We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago……
Most “live” albums were in-concert versions of the hits from an artists studio records…but sometimes, especially if the artist really doesnt have hits, a “live” record can be something else. Case in point…”Live In Europe” from Irish bluesman Rory Gallagher.
The album contains two Gallagher originals…”Laundromat” and “In Your Town”…both are cookers.
But the rest of the album are covers of old blues songs and he shows his appreciation for the pioneers of the genre that came before. Gerry McAvoy on bass and Wilgar Campbell ably support Gallagher on this disc.
Here are the original versions…
“Pistol Slapper Blues” is a solid acoustic blues tune while Gallagher pulls out his slide for some cooking on “Bullfrog Blues” and “I Could Have Had Religion”.
Messin With The Kid was a Junior Wells standard (also done by the Blues Brothers)
He also surprise’s by strumming a mandolin on his arrangement of a old traditional ” Going To My Hometown.”
Gallagher was a well regarded guitar slinger in the 70’s. How well regarded? Well, in 1972 he beat Eric Clapton in the Melody Maker Poll as the guitarist/musician of the year.
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