Happy Birthday Gary Moore! (April 4, 1952)

byFrankB-1

5.7K followers

Updated 4 weeks ago

(Title Image By DALL-E 3)

Hi WA Friends!

Let's celebrate the birthday of the Irish Blues, Rock, and Metal guitar virtuoso Gary Moore!

A Little Background

Gary Moore, born Robert William Gary Moore on April 4, 1952, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was a guitarist known for his expressive and powerful playing style that bridged the worlds of Blues, Rock, and Metal with remarkable ease and fluidity. Gary began playing the guitar at eight years old, and by the time he was sixteen, he moved to Dublin to join the blues-rock band Skid Row, not to be confused with the American metal band of the same name. It was here that Gary's professional music career truly took off.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Gary's name became synonymous with virtuoso guitar playing, joining bands like Thin Lizzy and Colosseum II, and contributing to their unique sounds with his fiery guitar solos and emotional depth. His tenure with Thin Lizzy, in particular, was marked by a close friendship with the band's frontman, Phil Lynott, leading to several collaborations between the two, including the hit song "Parisienne Walkways."

Gary's solo career led him to explore various musical genres, from hard rock in the early days to a more blues-oriented approach in his later years. Albums like "Still Got the Blues" cemented his reputation as a master blues guitarist, earning him critical acclaim and a new generation of fans. Gary's untimely death on February 6, 2011, left a void in the music world, but his legacy as a guitar legend continues to inspire generations of players.

Equipment Used (For all my WA "Gearhead" friends! Lol)

(Courtesy of ChatGPT and me)

Guitars

Gibson Les Paul, particularly his famous "Greeny" 1959 model
Gibson ES-335
Fender Stratocaster
Other guitars: Fender Telecaster, Gibson Firebird, Hamer Explorer, and various Ibanez guitars

Amps

Marshall Amps: 1959 Super Lead, JTM45 Reissue, JCM 2000 DSL (among other Marshall models)
Other Amps: Vox AC30, Hiwatt, Soldano, Fender amps

Effects Pedals

Marshall Guv'nor
Ibanez Tube Screamer (TS-9 and TS-10)
Other effects: Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo, Roland SDE-3000 Digital Delay, and various rack effects units

Honors and Awards (Courtesy of ChatGPT)

Gary's recognition comes mostly from critical acclaim and industry honors for his guitar playing, rather than formal awards. It's hard to believe that Gary is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Danish Music Award for International Album of the Year: This is the most prominent award Gary Moore received.
Recognition by fellow musicians: He was voted as one of the greatest guitarists of all time on respective lists by Total Guitar and Louder magazines. Irish singer-songwriter Bob Geldof called him "one of the great Irish bluesmen."
Signature guitars: Gibson and Fender honored him with several signature model guitars, a testament to his influence on the instrument.
Blues Hall of Fame: Recognizing his significant contribution to the blues genre, particularly with albums like "Still Got the Blues."
Mojo Hall of Fame: Honored for his outstanding contribution to music and lasting legacy as a guitar hero.

Discography

Check out Gary's very impressive discography (Courtesy of ChatGPT)! If you listen to just one album, check out Still Got the Blues (1990) or The Very Best of Gary Moore (1994).

Solo Studio Albums:

Grinding Stone (1973)
Back in Blues (1984)
Victims of the Future (1984)
Wild Frontier (1987)
After the War (1989)
Still Got the Blues (1990)
Shouting in the Dark (1991)
A Blast from the Past (1994)
Blues for Greeny (1995)
Dark Days in Paradise (1997)
A Different Beat (1999)
Back to the Blues (2001)
Power of the Blues (2004)
Old New Ballads Blues (2006)
Close as You Get (2007)
Bad for You Baby (2008)

With Other Projects:

Thin Lizzy:
- Black Rose (1979)
- Nightlife (1976)
- Johnny the Fox (1976)
- Fighting (1975)
- Life (1975)
- The Philip Lynott Album (1981) (compilation)
Skid Row (Irish Band):
- Skid Row (1970)
- All Worked Out (1971)
- Gary Moore (1973) (compilation)
Colosseum II:
- Strange New Flesh (1976)
- Electric Savage (1977)
- War Dance (1977)
- Coliseum II (1978)
BBM (with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker):
- Around the Next Corner (1994)
Dr. Strangely Strange:
- Strange Games & Funky Things (1978)

Live Albums:

Live in Helsinki (1985)
Rockin' Every Night - Live From Shinjuku Kousei Nenkin Hall, Tokyo, Japan (1986)
Les Paul & Friends: Blues for Greeny (1995)
Live at the Marquee Club, London (1997)
Twelfth Street Riot (2002)
Live at Montreux 2010 (2010)

Compilation Albums:

Best of Gary Moore (1982)
The Singles Collection (1992)
The Very Best of Gary Moore (1994)
Ballads & Blues 1982-1994 (1994)
Blues Legend (1994)
Out in the Fields: The Very Best of (1998)
The Best of Gary Moore (2002)
The Essential Gary Moore (2003)
Gary Moore – The Platinum Collection (2006)
The Definitive Montreux Collection (2010)

Tell Me What You Think!

Have you heard of Gary before reading this post?

What's your favorite album?

I had the honor of seeing Gary twice in concert over the years, and he signed a copy of his "Victims Of The Future" album for me. Here's a look at it. Sorry, I couldn't get any closer, but the reflections from the sun made it harder to see.

My music studio wall with autographed Gary Moore album.

Happy Birthday, Gary! 🎂, AND ...

Keep On Rocking! 🤘
Frank 🎸

~ 65% Human written content.

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Recent Comments

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TSLee23

4 weeks ago

Great write up, Frank!

While reading your post, I saw Skid Row and thought...what? Haha. I then read on.

One of the most memorable songs I've ever heard live was during the Generation Axe concert about 5 years ago, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi played Still Got the Blues in 4 part guitar harmony.......it was magical! I will never forget it!

Happy Birthday Gary!! 🎸🤘🎸🤘

Tim 🎼