The voice that accompanied us for so many years, the sound of the guitar that touched our hearts, died out in Spain on February 6, 2011.
Gary Moore’s talent quickly came to the scene. At the age of 14 years, even as a child in Ireland, was experimenting with his first guitar and learned to play with his right hand while left-handed.
In 1969 he replaced the guitarist Bernard “Bernie” Cheevers and was made a member of the Skid Row with whom he recorded his first single: “New Places, Old Faces” / “Misdemeanour Dream Felicity”. That same year the singer of Skid Row Phil Lynott left the band and with the drummer Brian Downey they created the “Thin Lizzy”. In 1973 they invited Moore to help them with their touring, replacing Eric Bell.
The collaboration though did not last long and in 1974 Moore left the band having already under his belt his first album titled “Grinding Stone”. In 1978 with “Back on the Streets” came the first success “Parisienne Walkways”. So he continued as a solo artist with several albums like “Dirty Fingers”, “Victims of the Future” and others.
In 1985 on the album “Run for Cover” he collaborated with Phil Lynott and they recorded “Out in the Fields” and “Military man” without of course knowing that these would be from their latest recordings before he “left” in January 1986.
On a trip of two years in his home town of Belfast, Ireland, the Celtic roots and revolutionary songs inspired him to create the next album “Wild Frontier”. These influences appear in the songs “Over the Hills and Far Away”, the namesake “Wild Frontier” and in “The Loner”. In the next album “After the War” the preservation of his rock disposition is marked with Irish data and of course a tribute to his friend Phil Lynott with the song “Blood of Emeralds”.
In 1990 with the album “Still Got the Blues”, it becomes obvious that Moore has gone to the other side, with less hard rock and more electro rhythms. Of course “Midnight Blues” and the title track singles out.
In 1992 the “After Hours” arrives at No.4 by Londoners with hits like “Cold Day in Hell”, “Separate Ways”, “The Blues Is Alright” in which Albert Collins participated , while “Since I Met You Baby” was the first collaboration with B.B. King.
The album “Blues for Greeny” is dedicated to his mentor Peter Green, founder of the band Fleetwood Mac, who influenced him throughout his career.
From 1997 to 2008 he presented a series of albums such as “Dark Days in Paradise”, “A Different Beat”', “Back to the Blues”, “Power of the Blues”, “Old New Ballads blues”, “Close as you get” and “Bad for you baby”(2008).
Gary Moore, was able to marry his Celtic roots with the blues, the revolutionary character and the tender ballads, and captivate the audience with his enthusiasm and talent.
In the decades of his career we admired him as a guitarist and a singer, dynamic in his appearances and dedicated to his objective. His music will continue to accompany us and remind us that these people will live forever.
“The golden days come and go. One thing I know. I still have the blues for you.”
Vassiliki Saslidi 15 February 2011