Another Rory milestone is upon us – the 50th anniversary of his second solo album, Deuce, and Daniel Gallagher has worked his magic in putting together another anniversary package.
Like the last 50th anniversary release, that of Rory’s eponymously titled debut, the Deuce 50th anniversary release comes in a deluxe edition in both vinyl and CD, which also includes a 60-page book packed with photos and behind the scenes tales. There is also a separate vinyl release (emerald green no less!) of live BBC performances. And finally, a more condensed set on vinyl and CD, which, as one fan put it on Facebook, is great for those simply after the music.
Deuce has endured as one of Rory’s most popular solo albums. He seems to have suddenly exploded in terms of his capabilities. In the booklet for the anniversary release, his brother Dónal states that, following the messy split of Taste, and having gone straight into the studio with a new band in the form of Gerry McAvoy on bass and Wilgar Campbell on drums, by the time work on Deuce started, Rory now had had the time to play live, and get his confidence back. Part of what Rory wished to achieve on this second album was to capture the energy of his live shows.
At the time, he was still touring in support of his first album. After shows, he took the band back to the studio and they worked late in the night. The studio to which they repaired was the Tangerine Studios in Dalston, London, which had been built in the 1960s by producer Joe Meek. The studio came with engineer Roy Sylvester, who was to work with Rory on subsequent albums. Sharing the building with the studio was a bingo hall. There were few issues in the initial recording sessions owing to them happening late at night, but it was a different story when it came to mixing, mastering, and adding the finishing touches to Deuce. Sessions then had to take place in regular daytime hours, when of course, there was a bingo session on the go next door, and the wall between bingo hall and studio lacked substantially in the soundproofing department.
On some of the album, famously, the calls of the hall were picked up on the recording – and can be heard if you listen carefully. However, it appears that it was Rory himself who caused more issues. The famously mild-mannered guitarist, according to the booklet in the anniversary release, terrified the elderly bingo fans with his guitar, leaving his wee brother to placate the owners of the bingo hall. It’s not the first time Rory’s guitar playing had terrified the unsuspecting according to legend. Growing up in Cork, he and his family lived above the small bar owned by his grandmother, and he would apparently put the wind up those trying to enjoy a quiet pint with the noise that came from his amplifier when he plugged in his electric guitar!
The sheer volume he was capable of is apparent in the new 50th anniversary release. His guitar (presumably the Strat!) sits front and centre of the recordings. Rory’s ability as a slide guitarist really comes to the fore on Deuce – many have mentioned how astounding he is on ‘Crest Of A Wave.’ The new set also gives a fantastic insight into how he and the band built up the songs. We range from acoustic versions of songs we are more familiar with as electric, there is the behind-the-scenes studio banter as they get things going – as well as the odd happy cry of 'HOUSE’ coming from the bingo hall, perhaps followed by a frustrated expletive from Gerry.
There are several things in here that will please fans for many reasons. We could be here all day listing them, but really, everyone will have their own take. For me, two particular stand outs are the home demos and the Radio Bremen recordings. The home demos feel like you are getting a rare insight into a very private man. Here is Rory by himself getting his new songs down on tape, and frankly, it is gold for fans. The one that particularly strikes me is the demo of ‘Maybe I Will’ – because it is in stark contrast to how we are used to him playing, which is usually loud! This time he is quiet, and you really have to listen. It’s a very intimate recording.
The Radio Bremen tracks are nothing short of amazing. I directed a friend to one, and he was knocked out by the bass playing, which is heavy kudos to the then 19-year-old Gerry, who at that point had received some po-faced comments in the music press from some reviewers that he wasn’t up to much as a bassist. He was quite the opposite – to be able to keep up with Rory, you wouldn’t have gotten very far otherwise.
It also seems that these 50th anniversary releases are casting a very welcome spotlight onto Wilgar Campbell. It feels like, because he left fairly early on in Rory’s career, he perhaps has been somewhat neglected when it comes to appreciation of Rory’s drummers. But the focus on Rory’s early solo albums is showing that Wilgar was an immensely talented and versatile drummer, who already had a proven track record.
For those on streaming, the full four disc set of the deluxe edition of the Deuce 50th anniversary is available on Spotify.
