Calling Card | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 1976 | |||
Recorded | September 1976 | |||
Studio | Musicland Studios, Munich | |||
Genre | Blues rock, hard rock, folk rock | |||
Length | 45:14 (original release) 54:03 (1999 remaster) | |||
Label | Chrysalis Buddah (remaster) | |||
Producer | Roger Glover, Rory Gallagher | |||
Rory Gallagher chronology | ||||
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Calling Card is the sixth studio album and eighth album overall by Irish singer/guitarist Rory Gallagher. A 1976 release, it was his second of four albums released on Chrysalis Records in the 1970s. Deep Purple/Rainbow bass guitarist Roger Glover co-produced with Gallagher: it was the first time that Gallagher worked with a "name" producer and the only successful such collaboration. [1] It was also the last album Gallagher would do with Rod de'Ath (drums) and Lou Martin (keyboards). After the Tour to Calling Card (76 + 77), Gallagher retained only his long-time bass guitarist Gerry McAvoy and hired Ted McKenna on drums. This revised power trio was Gallagher's line up from early 1978 until 1980.
The sessions for the album began at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, in the summer of 1976. Glover came on board as co-producer after having met Gallagher when the latter opened for Deep Purple on an American tour. The choice of Glover signified a conscious attempt by Gallagher to try new directions from the hard rock he was best known for. Calling Card is one of his most diverse albums. It also reflects the synergy that the band had developed after years of playing together. As producer Roger Glover commented “they all seemed very dedicated to Rory, there was an allegiance, born of years of smoky clubs and endless journeys”. [2] This was the fifth and last release featuring this line-up.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | (not rated) [4] |
sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album is often considered one of Gallagher's finest studio offerings with Allmusic giving the album 4.5 stars out of 5. [6] In its August 2005 issue, Guitar Player's "Oeuvre Easy" feature on Gallagher praised its "brilliant songs" and "rockin' edge" and listed it in the "Inspired" section of his catalogue. [7] Irish folk group The Dubliners later recorded "Barley And Grape Rag" with Gallagher for their 1992 release, 30 Years A-Greying .
The album was reissued by Buddah Records in 1999 along with the rest of Gallagher's catalogue. As with the rest of the reissues, the album featured remastered sound, newly written liner notes by Gallagher's brother Donal, and bonus tracks "Rue the Day" and "Public Enemy" (an early version of a track that later appeared on Gallagher's 1979 album Top Priority ).
All tracks composed by Rory Gallagher.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Do You Read Me" | 5:20 |
2. | "Country Mile" | 3:18 |
3. | "Moonchild" | 4:48 |
4. | "Calling Card" | 5:24 |
5. | "I'll Admit You're Gone" | 4:25 |
No. | Title | Length |
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6. | "Secret Agent" | 5:45 |
7. | "Jack-Knife Beat" | 7:04 |
8. | "Edged in Blue" | 5:31 |
9. | "Barley and Grape Rag" | 3:39 |
No. | Title | Length |
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10. | "Rue the Day" | 4:14 |
11. | "Public Enemy (B-Girl Version)" | 4:35 |
No. | Title | Length |
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10. | "Where Was I Going to?" | 5:27 |
William Rory Gallagher was an Irish musician and songwriter. He is known for his virtuosic style of guitar playing, and is often referred to as "the greatest guitarist you've never heard of". A number of guitarists, including Alex Lifeson of Rush, Brian May of Queen, and Eric Clapton, have cited Gallagher as an influence. He was voted as guitarist of the year by Melody Maker magazine in 1972, and listed as the 57th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2015.
Irish Tour '74 is the sixth album by Rory Gallagher. It is a live album compiled from performances during Gallagher's Irish Tour in January 1974. The source concerts were recorded at Belfast Ulster Hall, Dublin Carlton Cinema and Cork City Hall using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. "Back on My Stompin' Ground " was recorded from a jam session during the tour. Irish Tour '74 has sold in excess of two million copies worldwide. An article in a Belfast daily newspaper stated: "Rory Gallagher never forgot Northern Ireland, he returned throughout the '70s when few other artists of his calibre dared come near the place."
Deuce is the second solo album by Rory Gallagher, released in 1971. In contrast with his previous album, Rory Gallagher, where Gallagher tried for a precise, organised sound, Deuce was his first of many attempts to capture the energy of a live performance in the studio.
Live! in Europe is the third album by Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher, released in 1972. It is a series of live recordings made during his European tour that year. Unusual for a live album, it contains only two songs previously recorded and released by Gallagher. The other songs are either new Gallagher songs or Gallagher's interpretation of traditional blues songs.
Tattoo is the fourth studio album and fifth album overall released by Rory Gallagher, in 1973.
Stage Struck is the eleventh album and the third live album by Irish singer/guitarist Rory Gallagher. Released in 1980, it documents his world tour in support of his 1979 album Top Priority. Accordingly, it features many songs from that album, but it also includes songs from his previous albums. The album sees Gallagher taking a faster-paced, more hard rock sound than on his previous blues-dominated live albums. Originally released with eight tracks, Stage Struck was augmented with two bonus tracks when reissued in 1999, four years after Gallagher's death, by his younger brother and manager, Dónal Gallagher.
Top Priority is Rory Gallagher's eighth studio album and tenth album overall. It was his fourth and final studio album for Chrysalis Records both in the UK and USA. The album was the second with his revised power trio band. Like the previous album Photo-Finish, Top Priority is a return to hard rock. The ballads, acoustic and folk influences that were seen on albums such as Calling Card are replaced by more conventional but powerful blues rock.
Blueprint is the third studio album and fourth album overall by Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, released as a vinyl record in 1973. It entered the UK album charts on 24 February, and reached No. 12. With his first band Taste and with his solo band up to this point Gallagher was one of the first guitarists to lead a power trio lineup. With Blueprint Gallagher included a keyboardist for the first time.
Fresh Evidence is Rory Gallagher's eleventh and last studio album, his fourteenth album overall. The album was unusual in that Gallagher used more additional musicians and spent more time recording than he normally did. Not as unusual, the songs show his love for blues artists such as Robert Johnson and Son House and for other genres such as Zydeco as well. The album is influenced by his deteriorating health, and explores themes of ill health, mortality, and fighting back against overwhelming odds.
Against the Grain is the fifth studio album and seventh album overall by Irish musician Rory Gallagher, released in 1975. It was his first album with his new record company Chrysalis. Having previously only released one cover version on a studio album, "Against The Grain" includes two, one by Leadbelly and one from the Porter/Hayes songwriting team. The album received very favourable reviews.
BBC Sessions is a blues rock album by Rory Gallagher, released in 1999. The album was compiled from live recordings made at the BBC by Gallagher's brother Dónal and released posthumously.
G-Men Bootleg Series Vol.1 was Rory Gallagher's last official release before his untimely death in 1995.
Defender is the thirteenth album and tenth studio album by Irish musician Rory Gallagher. Coming after a five-year hiatus from the recording studio, it was his first album released on the Capo label.
The discography of Rory Gallagher, an Irish guitarist and singer-songwriter, consists of 11 studio albums, 6 live albums, 13 compilations, and 5 singles. Gallagher was a solo artist for much of his career and collaborated with artists such as Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis. Before his career as a solo artist, Gallagher was the guitarist, vocalist, and saxophonist for the Irish rock trio Taste.
Wilgar William Campbell was an Irish blues rock musician, best known for his role as drummer with Rory Gallagher in the early 1970s.
Roderick Morris Buckenham de'Ath was a Welsh musician, best known for his role as drummer with Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher in the 1970s.
Wheels Within Wheels is a blues and folk-influenced acoustic rock album by Rory Gallagher. Featuring a range of acoustic styles including flamenco, skiffle and traditional Irish music, the album was compiled from lost recordings and outtakes by Gallagher's brother Dónal and released posthumously. A number of notable musicians appeared on the album, and the songs were recorded in various locations all over the world between 1974 and 1994.
Notes from San Francisco is a posthumous album by Irish musician Rory Gallagher. Released in 2011, it consists of two CDs. The first disc is a never-released studio album that Gallagher recorded in San Francisco in December 1977; rather than producing this album himself, Gallagher worked with producer Elliot Mazer. However, Gallagher decided to scrap the album, after which he re-recorded and produced some of the songs and released them as the 1978 album Photo-Finish. Shortly before his death, Gallagher reportedly gave his brother Dónal permission to eventually release the original San Francisco versions of the songs if they were remixed. Dónal had his son Daniel remix the songs in 2011. The second disc is a live performance also recorded in San Francisco in December 1979.
Irish Tour '74 is a film directed by Tony Palmer. It documents Rory Gallagher's tour of Ireland in 1974. Gallagher toured at a time of great political turmoil and violence. Gallagher's band at the time was Gerry McAvoy on bass guitar, Lou Martin on keyboards and Rod de'Ath on drums.
Live at Montreux is a posthumous live album released by Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher in 2006. It is a live collection recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1985. The CD contains the 12 highlights from those shows.