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Product Description
Product Description
This is the incredible story of the boy from Cork whose talent as a guitarist emerged at an early age. He began his musical career in the showband era, playing support for the likes of the Everly Brothers, the Animals and the Byrds, but turned his back on that world and founded the band Taste, with whom he toured Europe in 1968, gaining great acclaim even John Lennon loved them! Touring in North America and Canada, they rubbed shoulders with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix, but broke up soon afterwards, as Rorys star outshone the others.Rory recorded his first solo album in 1971. It was the gateway to over twenty years of recording, playing live and collaborating with the Fureys, the Davy Spillane Band, the Dubliners and many others.The tragic death of Rory Gallagher in 1995 at the age of forty-seven robbed Ireland of one of its finest musicians, an artist whose development closely mirrored that of Irish music in general. At his funeral in Cork, the musical world stars, fans, friends and colleagues mourned one of the all-time greats, an innovative and gifted guitarist who laid the foundations for the development of Irish rock and blues.
About the Author
Jean-Noël Coghe, one of the premier journalists in France and Belgium, has spent many years accompanying musicians and groups on tour in Europe stars such as Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Animals, Status Quo, and of course Rory Gallagher. He worked extensively with magazines such as Rock and Folk before moving into radio and television. His previous publications include an account of Jimi Hendrixs time in Europe.Lorna Carson, a native of Ballymena, County Antrim, has spent a number of years working as a language teacher, translator and researcher in the north of France and Belgium, where she met Jean-Noël Coghe. She is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the College of Europe, Bruges, and now lives in Dublin. Brian Steer was born in Kent and spent fourteen years working as an English teacher and translator in the city of Lille in France. He now lives in the south of France.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Jean-Noël Coghe's book covers Rory's musical career from purchasing his famous Fender Stratocaster at the age of 14 through to his death at the early age of 47.
The French author concentrates on tours and close friendships built outside the UK, mainly in France and Belgium. There are brief glimpses into Rory's private life showing the friendly easy-going nature of a man totally in tune with his fans and loved by them all. His love of the blues was well known but the admiration accorded him by bigger names in the music world comes as a surprise yet confirms what we all felt towards him.
Jean-Noël shows that outside the UK Rory was just as big in Europe. However the French influence means that although tours and performances elsewhere in the world are mentioned, they are slightly glossed over. The only UK event covered in any detail is Taste's appearance at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival.
The book makes a good reference point and due to its short chapters is easy to pick up and read in small bursts. One full chapter is devoted to each album, giving details of the recording venue, the personnel involved and backgrounds to each of the tracks. Dotted throughout are an interesting collection of photos, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Many of Rory's fans will be surprised at the causes behinds his untimely death, and how his illness was kept from the public for so long. I found it sad that such a warm and friendly person who was so revered by his fans should suffer depression and uncertainty towards the end. This is covered in the last few moving pages, along with details of his funeral in Cork.
Initially I was disappointed at the lack of UK material but looking back, the book achieves what it sets out to do, to show Rory for the warm, friendly character and well-loved musician that he was.
...most of Rory's fans would find the book of interest and a good, value-for-money read. Perhaps not worth the full price though. Since writing this I've read Gerry McAvoy's "Riding Shotgun - 35 years on the road with Rory Gallagher". Check it out, far better all round but this fills in some gaps.
The French author concentrates on tours and close friendships built outside the UK, mainly in France and Belgium. There are brief glimpses into Rory's private life showing the friendly easy-going nature of a man totally in tune with his fans and loved by them all. His love of the blues was well known but the admiration accorded him by bigger names in the music world comes as a surprise yet confirms what we all felt towards him.
Jean-Noël shows that outside the UK Rory was just as big in Europe. However the French influence means that although tours and performances elsewhere in the world are mentioned, they are slightly glossed over. The only UK event covered in any detail is Taste's appearance at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival.
The book makes a good reference point and due to its short chapters is easy to pick up and read in small bursts. One full chapter is devoted to each album, giving details of the recording venue, the personnel involved and backgrounds to each of the tracks. Dotted throughout are an interesting collection of photos, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Many of Rory's fans will be surprised at the causes behinds his untimely death, and how his illness was kept from the public for so long. I found it sad that such a warm and friendly person who was so revered by his fans should suffer depression and uncertainty towards the end. This is covered in the last few moving pages, along with details of his funeral in Cork.
Initially I was disappointed at the lack of UK material but looking back, the book achieves what it sets out to do, to show Rory for the warm, friendly character and well-loved musician that he was.
...most of Rory's fans would find the book of interest and a good, value-for-money read. Perhaps not worth the full price though. Since writing this I've read Gerry McAvoy's "Riding Shotgun - 35 years on the road with Rory Gallagher". Check it out, far better all round but this fills in some gaps.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Through Rory Gallagher's ocean of music and talent this so called biography is like a stone skimming across it. It does'nt really get involved to deeply in any aspect of Gallagher's music and for what it's worth in my opinion you would gain more of an understanding of the man by watching one of the DVD's.
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This has got to be one of the worse biographies i've ever purchased and it's a shame that after all the talk about the 'definative' book about Rory we have to put up with this badly written crap. Hardly any mention of Taste and you'd think that Rory spent most of his time in France and i really don't care about some guy i've never heard of jamming with him from time to time as if he was that important to Rory's career.The pictures are badly printed and it's not even in any sort of order. Then again who can blame the author for getting this so called biography out first when nothing seems to be happening in the 'official' camp (what happened to the taste at the iow video?). If you really want a good overveiw of Rory's career then check out the 'Marriot/Derringer/Trower/Gallagher' book by Hal Leonard which is an example on how to write a biography because it is based more on fact than supposition. What an insult to the great man!.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Don't be fooled!
I ordered this book following a review on Amazon saying that this was an excellent English Translation of the original French edition. Read more
Published 16 months ago by C. Wilson
really, really awful
Don't waste your time or money on this piece of crap. I've read some bad music biogs in my time but this one is by a long long way the worst book I've ever read full stop. Read more
Published on 1 April 2008 by Disgruntled Goat
A ground-breaking work of historical research.
I read Fr.Patrick Hickey's massive work of historical scholarship when it was first published in hardback. Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2008 by M. K. O'Donovan
Contemptible rubbish. An insult to a legend.
I purchased this book some time ago and have only now managed to calm down enough to write a printable review. Read more
Published on 20 July 2007 by Damien Connolly
Biography?
Maybe something other than the CD bootleg has been lost in translation. This is without doubt the kindest comment I could make on this rather patchy account of what was a rather... Read more
Published on 26 May 2007 by Bluesgirl
Something missing
For some strange reason, the most valuable part of the book is missing in its English translation (funny, isn't it, that about the first Rory's biography was written by a... Read more
Published on 7 May 2003 by Tomas Tulinger
Don't waste your money
This book is badly written, concentrates more on the author's activities (who cares?) than Rory's, and as a die hard fan even I found it dull and turgid. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2003 by Barney Toal
For Diehard Fans Only
Thi sbook was a major disappointment. It is a rather poor chronology, dominated by appearances on the continent. Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2002
Well worth a read.
A must for all Rory fans. A great insight into his life.Would be nice to see a similar one being written with a more British angle.
Published on 29 Dec 2001 by G. Mellin
a valuable insight to a great musician
This is a translation of the original French language biography and is neatly presented in a slim hard back volume that is of a higher quality print than the paperback original. Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2001
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