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'{{Refimprove|date=May 2021}} {{Infobox album | name = Rory Gallagher | type = studio | artist = [[Rory Gallagher]] | cover = Rory Gallagher - Rory Gallagher.jpg | alt = | released = 23 May 1971 | recorded = February 1971 | studio = Advision Studios, London, England | genre = * [[Blues rock]] * [[blues]] * [[Folk music|folk]] * [[jazz]] | length = 55:10 | label = [[Polydor Records|Polydor]] | producer = [[Rory Gallagher]] | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = [[Deuce (Rory Gallagher album)|Deuce]] | next_year = 1971 }} {{Album ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r7938}}</ref> }} '''''Rory Gallagher''''' is the first solo album by Irish [[blues rock]] musician [[Rory Gallagher]], released in 1971. It marked his departure from the first band he formed, [[Taste (Irish band)|Taste]]. After disbanding Taste, Gallagher auditioned some of the best musicians available at the time. Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, the bassist and drummer for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, were among those considered for the new combo.<ref>{{cite book|last=Connaughton|first=Marcus|title=Rory Gallagher His Life and Times|url=https://archive.org/details/rorygallagherhis0000conn|url-access=registration|year=2012|publisher=The Collins Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/rorygallagherhis0000conn/page/52 52]|isbn=9781848891531|quote=Also trying out for the new outfit at the time were former Hendrix sticks man Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding}}</ref> He decided on two Belfast musicians, drummer [[Wilgar Campbell]] and bass guitarist [[Gerry McAvoy]], to be the core of his new [[power trio]] band. ==Background== After practicing with [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s band [[Noel Redding]], [[Mitch Mitchell]] and [[Belfast]] musicians [[Gerry McAvoy]] and [[Wilgar Campbell]] at a practice room in [[Fulham Road]], the newly formed band with McAvoy and Campbell got underway recording in Advision Studios. With his first solo album Gallagher continued in the eclectic style that had exemplified his first band, [[Taste (Irish band)|Taste]]. The album begins with "Laundromat" which was to become a regular number in his live set. A [[blues rock]] song with a classic Gallagher riff, the song was inspired by the public laundromat located in the basement of his flat where he lived at the time in [[Earls Court]]. The next song, "Just the Smile", is an acoustic number that was inspired by the [[British folk revival]]. It shows the influence of some of Gallagher's favorite English folk musicians such as [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]], [[Davy Graham]], and Scottish guitarist [[Bert Jansch]]. (Gallagher would later go on to record with Jansch.) "I Fall Apart" has a jazz feel to it and features a guitar solo that starts slow and introspective and builds to a powerful climax. The next two songs, "Hands Up" and "Sinner Boy", were again blues rock and would also become standard numbers for his live show. "Wave Myself Goodbye" is another acoustic number, a talking blues song featuring New Orleans style piano provided by [[Vincent Crane]] from the band [[Atomic Rooster]] (Rory's brother Donal had been acting as tour manager for them). Gallagher plays saxophone in the next song, a jazz number called "Can't Believe It's True". Also recorded at the time were two blues classics, [[Muddy Waters]]' "Gypsy Woman" and "It Takes Time" by [[Chicago blues]] legend [[Otis Rush]]. Muddy Waters was a teenage hero for Gallagher; they ultimately collaborated on Muddy Waters' album ''The London Muddy Waters Sessions''. Although these songs were left off the original album they were included in the CD release. On September 3,2021 a 50-th anniversary edition will be released on multiple formats. ==Recording== The album was recorded in [[Advision Studios]] in [[London, UK|London]]. As with most of Gallagher's albums he produced it himself. The engineer was [[Eddie Offord]], who had engineered for Gallagher on the album ''[[On the Boards (album)|On the Boards]]'' with his previous band [[Taste (Irish band)|Taste]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Connaughton|first=Marcus|title=Rory Gallagher His Life and Times|url=https://archive.org/details/rorygallagherhis0000conn|url-access=registration|year=2012|publisher=The Collins Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/rorygallagherhis0000conn/page/53 53]|isbn=9781848891531}}</ref> ==Track listing== All songs written by Rory Gallagher except where stated. '''Side one''' #"Laundromat" – 4:38 #"Just the Smile" – 3:41 #"I Fall Apart" – 5:12 #"Wave Myself Goodbye" – 3:30 #"Hands Up" – 5:25 '''Side two''' #"Sinner Boy" – 5:04 #"For the Last Time" – 6:35 #"It's You" – 2:38 #"I'm Not Surprised" – 3:37 #"Can't Believe It's True" – 7:16 '''CD bonus tracks''' #"Gypsy Woman" – 4:02 ([[Muddy Waters]]) #"It Takes Time" – 3:34 ([[Otis Rush]]) ==Personnel== *Rory Gallagher – [[singing|vocals]], [[guitar]]s, [[alto saxophone]], [[mandolin]], [[harmonica]] *[[Gerry McAvoy]] – [[bass guitar]], vocals *[[Wilgar Campbell]] – [[drum kit|drums]], [[percussion instrument|percussion]] *[[Vincent Crane]] – [[piano]] on tracks 4 & 9 ;Technical *[[Eddy Offord]] - engineer ==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Rory Gallagher'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Flanders|70|artist=Rory Gallagher|album=Rory Gallagher|rowheader=true|access-date=12 September 2021}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|45|artist=Rory Gallagher|album=Rory Gallagher|rowheader=true|access-date=12 September 2021}} |- {{album chart|Germany4|16|id=58535|artist=Rory Gallagher|album=Rory Gallagher|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2021}} |- {{album chart|Ireland3|27|date=20210910|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2021}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|10|date=20210910|rowheader=true|access-date=11 September 2021}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|13|artist=Rory Gallagher|album=Rory Gallagher|rowheader=true|access-date=12 September 2021}} |- {{album chart|UK2|93|date=20210910|rowheader=true|access-date=10 September 2021}} |} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://rorygallagher.com/#/discography/rory_gallagher Album page on Gallagher's official web site] {{Rory Gallagher}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:1971 debut albums]] [[Category:Rory Gallagher albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Rory Gallagher]] [[Category:Buddah Records albums]] [[Category:Polydor Records albums]] [[Category:Chrysalis Records albums]] [[Category:RCA Records albums]] [[Category:Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis]] [[Category:Albums with cover art by Mick Rock]]'