This day three years ago the music world lost one of the British Isles greatest guitarists. in 2011 Gary Moore passed away in his sleep while on holiday in Spain at the age of just 58.
Moore’s career dates back to the 1960’s. In his teens he played with artists like Brian Downey and Phil Lynott which in turn led to membership of bands like Skid Row and Thin Lizzy.
Moore and Lynott shared a bedsit in Ballsbridge at one stage. Moore told the Belfast Telegraph in an interview in 2007 how Phil used to play Mammy by making breakfast every morning:
“He was like a mum, up early every morning cooking breakfast, and he’d say: ‘Here, f***ing eat this’. One time he got me to order something from a Chinese restaurant which he knew I wouldn’t like, and he ate my food. From then on that’s how our relationship was – Phil was pulling things on me and I was falling for them.”
He also played with musicians like BB King, George Harrison and Greg Lake. During his stint as guitarist for Greg Lake, he played lead on the rare Bob Dylan-Helena Springs composition, “Love You Too Much“. The version on Lake’s self-titled 1981 album also credits the former King Crimson singer as co-writer of the song. Moore also has a successful solo career that spanned from his first solo album in 1973 to his death in 2011.
“Axl Rose will say that without Thin Lizzy you don’t get Guns N’ Roses, and that whole idea of rock and roll, and Gary was sort of fundamental in developing that twin-guitar, lyrical thing like on Parisian Walkway. But really you didn’t have to cut the skin hard to find just a great, great blues player, and absolutely one of the best. One of the greatest blues players of all time. Van Morrison, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore – the glorious trinity of the Irish blues men. His playing was exceptional and beautiful. We won’t see his like again.”
Bob Geldof
“Surely not…This seems completely unreal. I’m shocked to hear tonight that Gary Moore has died. What a wonderful player he was. It does not seem possible this is in the past. Well, his recordings will testify forever. But … live … he was a demon. I know, because we toured with Thin Lizzy all around the States, many years ago. Gary was awesome every night … and the nicest guy you could imagine”.
Brian May.
