

We'll wrap up the first batch of his studio efforts with 1975's "Against the Grain", which, in my opinion made him 5-5 in albums that rank at least, say, 3.5 stars.....it's another good effort. "Let Me In" and "Cross Me Off Your List" are nearly as good as anything on the earlier albums , and there is a fine updating of Leadbelly's "Out On the Western Plain".

He released a ton of stuff in his lifetime, never reaching the status of a "big star", but always having a
dedicated following. If the studio albums don't get it done for you, check back when we get to the live stuff, as I said he was a hell of an energetic live performer.

Who knows when Part 2 will come around, maybe tomorrow, maybe a week from now, just can't tell you. Depends on my mood.

RORY GALLAGHER-01 Laundromat/02 Just the Smile/03 I Fall Apart/04 Wave Myself Goodbye/05 Hands Up/06 Sinner Boy/07 For the Last Time/08 It's You/09 I'm Not Surprised/10 Can't Believe It's True/11 Gypsy Woman/12 It Takes Time

DEUCE-01 I'm Not Awake Yet/02 Used To Be/03 Don't Know Where I'm Going/04 Maybe I Will/05 Whole Lot of People/06 In Your Town/07 Should've Learned My Lesson/08 There's a Light/09 Out of My Mind/10 Crest of a Wave/11 Persuasion

BLUEPRINT-01 Walk On Hot Coals/02 Daughter of the Everglades/03 Banker's Blues/04 Hands Off/05
Race the Breeze/06 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son/07 Unmilitary Two Step/08 If I Had a Reason/09 Stompin' Ground/11 Treat Her Right

TATTOO-01 01 Tattoo'd Lady/02 Cradle Rock/03 20:20 Vision/04 They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore/05 Sleep on a Clothes Line/06 Who's That Coming/07 A Million Miles Away/08 Admit It/09 Tucson Arizona/10 Just a Little Bit

AGAINST THE GRAIN-01 Let Me In/02 Cross Me Off Your List/03 Ain't Too Good/04 Souped-Up Ford/05 Bought and Sold/06 I Take What I Want/07 Lost at Sea/08 All Around Man/04 Out On the Western Plain/10 At the Bottom 11 Cluney Blues/12 My Baby, Sure