#27 - Cruise On Out

 

Albums: Photo Finish, 1978; Notes From San Francisco 2011

When recording Photo Finish, Rory Gallagher reworked some songs from the ultimately (and literally!) binned Elliot Mazer sessions recorded in San Francisco in late 1977. It was a time of new directions for Rory. He felt that the Mazer sessions had drifted from what he truly aimed for with his music and wanted to get back to what he felt was ‘Rory Gallagher music’. Part of this included ending his six year line-up of his band, with drummer Rod de’Ath and pianist Lou Martin being released for pastures new and the former drummer of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ted McKenna, being brought in. The Rory Gallagher group reverted back to the trio set up it had started out with. Gerry McAvoy remained on bass. To say 1978 was eventful in the Gallagher camp is perhaps putting it mildly!

Having joined The Rory Gallagher Band in June 1978, Ted had to learn quickly, as they were in Dieter Dierk's studio in Cologne between July and August. There was, somehow fitted in there, in typical Rory fashion, a tour too! Add to that the fact Ted probably barely had time to breathe as The Sensational Alex Harvey Band had not long split up unexpectedly. Ted was in fact catching up with Alex on a night out when he found out Rory was looking for a new drummer and Ted’s name had been mentioned. Ted went along to audition. Afterwards, he was surprised when Rory and the others helped him take his kit back down to his car. “You don’t have to do that.” He told them. “That’s not how we do things,” came the reply. Ted recalled Rory signing an autograph for a fan in the street while holding onto Ted’s tom-tom. Shortly afterwards, while visiting his parents back in Scotland, Ted got the call to join Rory at the Macroom Mountain Dew Festival in Co. Cork. And thus, another well regarded Rory line-up was born.

'Cruise On Out’ was one of the songs brought into Photo Finish from the Elliot Mazer sessions. In his notes for Photo Finish, Rory’s brother Dónal, writes that Rory had Elvis Presley in mind for the rockabilly flavoured number. When thinking of Elvis’ 1970s output, with ‘Burnin’ Love’ and ‘Moody Blues’, it is a song that could have fitted in with Elvis’ oeuvre. It was fairly common for songwriters to produce the goods and see Presley work his magic on it. One such composer was Guy Fletcher, who saw Elvis record his song ‘Just Pretend’ in 1970 during Elvis’ RCA Nashville sessions. The seemingly random link will probably raise a few eyebrows of beleaguered parents whose little ones are fans of the high octane Justin Fletcher of Cbeebies fame, as Guy Fletcher is Justin’s father – there’s a random six degrees of fame!

The lyrics to ‘Cruise On Out’ depict what seems a typical scene of the 50s and early 60s of a young couple going out to a dance, featuring a group (possibly not unlike those Rory himself played in) that kept the crowd dancing all night, the dancers looking sharp and the young girl’s father perhaps less than impressed by the blossoming romance and dancing:

 

Well that cat you will be payin',

You ought to make you there,

When that drummer hits the rim shot,

It almost busts the snare.

You put on your cat clothes,

And I will put on mine,

Together pretty babe,

We're gonna cruise on down the line.

Come on and cruise on out with me,

Won't you cruise on out with me

It’s a scene Rory probably experienced many times from his days as a showband guitarist in the sixties while in his teens. The best definition of a showband is given on the website Irish-Showbands.com: “The term ‘Irish Showband’ generally refers to a particular type of musical act popular in Ireland in the 1950's and 1960's.” Showbands played the sizeable dance circuit in Ireland, some of the groups becoming immensely popular. They tended to play what the audiences liked to hear. Some have been disparaging of the showbands, claiming they ruined many a musician. But as the young Rory himself found, they were a great way to get experience of playing live on stage, and several young musicians such as Rory, and indeed, Eric Bell of Thin Lizzy, served their time as showband musicians.

Rory answered an advert seeking a guitarist for The Fontana Showband, which later was re-named The Impact. They auditioned him and, impressed at his skills, gave him the job. He was only 14 at the time and stayed with the group for a few years, playing all over Ireland, London and eventually mainland Europe. This he mixed in with school, usually heading off for lessons, and even his first Leaving Certificate exam, on the morning immediately after shows. It’s not hard to picture him seeing the scenes depicted in ‘Cruise On Out’ during his showband days on many an occasion.

The two versions of ‘Cruise On Out’, the earlier one found on Notes From San Francisco and the later one on Photo Finish, on one level come across as having the same energy level and structure. Both are pure and simple bona fide rockers. The earlier one of course has Rod and Lou on drums and keyboards respectively, while the later one has Ted on drums. Differences are present – the barrel house piano that Lou was renowned for is a big presence on the Notes From San Francisco version, trading licks with Rory’s guitar, and at times swapping lead and rhythm runs. The differing styles between Rod and Ted as drummers is also noticeable. One key thing the two versions show is the change in the switching of the Rory Gallagher band line-up. By time they hit Elliot Mazer’s studio in late 1977, Rory had a tight group of over five years standing that could match many as a great blues band with a big sound. When the song was recorded again the following year for Photo Finish at Dierks’ Studios, it’s a rawer, stripped back experience.

The fact that Ted had only been with Rory for a matter of weeks by rights should have shown a less connected band, but Ted seems to effortlessly slide in and help take Rory’s sound in a harder, heavy rock direction. The fact Ted had played with The Sensational Alex Harvey Band for six years not long before no doubt helped – Ted had to learn quickly with Alex, who would grab and shake the cymbals of the drum kit when he wanted Ted to put more leather into it. Or, as we say in Glasgow, ‘gie it laldi!’ In other words, he came to Rory very well basted from the frenetic oven of SAHB live shows.

‘Cruise On Out’ is a favourite of Dónal Gallagher – and the reason why his son Daniel added it to The Best Of Rory Gallagher compilation released in 2020.

The first Notes From San Francisco version is below:

 To find out more about the rich history of showbands, check out the Irish Showbands website.