Elly Roberts reviews
Gary Moore: The Platinum Collection
Distributed by
Virgin/EMI
- Released: Sept 2006
- Rating: 10/10
- Format: 3-CD set
Gary Moore is real rock royalty.
From his time with Skid Row, Gary Moore Band to Thin Lizzy, Moore was
regarded as a finger-busting rock guitarist. These CDs will dispel that myth.
Along with luminaries Eric Clapton, Albert Collins, BB King, Peter Green, Carlos
Santana, Paul Kossoff and Jimmy Page, he possesses an immaculate ‘touch’.
In 1993, ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce said, "Gary Moore should be regarded as
a national treasure." Albert King said of him in 1990, "My new favourite
guitar player, the best in Europe." Former Thin Lizzy band mate Phil
Lynott went a step further in 1978, "Gary Moore is the best rock guitarist
in the world."
Yes, of course he can turn an axe into flames, but he, unlike like many of
his contemporaries, has discipline. At no time, does Moore display gratuitous
exhibitionism. Everything he does is measured, even during his more frenetic
moments, which have been many in the studio and on stage. Thrown in, is style
and great technique.
Singles stopped charting in 1995, the last one being a cover of Fleetwood
Mac’s classic Need Your Love So Bad. Despite his reputation,
commercially, it was the '80s and '90s that sealed his status. 1979’s debut
single Parisienne Walkways, opens CD 1, eventually leading to the
head-banging ear-splitting solo on Free’s Wishing Well.
Spread over 3 discs and 45 tracks, there’s a huge wealth of his expansive
repertoire, whether they’re covers, collaborations or originals. A list of all
the tracks can be found at the Amazon link above.
Effectively divided into three parts, Rock, Blues and Live – we get rasping
singles Over The Hills And Far Away, Empty Rooms, Wild Frontier (CD1).
For the remainder, we’re left with CD 2, the Blues catalogue featuring the
spellbinding addition of Albert King on Oh Pretty Woman and BB King
on a brassed-up Since I Met You Baby, with the gentle I Loved
Another Woman providing the highlight.
Finally, Live, (presumably an
entire concert from Detroit) is 1 hour 16 minutes of Moore at his inimitable
best, proving he’s not just a studio-based technician. It closes where it
began, with an extraordinary Parisienne Walkways – check the hanging
note in the mid –section: mind-blowing!
Switching Rock-Blues codes comes effortlessly, though at heart, he remains
a Bluesman: the evidence is all here on his most comprehensive compilation
to date.
Feast yourself on 3 hours of class.
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
