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Gerry McAvoy | |
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 McAvoy in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Gerard McAvoy |
| Born | 19 December 1951 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
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| Years active | 1967–present |
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John Gerard McAvoy (born 19 December 1951) is a Northern Irish blues rock bass guitarist. He played with blues rock musician Rory Gallagher between 1970 and 1991, and then with Nine Below Zero until 2011.
McAvoy was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland [1] on 19 December 1951. In his youth, he enjoyed listening to his sister's collection of Buddy Holly, Beatles and Rolling Stones records. Aged 13, he bought a second-hand Muddy Waters album in a Belfast record store and later said it "changed my life". [1] He began playing in bands soon afterwards, initially on rhythm guitar before switching to bass.
He later joined the band Deep Joy, playing Motown and 60s pop covers. During his tenure in the band he first played with drummer Brendan O'Neill, [1] who was later to tour with Rory Gallagher and appeared on his last three albums Jinx , Defender and Fresh Evidence . Deep Joy eventually moved to London but split in late 1970, at the same time as Gallagher's band, Taste broke up. During their career, Deep Joy had played support slots to Taste. [2] Gallagher contacted McAvoy, who had returned to Belfast, to come back and rehearse. The pair jammed with latterday Deep Joy drummer Wilgar Campbell, and the trio became Gallagher's first solo touring band. [3]
McAvoy began listening to blues records at an early age. As well as rock and roll, his main influences include Muddy Waters, Paul McCartney and Jet Harris. In his autobiography he cites his brother-in-law (of the same name) as an influence on much of his musical taste. On 18 December 2011 McAvoy performed his last gig (to date) with Nine Below Zero in Leicester, at a venue called 'The Musician'.
He subsequently formed "Gerry McAvoy's Band of Friends". On 15 May 2014, Gerry McAvoy's Band of Friends performed at the Flowerpot [4] in Derby for a celebration of the music of Rory Gallagher and were supported by British acoustic blues singer songwriter, Matt Woosey.
2005 saw the publication of his biography, Riding Shotgun: 35 Years on the Road with Rory Gallagher and Nine Below Zero. (Published by SPG Triumph, ISBN 9780955032011)
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.
Taste are an Irish blues rock band formed in Cork in 1966. They were founded by songwriter and guitarist Rory Gallagher who left the band in 1970.
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."
Nine Below Zero are an English rock band who have a cult following throughout Europe. They became popular during the period 1980–1982 and are still performing currently throughout the UK, Scandinavia and Europe as of 2022.
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.
Rory Gallagher is the debut solo album by Irish blues rock musician Rory Gallagher, released in 1971. It marked his departure from the first band he formed, 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. He decided on two Belfast musicians, drummer Wilgar Campbell and bass guitarist Gerry McAvoy, to be the core of his new power trio band.
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.
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. It was also the last album Gallagher would do with Rod de'Ath (drums) and Lou Martin (keyboards). After the Tour to Calling Card, 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.
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.
Louis Michael Martin was a piano and organ player from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was an original member of the London-based band Killing Floor, and also worked with fellow Irish musician Rory Gallagher.
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.
Gwyn Ashton is a Welsh–Australian blues, rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. He has released ten albums and toured Australia, Europe and North America.
Edward McKenna was a Scottish drummer who played with The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Rory Gallagher, The Greg Lake Band, and The Michael Schenker Group. He also toured with Ian Gillan for a short period of time in 1990, alongside fellow former SAHB member, bassist Chris Glen. He lectured in Applied Arts at North Glasgow College from 1996 to 2011.
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.
John Wilson is a Northern Irish musician. He has had a prolific career, playing drums with bands such as Them, Taste and Stud. Previously with 'The Misfits', Wilson became a member of one of the numerous line-ups of Them from September 1965 to March 1966. Alongside Van Morrison, Alan Henderson, Jim Armstrong and Ray Elliott, Wilson played on recording sessions for Them's second album Them Again. Visa restrictions meant that he had to be substituted by stand-in drummers for initial live dates abroad, due to his youth. He was replaced by Dave Harvey upon leaving Them, and went on to work with Belfast groups Derek & The Sounds and Cheese.
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.
The London Muddy Waters Sessions is a studio album by Muddy Waters, released in 1972 on Chess Records. A follow-up to 1971's The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions, the concept was to combine American bluesmen with British and Irish blues/rock stars. The album was an attempt to capitalise on the increasing popularity of traditional blues music and blues artists in Britain.
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