[S1E11] AKA I've Got The Blues

Moore was often described as a virtuoso and has been cited as an influence by many other guitar players. He was voted as one of the greatest guitarists of all time on respective lists by Total Guitar and Louder. Irish singer-songwriter Bob Geldof said that "without question, [Moore] was one of the great Irish bluesmen".[1] For most of his career, Moore was heavily associated with Peter Green's famed 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar. Later he was honoured by Gibson and Fender with several signature model guitars.

[S1E11] AKA I've Got the Blues

After moving to Dublin, Moore joined Irish blues rock band Skid Row. At the time, the group were fronted by vocalist Phil Lynott. He and Moore soon became friends, and they shared a bedsit in Ballsbridge.[2] However, after a medical leave of absence, Lynott was asked to leave Skid Row by the band's bassist Brush Shiels, who had taken over lead vocal duties.[9][10] In 1970, Skid Row signed a recording contract with CBS,[11] and released their debut album Skid, which reached number 30 on the UK Albums Chart.[12] After the album 34 Hours in 1971, and tours supporting The Allman Brothers Band and Mountain amongst others, Moore decided to leave the band.[11][13] Moore had become frustrated by Skid Row's "limitations", opting to start a solo career.[3] In retrospect, Moore stated: "Skid Row was a laugh but I don't have really fond memories of it, because at the time I was very mixed up about what I was doing."[14] Sebastian Bach, former frontman of the American heavy metal band Skid Row, claimed that Moore sold them the rights to the name in 1987 for a reported $35,000.[15] Brush Shiels contested the story in 2012, claiming he still owns the rights.[16] Rachel Bolan of the American Skid Row also refuted the story in 2019, stating: "There was never any money exchange. Snake and I went and trademarked the name, and there was no problem."[17]

In 1973, Moore released the album Grinding Stone, which was credited to The Gary Moore Band.[13][27] An eclectic mix of blues, rock and jazz,[28] the album proved to be a commercial flop with Moore still unsure of his musical direction.[13][29][30] While still a member of Thin Lizzy, Moore released his first proper solo album Back on the Streets in 1979.[27][31] It spawned the hit single "Parisienne Walkways", which also featured Phil Lynott on lead vocals and bass. The song reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart and is considered Moore's signature song.[27] After leaving Thin Lizzy in 1979, Moore relocated to Los Angeles where he signed a new recording contract with Jet Records.[32] He recorded the album Dirty Fingers, which was shelved in favour of the more "radio-oriented" G-Force album, which came out in 1980. Dirty Fingers was eventually released in Japan in 1983, followed by an international release the next year.[33][34]

Still Got the Blues was followed up by 1992's After Hours, which went platinum in Sweden and gold in the UK.[43][56] The record also became Moore's highest charting album in the UK where it reached number four.[57] In 1995, Moore released Blues for Greeny, a tribute album to his friend and mentor Peter Green.[58] After experimenting with electronic music on Dark Days in Paradise (1997) and A Different Beat (1999), Moore once again returned to his blues roots with 2001's Back to the Blues.[11][59] This was followed-up by Power of the Blues (2004), Old New Ballads Blues (2006), Close as You Get (2007), and finally Bad for You Baby (2008).[60] Prior to his death, Moore was working on a new Celtic rock album that was left unfinished. Some of the songs would later appear on the live album Live at Montreux 2010.[61] Additional unreleased recordings of Moore's were released on the album How Blue Can You Get in 2021.[62]

One of Moore's biggest influences was guitarist Peter Green. The first time Moore heard Green play was at a performance with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, of which he said: "It was an amazing experience just to hear a guitarist walk on stage and plug into this amplifier, which I thought was a pile of shit, and get this incredible sound. He was absolutely fantastic, everything about him was so graceful."[58] Moore eventually met Green in January 1970 when Skid Row toured with Green's band Fleetwood Mac.[52] The two became friends and Green later sold his 1959 Gibson Les Paul to Moore.[89][90] Another major influence of Moore's was Eric Clapton, whom he first heard on the John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton. Moore later described this as a life-changing experience: "Within two seconds of the opening track, I was blown away. The guitar sound itself was so different. You could hear the blues in it, but prior to that all the guitar you heard in rock, well pop, music had been very staid, very polite. Just listen to the early Beatles and The Shadows to see what I mean. They were great, but Eric Clapton transcended it completely."[91] Some of Moore's other early influences included Jeff Beck, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Hank Marvin, John Mayall, and Mick Taylor.[13][87][88] He also cited Albert King and B.B. King as influences.[88] 041b061a72