Genre: blues-rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Taste
Company: ATCO
Catalog: SD 33-296
Year: 1969
Country/State: Ireland
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear
Available: 1
GEMM Catalog ID: not listed yet
Price: $30.00
A unique figure in modern rock, Ireland's Rory Gallagher spent the majority of his adult life touring, preaching the gospel of the blues throughout the world. Prior to his 1995 death, he released scores of albums, but never come close to commercial success.
Gallagher was playing guitar by the time he was eight and began playing professionally at age 15. Certain that his future lay in music, at eighteen he joined the Fontana Showband where he spent three years working on the dinner party circuit. Frustrated by the Showband's conservative repetoire and his inability to play the blues,
Gallagher and fellow Showband members Eric Kittringham and Norman Damery tendered their notices in 1965. Forming the blues based Taste, the trio embarked on three years of near constant touring, culminating in a 1969 American tour as Blind Faith's opening act. Frustrated by their lack of commercial success and tired of the constant roadwork, Kittringham and Damery quit in 1968. They were promptly replaced by former Them drummer John Wilson (see separate entry) and bassist Charlie McCracken.
The new line up relocated to London and, as part of the late '60s blues revival, began to attract a sizable following. Polydor eventually signed them to a contract. Ironically, the band's first collection, recorded live at London's Marquee club, was shelved. The album entitled "Taste Live At the Marquee '68" wasn't released in Europe until 1977.
With Atlantic's ATCO subsidiary acquiring American distribution rights, the trio made it's debut with 1969's
"Taste". Produced by Tony Cotton, material such as "Sugar Mama", "Hail" and a cover of Ledbetter's "Leavin' Blues" made it clear Gallagher's musical allegiance was with the blues. While publicity focused on Gallagher's blazing guitar, on original tracks such as "Blister On the Moon" and "Born On the Wrong Side of Time" Gallagher proved himself a more than capable vocalist. The
bluesy nature of the set certainly limited the set's overall appeal, but to our ears the low tech, no-frills attack only served to underscore the set's appeal.
"Taste" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Blister on the Moon (Rory Gallagher) - 3:26
2.) Leavin' Blues (Ledbetter) - 4:15
3.) Sugar Mama (Rory Gallagher) - 7:14
4.) Hail (Rory Gallagher) - 2:35
5.) Born on the Wrong Side of Time (Rory Gallagher) - 4:00
(side 2)
1.) Dual Carriageway Pain (Rory Gallagher) - 3:13
2.) Same Old Story (Rory Gallagher) - 3:32
3.) Catfish (traditional) - 8:04
4.) I'm Movin' On (Snow) - 2:29
