Rory Gallagher (1948-1995) was one of the greatest blues-rock guitarists to appear in the '60s.
Famously toting a Fender Stratocaster, he rose to prominence with his power trio Taste in the late ‘60s before embarking on a solo career.
His self-titled debut album appeared in 1971 and showcased a new lineup that featured bassist Gerry McAvoy and drummer Wilgar Campbell.
Aiming to capture the excitement of his intense live performances, Gallagher’s self-produced sophomore album, Deuce, appeared later the same year.
In celebration of the album’s arrival over half a century ago, UMC will be releasing 50th Anniversary Editions of Deuce on 30th September.
Special releases will be available in the following formats: quadruple CD deluxe set; double CD; triple vinyl; single coloured vinyl BBC in Concert (D2C); deluxe digital HD; and deluxe digital standard.
The double CD and triple vinyl releases are essentially cut down versions of the quadruple CD deluxe set.
Diving deep into the studio archives, this extensive collection is a must for Rory Gallagher fans.
A generous 28 previously unreleased alternate takes have been made available along with a new 50th Anniversary Edition mix of the Deuce album.
Additionally, seven Radio Bremen radio session tracks are also being released, along with a six-track 1972 BBC Radio In Concert recording (also available separately on coloured vinyl).
Fans can also look forward to a 64-page hardback book that includes a foreword written by Johnny Marr.
Citing Gallagher as a major inspiration, Marr recalled, "There was one day when I was playing along with the Deuce album, which was a complete turning point for me.”
Gallagher has drawn wide praise from some of the best-known players in the guitar world.
When Jimi Hendrix was asked “How does it feel to be the best guitarist in the world?” he replied: “I don’t know, why don’t you go and ask Rory Gallagher.”
While Joe Satriani said Gallagher was, “An amazing player, very spirited... he had a particular sound using that Stratocaster and he really got it because of the brute force in the way that he played, he just had such a passion about it.”
You can now take a listen to four previously unreleased tracks here.
Pre-order the 50th Anniversary Edition of Deuce by Rory Gallagher on any format here.
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