This month marks ten years since Gary Moore’s untimely passing and Provogue are celebrating his life by releasing the album ‘How Blue Can You Get’ on 30 April. The album, which features eight tracks, contains previously unheard and unreleased deep cuts, and some alternative versions.
Featured tracks include ‘In My Dreams’, glorious slow-moving ballad which you can hear below.
The album opens with Freddie King’s ‘I’m Tore Down’, followed by a previously unreleased version of Memphis Slim’s ‘Steppin’ Out.’
Other notable inclusions are a seven minute unreleased version of BB King’s 1964 hit ‘How Blue Can You Get’, Elmore James’ ‘Done Somebody Wrong’ and an alternate version of ‘Love Can Make A Fool Of You’.
The Gary Moore legacy lives on and he continues to inspire musicians young and old from all across the globe.
Kirk Hammett: “Totally blown away”
Kirk Hammett spoke to Rolling Stone magazine in 2011, saying: “His influence is strong to the point that the opening lick of the guitar solo of ‘Master of Puppets’ is a variation of a lick that Gary Moore played a lot.
“I remember the first time hearing his Blues album and just getting totally blown away – not only by the playing but by the sound of it too, his tone. And I remember being so inspired that I wrote a couple riffs just based on his sound and his feel.
“And those riffs ended up in ‘The Unforgiven’ on ‘The Black Album’.”
Bernie Marsden: “We had the same influences”
Bernie Marsden told MetalTalk:Â “I met Gary Moore in London on 23 October 1970. He was playing with Skid Row and my band Skinny Cat were opening that Friday.
“We were roughly the same age, dressed in a similar way, except for the beret he wore! We got along well – I immediately realised how good he was, but I also noticed that he was easy going, he cared about the support group and made an effort – believe me, that was not always the case.
“Over the next years I turned pro and ran into Gary at gigs in London and socially at the Marquee. We would dig into our pockets and pool our spending money for those evenings but, because it was Gary, we were always offered a few drinks anyway!
“We spent quite a lot of time together when we were not gigging, and soon found out that we had the same influences, mainly Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and Rory Gallagher.
“I was also with him the day he acquired Peter’s Gibson Les Paul guitar.
“We remained close as the years went on and in 1974 he rang me up to borrow a guitar of mine for a gig he was doing with Colosseum. I still have that guitar today.
“He was at my wedding in 1980, playing as a part of the pretty impressive house-band, others including Cozy Powell, David Coverdale and Don Airey! We stayed close and last time we hung out together was on his UK tour with BB King.”
Steve Lukather: “He was a master”
Steve Lukather remembers Moore, particular from the 80s when Toto were hitting the big time: “Gary Moore was a force. His intensity, as well as his dynamic sweet soft tones had such deep feel.
“He was a master and I got to watch him play and meet him. He was a very nice man as well. His loss is felt by all who loved him, but we are blessed; we can still hear him play on the records, DVD’s and all that will live forever.
“He was a one of a kind.”
Chris Robertson: “An influence on me”
Chris Robertson, singer-guitarist for Black Stone Cherry, told us: “Gary Moore took the Blues and turned it on its head for me.
“His ferocity and his style of playing definitely has been an influence on me. There is a ferociousness on what he does that can’t be matched.”
Don Airey: “Coruscating Belfast wit”
Don Airey, another long-time friend of his, told us: “Gary was a great singer, lyricist and songwriter, and then there was his guitar playing to contend with, (not to speak of his coruscating Belfast wit).
“Working on the ‘Back on the Streets’ album in 1978, Gary overdubbed six different solo takes on ‘The Road Goes On Forever’ each of which was phenomenal, each one different from the others.
“He asked which I thought was the best. Making a choice, I ventured it would sound even better if double tracked. Having played it once and heard it once, Gary went back into the studio and double-tracked a 16 bar solo in a single take.
“Chris Tsangarides who was producing and engineering turned round and looked at me wide-eyed. Nothing was said. After a minute or so a voice came up from the studio “Was that any good?” “…Er yes” said Chris “Come in!”.
“Gary was the most astonishing musician any of us ever worked with and is still a musical reference point after ten years gone. I am always asking myself ‘Now what would he think of this!'”
The final words are with Bernie Marsden. “We grew up in the business together and he eventually became a major solo star.
“I was not remotely surprised, of course, as his playing was so astonishing.
“A great showman and performer.
“But to me, he was first and foremost, my friend and I still miss him today!
“Enjoy this rare recording.”
‘How Blue Can You Get’ can be pre-ordered from smarturl.it/GaryMoore
