Monday, May 14, 2012

40 Year Itch : The Greatest Guitarist Goes Live



[Purchase]

"How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don't know, go ask Rory Gallagher." —Jimi Hendrix quote from 1969 Rolling Stone magazine




Legend has it this is the album that inspired future U2 members Adam Clayton and The Edge to learn guitar and play in a band. Live in Europe, compiled from live performance recorded throughout Europe during February and March 1972, captures the immense talent and showmanship of the Irish blues guitarist who knocked Eric Clapton from 1972's Melody Maker's poll as Best Guitarist. Gallagher plays the hell out of the beat up Fender Stratocaster you see on the cover. But he also plays harmonica, acoustic guitar and mandolin. All before an adoring audience completely swept up in the show. The album barely crept onto the Billboard charts stateside but hit Top Ten in the UK. Gallagher sold more than 30 million albums worldwide before his untimely death at the age of  47. By the way, in Rolling Stone's Top 100 Guitarists issue, Gallagher was not even mentioned once.

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