Gallagher, Rory

Rory Gallagher was born March 2, 1948 in the city of Ballishannon, County Donegal . In 1949, the Gallagher family moved to Derry , in 1956 the family moved to Cork, and Gallagher received his first instrument - the ukulele . Rory became interested in rock music when he first heard Elvis Presley perform on television. In 1957 , at the age of 9, Rory received his first acoustic guitar as a gift from his parents and independently learned to play it. In 1960, Rory won a talent contest in Cork and bought his first electric guitar. In 1963, he bought a 1961 Fender Stratocaster for 100 pounds, which he did not part with until his death.

Gallagher's first bands were Irish showbands playing popular songs of the time. In 1965, he joined the rhythm and blues group, touring Ireland and Spain. He founded the Taste group in 1966 , but the composition that won fame was not formed until 1967 . It included Gallagher (guitar, vocals), John Wilson (drums), Richard McCracken (bass). The group released two albums - ( Taste , On the Boards ) and made two live recordings ( Live at Montreux , Live at the Isle of Wight ). Live at the Isle of Wight was only released a long time after the band disintegrated shortly after the band performed at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970 .

After the collapse of Taste, Gallagher toured under his own name. He asked bassist Garry McAvoy to participate in the creation of his first solo album ( Rory Gallagher ), thereby laying the foundation for a fruitful collaboration that will continue over the next 20 years of touring activity. They were joined by Wilgar Campbell (Wilgar Campbell) for the drum kit.

The 70s were the most fruitful period in the work of Gallagher. During these years he released 10 albums, including two live recordings ( Live in Europe and Irish Tour '74 ), which perfectly reflect the full power of Gallagher's music. In 1972, he released the Deuce album and was awarded the title of Best Musician of the Year by Melody Maker magazine, ahead of Eric Clapton . His album Live in Europe was successfully sold not only in Ireland, but throughout the world.

Gallagher said that he played and recorded that "he lives in me all the time, and not that I just turn on ...". Despite the fact that his albums sold over 30 million copies around the world, he received the greatest respect and fame for his lengthy concerts, which required a huge expenditure of energy and energy. His passion and talent for blues is captured in the 1974 film Irish Tour '74 , directed by Tony Palmer.

The composition, which included Rod De'Ath (drums) and Louis Martin (keyboards), lasted from 1973 to 1978 . Against the Grain , jazz Calling Card (recorded in association with Roger Glover , bassist of Deep Purple ) and heavy blues and rock albums Photo Finish and Top Priority were released during this period.

A loyal follower of the blues, Gallagher played with many stars of this genre. He performed with Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis at their joint London Sessions . Gallagher was invited to take the place of Mick Taylor in The Rolling Stones and "The Eagle" in Canned Heat , after they left the band. He was David Coverdale's second candidate to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple (after Jeff Back ).

In the 1980s , he continued to record, but at a slower speed, releasing the albums Jinx , Defender and Fresh Evidence . In these albums, he developed a more mature blues style. After releasing Fresh Evidence, he had a successful concert tour of the United States.

Gallagher’s health and ability to perform was undermined by alcohol, which he abused in his early youth, and endless, grueling concert performances ^[1] .

Soothing effects on the general condition of Rory were also made by sedatives, which at that time were openly recommended for those who were afraid to fly airplanes. Subsequently, in the 1990s, it was proven that these “sedative” drugs destroy the liver .

In the late 1980s, Gallagher's health deteriorated sharply, but still he continued to tour. Donal Gallagher:

“Touring was a natural cure for Rory, he was doing what he could do best, adrenaline was seething in his blood, all his energy was good. But this was the dilemma. What made him feel better worsened his physical condition, exhausting him. ”

After the tour in the second half of 1994, Rory's health deteriorated sharply in the first two months of 1995. A short Holland tour in late January was canceled in the middle when he fell ill.

At the time of his last speech, which took place on January 10, 1995 in Holland , it was noticeable that Gallagher was not feeling well. A liver transplant was needed and it was successful, but just before his discharge from the hospital, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection (MRSA) developed. Rory's lack of immunity did not cope with the infection that caused pneumonia. Rory Gallagher's health quickly deteriorated and he suddenly died in London on June 14, 1995 .

“When he started having pains in the abdominal cavity, which was probably the first signal of problems with the liver, he was prescribed paracetamol , which can cause even greater troubles if the liver is not in order. I regret that all the necessary checks were not done on time. "

In March 1995, Rory went to King's College Hospital in London and only then it became clear for the first time how exhausted his health was - his liver refused and a transplant was needed.

“Perhaps, for the first time in all time, he received the medical care he needed. The surgeon who performed the operation was shocked that such a young man needed a new liver. The whole reason was alcohol, but Rory was not at all such a bitter drunkard as was gossiping about him. "

After 13 weeks spent in the intensive care unit, Gallagher was to be transferred to a convalescence hospital when he began to become infected. Donal Gallagher:

“I did not believe that he would die. Or I did not want to believe it. In the end, his condition worsened very quickly, as his immune system was depleted. Doctors pumped him with antibiotics , but it was no use. ” ^[2]

Donal Gallagher, the brother of Rory Gallagher, posthumously published a collection of acoustic compositions Wheels Within Wheels ( 2003 ), which was played by Bert Jansch , Martin Carthy , The Dubliners and Lonnie Donegan along with Rory Gallagher.

Many contemporary musicians, including Edge from U2 , Slash from Velvet Revolver , Johnny Marr from The Smiths , Glenn Tipton from Judas Priest , Vivian Campbell from Def Leppard and Brian May from Queen , see Gallagher as a role model and inspiration during the development of their musical style .

Gallagher has always been associated with his famous 1961 Fender Stratocaster (serial number 64351), whose tri-color sunburst was almost completely erased years before the tree. She may have been the first in Ireland originally commissioned by a showman, but he didn't like the color of the instrument, and Gallagher bought a guitar at the Crowley's Music Store for just £ 100. The guitar was modified by Halacher. After the death of Gallagher, Fender released a limited part of the guitars in the Signature series, repeating Rory Gallagher's instrument to the smallest detail.

• On October 25, 1997, a sculpture dedicated to Rory Gallagher was erected at the Rory Gallagher Place (renamed St. Paul's St. Square ) in Cork. The sculptor was a childhood friend of Rory Geraldine Creedon ^[3] . They grew up together, living on the same Mackertan street.
• A pub in Cork on 32 Mackertan Street was named "Gallaghers" in memory of him.
• In the city of Bellishannon, the birthplace of Gallagher, there is an exhibition whose exhibits cover the whole life path of Gallagher and include many memorabilia.
• At Meeting House Square in Dublin, there’s a corner of Rory Gallagher. On this corner is a life-size bronze statue repeating the Gallagher stratocaster
• In 2004, the city of Cork opened the Rory Gallagher Music Library.
• A street in the city of Ris-Orangis , located near Paris, was renamed Rue Rory Gallagher .
• Irish musician Pierce Turner recorded the song “The Ballad of Rory Gallagher” on his album The Boy to be With .
• Irish musician John Spillane recorded the song “A Song For Rory Gallagher” on his Hey Dreamer album.
• Irish musician Pat McManus recorded the song “Return of the G Man” on his album “ In My Own Time” .
• British musician Bernie Marsden released in 2009 a Bernie Plays Rory dedication album consisting of blues, played or composed by Gallagher.

Albums

• Rory Gallagher - 1971
• Deuce - 1971
• Live In Europe - 1972
• Blueprint - 1973
• Tattoo - 1973
• Irish Tour - 1974
• Against the Grain - 1975
• Calling Card - 1976
• Photo-Finish - 1978
• Top Priority - 1979
• Stage Struck - 1980
• Jinx - 1982
• Defender - 1987
• Fresh Evidence - 1990
• The G-Man Bootleg Series Vol. 1 - 1992
• BBC Sessions - 1999
• Let's Go to Work - 2001
• Meeting with the G-Man - 2003 (Bootleg)

Collections

• The Story So Far - 1974
• In The Beginning - 1975
• Sinner ... and Saint - 1975 (compositions from Rory Gallagher and Deuce )
• Take It Easy Baby - 1976
• The First And The Best - 1978
• A Blue Day For The Blues - 1995
• Last of the Independents - 1995
• Etched In Blue - 1998 (BPI: 60,000)
• Wheels Within Wheels - 2003
• Big Guns: The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher - 2005
• Live At Montreux - 2006
• The Essential - 2008

DVD

• Irish Tour 1974-2000
• At Rockpalast - 2004
• The Complete Rockpalast Collection - 2005
• Live at Cork Opera House - 2006
• Live In Montreux - 2006
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