I saw Rory at the Whiskey, many a year ago. He was so polite, it was unreal. I've got a vivid memory of him saying:

"This next song is from my latest record. I hope you like it..."

All night.

and did you ?

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rory is the greatest

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I did, indeed.

His band "Taste" has been credited with being the first power trio.

I thought that was Buddy holly and the Crickets.

Drums/ bass /guitar.

That said i think cream formed a month or two before taste.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I said Power Trio, not trio There have always been trios. Power Trios were a whole different genre.

hehe the crickets thing was a joke.

cream not a power trio?

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I had the great fortune to see Rory about 10 times from 1975 - 1991. The 4 concerts I saw at the Bottom Line club in NYC in Feb'76 was the best music I've ever heard live. That includes seeing Segovia, pianist Vladamir Horowitz, many other guitarists & groups. He was a blues musician at heart, but could play quite a few different styles if the music demanded it.
I do agree that Irish Tour'74 is a great album ( Live in Europe is too). The first side has some nice slide playing, a fantastic blues solo in Muddy Waters song " I Wonder Who" and "Tattoo'd Lady" likewise has 2 great soloes. In my opinion, the highlight of the album is the guitar solo in " A Million Miles Away". It's a song about loneliness, which Rory experienced too much, even when he was famous. He compares himself to a piece of driftwood floating on water and the solo captures that image PERFECTLY. He uses his volume and tone controls in such a manner if you close your eyes while he's playing, you would experience exactly how he is feeling- a tremendous communication display. I also heartily recommend Rory's second solo album "Deuce", which has his greatest slide solo of all time on it - the song Crest of a Wave- one listen is all it will take. The DVD collection Rockpalast is also superb and display's Rory's versatility which no other guitarist I know of can compare too. He was a writer, singer, producer, acoustic/electric/slide guitarist of the highest caliber who could REALLY play and he was a skilled harmonica, saxophone, mandolin and sitar player.

ps - I never really listened too much to his BBC sessions until my brother mentioned to me about the great guitar playing and my brother is into Rush, Clapton, Beatles, but not so much Rory. There is some WICKED raw stuff, especially the studio side. Listen to his nasty,NASTY solo on "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" - I never liked the song when it first came out - just listen. He also does "Tore Down" which BLASTS Clapton's version out of the water !!!!

My understanding was Taste was formed nearly a year before Cream. I guess it depends on the source. I heard Taste before I heard Cream from my friends older brother who played guitar. Cream was a power trio for sure.

hmm.. interesting, I always heard taste started just after cream. All a few years before i came along, two great groups for sure.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

IMO, Rory was the best guitarist ever, when you include performance, style, technique and pure emotion.

He put everything into playing. Makes me proud to be Irish, knowing one of the best blues/rock players of all time came from my little country.

Saw his guitar a few times and played a custom shop replica.

You need to get the Irish Tour Album. that and the Live In Europe gives you everything you need to know about Rory ( although all his other albums are awesome).

many say he died due to drugs, but to fans, its a well known fact that Rory hated drugs, so much so that his band mates were afraid to even smoke a splif around him.

Booze was poor Rory's enemy, Booze and dirty hospitals.

He plays blues, but not just standard blues. theres a real rounded, yet sharp dorian melodic feeling to his solos, as they are much more than just blues.

Read "Riding Shotgun" by Jerry McAvoy, his bassist for 25 years. Jerry is a nice guy and gives a really good account of what it was like to tour in Rory's band and what kind of person Rory was. Great read.

Best player ever. legend.period.

Between this thread and the Gary Moore one it's good to see some Irish guitarists get some praise!

CC

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I enjoy all kinds of Irish music. You have a rich musical heritage that you should be proud of. I always thought Rory was way more creative and way more of a showman than Clapton.

Schmintan wrote

"Read "Riding Shotgun" by Jerry McAvoy, his bassist for 25 years. Jerry is a nice guy and gives a really good account of what it was like to tour in Rory's band and what kind of person Rory was. Great read. "



+1 I,ll second that just finished reading it.