Rory Gallagher: His Life and Times

A very good read by someone familiar with the late great Irish guitarist. Lots of personal observations from people who knew Rory. Good photos. Rory was arguably an even better guitarist than some of my other favorite guitar gods such as Jimi Hendrix, Tony McPhee, and Robin Trower. Want evidence? Listen to the monster live cd included in the album Notes From San Francisco; get the cd and dvd video of the live Beat Club sessions; and get the cd and dvd video of Rory's incendiary performance in Taste at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. Rory did it all! He played multiple instruments, including saxophone; he played various guitar styles, including both electric and acoustic slide, to perform rock, blues, country, and folk; he wrote wonderful lyrics and songs, as well as covering the words and tunes of other artists; and he sang those words while moving his fingers not just fast, but clean, all over the fretboard. Rory was a humble but confident musician, as good as anybody, who gave it his all and never sold out. Connaughton reinforces all this in his excellent book.

"I see music as a lifetime affair. I'm not in it for the big kill and then get out." "This guitar is part of my psychic makeup." "This is the best, it's my life, this is my best friend." Rory Gallagher. It's simple. If you're a Rory Gallagher fan, get this book. Most of the few known parts of Gallagher's life are here, from his boyhood, through early bands like The Impact, on into Taste, and into the various bands he led under his own name. The book looks at his session with Muddy Waters and into the 70's when Gallagher was (arguably) at his best. There's a chapter devoted to the 1980's, when things were difficult for Gallagher and his style of music. From there he continued to play and record into the 90's (his last complete studio album was "Fresh Evidence") until his death in 1995. The author also looks at various albums beginning with Taste, and through the albums under his own name. Also included is an in depth Discography of Gallagher's singles and albums. Equally compelling (maybe more so) are the many photographs (both color and b&w) and other period graphics throughout the book, which add needed depth to the text. The author, Marcus Connaughton, has used what information he could find in describing various points in Gallagher's life. But Gallagher was notoriously tight lipped about his personal life. Even his brother Donal never really knew him well, and described him as lonely and melancholic. But the photographs generate real excitement and give added weight in showing Gallagher's commitment to his music-he never compromised or sold out. Few biographies have, basically, so little information as far as gaining some insight into who that person is/was. But I have to say again, it's the many exciting, atmospheric photographs of Gallagher on stage (check out pages 84-85, and page 110, and page 127-you'll see what I mean) that give us some insight into Gallagher. The constants are easily seen-the checkered shirt, the same battered Stratocaster guitar, his deep feeling for the music, and the excitement he could generate on stage. He had the ability to capture an audience with his playing-whether it was a slow blues or when he kicked things into overdrive-it didn't matter. It was truly something to experience. I only heard him once, but that was all the proof I needed to know he was the real deal-not some pasty Irish boy trying to play the blues. His devotion to the music was obvious. That and how much fun he was having. And that's what many of these photographs show. This is one of those rare biographies when the photographs seem to tell more (or at least enough) about someone. While this isn't (hopefully) the last word on Gallagher, it will do until then.

I have waited for a book like this for a long time. My ultimate wish would be that Rory's brother, Donal, would pen the story as only he knows it. I have to say that this book is written for Rory's fans. There is little controversy raised and perhaps there was very little in Rory's life. I'm not sure that is true. If it has a weakness, it leaves out much of Rory's misplaced trust in doctors. Misdiagnosis eventually killed him and the author does not take the reader into that darker side of the end of Rory's life. However, it is a delightful celebration of the life of the man whom Jimi Hendrix declared to be the "world's greatest guitar player." Rory was 23 when Hendrix said that. This book does take the reader into Rory's touring life, his relentless need to work, to be on stage entertaining the masses. In a sense, it answered for me a question I had had after watching many videos of Rory on stage. He would often yell out, "Can you hear me?" The book also covers Rory's talent on many other instruments as well as his love of so many forms of music. While not the perfect biography, Rory Gallagher: His Life and Times is a very enjoyable read and a nice addition to the history of rock/blues in the era from the late '60's to the 90's. Recommended.

Not being a Rory expert I found this book a good place to start delving into his life. The book presents much superficial information about Rory as such it never seems to delve too deep. I appreciate the chronological description of each album, but could have used a little more detail. I came away knowing more but also feeling a comprehensive biography is waiting to be written. The fact that he is portrayed as such a good man makes his untimely death so much more tragic.

There is not enough written about Rory Gallagher, perhaps because he wasn't striving for the limelight. This book provides lots of nice insights into his upbringing and his attitudes towards music and the music industry. for the amateur musicologist like myself, it is a nice addition to my library

Rory is my favorite performer and even though I had previously read a lot about his life, there were still quite a number of things told in this book that made it a worthwhile read. Rory was a very private person and didn't really reveal his feelings, but without question he was a good and caring human being. I would like to know more about his life as a child (12 years & before) growing up in Ireland.

A book of depth and substance. I think the enigma that is Rory makes it difficult to really get to know the man. You won’t find any insights into his private life and that’s a shame, but that makes it all the more intriguing. A good read for any fan.

Great book that nicely tells the story of an extraordinary guitarist, showing his humility and artistic integrity and what he meant to his fans and peers. Highly recommended.

Intressant att läsa.

Bel libro, completo di aneddoti, informazioni e belle fotografie. Lavoro accurato e di piacevole e interessante lettura. Facile lettura malgrado sia scritto in inglese.

Sehr detailliertes Buch über Rory, auch über seine frühe Musikerzeit.