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Just the Smile: Rory Gallagher's 1971 Solo Debut Expanded as 50th Anniversary Box Set

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Rory Gallagher

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2020 saw a number of releases from late Irish guitar god Rory Gallagher including a blazing 1977 live set and a career-spanning anthology.  Now, the celebration of all things Gallagher continues with a 50th anniversary edition of his 1971 solo debut.  On September 3, UMC (in the U.K.) and UMe (in the U.S.) will reissue the eponymous Rory Gallagher as a 4CD/1DVD set containing a new mix of the original album, 30 previously unreleased outtakes and alternates, a six-song BBC Radio John Peel Sunday Concert, and four BBC Radio Sounds of the Seventies performances - all freshly mastered at Abbey Road Studios.  The DVD will contain a previously unreleased, 50-minute film of Gallagher's first solo concert which was filmed in Paris for the Pop Deux television program.

Rory Gallagher struck out on his own following the breakup of the band Taste.  He tapped bassist Gerry McAvoy and drummer Wilgar Campbell to round out his power trio.  Recording at London's Advision Studios, producer-artist Gallagher, McAvoy, and Campbell were all ready to showcase their versatility on Rory's debut LP.  It would feature blistering blues-rock workouts alongside and folk- and jazz-inspired cuts.  In addition to guitar, Gallagher played mandolin, harmonica, and saxophone, while Vincent Crane added piano to two songs.

Gerry McAvoy would remain Gallagher's trusted musical ally for the next 20 years; Campbell would stick around for two more albums before departing the band in June 1972.  Rory Gallagher captures the moment in time when all three were playing on the same wavelength, finding new paths within the blues idiom.  Among the outtakes in this new package are the previously released outtake renditions of Muddy Waters' "Gypsy Woman" and Otis Rush's "It Takes Time;" alternates of the songs on Rory Gallagher; the previously unreleased "At the Bottom" (which Rory would re-record for 1975's Against the Grain); and the spontaneous "Advision Jam."

Rory Gallagher Packshot

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The box set features a 32-page hardback book with rare and previously unpublished photographs from British rock photographer Barrie Wentzell, plus liner notes and memorabilia including Gallagher's handwritten song lyrics, and a poster.  Notes have been provided by Rory's brother/manager Donal Gallagher, Gerry McAvoy, and Barrie Wentzell, while a 1971 interview with Rory by Roy Eldridge has been reprinted.

If 5 discs is too much Rory Gallagher for you, UMC and UMe are also offering highlights versions on 2 CDs or 3 LPs.  The uDiscoverMusic.com and Sound of Vinyl online stores will also offer an exclusive neon orange LP of the John Peel Sunday Concert show, and a digital version will offer 23 tracks culled from the box set.

The 50th anniversary editions of Rory Gallagher are due on September 3.  You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below.

Rory Gallagher, Rory Gallagher (Polydor (U.K.) LP 2383-044, 1971 - reissued UMC/UMe, 2021)

4CD/1DVD Super Deluxe Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

CD 1: Original Album Remix

  1. Laundromat
  2. Just The Smile
  3. I Fall Apart
  4. Wave Myself Goodbye
  5. Hands Up
  6. Sinner Boy
  7. For The Last Time
  8. It's You
  9. I'm Not Surprised
  10. Can't Believe It's True

CD 2

  1. Gypsy Woman - Tangerine Studio Session
  2. It Takes Time - Tangerine Studio Session
  3. I Fall Apart - Tangerine Studio Session
  4. Wave Myself Goodbye - Tangerine Studio Session
  5. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 1
  6. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 2
  7. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 3
  8. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 4
  9. Advision Jam
  10. Laundromat - Alternate Take 1
  11. Just The Smile - Alternate Take 1
  12. Just The Smile - Alternate Take 2
  13. I Fall Apart - Alternate Take 1
  14. Wave Myself Goodbye - Alternate Take 1
  15. Wave Myself Goodbye - Alternate Take 2

CD 3

  1. Hands Up - Alternate Take 1
  2. Hands Up - Alternate Take 2
  3. Hands Up - Alternate Take 3
  4. Hands Up - Alternate Take 4
  5. Hands Up - Alternate Take 5
  6. Hands Up - Alternate Take 6
  7. Sinner Boy - Alternate Take 1
  8. Sinner Boy - Alternate Take 2
  9. Sinner Boy - Alternate Take 3
  10. For The Last Time - Alternate Take 1
  11. For The Last Time - Alternate Take 2
  12. For The Last Time - Alternate Take 3
  13. It's You - Alternate Take 1
  14. It's You - Alternate Take 2
  15. I'm Not Surprised - Alternate Take 1
  16. I'm Not Surprised - Alternate Take 2
  17. Can't Believe It's True - Alternate Take 1

CD 4

  1. For The Last Time - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  2. Laundromat - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  3. It Takes Time - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  4. I Fall Apart - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  5. Hands Up - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  6. For The Last Time - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  7. In Your Town - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  8. Just The Smile - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  9. Laundromat - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  10. It Takes Time - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971

(*) denotes Off-Air Recording

DVD: Live on Pop Deux

  1. Interview
  2. Hands Up
  3. Wave Myself Goodbye
  4. It Takes Time
  5. Sinner Boy
  6. For the Last Time
  7. The Same Thing
  8. I Fall Apart

2CD Highlights: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

CD 1: Original Album Remix

  1. Laundromat
  2. Just The Smile
  3. I Fall Apart
  4. Wave Myself Goodbye
  5. Hands Up
  6. Sinner Boy
  7. For The Last Time
  8. It's You
  9. I'm Not Surprised
  10. Can't Believe It's True

CD 2

  1. Gypsy Woman - Tangerine Studio Session
  2. It Takes Time - Tangerine Studio Session
  3. I Fall Apart - Tangerine Studio Session
  4. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 3
  5. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 4
  6. Advision Jam
  7. Laundromat - Alternate Take 1
  8. Just The Smile - Alternate Take 1
  9. Wave Myself Goodbye - Alternate Take 2
  10. Hands Up - Alternate Take 2
  11. Sinner Boy - Alternate Take 3
  12. For The Last Time - Alternate Take 1
  13. It's You - Alternate Take 2
  14. I'm Not Surprised - Alternate Take 1
  15. For The Last Time - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  16. Laundromat - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  17. It Takes Time - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  18. I Fall Apart - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*

(*) denotes Off-Air Recording

3LP Highlights: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Side A

  1. Laundromat
  2. Just The Smile
  3. I Fall Apart
  4. Wave Myself Goodbye
  5. Hands Up

Side B

  1. Sinner Boy
  2. For The Last Time
  3. It's You
  4. I'm Not Surprised
  5. Can't Believe It's True

Side C

  1. Gypsy Woman - Tangerine Studio Session
  2. It Takes Time - Tangerine Studio Session
  3. I Fall Apart - Tangerine Studio Session
  4. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 3
  5. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 4
  6. Advision Jam

Side D

  1. Laundromat - Alternate Take 1
  2. Just The Smile - Alternate Take 1
  3. Wave Myself Goodbye - Alternate Take 2
  4. Hands Up - Alternate Take 2

Side E

  1. Sinner Boy - Alternate Take 3
  2. For The Last Time - Alternate Take 1
  3. It's You - Alternate Take 2
  4. I'm Not Surprised - Alternate Take 1

Side F

  1. For The Last Time - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  2. Laundromat - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  3. It Takes Time - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*
  4. I Fall Apart - Live on BBC "Sounds of the Seventies" / 1971*

(*) denotes Off-Air Recording

Rory Gallagher, John Peel Sunday Concert 28/08/1971 (UMC/UMe, 2021) (uDiscoverMusic.com / The Sound of Vinyl)

Side A

  1. Hands Up - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  2. For The Last Time - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  3. In Your Town - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971

Side B

  1. Just The Smile - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  2. Laundromat - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971
  3. It Takes Time - Live on BBC "John Peel Sunday Concert" / 1971

Deluxe Digital HD / Deluxe Digital Standard Edition

  1. Laundromat - 50th Anniversary Edition
  2. Just The Smile - 50th Anniversary Edition
  3. I Fall Apart - 50th Anniversary Edition
  4. Wave Myself Goodbye - 50th Anniversary Edition
  5. Hands Up - 50th Anniversary Edition
  6. Sinner Boy - 50th Anniversary Edition
  7. For The Last Time - 50th Anniversary Edition
  8. It's You - 50th Anniversary Edition
  9. I'm Not Surprised - 50th Anniversary Edition
  10. Can't Believe It's True - 50th Anniversary Edition
  11. Gypsy Woman - Tangerine Studio Session
  12. It Takes Time - Tangerine Studio Session
  13. I Fall Apart - Tangerine Studio Session
  14. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 3
  15. At The Bottom - Alternate Take 4
  16. Advision Jam
  17. Laundromat - Alternate Take 1
  18. Just The Smile - Alternate Take 1
  19. Wave Myself Goodbye - Alternate Take 2
  20. Hands Up - Alternate Take 2
  21. Sinner Boy - Alternate Take 3
  22. For The Last Time - Alternate Take 1
  23. It's You - Alternate Take 2
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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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