Too Old to Rock and Roll....
My town is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. This year it is celebrating its 20th anniversary and some people would say it is having a mid-life crisis. Some executives have been replaced, and the selection process has been modified to encourage the induction of younger artists. By that logic perhaps the Rosetta Stone should be replaced in the British Museum with today's Plain Dealer.
I understand that all music, including Rock and Roll, is art and therefore is subjective. I don't like everything called Rock and Roll. Nobody would. However, the name Rock and Roll in my mind suggests a certain era, a certain energy, and a certain spirit.
Recent inductees into the Hall of Fame include ABBA, Donna Summer, and Public Enemy. Some of the favorites to be nominated this year include N.W.A. and Mariah Carey. Again, all art is subjective.
At the risk of sounding like the ramblings of some old man, I think the museum is missing the mark. After all, isn't part of the mission of a museum to point out the worthy and notable, but not necessarily with appeal to popular culture? There are plenty of artists and groups that have been passed over so far and not recognized. Chicago and ELO to name two. I would like to bring to your attention my personal favorite that will not likely ever be inducted. Because he did not have mass appeal here in America. And he's dead.
Rory Gallagher was a blues rock guitar player from Ireland that was popular and toured back in the 70's. He never had what would be called a hit record. But his fans know the opening chords to most of his songs. He has what could be called today a cult following.
His forte was not in recording studio albums. It was playing live, at a small club. In front of people that, if they weren't fans, they would be at the end of the night. Rory would come on stage in a flannel shirt and blue jeans. There were no laser shows or explosions. I don't even remember if there were colored spot lights. He just played, and blew the place up. He gave every show, and every song in the show all he had. You believed he lived every song. Few rock guitar players were as gifted. His voice was not operatic at all, but the strain in his voice added to the song.
My buddy Mike and I were lucky to see him a couple of times at the old Cleveland Agora. (The one that burned down near Cleveland State, not the present incarnation). I remember one time the opening act came out and stood with us to see Rory preform. BTW, I think there should be a "venue" category in the Rock Hall for places like the Agora, CBGB's in New York, and the Troubadour in LA.
He never said much on stage. Just a "Thank you, thank you very much, indeed!" He toured extensively back then, and drank a lot of Guiness. He developed liver disease and died in 1995. Because he has a cult following, and no hit record, there is little chance Rory will ever make it to the Hall of Fame. People like Slash and Eric Clapton have spoke in his behalf with no effect so far.
His stories have now approached legend status. Story goes, he was asked to join the Rolling Stones. He turned them down. Story goes, Jimi Hendrix was asked how it felt to be the world's greatest rock guitarist. Hendrix reportedly replied, "I don't know. You'll have to ask Rory Gallagher." You can buy a Rory Gallagher model Stratocaster from Fender. You can visit his statue in Ireland. You can go to the Rory Gallagher International Festival. In 2016 it will be in Donegal, Ireland on June 2 thru 5th. But you will find no mention of him in a museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
One place you will always find Rory is in my car. I keep a bootleg of the Agora show in there. Ask to hear it sometime.
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| The Temple of Rock |
I understand that all music, including Rock and Roll, is art and therefore is subjective. I don't like everything called Rock and Roll. Nobody would. However, the name Rock and Roll in my mind suggests a certain era, a certain energy, and a certain spirit.
Recent inductees into the Hall of Fame include ABBA, Donna Summer, and Public Enemy. Some of the favorites to be nominated this year include N.W.A. and Mariah Carey. Again, all art is subjective.
At the risk of sounding like the ramblings of some old man, I think the museum is missing the mark. After all, isn't part of the mission of a museum to point out the worthy and notable, but not necessarily with appeal to popular culture? There are plenty of artists and groups that have been passed over so far and not recognized. Chicago and ELO to name two. I would like to bring to your attention my personal favorite that will not likely ever be inducted. Because he did not have mass appeal here in America. And he's dead.
Rory Gallagher was a blues rock guitar player from Ireland that was popular and toured back in the 70's. He never had what would be called a hit record. But his fans know the opening chords to most of his songs. He has what could be called today a cult following.His forte was not in recording studio albums. It was playing live, at a small club. In front of people that, if they weren't fans, they would be at the end of the night. Rory would come on stage in a flannel shirt and blue jeans. There were no laser shows or explosions. I don't even remember if there were colored spot lights. He just played, and blew the place up. He gave every show, and every song in the show all he had. You believed he lived every song. Few rock guitar players were as gifted. His voice was not operatic at all, but the strain in his voice added to the song.
My buddy Mike and I were lucky to see him a couple of times at the old Cleveland Agora. (The one that burned down near Cleveland State, not the present incarnation). I remember one time the opening act came out and stood with us to see Rory preform. BTW, I think there should be a "venue" category in the Rock Hall for places like the Agora, CBGB's in New York, and the Troubadour in LA.
He never said much on stage. Just a "Thank you, thank you very much, indeed!" He toured extensively back then, and drank a lot of Guiness. He developed liver disease and died in 1995. Because he has a cult following, and no hit record, there is little chance Rory will ever make it to the Hall of Fame. People like Slash and Eric Clapton have spoke in his behalf with no effect so far.
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| Statue in Ballyshannon, Ireland. |
One place you will always find Rory is in my car. I keep a bootleg of the Agora show in there. Ask to hear it sometime.
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