Gallagher's playing seemed effortless, despite his ability to dig deep into his vast well of talent to create intricate melodies. His arrangements of traditional songs, like "Bullfrog Blues", gave the music he loved a fuller, richer sound than most folks had believed possible. Rory was sort of like the Stevie Ray Vaughan of the late sixties and early seventies. He mixed style and technique to showcase the music, not himself. It was the music that mattered most. His ability to interpret, or intuit, the deeper soul of the music earned him the opportunities to appear on Muddy Waters' The London Sessions and Albert King's Live. Not bad for a kid from Ireland, eh? The blues greats recognized Gallagher's talent. And, for those of us who missed it the first time around, we now have the opportunity to do the same.
Big Guns covers the span of Rory's career. "Sinnerboy" and "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" are from those early days with the band Taste. Cuts from later albums include "Kickback City" (which serves as warning against getting carried away by the glittering wink of fame), "The King of Zydeco" (a tribute to Clifton Chenier), and "Big Guns" (one of the rockingest tunes ever). Donal Gallagher, Rory's brother and manager, put together an absolutely stellar collection. Every song on this 2 CD set reflects the best of Rory and his band(s).
Rory Gallagher may be "A Million Miles Away", up there with the heavenly blues gods these days, but with Big Guns, it's as if he's still very much with us. Sadly, "They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore", Rory.
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