(RockAndMetal.com) (03/18/05)

Edited By Michael Bennett

LONDON, UK - To mark the 10th anniversary of his untimely death, Sony BMG Entertainment have announced a June 13th release date for "Big Guns - The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher" - a stunning new 24-track, 2-disc album from Ireland's most influential Blues/Rock guitarist, RORY GALLAGHER.

Now, for the first time, the original multi-tracks of some of Gallagher's best known recordings have been remixed, digitally re-mastered and upgraded in 5.1 Surround Sound on CD/SACD.

Following the release of the 2003's critically acclaimed acoustic album, "Wheels Within Wheels" (voted "Album Of The Year" in Guitar Magazine), this long overdue anthology, meticulously compiled by Rory Gallagher's brother and long-time manager Donal Gallagher, "Big Guns" represents the creme de la creme of the legendary guitarist's most significant recordings spanning an illustrious 28-year recording career.

Rory Gallagher is an undisputed guitar legend to Blues enthusiasts around the globe.

Not only will this anthology delight fans, it should also appeal to a broader audience through the timeless qualities of the music and the unique approach of this much-missed authentic guitar virtuoso.

Gallagher's contribution to Rock music has had a significant impact on both musicians and music fans around the world, despite his untimely death on June 14th, 1995 at the age of 48 from complications following liver transplant surgery.

The package includes a comprehensive booklet with sleeve notes penned by London Times newspaper Rock correspondent David Sinclair, himself an avid Rory Gallagher admirer.

A second set of essays is provided by Michael Molenda, Editor-In-Chief of Guitar Player magazine in the U.S.

"Big Guns - The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher" features rare tracks from his formative years with his first band, Taste.

In the tradition of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, etc. -- their contemporaries at the time -- Taste were not only a trio who played Blues/Rock, but they also crossed over into Folk and Jazz, led to the fore by Rory Gallagher's impeccable guitar playing and songwriting.

Taste went on to record two studio albums before they split up in 1970, after which an additional two live albums were issued during the same year Gallagher released his self-titled debut solo album.

In those early days, Rory Gallagher single-handedly spearheaded the Irish Rock movement, and in the process pushed the envelope - blazing a trail for other Irish rock bands including Thin Lizzy and later U2 (Gallagher's influence on their "Rattle And Hum" album is uncanny).

Born in 1948 in Ballyshannon and raised in Cork, Rory Gallagher's Rock 'N' Roll journey began at an early age when first witnessed Elvis Presley on TV, which inspired him to get his first guitar.

He listened to and learned from the likes of Lonnie Donegan, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Buddy Guy, Chuck Berry, Freddie King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Jerry Lewis and more - many of whom Gallagher went on to record with further in his illustrious career.

During his school days in his early teens, he played with professional show bands throughout Ireland, whose repertoires included the popular hits of the day.

With his heart set on future prospects, Rory Gallagher converted his show band The Impact into a six-piece R&B band, with whom he to Hamburg in the mid-1960s.

On arrival, the line-up was soon trimmed down to his first trio.

Gallagher went on to form Taste in 1967, a band who soon met with wide acclaim. They subsequently headed for London where they were an immediate success at London's highly esteemed Marquee Club, counting among their fans The Beatles' John Lennon.

Having been guests at Cream's farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Taste were invited to embark on their first U.S. tour with Blind Faith, where both albums reached the Billboard Charts.

Following their huge success at the Isle Of Wight festival and two studio albums (both Top 20), Taste split in 1971, after which Gallagher formed a successful solo career.

From his first self-titled solo album in early '71 through to 1990's acclaimed "Fresh Evidence," Rory Gallagher sold millions of albums internationally, and toured the globe several times - mounting more than 25 tours in North America alone.

On a prolific roll, Gallagher released his second album, "Deuce" (a major influence on the Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr) in late 1971.

Later that same year he achieved another personal high when he was invited to guest on Muddy Waters' London Sessions album on Chess Records.

Following his extensive tours of Europe, Rory Gallagher released the album "Live In Europe '72," a Top 10 success worldwide.

While touring America solo for the first time, he was voted Melody Maker's Top Musician of the Year in 1972 as well.

During that same year, "Live In Europe" became Gallagher's first gold album, and his second chart album success in the U.S.

In 1973, Rory Gallagher changed the line-up of his band, and released a further two successful albums, "Blueprint" and "Tattoo."

Gallagher continued to tour his native Ireland, and his legendary tour in 1974 was filmed by director Tony Palmer.

The documentary film, "Irish Tour 1974," was released in conjunction with a double live LP of the same name, which became Rory Gallagher's most successful album ever in America.

In 1974, following the departure of guitarist Mick Taylor, The Rolling Stones invited Gallagher to Holland to record with them.

After four nights, he departed Rotterdam to embark on his debut tour of the Far East.

Deep Purple, Canned Heat, Cactus, and Free were amongst the other groups who also sought Rory Gallagher's talents.

Having fulfilled his contract with Polydor, he signed with Chrysalis Records in 1975 and released "Against The Grain."

After an extensive world tour, Rory Gallagher returned to the UK to headline the Reading Festival (one of his many performances at the festival, for which he held the record during his lifetime for number of appearances).

By 1976, "Calling Card" was recorded with the aid of Roger Glover at Musicland Studios in Munich, which again charted worldwide upon its release.

Gallagher then returned to the U.S. for yet another tour.

The same year, Rory Gallagher made TV history as the first ever artist to appear on Germany's Rockplast live simulcast TV show transmitted live to over 15 countries to an estimated audience of 50 million.

A Rockplast DVD released last year went to #1 in Germany and Ireland and charted throughout Europe.

Rory Gallagher returned to Germany in 1978 to record the critically acclaimed album "Photo Finish" at Dieter Dierks' studios in Cologne.

Following a lengthy global tour in support of "Photo Finish," Gallagher returned to Dierks' Studios the following year, sticking to the same winning formula to record his 10th album, "Top Priority."

The album was released and followed up with further extensive touring, resulting in the landmark live album, 1980's "Stage Struck."

In 1982, Rory Gallagher released his final album for Chrysalis, "Jinx," released by PolyGram in North America.

He then returned to live performances and yet another successful tour of the world.

By 1985, Rory Gallagher took control over his entire catalogue, and formed his own label, Capo Records.

In 1987, he recorded his 10th studio album, "Defender," which took him to the top of the UK independent charts.

The 1990 release of "Fresh Evidence" saw Gallagher reaching an even wider audience.

As he continued to tour with a new band he established in 1993, Rory Gallagher fell seriously ill in Holland in January of 1995.

Sadly, Rory Gallagher passed away six months later.

With his Capo catalogue finding a new home at BMG in 1998, a new double album was released.

Entitled "The BBC Sessions," it consisted of rare radio recordings of the guitarist.

The live bootleg album "Waiting For The G-Man was also released in 2003, ten years after it was recorded at the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam, Holland.

To this day, Rory Gallagher is still highly regarded by both fans and music critics alike as one of the finest Blues musicians that ever lived - a guitar virtuoso who also ranks among the finest slide players in the world.

While he was alive, Rory Gallagher received the rare accolade of being invited to play with legendary musicians including the great Blues virtuoso Muddy Waters, who invited him to record on his London Sessions album (1972, Chess Records), and Albert King, who invited him to play on his 1977 "Live" album (Utopia/RCA Records).

Gallagher also recorded on albums for Jerry Lee Lewis ("The London Sessions," 1973, Mercury Records), British Skiffle king Lonnie Donegan ("Puttin' On The Style," 1976, Chrysalis Records), and The Chris Barber Band ("Frat That Fraddle Rat").

During 1991, in a rare interview with American music journalist Richard Skelly, Rory Gallagher said: "I try to sit down and write a Rory Gallagher song, which generally happens to be quite bluesy."

"I try to find different issues, different themes and different topics that haven't been covered before. I've done things in all different styles... train blues, drinking blues, economic blues."

"I try to find a slightly different angle on all these things. The music can be very traditional, but you can sort of creep into the future with the lyrics."

All trademark musical genres, from grassroots Blues and R&B, Rock 'N' Roll and Country music are evident on the songs that have carefully been selected for the "Big Guns" retrospective.

If anything, it's Gallagher's distinctive guitar playing style, self-taught technique and unadulterated passion for the Blues that makes this unique anthology an essential addition to any serious music collection.

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