Rory Gallagher A Guitar Hero Revisited
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of Rory Gallagher's eponymously-titled first solo album, Daniel Gallagher – nephew of the Irish guitar legend – has lovingly remastered the first six albums that formed the bedrock of the Cork legend's remarkable solo career.
Jackie Hayden, 01 Feb 2012
One of my prized possessions is a copy of Rory Gallagher’s first solo album, which he kindly autographed when it came out in 1972. Although he was already a serious contender, following an impressive stint as leader of Taste, none of us had predicted that Rory would burn like a comet across the music scene of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Or that he would attract legions of fans all over the world, inspiring a new generation of guitarists – including The Edge and Johnny Marr among dozens more – and winning the respect of other legends, from Jimi Hendrix through Bob Dylan to Jerry Lee Lewis.
Nor could we have guessed in those innocent times that 40 years after that momentous first solo release, and 15 after his tragic passing, his currency would be so enduring it would prompt Sony Music to remaster his first six solo albums for CD and vinyl, under the direction of his nephew Daniel Gallagher. Daniel, of course, had previous form in this territory. Last year he piloted the release of Rory’s long-lost 1979 collection, the superb and brilliantly received Notes From San Francisco.
When did he first become aware he had an uncle who was an internationally-revered musician?
“Probably around 1987, when I about five years of age,” Daniel recalls. “My dad Donal took myself and my brother in the tour van to see Rory play at Hammersmith Odeon. Or maybe it was the Apollo. Up to then, when I’d ask Rory what he did, he’d say he was a musician: I thought he meant magician. Which I suppose he was in a way! At that first gig we got to look from beside the stage wearing our Rory T-shirts, delighted as we watched him duck-walk towards us.”
While Daniel was growing up in London, Rory was a regular visitor to the family home for Sunday lunch.
“He did all the things nice uncles do. He kicked ball with us and bought me my first guitar. When my brother was getting all the attention on the day he made his Holy Communion I got very jealous, so Rory went off and bought a small pool table for me. My fondest memory of him was that first show, because I began to learn what Rory and my dad did when they disappeared for half the year! He also showed me how to play some things on my guitar. I remember getting very frustrated trying to play something like ‘Frere Jacques’ and he told me to calm down and showed me how to do it. Of course I could never have imagined that, years later, I’d be working on his music as I am now.”
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