The influential guitar work of Rory Gallagher will be celebrated next month in an exhaustive box that collects hours of his live recordings for the BBC.

The BBC Collection, available October 11, is an 18CD/2 Blu-ray set that mines both the radio service and the late musician's personal archives to bring together his in-studio appearances, live concerts, television specials and even a radio documentary. This box, of course, supersedes a 1999 double-disc collection of BBC highlights, offering not only about 75% previously unreleased material but even recordings that never even hit the airwaves before. The BBC Collection features a lengthy essay from author Colin Harper, featuring new quotes from Jeff Griffin (a frequent BBC producer), Gallagher's bassist Gerry McAvoy, and other U.K. peers. A 2CD or 3LP set will offer 24 of the more than 150 music tracks on the big set, as well as an edited version of the essay.

Though virtually unrecognized outside of Europe and the general guitar fan community, Rory Gallagher's killer blues style - heavily influenced by Muddy Waters and Lead Belly - became a cornerstone of rock and roll in the '70s. Brian May credited him with influencing the sound of his own distinct playing, and everyone from Slash and Johnny Marr to The Edge and Alex Lifeson of Rush has cited him as a formative player in their own development. Coming from the power trio Taste in the late '60s and going solo in the early '70s, all 14 albums released during his lifetime went either gold or silver in the United Kingdom. With his master recordings landing at Universal Music Group in recent years after a term with Sony Music Entertainment, UMC has kept the train rolling with a new box set, 2019's Blues, a career-spanning best-of, and 50th anniversary deluxe versions of his 1971 albums Rory Gallagher and Deuce. Some of those sets featured BBC recordings, which are of course repeated here alongside numerous unheard gems, sourced from original transcription discs and cassette recordings between 1971 and 1986.

The BBC Collection and its slimmer volumes will be available October 11 and can be pre-ordered below. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The BBC Collection (UMC, 2024)

18CD/2BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

* previously unreleased
+ off-air recording
# included on best-of

CD 1: Sounds of the Seventies - 1971 (1-8) and 1972 (9-13)

1. For the Last Time +
2. Laundromat +
3. Hands Up * +
4. Sinner Boy * +
5. It Takes Time +
6. I Fall Apart +
7. Used to Be * + #
8. Crest of a Wave
9. Hoodoo Man Blues * +
10. Feel So Bad +
11. I Could've Had Religion * #
12. The Cuckoo *
13. Messin' with the Kid * #

CD 2: Sounds of the Seventies - 1973 (except Track 6 from The Old Grey Whistle Test)

1. Hands Off
2. Race the Breeze
3. Bankers Blues * #
4. Walk on Hot Coals * + #
5. Hands Off *
6. Walk on Hot Coals *
7. Unmilitary Two-Step *
8. If I Had a Reason *
9. Daughter of The Everglades
10. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
11. Tattoo'd Lady * #
12. Cradle Rock * #
13. A Million Miles Away

CD 3: More BBC Sessions

1. Back on My Stompin' Ground (Sounds of the Seventies - 1974) * #
2. I Wonder Who (Sounds of the Seventies - 1974) * #
3. They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore (Sounds of the Seventies - 1974)
4. As the Crow Flies (Sounds of the Seventies - 1974) *
5. Flight to Paradise (with Juan Martin) (BBC Radio 1 - 1984)
6. Can't Be Satisfied (with Juan Martin) (BBC Radio 1 - 1984) * #
7. Introduction (Paul Jones Blues Show, BBC Radio 2 - 1986) *
8. When My Baby She Left Me (Paul Jones Blues Show, BBC Radio 2 - 1986)
9. Continental Op (Paul Jones Blues Show, BBC Radio 2 - 1986) * #
10. Interview (Paul Jones Blues Show, BBC Radio 2 - 1986) *
11. Off the Handle (Paul Jones Blues Show, BBC Radio 2 - 1986)

CD 4: The Rory Gallagher Story (Narrated by Gary Moore, BBC Radio 2 - 2005) *

CD 5: John Peel Sunday Concert - 8/12/1971

1. Hands Up
2. For the Last Time
3. In Your Town
4. Just the Smile
5. Laundromat
6. It Takes Time

CD 6: BBC in Concert - Live at The Paris Theatre, London, England - 1/13/1972

1. Used to Be
2. Should've Learned My Lesson
3. Out of Mind
4. I Could've Had Religion
5. Crest of a Wave
6. Messin' with the Kid
7. Maybe I Will *

CD 7: BBC in Concert - Live at The Paris Theatre, London, England - 7/13/1972

1. Tore Down
2. Used to Be *
3. Hoodoo Man
4. Messin' with the Kid *
5. Pistol Slapper Blues *
6. The Cuckoo *
7. Going to My Hometown *
8. In Your Town *
9. Bullfrog Blues *

CD 8: BBC in Concert - Live at The Paris Theatre, London, England - 2/1/1973

1. Messin' with the Kid *
2. Hands Off *
3. What in the World
4. Walk on Hot Coals *
5. Banker's Blues *
6. Pistol Slapper Blues *
7. Race the Breeze *
8. Hoodoo Man *
9. Bullfrog Blues *

CD 9: BBC in Concert - Live at The Golders Green Hippodrome, London, England - 6/20/1974 *

1. Messin' with the Kid
2. Cradle Rock
3. I Wonder Who
4. Tattoo'd Lady
5. Pistol Slapper Blues
6. Too Much Alcohol
7. Back on My Stomping Ground
8. Who's That Coming
9. Bullfrog Blues

CD 10: Old Grey Whistle Test Special - Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, England - 3/1/1976

1. I Take What I Want *
2. Bought & Sold *
3. All Around Man
4. Out on the Western Plain *
5. Souped Up Ford *
6. Bullfrog Blues *

CD 11: Sight and Sound - Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England - 1/19/1977 *

1. Do You Read Me
2. Secret Agent
3. Calling Card
4. Bought and Sold
5. Out on the Western Plain
6. Barley and Grape Rag
7. Pistol Slapper Blues
8. Too Much Alcohol
9. Going to My Hometown
10. Souped-Up Ford
11. Bullfrog Blues

CD 12: BBC in Concert - Live at The Golders Green Hippodrome, London, England - 1/20/1977

1. Moonchild *
2. Do You Read Me? *
3. Calling Card
4. I Take What I Want
5. Garbage Man Blues *
6. Too Much Alcohol *
7. Jack-knife Beat
8. Bullfrog Blues *

CD 13: Rock Goes to College - Live at Middlesex Polytechnic, London, England - 12/1/1978 *

1. Country Mile
2. Shin Kicker
3. Mississippi Sheiks
4. Do You Read Me
5. Brute Force and Ignorance
6. Tattoo'd Lady
7. Shadow Play
8. Cruise On Out
9. Fuel to the Fire
10. Bullfrog Blues

CD 14: BBC in Concert - Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England - 1/13/1979 *

1. Shin Kicker
2. Do You Read Me?
3. Off the Handle
4. Brute Force and Ignorance
5. Secret Agent
6. Out on the Western Plain
7. Going to My Hometown
8. Shadow Play
9. Tattoo'd Lady

CD 15: BBC in Concert - Live at The Venue, London, England - 9/20/1979 #

1. Shin Kicker *
2. Last of the Independents *
3. Keychain *
4. Follow Me *
5. Bought and Sold *
6. Wayward Child *
7. Mississippi Sheiks *
8. Out on The Western Plain *
9. As the Crow Flies *
10. Do You read Me? *
11. Philby *
12. Hellcat *
13. Cruise On Out

CD 16-17: Live at The Reading Festival - 8/22/1980 *

1. Shin Kicker +
2. Last of the Independents +
3. I Wonder Who
4. Follow Me
5. Wayward Child
6. Tattoo'd Lady
7. Bought and Sold
8. Country Mile
9. Hellcat

1. Out on the Western Plain
2. Too Much Alcohol
3. Going to My Hometown
4. Moonchild
5. Shadow Play
6. Bullfrog Blues

CD 18: Rory At Midnight, BBC Northern Ireland - 1/5/1984 *

1. Double Vision
2. Follow Me
3. I Wonder Who
4. Big Guns
5. Out on the Western Plain
6. Shadow Play

BD 1 *

The Old Grey Whistle Test - 1973

1. Hands Off
2. Walk on Hot Coals

The Old Grey Whistle Test Special - Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, England - 3/1/1976

3. I Take What I Want
4. Bought & Sold
5. All Around Man
6. Out on the Western Plain
7. Souped-Up Ford
8. Bullfrog Blues

BBC Sight & Sound In Concert - Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England - 1/19/1977

9. Do You Read Me
10. Secret Agent
11. Calling Card
12. Bought and Sold
13. Out on the Western Plain
14. Barley and Grape Rag
15. Pistol Slapper Blues
16. Too Much Alcohol
17. Going to My Hometown
18. Souped-Up Ford

BD 2 *

Rock Goes to College - Live at Middlesex Polytechnic, London, England - 12/7/1978

1. Shin Kicker
2. Mississippi Sheiks
3. Do You Read Me
4. Brute Force and Ignorance
5. Fuel to the Fire
6. Shadow Play
7. Cruise On Out

Scene Around Six - BBC Northern Ireland - 1/5/1984

8. Interview

Rory At Midnight - BBC Northern Ireland - 1/5/1984

9. Double Vision
10. Follow Me
11. I Wonder Who
12. Big Guns
13. Out on the Western Plain
14. Shadow Play

The Old Grey Whistle Test - 2/26/1985

15. Interview
16. Can't Be Satisfied

CD 1, Tracks 1-2 and 5-6 and Disc 5 released on Rory Gallagher (50th Anniversary Edition) - Polydor/UMC 3544312, 2021
CD 2, Tracks 8 and 10; CD 2, Tracks 1-2 and 9-10; CD 3, Tracks 3 and 8; CD 7, Tracks 1 and 3; CD 8, Track 3; CD 12, Tracks 3-4 and 7; and CD 15, Track 13 released on BBC Sessions - Capo/RCA 72431 65549-2, 1999
CD 2, Track 13; CD 3, Track 11 and CD 10, Track 3 released on Blues - Chess/UMC 5386801, 2019
CD 3, Track 5 released on Wheels Within Wheels - Capo/RCA 82876 50367-2, 2003
CD 6, Tracks 1-6 released on Deuce (50th Anniversary Edition) - Polydor/UMC 4554204, 2022