Ian d sa biography of rory

Not your average blues lyrics

Rory Gallagher (1948–1995) is often described as one of the greatest blues-rock guitarists of the twentieth century. For over four decades, he toured across the globe, building a strong international reputation through his incendiary live performances. The overwhelming focus on his exceptional musicianship has, however, taken attention away from his songwriting, playing down both the quality and depth of his lyrics.

Often unfairly tagged as ‘mundane’ or mere ‘shortcuts’ to his guitar solos, Gallagher’s lyrics were, in fact, smart and incisive, drawing heavily on his passion for and knowledge of brott novels. This was a theme that the bluesman drew upon throughout his career, although it became a core part of his music from the late 1970s onwards as he looked for ways to bring ‘more artistry’ to his songwriting and stretch the lyrical possibilities of the blues beyond standards like ‘Li