Rory Gallagher was the original Irish guitar hero, whose artistry with a battered ’61 Stratocaster became the stuff of legend. Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters admired him, the Rolling Stones tried to hire him - and his fans worshipped him. Clad in faded denim and a checked shirt, he sold 30 million records and became a charismatic icon of Irish music, but away from the stage, Rory was an intensely private man. His closest confidante was his brother Dónal, who accompanied Rory on his rise from their childhood Everly Brothers stage performances and the showband scene across the north and south of the Irish border, through to the deafening heart of the ‘70s rock scene in London - and far beyond. From playing bomb-shattered Belfast at the height of the Troubles to touring across America with everyone from Blind Faith to KISS, Dónal was at Rory's side to witness his greatest triumphs and, after all too brief a span of years, his decline into illness and a tragically early death.
Rory Gallagher was the original Irish guitar hero, whose artistry with a battered ’61 Stratocaster became the stuff of legend. Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters admired him, the Rolling Stones tried to hire him – and his fans worshipped him. Clad in faded denim and a checked shirt, he sold 30 million records and became a charismatic icon of Irish music, inspiring musicians such as Brian May, The Edge, Slash and Johnny Marr. But away from the stage, Rory was an intensely private man. His closest confidante was his brother Dónal who accompanied Rory on his rise from their childhood Everly Brothers stage performances and the Showband scene across the North and South of the Irish border through to the deafening heart of the ‘70s rock scene in London – and far beyond. Now, Dónal, along with insights from Rory’s friends and admirers, takes us on a musical journey through the life and career of this shy guitar hero to better understand what made him so great.
The film tells the story of Eire's seminal rock band Taste, formed in Cork, Ireland in 1966 by Rory Gallagher, Taste had a brief but influential career, releasing two studio albums in 1969 and 1970 and disbanding shortly after their legendary appearance at the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival, which is the centrepiece of this film.
This stunning set includes everything Rory Gallagher filmed for the German Rockpalast TV series. Five complete concerts from Cologne (1976), Essen (1977), Loreley (1982), Wiesbaden (1979) and Cologne (1990) plus Jam Sessions from Wiesbaden (79) and Loreley (82). Also included for the first time is a 20 minute interview with Rory Gallagher from Cologne in 1976. This is the definitive edition of Rory Gallagher on Rockpalast.
Perhaps one of the most treasured blues guitarists over the past 30 years, Rory Gallagher made a number of appearances on Germany's famed Rockpalast show between 1976 and 1990. For the first time ever, all these performances are collected into 1 complete package, with 9 HOURS of Rory at his finest.
Story of Irish popular music from 1950 to the present day told by the artists, songwriters, producers and executives who made it all happen. It tells of the dramatic evolution from a grey, conservative culture to a vibrant, colourful music scene which has an enormous popularity and influence completely out of proportion to the size of the country.
Irish Tour '74 is a film which captures the artist, his music, the period and the place with perfection. Filmed in January 1974 at Belfast Ulster Hall, Dublin Carlton Cinema and Cork City Hall.
Director Bill Keating built a programme around following Rory through a day of his short 1972 Irish tour. At the center of the programme is a recording of the concert Rory played in the Savoy Cinema in Limerick on May 11th 1972.