"Deuce: 50th Anniversary Edition" by RORY GALLAGHER – November 1971 UK Second Solo Album on Polydor Records [ex TASTE] featuring Gerry McAvoy on Bass and Wilgar Campbell on Drums (September 2022 UK UMC/Polydor 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue with Previously Unreleased Outtakes and Frank Arkwright Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"…Took Me Out My Mind…Took Me Out Of My Head…"

 

Last time we were here was in September 2012 for the 40^th Anniversary of his Solo career after going solo from TASTE (and a great Remaster that was too).

 

But ten years on and that variant is now blown out of the proverbial waters by this new all-encompassing juggernaut campaign of 50^th Anniversary reissues with oodles of sweet unreleased stuff and new Remix/Remasters. I reviewed the self-titled debut album 50^th Anniversary twofer from 2021 in this series (what a winner) and again here – a multiple release that finally does the great Irish Axeman proud. And it's on an album fans really adore – his second studio LP in 1971 - "Deuce".

 

The 50^th Anniversary reissues of "Deuce" comes in a few variants: there is a fantastic looking 3LP VINYL set on UMC/Polydor 4554223 (Barcode 602445542239) featuring the sixteen previously unreleased cuts that are on the 2CD set, it's mastered at Abbey Road and pressed up on 180 Grams Vinyl for best audio. And then of course is the big daddy (save up for that one) – the 4CD Super Deluxe variant on UMC/Polydor 4554204 (Barcode 602445542048) that gives us 4CDs, the album on CD1 and a whopping 42 Previously Unreleased across the other 3CDs (including live) and a beautiful 64-page hardback book.

 

But for the moment, let us deal with the Joe Bogs 2CD Deluxe variant...details of the Limited Edition are...

 

UK released 30 September 2022 - "Deuce: 50^th Anniversary Edition" by RORY GALLAGHER on UMC/Polydor 4554219 (Barcode 602445542192) is a 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue (Remixed and Remastered) with 16 Previously Unreleased tracks that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 "Deuce" 50^th Anniversary Edition (47:20 minutes):

Side 1. Used To Be

2. I'm Not Awake Yet

3. Don't Know Where I'm Going

4. Maybe I Will

5. Whole Lot Of People

Side 2

6. In Your Town

7. Should've Learnt My Lesson

8. There's A Light

9. Out Of My Mind

10. Crest Of A Wave

Tracks 1 to 10 are his second solo album "Deuce" – released late November 1971 on Polydor 2383 076 in the UK and Atco SD 7004 in the USA. Produced by RORY GALLAGHER – it peaked at No. 39 in the UK charts (didn’t chart US).

 

CD2 Alternate Takes And Radio Bremen Sessions (78:58 minutes):

1. Used To Be (Alternate Take 1)

2. I'm Not Awake Yet (Alternate Take 1)

3. Maybe I Will (Alternate Take 1)

4. Whole Lot Of People (12-String Acoustic Alternate Take 1)

5. In Your Town (Alternate Take 3)

6. Should've Learnt My Lesson (Alternative Take 3)

7. There's A Light (Alternative Take 1)

8. Out Of My Mind (Alternate Take 3)

9. Crest of A Wave (Alternate Take 2)

10. Should've Learnt My Lesson (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

11. Crest Of A Wave (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

12. I Could've Had Religion (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

13. For The Last Time (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

14. Messin' With The Kid (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

15. Don't Know Where I'm Going (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

16. Pistol Slapper Blues (Radio Bremen 21/12/1971)

 

NOTES:

(a) The single bonus track "Persuasion" which first appeared on the 1999 CD reissue, was not put on the January 2012 release and again, is not on here. "Persuasion" sounded to me suspiciously like a much later outtake stuck on the end of a reissue so it would have something previously unreleased. There is no mention of "Persuasion" either in the new 2020 liner notes.

(b) Eagle-eyed fans will notice that the 2012 CD Remaster had a total playing time of 46:58 minutes, whilst this new 2022 variant is 47:20 minutes. Much of the addition comes from an unexpected and largely unannounced end to "Crest Of A Wave" – last track on the album. Here Donal has let the tapes run where (after stupendous soloing on the song, the best on the whole album) – a suitably impressed Robin Sylvester (the Engineer) says in glee "Flawless!" to which Rory replies "...the lucky word you always use!" Tis a nice touch...

 

The three-way foldout card sleeve digipak uses more MICK ROCK photos on the inside and beneath the two see-through CD-trays (he did the famous front and rare photos that made RG look so damn cool). The 12-page booklet pours on the interviews and insider explanations. First up is fan and devotee JOHNNY MARR of THE SMITHS – a mere thirteen years of age when he saw the album that changed his guitar-playing trajectory. It's a lovely and appreciative account from one humble virtuoso to another. That is in turn followed by ROB DAVENPORT giving us 'The Inside Story' of "Deuce" that includes Bassist Gerry McAvoy recollecting Rory being eager to go and happy as he recorded – wanting to capture his live sound in the studio as much as possible. The text is small but hugely informative and is bolstered up by photos of the boys in the studio recording, Rory and his paint-job battered Fender Strat, reissue credits (Gerry McAvoy on Bass and Wilgar Campbell on Drums) etc.

 

The FRANK ARKWRIGHT Remaster has finally ironed out those tape glitches that marred some earlier reissues of "Deuce" – Donal also quite rightly mentioning that the live nature of the recordings had left some distortion on the tapes, but careful transfers have kept the vitality but lost 'some' of the fuzz. It does still sound gritty around the guitar-edges – probably always will – but as an album I actually bought in 1971 and have been hearing for 50+ years – this is tearfully the best. Dig that acoustic clarity in "Out Of My Mind" – Hell YES! To the LP...

 

With all 10 tracks self-penned and self-produced - the songwriting and playing on his second solo album improved hugely on his unflashy debut album from 26 May of that same year. For that reason "Deuce" has been a huge fan favourite ever since - name-checked by such other luminaries as The Edge of U2 and Slash of Guns 'N Roses. The greatly talented and much-missed US comedian Bill Hicks raved about it for years too. The original British vinyl album in particular (some 50+ years after the event) with its easy to damage and flimsy sleeve has become increasingly expensive in Auctions (much like the TASTE studio albums from 1969 and 1970). So this reasonably priced star in a tasty 2CD car is a great way of acquiring a rarity at a very reasonable cost. And I have seen the 3LP variant that can only be described as a thing of beauty.

 

"Used To Be" opens our 70ts Rock account in a cool riffage way – kicking like a mule and intact too. The slight crackle that marred parts of "Maybe I Will" is gone too, while the shuffling acoustic guitars of "I'm Not Awake Yet" now have the bounce they always needed. "Don't Know Where I'm Going" is fabulous acoustic Blues and it sounds great. "Whole Lot Of People" retains the 'live' feel Rory wanted - complete with him shouting before he goes into that speaker-to-speaker solo. The studio version of "In Your Town" is beefed up too, but will always be in the shadow of the truly incredible version he does of it on 1972’s "Live! In Europe" (maybe the next 50^th set?) and I've always loved the slow feel to "Should've Learned My Lesson" - probably the best-sounding track on here. The jazzy "There's A Light" has beautifully sweet Bass from Gerry McAvoy and great swirling guitars and off-center vocals from Rory. And I can still remember to this day the excitement and frustration of trying to copy the acoustic brilliance of the Doc Watson influenced "Out Of My Head" (lyrics above). I'm sure my teenage attempts were mirrored by hundreds of other budding guitarists. "Out Of My Mind" was just so brilliantly musical and showed off his amazing playing skill for a lad of only 23. The album then ends on a rock high with "Crest Of A Wave" where the band kicks in with some power.

 

CD2 is almost 80-minutes of previously unreleased including seven live tracks recently found where he and his band did a Radio show in Bremen just before Christmas 1971 (the album had hit the shops in the UK and Germany 28 November 1971 so would have very fresh in mind). Fans will immediately spot that three of the exclusive tracks on "Live! In Europe" got early runs here – Rory testing the live waters with "Pistol Slapper Blues" by Fulton Allen, "Messin’ With The Kid" by Junior Wells and a Blues Traditional in "I Could’ve Had Religion". He completes his Bremen set with three from "Deuce" and "For The Last Time" from the Debut Album of May 1971.

 

But it is no surprise that Donal and Co have opened CD2 with Take 1 of "Used To Be" where hiss and giggles introduce the band live and kicking in the studio. Frankly I might take this over the finished version; although Rory is still working out the solo proper, his other licks and chords have an excitement and power that is awesome. I don't like "Maybe I Will" but I'm stunned by a 12-String Acoustic version of "Whole Lotta People" which is the kind of outtake that's likely to make me weep - what a find. It's smartly followed by a fantastic 'live' in the studio smash at "In Your Town" - his enthusiasm clearly in evidence - cause no trouble - no fuss - no fight - Rory's slide clashing away and even with that speaker-to-speaker pan in evidence. The boys have fun shouting "Yeah!" before they do Take 3 of "Should've Learned My Lesson" - the audio fabulous and arguably better than the LP cut. Great harmonics fill your speakers for "There's A Light" and again the playing somehow feels better and more adventurous than the LP cut. I love-love-love the 'one more go and I'll have a pint' take on "Out Of My Mind" - his Acoustic prowess just stunning - the whole thing tingling with his magic and accuracy even at speed. He fluffs the last verse and starts again - great! The Alternates come to a close with a shuffling Rocker - Take 2 of "Crest Of A Wave" - the band giving it muscle. 

 

Starting out like Led Zeppelin live with fabulous letting-it-rip guitar, "Should've Learned My Lesson" comes at first with a Slow Blues - the quality better than bootleg - with Wilgar's Drums clear and whacking as Rock gets chunky on the riffage. He lays into some serious Slide Guitar for "I Could've Had Religion" - the rough and heavy Blues feel of the recording filling the performance with a period power. And on it goes - "Messin' With The Kid" rocking out like a mother and it all come to a Western Plains acoustic close with "Pistol Slapper Blues" - Moonshine whiskey and talkin' all out of your head.  

 

Rory was sadly lost to us in 1995 through liver failure - and it still hurts to think that this most unassuming and brilliant guitar genius is gone. But at last Our Hero is getting the respect. The mighty "Live! In Europe" LP from 1972 that finally broke him open globally (again on Polydor) maybe the next in this 50^th Anniversary Series – albeit a year late because of Covid-19 delays. But what a mouth-watering treat that's going to be, an equal to and even surpassing of "Deuce". 

 

Bring it on baby...