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"...Going To My Hometown..."
After two solo studio-albums
in the one year (May and November 1971) following his exit from Taste –
Ireland's greatest-ever axeman Rory Gallagher nailed it big time. While the
self-titled debut hit No. 30 in the UK and his far better second platter
"Deuce" oddly only managing No. 39 - "Live! In Europe" was
the one that broke down every barrier.
A barnstorming live LP that
looked the part too (battered Strat and equally shattered check shirt ahoy
courtesy of cool Mick Rock photography) - its beautiful gatefold artwork and
incendiary Blues Rock content sent the unassuming working lad guitarist into
the Top Ten – settling at a deserved peak of No. 9 in an appreciative Blighty.
It even gave him his first solo entry on the American Billboard Rock charts,
albeit at a more modest peak of No. 101 (it was called "Rory
Gallagher/Live!" there and issued in a single sleeve).
But there's something else,
and as I'm 60, I recall it like it was yesterday. In 2019, it's hard to
understand (unless you were there) the impact this May 1972 album had on Irish
and British teenagers and especially on young budding guitarists (everywhere).
There was nothing elitist about him – Gallagher wasn't offish or aloof or a
technical show-off – Rory was your guy and an absolute hair-raising joy to
watch in the live environment. Add his relentless touring ethos – often playing
Northern Ireland when others refused or were just too scared to during the
horrors of the Troubles – and the sheer energy his tight three-piece exuded –
it wasn't surprising that his first foray into the live LP thing was going to
leave his rather underwhelming studio recordings in the dust.
Gallagher had also smartly only
retained "Laundromat" from the debut and "In Your Town"
from "Deuce" – leaving the other five as new to the listener (four
covers and one original song). And what winners they were – stuff like
"Going To My Hometown" (the original song) alongside covers of
"Messing With The Kid" by Junior Wells, "Pistol Slapper
Blues" by Blind Boy Fuller and two Traditionals arranged by RG -
"Bullfrog Blues" and “I Could've Had Religion". This lethal
combo of Blues Rock, Acoustic Blues and Classic Rock set the grooves alight and
due to their huge popularity with fans thereafter regularly featured in his set
lists some two to three decades later.
But RG CD reissues haven't
always been the happiest of affairs. Under the supervision of Donal Gallagher
(his older brother and former tour manager)
- Rory Gallagher had his LP back-catalogue first reissued onto CD
between 1998 and 2000. Each of those RCA/Capo releases came in jewel cases and
had previously unreleased bonus tracks. The campaign culminated with a
tremendous outtakes compilation in 2003 called "Wheels Within
Wheels". Those initial discs were 'remixed and remastered' by Tony Arnold
at Courthouse Facilities in Dorset - these are 'untampered' versions remastered
by ANDY PEARCE and MATT WORTHAM at Wired Masters in the UK in November 2011.
Andy and Matt have been
involved in and received praise for remasters of Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy,
Frankie Miller, Wishbone Ash, The Kinks, Free, Budgie, ELP, Spooky Tooth and a
lot more. For these reissues the original 1/4 master tapes have been returned
to and the results are really great. It does seem odd that the Two Bonus Tracks
are once again slotted into Side 2 (as it was on the first reissue of this CD)
and not flipped to the end so you get the right sequencing, but it's a minor
niggle.
This latest version of his
third album is the first of 'new' remasters released to coincide with the 40th
Anniversary (2012) of his Solo career. So what's different? In a nutshell -
cheaper price, upgraded packaging and 2011 mastering from the original tapes by
two fantastic Audio Engineers. Here are the Bullfrog details...
Released 16 January 2012 in
the UK (31 Jan 2012 in the USA) - "Live! In Europe" by RORY GALLAGHER
is on Sony Music/Capo/Legacy 88691917432 (Barcode 886919174328) and offers the
original 1972 7-Track LP with Two Bonus Tracks slotted in in Positions 7 and 8.
Original January 2012 issues of this CD Remaster come in a card digipak (58:46
minutes) – later pressings feature a standard jewel case:
1. Messin' With The Kid
[Side 1]
2. Laundromat
3. I Could've Had Religion
4. Pistol Slapper Blues
5. Going To My Hometown
[Side 2]
6. In Your Town
7. What In The World [BONUS
TRACK]
8. Hoodoo Man [BONUS TRACK]
9. Bullfrog Blues
Tracks 1 to 6 and 9 are both
sides of his third solo album "Live! In Europe" – released May 1972
in the UK on Polydor Super 2383 112 and August 1972 in the USA (as "Rory
Gallagher/Live!" on Polydor PD 5513 (it peaked at No. 9 in the UK and No.
101 in the USA). Tracks 1 to 4 made up Side 1 and Tracks 5, 6 and 9 were Side
2.
The card digipak has a new
live photo on the inside flap (the photo that adorned the inner gatefold of the
original British LP is on Page 3 of the booklet and beneath the see-through CD
tray). The 8-page booklet features new liner notes from MICK ROCK who caught
the great man on camera all those years ago (47 and counting in 2019). But it’s
the AUDIO that thrills – huge sound – real power as the band motors and swings
on gigs recorded throughout Europe in February and March 1972. Let's get to the
music...
As the speakers hum, Gerry
McAvoy plucks his Bass and the crowd roars its approval – Rory launches into
"Messin’ With The Kid" – setting the scene. His guitar is over on the
left but it’s the soloing that feels so exciting – in his stride right from the
get go. He cranks it for the fab "Laundromat" and suddenly this
rather ordinary studio riff turns into a kicking romp – craziest place I’ve
even been. It’s on to the Blues as we get nearly nine-minutes of "I Could’ve
Had Religion" – harmonica wailing at first before he launches into a
killer slider lick that’s soon joined by the band giving it oomph. He goes
Acoustic for the Blind Boy Fuller 1920s Blues tune "Pistol Slapper
Blues" – a very cool piece of Moonshine Whiskey, Blue Murder, Lyin’ Women
and Cheatin’ Narky men.
Things lift off completely
when he goes Mandolin strumming with "Going To My Home Town" over on
Side 2 – the thump of Wilgar Campbell’s drum pedal and the crowd clapping
along. It’s a fantastic shin-kicker of a tune (only got one ticket, just can’t
afford two baby). Back to Blues Rock and the fab "In Your Town" –
nine and half minutes of boogie with solos that elicit yelps from the audience
– Rory zipping up and down the frets. It ends on a classic - "Bullfrog
Blues" – bringing on memories of The Grove Dance Hall in Clontarf, Dublin
where we got head’s down to this night-finisher every week for years. Pleasing
too to know that the two Bonus Tracks "Hoodoo Man" and "What In
The World" exude the same raw Slow Blues magnetism as the album – though I
suspect the slightly muffled vocal on the first and the similarity to
"Religion" excluded both from first choice for the LP. Good to have
though...
With You Tube and the Net –
Rory Gallagher has seen a massive resurgence in appreciation – so many
discovering his playing skills (he only got better as the years passed). This
is where that excitement began – dig in and enjoy...
The Eleven Titles in the
2012 RORY GALLAGHER Remasters Series
CD Digipaks, Downloads and
'Music On Vinyl' LPs:
16 January 2012 CD DIGIPAK
and DOWNLOAD:
1. "Rory
Gallagher" (May 1971 debut) – released January 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88691917352 (Barcode 886919173529)
2. "Deuce"
(November 1971 2nd studio LP) – released January 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88691917372 (Barcode 886919173727)
3. "Live! In
Europe" (May 1972 1st Live LP) – released January 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88691917432 (Barcode 886919174328)
4. "Blueprint"
(February 1973, 3rd studio album) – released January 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88691917452 (Barcode 886919174526)
5. "Tattoo"
(November 1973, 4th studio album) – released January 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88691917462 (Barcode 886919174625)
6. "Irish Tour
'74" (July 1974, 2nd Live Set, 2LPs onto 1CD) – released January 2012 on
Sony/Capo/Legacy 88691917472 (Barcode 886919174724)
27 February 2012 VINYL:
1 to 6 above also released
27 February 2012 on Limited Edition 180-gram vinyl versions on the "Music
On Vinyl" Label
24 September 2012 CD DIGIPAK
and DOWNLOAD:
7. "Against The
Grain" (October 1975, 5th studio album) – released September 2012 on
Sony/Capo/Legacy 88725461492 (Barcode 887254614920)
8. "Calling Card"
(August 1976, 6th studio album) – released September 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88725461472 (Barcode 887254614722)
9. "Photo-Finish"
(October 1978, 7th studio album) – released September 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy
88725461462 (Barcode 887254614623)
10. "Top Priority"
(September 1979, 8th studio album) – released September 2012 on
Sony/Capo/Legacy 88725461452 (Barcode 88725461452)
11. "Jinx" (April
1982) – released September 2012 on Sony/Capo/Legacy 88725461432 (Barcode
887254614326)
22 October 2012 VINYL:
7 to 11 above also released
22 October 2012 on Limited Edition 180-gram vinyl versions on the "Music
On Vinyl" Label
PS: Most of the eleven above
have been reissued since 2012 in standard jewel cases but have different
catalogue numbers and barcodes. The jewel case version of "Live! In
Europe" for instance is Barcode 886919370126 and has the restored artwork,
picture CD and expanded booklet of the 2012 issue. There has also been a March
2018 further reissue on Universal Music 5797717 (Barcode 602557977172) in a
jewel case with the nine tracks in the same order (it’s the 2012 version
repackaged). So if you want the 'digipak' repro artwork versions of 2012 – use
the Barcodes provided above when ordering...
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