Provogue will be releasing a new album, featuring previously unreleased material, from the iconic blues-rock master GARY MOORE. The album HowBlue Can You Get will come out on April 30th.
Today a new track ‘I’m Tore Down’ from the album is released, stream it below.
This month marks ten years since the tragic passing of the iconic Northern Irish musician and singer-songwriter. He left behind, not only an incredibly formidable back catalogue of music from his esteemed solo career, Thin Lizzy, Skid Row, Colosseum II and more, but also a legacy matched by few others.
Venturing deep into the Moore family archives, some previously unheard and unreleased deep cuts and alternative versions surfaced to accentuate the beguiling mastery of one of blues’ finest modern exponents. Amongst the songs are unheard and unreleased Moore originals – “In My Dreams,” a lusciously glorious slow-moving ballad with every note and bend weeping as Moore pours out his heart along with the stunningly melancholic “Looking At Your Picture”.
As the album of these unearthed gems begins to see the light of day, it highlights Moore’s depth and complexity and how his music has touched so many people. Finally, reflecting Bernie Marsden remembers, “We grew up in the business together, and he eventually became a major solo star. I wasn’t remotely surprised, of course, as his playing was so astonishing, a great showman and performer. But to me, he was first and foremost, my friend, and I still miss him today! Enjoy this rare recording.”
Provogue will be releasing a new album, featuring previously unreleased material, from the iconic blues-rock master GARY MOORE. HowBlue Can You Get will be released on April 30th.
This month marks ten years since the tragic passing of the iconic Northern Irish musician and singer-songwriter. He left behind, not only an incredibly formidable back catalogue of music from his esteemed solo career, Thin Lizzy, Skid Row, Colosseum II and more, but also a legacy matched by few others.
Venturing deep into the Moore family archives, some previously unheard and unreleased deep cuts and alternative versions surfaced to accentuate the beguiling mastery of one of blues’ finest modern exponents. Amongst the songs are unheard and unreleased Moore originals – “In My Dreams,” a lusciously glorious slow-moving ballad with every note and bend weeping as Moore pours out his heart along with the stunningly melancholic “Looking At Your Picture”.
The album kicks off a rip-roaring take on Freddie King’s “I’m Tore Down,” a Moore live favourite before he slips into a previously unreleased virtuosic version on Memphis Slim’s “Steppin’ Out.” Elmore James’ “Done Somebody Wrong,” is another that showcases his blues chops, as does the enormous 7-minute never been released before scorching take on BB King’s 1964 hit “How Blue Can You Get.” An alternative version of “Love Can Make A Fool Of You,” makes itself at home deep into the blues-rock heart of Moore, in a way that his most loved songs do, whilst the finale soars into the stratosphere with the beautifully aching “Living With The Blues.”
Despite often being the youngest member in his slew of teenage bands, Gary called the shots. By the age of 15, he was arguably the best guitarist in Belfast, and through the release of the John Mayall/Eric Clapton Bluesbreakers album in 1966, he discovered the blues. In 1990 he released his biggest success, Still Got The Blues. In its ascendancy, the blues were driven by the Blues Brothers movie, John Lee Hooker’s internationally successful album The Healer and the rise to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s stardom. He continued his love affair with the blues for the rest of a career, highlighted by opportunities to play with Albert King, BB King and Albert Collins.
His legacy will live on, and he has and will continue to inspire, from Joe Bonamassa to Paul Gilbert, and Kirk Hammett to Zakk Wylde have all cited him as an influence. Talking to Rolling Stone magazine in 2011, Hammett said, “His influence is strong to the point that the opening lick of the guitar solo of “Master of Puppets” is a variation of a lick that Gary Moore played a lot. I remember the first time hearing his blues album and just getting totally blown away – not only by the playing but by the sound of it too, his tone. And I remember being so inspired that I wrote a couple riffs just based on his sound and his feel. And those riffs ended up in “The Unforgiven” on The Black Album.
“I met Gary Moore in London on 23 October 1970,” says long-time friend Bernie Marsden. “He was playing with Skid Row and my band Skinny Cat were opening that Friday. We were roughly the same age, dressed in a similar way, except for the beret he wore! We got along well – I immediately realised how good he was, but I also noticed that he was easy going, he cared about the support group and made an effort – believe me, that wasn’t always the case.”
As we sit in 2021, Marsden looks back at those memories that he holds so dear. “Over the next years I turned pro and ran into Gary at gigs in London and socially at the Marquee. We would dig into our pockets and pool our spending money for those evenings but, because it was Gary, we were always offered a few drinks anyway! We spent quite a lot of time together when we weren’t gigging, and soon found out that we had the same influences, mainly Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and Rory Gallagher. I was also with him the day he acquired Peter’s Gibson Les Paul guitar.”
He continues; “We remained close as the years went on, and in 1974 he rang me up to borrow a guitar of mine for a gig he was doing with Colosseum. I still have that guitar today. He was at my wedding in 1980, playing as a part of the pretty impressive house-band, others including Cozy Powell, David Coverdale and Don Airey! We stayed close, and last time we hung out together was on his UK tour with BB King.”
Moore’s solo career was just taking flight when TOTO were heading into superstardom in the early 80s. Steve Lukather remembers Moore and reflects on his admiration for him. “Gary Moore was a force. His intensity, as well as his dynamic sweet soft tones, had such deep feel. He was a master, and I got to watch him play and meet him. He was a very nice man as well. His loss is felt by all who loved him, but we are blessed; we can still hear him play on the records, DVD’s, and all that will live forever. He was a one of a kind.”
His influence continues to stretch and inspire. Chris Robertson, singer-guitarist for Black Stone Cherry, opens up about the power of his music. “Gary Moore took the blues and turned it on its head for me. His ferocity and his style of playing definitely has been an influence on me. There’s a ferociousness on what he does that can’t be matched.”
Don Airey is another long-time friend of his. Reminiscing he says, “Gary was a great singer, lyricist and songwriter, and then there was his guitar playing to contend with, (not to speak of his coruscating Belfast wit).”
He continues, “Working on the “Back on the Streets” album in 1978, Gary overdubbed six different solo takes on “The Road Goes On Forever” each of which was phenomenal, each one different from the others. He asked which I thought was the best. Making a choice, I ventured it would sound even better if double tracked. Having played it once and heard it once, Gary went back into the studio and double-tracked a 16 bar solo in a single take. Chris Tsangarides who was producing and engineering turned round and looked at me wide-eyed. Nothing was said. After a minute or so a voice came up from the studio “Was that any good?” “…Er yes” said Chris “Come in!”. Gary was the most astonishing musician any of us ever worked with and is still a musical reference point after ten years gone – always asking myself ‘Now what would he think of this!’
As the album of these unearthed gems begins to see the light of day, it highlights Moore’s depth and complexity and how his music has touched so many people. Finally, reflecting Marsden remembers, “We grew up in the business together, and he eventually became a major solo star. I wasn’t remotely surprised, of course, as his playing was so astonishing, a great showman and performer. But to me, he was first and foremost, my friend, and I still miss him today! Enjoy this rare recording.”
The career of GARY MOORE was a jagged timeline, full of twists, turns and wild tangents. And yet, through it all, the Irishman never lost faith in the power of live music. On December 2nd, 2009 – just fourteen months before his tragic death aged 58 – the fabled guitarist played a special one-off club show at London’s Islington Academy. Now, 10 years later Provogue, a division of the Mascot Label Group, will be releasing this never before released recording, Live From London on 31st January 2020.
Watch the video for Still Got The Blues here:
Between the opener and encore, Moore gave us everything he had in Islington, revisiting some of the key crossroads of his career. From his 2008 swansong album, Bad For You Baby, there’s the energetic title track, plus Down The Line’s high-velocity country-blues and the emotive leads of Donny Hathaway’s I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know. Reaching further back, there’s the heartfelt guitar hook of Otis Rush’s All Your Love and an emotive reading of John Mayall’s Have You Heard, both songs that Moore would have first heard on ‘Beano’ as a teenage guitarist.
All the more poignant, then, that just over a year later, Moore would be gone, his screaming-hot Les Paul falling forever silent. In the blues community, it left a chasm, and while the scene has welcomed a roll-call of master guitar players since, the Irishman’s absence still stings. Live From London is one last shard of genius, catching a generation-best performer firing on all cylinders, and reminding us one last time why he was put on this planet.
Tracklist:
1. Oh, Pretty Woman
2. Bad For You Baby
3. Down The Line
4. Since I Met You Baby
5. Have You Heard
6. All Your Love
7. Mojo Boogie
8. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
9. Too Tired / Gary’s Blues 1
10. Still Got The Blues
11. Walking By Myself
12. The Blues Is Alright
13. Parisienne Walkways
The career of GARY MOORE was a jagged timeline, full of twists, turns and wild tangents. And yet, through it all, the Irishman never lost faith in the power of live music. On December 2nd, 2009 – just fourteen months before his tragic death aged 58 – the fabled guitarist played a special one-off club show at London’s Islington Academy. Now, 10 years later Provogue, a division of the Mascot Label Group, will be releasing this never before released recording, Live From London on 31st January 2020.
Listen to a new track ‘Since I Met You Baby’ from the album, here:
Tracklist:
1. Oh, Pretty Woman
2. Bad For You Baby
3. Down The Line
4. Since I Met You Baby
5. Have You Heard
6. All Your Love
7. Mojo Boogie
8. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
9. Too Tired / Gary’s Blues 1
10. Still Got The Blues
11. Walking By Myself
12. The Blues Is Alright
13. Parisienne Walkways
The career of Gary Moore was a jagged timeline, full of twists, turns and wild tangents. And yet, through it all, the Irishman never lost faith in the power of live music. On December 2nd, 2009 – just fourteen months before his tragic death aged 58 – the fabled guitarist played a special one-off club show at London’s Islington Academy. Now, 10 years later Provogue, a division of the Mascot Label Group, will be releasing this never before released recording, Live From London on 31st January 2020.
Listen to Oh Pretty Woman here:
As adolescence hit, Moore fell headlong into the blues flavours that dominate Live From London’s tracklisting, mostly drawing on US giants like Paul Butterfield and Brit Blues godfather John Mayall’s seminal 1966 ‘Beano’ album with Eric Clapton and during that same formative period, at Belfast’s tough Club Rado, an early lesson in the emotional impact of live blues came from Peter Green.
Moore’s own first semi-professional steps had been with the Beat Boys and Dublin’s Skid Row, who offered an escape-route from Belfast, plus the camaraderie of the band’s chaotic frontman, Phil Lynott. Lynott was soon fired, but he remembered his old wingman when his new band, Thin Lizzy, needed a stand-in. It was a gig in which Moore played the guitar hero role to the hilt. But despite the adulation, Moore feared Lizzy was nurturing his self-destructive streak, and left to explore the outer reaches in Jon Hiseman’s virtuoso jazz-fusion outfit, Colosseum II.
However, every time he picked up a guitar in the dressing room, he immediately went to the timeless licks of the Mississippi Delta, Moore suddenly saw the path. So began 1990’s Still Got The Blues, the multi-million-selling comeback album on which the Irishman’s rebirth as an authentic bluesman was given added credibility by collaborations with A-listers like Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison.
The material from Still Got The Blues became the cornerstone of Moore’s shows – and it never left the setlist. Fast-forward to December 2009, and as a sea of punters streamed into the Islington Academy for the show that would become Live From London. The pace was set by Albert King’s Oh Pretty Woman, and the home straight taking in the raucous Walking By Myself and the weeping melody of the title track. And of course, there was room for Parisienne Walkways, the guitarist’s UK#8 hit sounding younger than yesterday on this new release. “I can hardly get away without doing it,” noted the guitarist of that fan-favourite encore. “It’s quite a long version, because I like to draw things out. Us guitar players, if we can squeeze a bit more out of it, we’re gonna do it, aren’t we?”
Between the opener and encore, Moore gave us everything he had in Islington, revisiting some of the key crossroads of his career. From his 2008 swansong album, Bad For You Baby, there’s the energetic title track, plus Down The Line’s high-velocity country-blues and the emotive leads of Donny Hathaway’s I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know. Reaching further back, there’s the heartfelt guitar hook of Otis Rush’s All Your Love and an emotive reading of John Mayall’s Have You Heard, both songs that Moore would have first heard on ‘Beano’ as a teenage guitarist.
All the more poignant, then, that just over a year later, Moore would be gone, his screaming-hot Les Paul falling forever silent. In the blues community, it left a chasm, and while the scene has welcomed a roll-call of master guitar players since, the Irishman’s absence still stings. Live From London is one last shard of genius, catching a generation-best performer firing on all cylinders, and reminding us one last time why he was put on this planet.
Tracklist:
1. Oh, Pretty Woman
2. Bad For You Baby
3. Down The Line
4. Since I Met You Baby
5. Have You Heard
6. All Your Love
7. Mojo Boogie
8. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
9. Too Tired / Gary’s Blues 1
10. Still Got The Blues
11. Walking By Myself
12. The Blues Is Alright
13. Parisienne Walkways
Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke to former Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne , Rainbow, bassist Bob Daisley about his new tribute album to former guitarist Gary Moore. Which was released on October 26 via earMUSIC, “Moore Blues for Gary – A Tribute To Gary Moore”.
Watch the interview here:
Daisley talks about Gary Moore’s career, the participants on the Gary Moore tribute album, Moore’ preference of Ozzy guitarists and when Moore turned down Ozzy as his frist choice for guitarist when Ozzy got fired from Black Sabbath.
When asked about the time Ozzy wanted Gary Moore as his guitarist prior to Randy Rhoads
“Ozzy never wanted to replace Randy Rhoads with Gary Moore, Gary Moore was Ozzy’s first choice. When Ozzy was in Los Angeles after he got fired from Black Sabbath and he was thinking of putting a band together his first choice was Gary Moore. Gary Moore didn’t want to work with Ozzy because of Ozzy’s reputation with drugs and booze being unreliable and unprofessional. Gary said I will help you find a guitarist or if you find a guitarist that you want my opinion on I will help you that way. ”
When asked about which Ozzy guitarist Gary Moore preferred
“One thing I would like to add is that Gary rated Jake E Lee very high he said, Saying I think Jake E Lee is one of the best guitarist Ozzy ever had. ”
When asked about his and Lee Kerslake’s induction into The Hall of Heavy Metal History Gala in January 23 2019 for their contributions to Ozzy’s Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman
“That is great it really puts the icing on the cake. I spoke to Lee Last week about it and he is over the moon because Lee is not having a good time at the moment he has some bad health issues and we don;t know how much longer Lee is going to be around, he can go in a few months we don;t know. So for this to happen for Lee it means a lot for him and it means a lot for me. it’s something that’s really really nice to have. ”
John Sykes (ex-THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE) does a rendition of “Still Got The Blues”, with the soulful vocals by Daniel Bowes (THUNDER) complementing each other.
“Parisienne Walkways” is played by Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS) and Ricky Warwick (THIN LIZZY, BLACK STAR RIDERS, THE ALMIGHTY).
Gary’s friends are here — his rocking keyboard / guitar / vocal sidekick Neil Carter sings “Empty Rooms”, which he co-wrote with Gary. Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW) and Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE) had joined forces with Gary on numerous occasions, together with Eric Singer (KISS) and Darrin Mooney (PRIMAL SCREAM). .
Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO), r Steve Lukather (TOTO), Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW), Jeff Watson (NIGHT RANGER), Damon Johnson (BLACK STAR RIDERS, ALICE COOPER) and Stan Webb (CHICKEN SHACK).
Gary’s sons Jack and Gus are also involved, playing guitar and singing on “This One’s For You”, showing that the “Blood Of Emeralds” still runs their veins.
Moore Blues for Gary – A Tribute To Gary Moore” track listing and personnel details:
01. That’s Why I Play The Blues
02. The Blues Just Got Sadder
03. Empty Rooms
04. Still Got The Blues (For You)
05. Texas Strut
06. Nothing’s The Same
07. The Loner
08. Torn Inside
09. Don’t Believe A Word
10. Story Of The Blues
11. This One’s For You
12. Power Of The Blues
13. Parisienne Walkways
