Rory Gallagher discography
Introduction The discography of Rory Gallagher, an Irish guitarist and singer-songwriter, consists of 11 studio albums, 6 live albums, 13 compilations, and 5 singles. Gallagher was a solo artist for much of his career and collaborated with artists such as Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis. Before his career as a solo artist, Gallagher was the guitarist, vocalist, and saxophonist for the Irish rock trio Taste.
Taste Having completed a musical apprenticeship in the Irish showbands, and influenced by the increasing popularity of beat groups during the early 1960s, Gallagher formed Taste, a blues rock and R&B power trio, in 1966.Initially, the band was composed of Gallagher and two Cork musicians, Norman Damery and Eric Kitteringham, however, by 1968, they were replaced with two musicians from Belfast, featuring Gallagher on guitar and vocals, drummer John Wilson, and bassist Richard McCracken. Performing extensively in the United Kingdom, the group played regularly at the Marquee Club, supporting both Cream at their Royal Albert Hall farewell concert, and the blues supergroup Blind Faith on a tour of North America. Managed by Eddie Kennedy, the trio released the albums ''Taste'' and ''On The Boards'', and two live recordings, ''Live Taste'' and ''Live at the Isle of Wight''. The latter appeared long after the band's break-up, which occurred shortly after their appearance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.
Solo career After the break-up of Taste, Gallagher toured under his own name, hiring former Deep Joy bass player Gerry McAvoy to play on his eponymous debut album, ''Rory Gallagher''. It was the beginning of a twenty-year musical relationship between Gallagher and McAvoy; the other band member was drummer Wilgar Campbell. The 1970s were Gallagher's most prolific period. He produced ten albums in that decade, including two live albums, ''Live in Europe'' and ''Irish Tour '74''. November 1971 saw the release of his album, ''Deuce''. Around the same time, he was voted ''Melody Maker'''s International Top Musician of the Year, ahead of Eric Clapton. However, despite a number of his albums from this period reaching the UK Albums Chart, Gallagher did not attain major star status.Gallagher is documented in the 1974 film ''Irish Tour '74'', directed by Tony Palmer. During the heightened periods of political unrest in Ireland, as other artists were warned not to tour, Gallagher was resolute about touring Ireland at least once a year during his career, winning him the dedication of thousands of fans, and in the process, becoming a role model for other aspiring young Irish musicians. The line-up for the Irish Tour which included Rod de'Ath on drums and Lou Martin on keyboards, performed together between 1973 and 1976.Releases from that period include ''Blueprint'', ''Tattoo'', ''Irish Tour '74'', ''Against the Grain'' and ''Calling Card''. This Gallagher band performed several TV and radio shows across Europe, including ''Beat-Club'' in Bremen, Germany and the ''Old Grey Whistle Test''. Gallagher recorded two Peel Sessions, both in February 1973 and containing the same tracks, but only the first was broadcast. Along with Little Feat and Roger McGuinn, Gallagher performed the first Rockpalast live concert at the Grugahalle, Essen, Germany in 1977.In 1978 Gallagher trimmed his band down to just bass, guitar and drums, and the act became a power trio as Taste had been. This line-up produced ''Photo-Finish'', ''Top Priority'',  ''Jinx'', ''Defender'', and ''Fresh Evidence''. During this period Gallagher was often obsessive over details and plagued by self-doubt yet he retained a loyal fan base.
Collaborations and posthumous releases Gallagher collaborated with Jerry Lee Lewis and Muddy Waters on their respective ''London Sessions'' in the mid-1970s. He played on Lonnie Donegan's final album. He was David Coverdale's second choice (after Jeff Beck) to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple although Gallagher chose to remain a solo artist. When former members of the Yardbirds (Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith, and Jim McCarty) reunited to create the band Box of Frogs Gallagher was invited to record with them on their first album.Gallagher's career was cut short due to his untimely death on 14 June 1995.He died from complications after a liver transplant. Several posthumous albums have emerged since his death. Two of the most notable are ''Wheels Within Wheels'', a compilation of acoustic folk and blues music released in 2003 and ''Notes From San Francisco'', an album of unreleased studio tracks and a San Francisco 1979 concert released in 2011.
Albums ===Taste albums===YearAlbumChartpositionUK1969''London Invasion'' *Label: Pontiac Records1969''Taste''*Label: Polydor1970''On the Boards''*Label: Polydor181971''Live Taste'' (live album)*Label: Polydor141972''Live at the Isle of Wight'' (live album)*Label: Polydor41''Taste First'' (recorded in 1967; released in 1974 as ''In the Beginning'' and again in 1976 as ''Take It Easy Baby'')*Label: BASF1994''The Best of Taste'' (compilation album)*Label: Polydor=== Solo albums ===YearAlbumPeak chart positionsBPI Certification UK US1971'''''Rory Gallagher'''''*Released: 21 May 1971*Label: Polydor32—Gold'''''Deuce''''' *Released: November 1971*Label: Polydor39—Gold1972'''''Live in Europe (live)'''''*Released: 1 May 1972*Label: Polydor9Gold1973'''''Blueprint'''''*Released: February 1973*Label: Polydor12147Gold'''''Tattoo''''' *Released: November 1973*Label: Polydor32186Gold1974'''''Irish Tour '74 (live)'''''*Released: 1 July 1974*Label: Polydor36Gold1975'''''Against the Grain'''''*Released: October 1975*Label: Chrysalis121Gold1976'''''Calling Card'''''*Released: October 1976*Label: Chrysalis32163Silver1978'''''Photo-Finish'''''*Released: October 1978*Label: Chrysalis116Silver1979'''''Top Priority'''''*Released: September 1979*Label: Chrysalis56140Silver1980'''''Stage Struck (live)'''''*Released: October 1980*Label: Chrysalis40Silver1982'''''Jinx'''''*Released: April 1982*Label: Chrysalis68—Silver1987'''''Defender'''''*Released: July 1987*Label: Capo/Demon—Silver1990'''''Fresh Evidence'''''*Released: May 1990*Label: Capo—Silver "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.===Posthumous albums===YearAlbumChartpositionUK2003'''''Meeting with the G-Man''''' (live)*Released: 22 November 2003*Label: Capo/RCA—2006'''''Live at Montreux''''' (live)*Released: 31 July 2006*Label: Eagle—2011'''''Notes From San Francisco''''' (studio & live)*Released: 17 May 2011*Label: Capo/Legacy/Eagle442023'''''All Around Man: Live in London''''' (live)*Released: 7 July 2023*Label: Universal Music—=== Compilation albums ===YearAlbumChartpositionUK1974'''''The Story So Far''''' 1975'''''Sinner... And Saint''''' also released as '''''Rory Gallagher''''' (compilation of tracks taken from ''Rory Gallagher'' and ''Deuce'')1975'''''Rory Gallagher (Flashback series)''''' 1976'''''Rory Gallagher Live (Flashback series)''''' 1976'''''Take It Easy Baby'''''  (Taste demo sessions)1992'''''Etched in Blue''''' (BPI: 60,000)1995'''''A Blue Day for the Blues'''''*Released: 1995*Label: I.R.S. '''''Last of the Independents''''' 1999'''''BBC Sessions''''' (one live disc and one studio disc)*Released: 7 August 1999*Label: Capo2003'''''Wheels Within Wheels''''' (acoustic)*Released: 8 March 2003*Label: Capo2005'''''Big Guns: The Very Best of Rory Gallagher''''' *Released: 13 June 2005*Label: Capo/RCA312008'''''The Essential''''' *Released: 10 March 2008*Label: Capo/Legacy/Sony BMG2009'''''Crest of a Wave: The Best of Rory Gallagher''''' *Released: 25 August 2009*Label: Capo/Eagle2010'''''The Beat Club Sessions'''''*Recorded: 1971/72*Released: 13 September 2010*Label: Capo/Eagle2012'''''The Rory Gallagher Collection'''''  (re-release of ''The Essential Rory Gallagher'')  *Released: 18 June 2012*Label: Capo/Camden Deluxe/Legacy/Sony Music2019'''''Blues'''''*Released: 31 May 2019*Label: Universal Music172020'''''Check Shirt Wizard: Live in '77'''''  (Brand new triple live album)  *Released: 6 March 2020*Label: Chess/Universal Music26===Box sets===YearAlbum1992'''''The G-Man Bootleg Series Vol.1''''' *Label: Strange Music2001'''''Let's Go to Work'''''  (4 disc set, featuring ''Live in Europe'', ''Irish Tour '74'', ''Stage Struck'' and ''Meeting with the G-Man'')  *Released: 15 October 2001*Label: Capo/RCA2008'''''Original Album Classics'''''  (5 disc set, featuring ''Deuce'', ''Calling Card'', ''Top Priority'', ''Jinx'' and ''Fresh Evidence'')  *Released: 31 October 2008*Label: Capo/Sony BMG2015'''''I'll Remember''''' (Taste) (4 disc set)  *Released: August 2015*Label: Polydor
Singles ===With Taste===* "Blister on the Moon" / "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" – UK 1968 #endnote a|a* "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" / "Same Old Story" –  UK/ EU/ JPN, 1969* "What's Going On" / "Railway and Gun" – EU 1970 #endnote b|b NL #22 * "If I Don't Sing I'll Cry" / "I'll Remember" – ESP 1970 * "Wee Wee Baby" / "You've Got to Play" – GER 1972* "Blister on the Moon" / "Sugar Mama" / "Catfish" / "On the Boards" – UK 1982===Solo===* "Moonchild" / Calling Card" – GER/ NL 1977* "Shadow Play" / "Brute Force and Ignorance" / "Souped-up Ford" – UK/ IRL #24, 1979 * "Philby" / "Hellcat" / "Country Mile" – UK/ EU/ AUS 1979 #endnote c|c* "Wayward Child" (live) / "Keychain" – UK/ IRL 1980 * "Big Guns" / "The Devil Made Me Do It" – UK/ IRL 1982notes;* a^ – re-released in 1970 with the sides reversed. * b^ – b/w "Morning Sun" in some countries. * c^ – standard two-track single in some countries.
Videography ;All titles released on the DVD format.1995''Message to Love'' Recording of "Sinner Boy" and "Gamblin' Blues"; with Taste2000''Irish Tour '74'' 2003''The Old Grey Whistle Test: Vol. 1'' Album track: "Hands Off"; 19732004''At Rockpalast'' German release2005''The Complete Rockpalast Collection''  3 disc, German release''Songs & Stories: New York Remembers Rory Gallagher'' Biography2006''Live at Cork Opera House'' UK release''Live in Cork'' US release''Live at Montreux'' 2 disc set2007''Live at Rockpalast (5 Concerts 1976 – 1990)'' 3 disc, US release''Shadow Play (5 Concerts 1976 – 1990)'' 3 disc, UK release2010''Ghost Blues'' Biography of Gallagher with concert footage and interviews with The Edge, Slash,...
Guest appearances John Martyn, Jack Bruce, and Charlie Watts in an impromptu performance in 1984 (Not pictured: Ian Stewart (piano), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone).YearAlbumArtist1971''Bring It Back Home''Mike Vernon1972''The London Muddy Waters Sessions'' Muddy Waters 1973''The Session''Jerry Lee Lewis 1974''Drat That Fratle Rat'' Chris Barber ''London Revisited'' Muddy Waters 1977''Gaodhal's Vision'' Joe O'Donnell (electric fiddle player) ''Live''Albert King1978''Tarot Suite'' Mike Batt ''Puttin' On The Style''Lonnie Donegan 1983''Jammin` With Albert''Albert Collins & The Icebreakers1984''Box of Frogs'' Box of Frogs 1989''The Scattering''The Fureys and Davey Arthur ''Out of the Air''Davy Spillane Band ''Words and Music''Phil Coulter1990''Shadow Hunter'' Davy Spillane ''Politician'' (at Montreux)Jack Bruce and Rory Gallagher1991''Flags & Emblems''Stiff Little Fingers 1992''30 Years A-Greying''The Dubliners 1993''The Outstanding''Chris Barber and Band 2007''Kindred Spirits'' Eamonn McCormack
References
External links ** Rory Gallagher Discography accessed 18 December 2009* Cradle Rock Rory Gallagher discography and filmography accessed 18 December 2009