Gary Moore
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Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz fusion. Influenced by Peter Green and Eric Clapton, Moore began his career in the late 1960s when he joined
Skid Row A skid row or skid road is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people " on the skids". This specifically refers to poor or homeless, considered disreputable, downtrodden or fo ...
, with whom he released two albums. After Moore left the group he joined
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or som ...
, featuring his former Skid Row bandmate and frequent collaborator Phil Lynott. Moore began his solo career in the 1970s and achieved major success with 1978's "
Parisienne Walkways "Parisienne Walkways" is a song by guitarist Gary Moore that reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1979. The song is featured on Moore's album '' Back on the Streets'' and features a vocal from Thin Lizzy frontman, Phil Lynott, who c ...
", which is considered his signature song. During the 1980s, Moore transitioned into playing hard rock and heavy metal with varying degrees of international success. In 1990, he returned to his roots with '' Still Got the Blues'', which became the most successful album of his career. Moore continued to release new music throughout his later career, collaborating with other artists from time to time. Moore died on 6 February 2011 from a heart attack while on holiday in Spain. Moore was often described as a virtuoso and has been cited as an influence by many other guitar players. He was voted as one of the greatest guitarists of all time on respective lists by ''
Total Guitar ''Total Guitar'' is a monthly music magazine based in Bath, the United Kingdom, that has been in circulation since 1994. The magazine is owned by Future plc, who publish many other magazines ranging from drums and video games to technology mag ...
'' and '' Louder''. Irish singer-songwriter Bob Geldof said that "without question,
oore Oore is a village in Tori Parish, Pärnu County in southwestern Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Fin ...
was one of the great Irish bluesmen". For most of his career, Moore was heavily associated with Peter Green's famed 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar. Later he was honoured by
Gibson Gibson may refer to: People * Gibson (surname) Businesses * Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment * Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based * Gi ...
and Fender with several signature model guitars.


Early life

Robert William Gary Moore was born in
Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
on 4 April 1952, the son of Winnie, a
housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buying an ...
, and Robert Moore, a promoter who ran the Queen's Hall ballroom in
Holywood Holy Wood or Holywood may refer to: Places * Holywood, County Down, a town and townland in Northern Ireland ** Holywood, County Down (civil parish), a civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland ** Holywood railway station (Northern Ireland) * ...
. He grew up near Belfast's
Stormont Estate The Stormont Estate is an estate east of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the site of Northern Ireland's main Parliament Buildings, which is surrounded by woods and parkland, and is often referred in contemporary media as the met ...
with four siblings. He credited his father for getting him started in music. When Moore was six years old, his father invited him onstage to sing "
Sugartime "Sugartime" is a popular song written by Charlie Phillips and Odis Echols, and published in 1957. The biggest hit version was by the McGuire Sisters, whose recording of it topped the Most Played chart in February 1958. It was also the second ...
" with a showband at an event he had organised, which first sparked his interest in music. His father bought him his first guitar, a second-hand
Framus Framus is a German string instrument manufacturing company, that existed from 1946 until going bankrupt in 1975. The Framus brand was revived in 1995 as part of Warwick GmbH & Co Music Equipment KG, in Markneukirchen, Germany. The company's cu ...
acoustic, when Moore was 10 years old. Though left-handed, he learned to play the instrument right-handed. Not long after, he formed his first band, The Beat Boys, who mainly performed Beatles songs. He later joined Platform Three and The Method, amongst others. Around this time, he befriended guitarist
Rory Gallagher William Rory Gallagher ( ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. Due to his virtuosic playing, but relative lack of fame compared to some others, he has been referred to as "the greatest ...
, who often performed at the same venues as him. He left Belfast for
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
in 1968 just as
The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...
were starting in Northern Ireland. A year later, his parents separated.


Career


Skid Row

After moving to Dublin, Moore joined Irish blues rock band
Skid Row A skid row or skid road is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people " on the skids". This specifically refers to poor or homeless, considered disreputable, downtrodden or fo ...
. At the time, the group were fronted by vocalist Phil Lynott. He and Moore soon became friends, and they shared a bedsit in Ballsbridge. However, after a medical leave of absence, Lynott was asked to leave Skid Row by the band's bassist Brush Shiels, who had taken over lead vocal duties. In 1970, Skid Row signed a recording contract with
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, and released their debut album ''
Skid __NOTOC__ Skid or Skids may refer to: * Skid, a type of pallet * Skid (aerodynamics), an outward side-slip in an aircraft turn * Skid (automobile), an automobile handling condition where one or more tires are slipping relative to the road * Ski ...
'', which reached number 30 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
. After the album ''
34 Hours ''34 Hours'' is a 1971 album by Irish blues-rock band Skid Row. It was the band's second album, and takes its title from the fact that it was recorded in 34 hours. Track listing ;Side I #"Night of the Warm Witch" (Brendan "Brush" Shiels, Gary ...
'' in 1971, and tours supporting
The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (founder, slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guita ...
and
Mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...
amongst others, Moore decided to leave the band. Moore had become frustrated by Skid Row's "limitations", opting to start a solo career. In retrospect, Moore stated: "Skid Row was a laugh but I don't have really fond memories of it, because at the time I was very mixed up about what I was doing."
Sebastian Bach Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian-American singer who achieved mainstream success as the frontman of the hard rock band Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. He has acted on Broadway and ha ...
, former frontman of the American heavy metal band
Skid Row A skid row or skid road is an impoverished area, typically urban, in English-speaking North America whose inhabitants are mostly poor people " on the skids". This specifically refers to poor or homeless, considered disreputable, downtrodden or fo ...
, claimed that Moore sold them the rights to the name in 1987 for a reported $35,000. Brush Shiels contested the story in 2012, claiming he still owns the rights.
Rachel Bolan Rachel Bolan (born February 9, 1964), born James Richard Southworth, is an American musician, best known as the bassist and main songwriter of the metal band Skid Row. Career Bolan was born in 1964 to Aida and Hubert Southworth. He grew up in To ...
of the American Skid Row also refuted the story in 2019, stating: "There was never any money exchange.
Snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more j ...
and I went and trademarked the name, and there was no problem."


Thin Lizzy

After leaving Skid Row, Phil Lynott formed the hard rock group
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or som ...
. After the departure of guitarist
Eric Bell Eric Robin Bell (born 3 September 1947 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish rock and blues musician, best known as a founding member and the original guitarist of the rock group Thin Lizzy from 1969 to 1973. After his time in Thin ...
, Moore was recruited to help finish the band's ongoing tour in early 1974. During his time with the group, Moore recorded three songs with them, including " Still in Love with You", which he co-wrote. The song was later included on Thin Lizzy's fourth album ''
Nightlife Nightlife is a collective term for entertainment that is available and generally more popular from the late evening into the early hours of the morning. It includes pubs, bars, nightclubs, parties, live music, concerts, cabarets, theatre, ...
''. Moore then left Thin Lizzy in April 1974. While he enjoyed his time in the band, Moore felt it wasn't good for him, stating: "After a few months I was doing myself in, drinking and high on the whole thing." In 1977, Moore rejoined Thin Lizzy for a tour of the United States after guitarist Brian Robertson injured his hand in a bar fight. After finishing the tour, Lynott asked Moore to join the band on a permanent basis, but he declined. Brian Robertson eventually returned to the group, before leaving for good in 1978. Moore took his place once again, this time for long enough to record the album '' Black Rose: A Rock Legend'', which was released in 1979. The record was a success, being certified
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...
in the UK. However, Moore abruptly left Thin Lizzy that July in the middle of another tour. He had become fed up with the band's increasing drug use and the effects it was having on their performance. Moore subsequently said he had no regrets about leaving the band, "but maybe it was wrong the way I did it. I could've done it differently, I suppose. But I just had to leave." Thin Lizzy would eventually disband in 1983 with Moore making guest appearances on the band's farewell tour. Some of the performances were released on the live album ''
Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for Cell growth, growth, reaction to Stimu ...
''. Following Lynott's death in January 1986, Moore performed with members of Thin Lizzy at the
Self Aid Self Aid was an unemployment benefit concert held in Dublin, Ireland on 17 May 1986. The concert performances were primarily by Irish musicians, although Elvis Costello and Chris Rea, both Englishmen of Irish descent, were designated "honorary Ir ...
concert the following May. He joined the stage with former Thin Lizzy members again in August 2005, when a bronze statue of Lynott was unveiled in Dublin. A recording of the concert was released as '' One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott''.


Solo career

In 1973, Moore released the album ''
Grinding Stone Millstones or mill stones are stones used in gristmills, for grinding wheat or other grains. They are sometimes referred to as grindstones or grinding stones. Millstones come in pairs: a convex stationary base known as the ''bedstone'' and ...
'', which was credited to The Gary Moore Band. An eclectic mix of blues, rock and jazz, the album proved to be a commercial flop with Moore still unsure of his musical direction. While still a member of Thin Lizzy, Moore released his first proper solo album '' Back on the Streets'' in 1978. It spawned the hit single "
Parisienne Walkways "Parisienne Walkways" is a song by guitarist Gary Moore that reached number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1979. The song is featured on Moore's album '' Back on the Streets'' and features a vocal from Thin Lizzy frontman, Phil Lynott, who c ...
", which also featured Phil Lynott on lead vocals and bass. The song reached number eight on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and is considered Moore's signature song. After leaving Thin Lizzy in 1979, Moore relocated to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
where he signed a new recording contract with
Jet Records Jet Records was a British record label started by Don Arden in 1974, featuring musicians such as Lynsey de Paul, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Alan Price, Adrian Gurvitz, Riot and Magnum. History ...
. He recorded the album '' Dirty Fingers'', which was shelved in favour of the more "radio-oriented" '' G-Force'' album, which came out in 1980. ''Dirty Fingers'' was eventually released in Japan in 1983, followed by an international release the next year. After moving to
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and signing a new recording contract with
Virgin Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
, Moore released his second solo album '' Corridors of Power'' in 1982. While not a major success, it was the first album to feature Moore on lead vocals throughout, as well as his first solo release to crack the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Musically ''Corridors of Power'' featured "more of a rock feel", with additional influences from AOR bands, such as
Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
and REO Speedwagon. The album also featured former Deep Purple drummer
Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He is often cited as one of the greatest drummers of all-time. He remains the only membe ...
,
Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English hard rock band formed in London in 1978. The group was originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their own en ...
bassist Neil Murray, and keyboardist
Tommy Eyre Tommy Eyre (5 June 1949 – 23 May 2001) was an English session keyboardist from Sheffield, England, who appeared on records by Joe Cocker, John Martyn, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Greg Lake, B.B. King, ...
, who had previously played with Moore in Greg Lake's backing band. During the supporting tour for ''Corridors of Power'', singer John Sloman was also hired to share lead vocal duties with Moore, while Eyre was replaced by Don Airey. In 1983, Moore released the album ''
Victims of the Future ''Victims of the Future'' is the fourth solo studio album by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore, released in February 1984. It was the first album to feature former UFO guitarist/ keyboardist Neil Carter and bassist Bob Daisley. It was also th ...
'', which marked another musical change, this time towards hard rock and heavy metal. The album also saw the addition of keyboardist Neil Carter, who would continue to push Moore in this new musical direction. For the supporting tour, they were joined by former
Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...
bassist Craig Gruber and drummer Bobby Chouinard, who were later replaced by
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
bassist
Bob Daisley Robert John Daisley (born 13 February 1950) is a retired Australian bass guitarist. He has collaborated on several occasions with Ozzy Osbourne, for whom he contributed bass, backing vocals, co-production and songwriting. He has also worked wi ...
and former
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone ...
drummer Paul Thompson, respectively. In 1985, Moore released his fifth solo album '' Run for Cover'', which featured guest vocals by Phil Lynott and Glenn Hughes. Moore and Lynott performed the hit single " Out in the Fields", which reached the top five in both Ireland and the UK. On the back of its success, ''Run for Cover'' achieved gold certification in Sweden, as well as
silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...
in the UK. For the album's supporting tour, Paul Thompson was replaced by drummer Gary Ferguson. Glenn Hughes was supposed to join the band on bass, but due to his substance abuse problems, he was replaced by Bob Daisley. Following Phil Lynott's death, Moore dedicated his sixth solo album, 1987's ''
Wild Frontier ''Wild Frontier'' is the sixth solo studio album by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore, released on 2 March 1987. His first studio effort after a trip back to his native Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1985, the album contains several songs abo ...
'', to him. A blend Celtic folk music, blues and rock, the album proved to be another success, being certified
platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...
in Sweden, gold in
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
and
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
, as well as silver in the UK. The album also spawned the hit single " Over the Hills and Far Away", which charted in nine countries. For the accompanying tour, former Black Sabbath drummer
Eric Singer Eric Singer (born Eric Doyle Mensinger; May 12, 1958) is an American drummer. Associated with the hard rock band Kiss since 1991, he has also performed with artists such as Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Lita Ford, Badlands, Brian May and Gary ...
joined Moore's backing band. ''Wild Frontier'' was followed up by 1989's '' After the War'', which featured drummer
Cozy Powell Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, B ...
. However, he was replaced by
Chris Slade Chris Slade (born Christopher Slade Rees; 30 October 1946) is a Welsh musician, best known for playing for the Australian rock band AC/DC. He drummed for the band from 1989 to 1994, performing on their 1990 album '' The Razors Edge'' along wit ...
for the supporting tour. While ''After the War'' achieved gold status in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and Sweden, as well as silver in the UK, Moore had grown tired of his own music. Moore told former Thin Lizzy guitarist
Eric Bell Eric Robin Bell (born 3 September 1947 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish rock and blues musician, best known as a founding member and the original guitarist of the rock group Thin Lizzy from 1969 to 1973. After his time in Thin ...
that after listening to some of his own albums, he thought they were "the biggest load of fucking shite" he had ever heard. In his own words, Moore had lost his "musical self‑respect". In 1990, Moore released the album '' Still Got the Blues'', which saw him returning to his blues roots and collaborating with the likes of
Albert King Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...
,
Albert Collins Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins and the Ice Man (October 1, 1932 – November 24, 1993),Skeely, Richard. "Albert Collins: Biography" Allmusic.com. was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. ...
and George Harrison. The idea for the record had come up during the supporting tour for ''After the War'' – Moore would often play the blues by himself in the dressing room when one night Bob Daisley jokingly suggested that he do a whole blues album. This change in musical style was also underlined by a change in Moore's wardrobe. He now sported a smart blue suit for videos and live performances instead of being "all dolled up like some guy in
Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), ...
". This was a conscious decision by Moore to attract new listeners and inform his old audience that "this was something new". In the end, ''Still Got the Blues'' proved to be the most successful album of Moore's career, selling over three million copies worldwide. The album's
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may a ...
also became the only single of Moore's solo career to chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, where it reached number 97 in February 1991. For the album's supporting tour, Moore assembled a new backing band, dubbed The Midnight Blues Band, featuring Andy Pyle, Graham Walker, Don Airey, as well as a horn section. ''Still Got the Blues'' was followed up by 1992's '' After Hours'', which went platinum in Sweden and gold in the UK. The record also became Moore's highest charting album in the UK where it reached number four. In 1995, Moore released '' Blues for Greeny'', a tribute album to his friend and mentor Peter Green. After experimenting with
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
on ''
Dark Days in Paradise ''Dark Days in Paradise'' is the eleventh solo studio album by Irish guitarist Gary Moore, released in 1997. Much like his earlier album '' Still Got the Blues'', ''Dark Days in Paradise'' represented a stark change in musical direction for ...
'' (1997) and '' A Different Beat'' (1999), Moore once again returned to his blues roots with 2001's '' Back to the Blues''. This was followed-up by '' Power of the Blues'' (2004), '' Old New Ballads Blues'' (2006), ''
Close as You Get ''Close as You Get'' is sixteenth solo album by Northern Irish blues guitarist and singer Gary Moore. The album reunited Moore with his former Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflect ...
'' (2007), and finally '' Bad for You Baby'' (2008). Prior to his death, Moore was working on a new Celtic rock album that was left unfinished. Some of the songs would later appear on the live album ''
Live at Montreux 2010 Live at Montreux 2010 is a live album and Blu-ray/DVD by the Northern Irish, blues rock guitarist and singer, Gary Moore. It was recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival on 6 July 2010, and released on 19 September 2011. This would prove to be ...
''. Additional unreleased recordings of Moore's were released on the album ''How Blue Can You Get'' in 2021.


Other work

In 1975, Moore joined progressive jazz fusion group
Colosseum II Colosseum II was a British progressive jazz-rock band formed in 1975 by former Colosseum drummer and bandleader Jon Hiseman, which featured guitarist Gary Moore. History Following the demise of his previous band, Tempest, Hiseman announced his ...
, which was formed after the demise of bandleader
Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later for ...
's previous band
Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world t ...
. Moore recorded three albums with the group, before leaving to join Thin Lizzy in 1978. While living in Los Angeles in 1979, Moore formed the band G-Force with Glenn Hughes and
Mark Nauseef Mark Nauseef (born June 11, 1953), in Cortland, New York, is a drummer and percussionist who has enjoyed a varied career, ranging from rock music during the 1970s with his time as a member of the Ian Gillan Band and, temporarily with Thin Li ...
. However, Hughes was soon replaced by Willie Dee and Tony Newton due to his drinking problem. At the same time, Moore was also being courted to join
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
's band. He declined, but G-Force helped Osbourne audition other musicians for his band. G-Force later released their self-titled debut album in 1980, and toured opening for
Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English hard rock band formed in London in 1978. The group was originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their own en ...
. Before the end of the year, however, the band broke up. Moore was then recruited to play guitar in Greg Lake's solo band. They recorded two studio albums together, 1981's '' Greg Lake'' and 1983's '' Manoeuvres'', as well as the live album '' King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Greg Lake in Concert'', which was released in 1995. In 1982, Moore was considered for the guitarist position in Whitesnake, but vocalist David Coverdale opted not to recruit Moore as the band were in the process of severing ties with their management. In 1987, Moore collaborated on the UK charity record "
Let It Be Let It Be most commonly refers to: * ''Let It Be'' (Beatles album), the Beatles' final studio album, released in 1970 * "Let It Be" (Beatles song), the title song from the album It may also refer to: Film and television * ''Let It Be'' (1970 ...
", which was released under the group name
Ferry Aid Ferry Aid was a British- American charity supergroup, brought together to record the song " Let It Be" in 1987. The single was released following the Zeebrugge Disaster; on 6 March 1987 the ferry had capsized, killing 193 passengers and crew ...
. From 1993 to 1994, Moore was a member of the short-lived power trio BBM ("Baker Bruce Moore"), which also featured
Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish bassist, singer-songwriter, musician and composer. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of British rock band Cream. After the group disband ...
and
Ginger Baker Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and African rhythms and pi ...
, both formerly of
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...
. After just one album and a European tour, the trio disbanded. The project was marred by personality clashes between members as well as "ear problems" Moore sustained during the tour. Moore later said of the band's break-up: "There were a lot of things within the band that would have made it impossible, long term. I think that politically Jack rucewas used to having his own band, I was used to having my own band and so it was very difficult." In 2002, Moore collaborated with former
Skunk Anansie Skunk Anansie are a British rock band whose members include Skin (lead vocals, guitar), Cass (bass, guitar, backing vocals), Ace (guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Richardson (drums and percussion). Skunk Anansie formed in 1994, disbanded in 2 ...
bassist Cass Lewis and Primal Scream drummer Darrin Mooney in
Scars A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other organs, and tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natu ...
, which released one album. Moore also performed on the
One World Project One World Project was a musical supergroup which recorded a song for the 2004 Asian tsunami relief effort. It featured Russell Watson, Boy George, Steve Winwood, Barry Gibb, Brian Wilson, Cliff Richard, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley and Robin Gi ...
charity single "
Grief Never Grows Old "Grief Never Grows Old" is a song written by Mike Read and recorded by the music supergroup One World Project in 2005 to raise money for relief from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Asia. It was released on 24 January 2005 and re ...
", which was released in 2005. Over the course of his career, Moore played with several of other artists, including George Harrison,
Dr. Strangely Strange Dr. Strangely Strange are an Irish experimental folk group, formed in Dublin in 1967 by Tim Booth (born 6 September 1943, County Kildare, Ireland), vocals and guitar, and Ivan Pawle (born 17 August 1943, England), bass and keyboards. Career A ...
, Andrew Lloyd Webber,
Rod Argent Rodney Terence Argent (born 14 June 1945) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Argent came to prominence in the mid 1960s as the keyboardist, founder and leader of the ...
,
Gary Boyle Gary Winston Boyle (born 24 November 1941) is a British jazz fusion guitarist. Biography Boyle was born in Patna, Bihar, India, on 24 November 1941. He attended the Leeds College of Music in the early 1960s and then joined the folk-rock band Ecl ...
,
B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...
,
The Traveling Wilburys The Traveling Wilburys were a British-American supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. Originating from an idea discussed by Harrison and Lynne during the sessions for Harrison's 1987 album ' ...
and
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...
.


Personal life

In the mid-1970s, Moore was involved in a bar fight which left him with facial scars. According to
Eric Bell Eric Robin Bell (born 3 September 1947 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish rock and blues musician, best known as a founding member and the original guitarist of the rock group Thin Lizzy from 1969 to 1973. After his time in Thin ...
, Moore was with his girlfriend at
Dingwalls Dingwalls was a live music and comedy venue adjacent to Camden Lock, Camden, London, England. The building itself is one of many industrial Victorian buildings that were put to new use in the 20th century. The original owner of the building, ...
when two men "started mouthing about Gary's girlfriend ..what they'd like to do to her". After Moore confronted them about it, one of the men smashed a bottle on the bar and slashed Moore's face with it. This had a profound effect on him. Bell said, "It did change him. A lot of that pent-up anger and emotion would come out in his playing. And it came out in other ways too. It must be a hard thing to come back from something like that." During the 1980s, he would hide his scars in photographs and videos by looking down or being framed from a distance. Moore was married to his first wife Kerry from 1985 to 1993. They had two sons, Jack (who would also go on to become a musician) and Gus, before divorcing. Moore later had a daughter, Lily (who also embarked on a career in music), during a relationship with Jo Rendle. Moore also had a daughter named Saoirse from another relationship. At the time of his death, Moore was in a relationship.


Death

During the early hours of 6 February 2011, Moore died of a heart attack in his sleep at the age of 58. At the time, he was on holiday with his girlfriend at the Kempinski Hotel in
Estepona Estepona () is a town and municipality in the comarca of the Costa del Sol, southern Spain. It is located in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its district covers an area of 137 square kilometers in a fertile ...
, Spain. His death was confirmed by
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or som ...
's manager Adam Parsons. ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' reported that his heart attack was brought on by a high level of alcohol in his body: 380 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. According to music journalist
Mick Wall Mick Wall (born 23 June 1958) is a British music journalist, author, and radio and TV presenter. He has been described as "the world's leading rock and metal writer". Career Wall began his career contributing to the music weekly ''Sounds'' in 19 ...
, Moore had developed a serious
drinking problem Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...
during the last years of his life. Moore was buried in a private ceremony at St Margaret's Churchyard in
Rottingdean Rottingdean is a village in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. It borders the villages of Saltdean, Ovingdean and Woodingdean, and has a historic centre, often the subject of picture postcards. Name The name Rotting ...
on the south coast of England, with only family and close friends in attendance. His eldest son Jack and his uncle Cliff performed the Irish ballad " Danny Boy" at his funeral. This was reported in ''
The Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media. Its editor is Eoin Brannigan. Reflecting its unionist tradition, the paper has historically been "favoured by the Protestant pop ...
'' as "a flawless tribute at which some mourners in the church wept openly".


Style and influences

Moore was known for having an eclectic career, having performed blues, hard rock, heavy metal and jazz fusion. At times he was accused of chasing trends, which Moore denied, stating that he'd always just done what he liked at the time. Following ''Still Got the Blues'', Moore distanced himself from his 1980s hard rock image. While he still enjoyed rock music in general, he no longer identified himself as a rock guitarist, stating: "I'm not that guy anymore, to be honest with you. If I go back and listen to some of that stuff, I go, 'Shit. Did I really play that?' It just sounds quite alien to me in some ways. – It's just not the way I want to play." Many of Moore's songs were autobiographical or they dealt with topics important to him. One of Moore's biggest influences was guitarist Peter Green. The first time Moore heard Green play was at a performance with
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are an English blues rock band led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall. While never producing a hit of their own, the band has been influential as an incubator for British rock and blues ...
, of which he said: "It was an amazing experience just to hear a guitarist walk on stage and plug into this amplifier, which I thought was a pile of shit, and get this incredible sound. He was absolutely fantastic, everything about him was so graceful." Moore eventually met Green in January 1970 when Skid Row toured with Green's band Fleetwood Mac. The two became friends and Green later sold his 1959 Gibson Les Paul to Moore. Another major influence of Moore's was Eric Clapton, whom he first heard on the
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are an English blues rock band led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall. While never producing a hit of their own, the band has been influential as an incubator for British rock and blues ...
album '' Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton''. Moore later described this as a life-changing experience: "Within two seconds of the opening track, I was blown away. The guitar sound itself was so different. You could hear the blues in it, but prior to that all the guitar you heard in rock, well pop, music had been very staid, very polite. Just listen to the early Beatles and
The Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre- Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard ...
to see what I mean. They were great, but Eric Clapton transcended it completely." Some of Moore's other early influences included Jeff Beck, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix,
Hank Marvin Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter. He is widely known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows, a group which primarily performed instrumentals and was the ba ...
, John Mayall, and
Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: ''Let It Bleed'' ...
. He also cited
Albert King Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...
and
B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...
as influences. Moore has been described as a virtuoso by numerous publications. Don Airey described him as a genius, while guitarist
Bernie Marsden Bernard John Marsden (born 7 May 1951) is an English rock and blues guitarist. He is primarily known for his work with Whitesnake, having written or co-written with David Coverdale many of the group's hit songs, such as " Fool for Your Lovin ...
stated that "Gary could play literally any style". Moore was known for his melodic sensibilities, as well as his aggressive
vibrato Vibrato ( Italian, from past participle of " vibrare", to vibrate) is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms ...
. During the 1980s, he often used major or natural
minor scale In music theory, the minor scale is three scale patterns – the natural minor scale (or Aeolian mode), the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale (ascending or descending) – rather than just two as with the major scale, which ...
s. During the second half of his career, Moore's playing was characterised by his use of
pentatonic A pentatonic scale is a musical scale (music), scale with five Musical note, notes per octave, in contrast to the heptatonic scale, which has seven notes per octave (such as the major scale and minor scale). Pentatonic scales were developed ...
and
blues scale Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the African- ...
s. For more melodic leads, Moore would often use the guitar's neck pickup, while the bridge pickup was used to achieve a more aggressive sound. Regarding his style of playing, Moore said the best piece of advice he ever received came from Albert King, who taught him the value of leaving space. Moore stated: "When you get into the habit of leaving a space, you become a much better player for it. If you've got an expressive style and can express your emotions through your guitar, and you've got a great tone, it creates a lot of tension for the audience. It's all down to the feel thing. If you've got a feel for the blues, that's a big part of it. But you've got to leave that space." Moore was also known for having pained expressions while performing, something he said was not a conscious action. When asked about it, he stated: "When I'm playing I get completely lost in it and I'm not even aware of what I'm doing with my face — I'm just playing." Moore was often described as "grumpy" and he had a reputation of being hard to work with. Brian Downey described him as "cranky" at times, while
Eric Bell Eric Robin Bell (born 3 September 1947 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish rock and blues musician, best known as a founding member and the original guitarist of the rock group Thin Lizzy from 1969 to 1973. After his time in Thin ...
recalled a particular incident after a concert in Dublin: "I went to see him in the dressing room afterwards. — I sat down beside him and said, 'Fucking great gig, Gary.' He looked at me. 'What? Fucking load of shite! I've never played so bad in my fucking life!' I saw that side of him quite a lot." This was echoed by Downey, who stated that if a show wasn't perfect it would torment Moore. While Moore acknowledged his reputation of being difficult to work with at times, he attributed this to his own perfectionism, holding others up to the same standards he set for himself. Don Airey would later state that Moore's perfectionism was often to his own detriment.


Legacy

Following his death, many of Moore's fellow musicians paid tribute to him, including his former Thin Lizzy bandmates Brian Downey, and
Scott Gorham William Scott Gorham (born March 17, 1951) is an American guitarist and songwriter who is one of the "twin lead guitarists" for the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. Although not a founding member of Thin Lizzy, he served a continuous membership afte ...
, as well as
Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...
, Bob Geldof,
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
,
Tony Iommi Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. I ...
,
Alex Lifeson Aleksandar Živojinović, (born 27 August 1953), known professionally as Alex Lifeson (), is a Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Rush. In 1968, Lifeson co-founded the band that wo ...
,
Brian May Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Freddie Mercury and ...
,
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
, Paul Rodgers,
Henry Rollins Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1980, Roll ...
,
Roger Taylor Roger Taylor may refer to: *Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) (born 1949), drummer for Queen *Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) (born 1960), drummer for Duran Duran *Roger Taylor (author), author of epic fantasy Hawklan series *Roger Taylor (college pr ...
,
Butch Walker Bradley Glenn "Butch" Walker (born November 14, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the glam metal band SouthGang from the late 1980s to early 1990s as well as the lead vocalist ...
, and
Mikael Åkerfeldt Lars Mikael Åkerfeldt (; born 17 April 1974)Mikael Åkerfeldt
, Op ...
, amongst many others. Thin Lizzy also dedicated the rest of their ongoing tour to Moore. Eric Clapton performed "Still Got the Blues" in concert as a tribute to Moore, and the song was later featured on Clapton's 2013 album '' Old Sock''. On 12 March 2011, a tribute night was held for Moore at Duff's Brooklyn in New York City. On 18 April 2011, a number of musicians, including Eric Bell and Brian Downey, gathered for a tribute concert at
Whelan's Whelan's is a pub and music venue in Dublin, Ireland. Profile Numerous international artists have played at the venue, including Jeff Buckley, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Kate Nash, Townes Van Zandt, Damien Rice and Allen Toussaint. The pub was ...
in Dublin. In 2012, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Moore was held at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast. To commemorate what would have been his father's 65th birthday, Jack Moore along with guitarist Danny Young released the tribute song "Phoenix" in 2017. That same year, guitarist
Henrik Freischlader Henrik Freischlader (born 3 November 1982) is a German blues guitarist, singer-songwriter, producer, and autodidactic multi-instrumentalist from Wuppertal, Germany. Henrik Freischlader has been the supporting act for Joe Bonamassa, B.B. King, ...
released a tribute album to Moore, titled ''Blues for Gary''. In 2018,
Bob Daisley Robert John Daisley (born 13 February 1950) is a retired Australian bass guitarist. He has collaborated on several occasions with Ozzy Osbourne, for whom he contributed bass, backing vocals, co-production and songwriting. He has also worked wi ...
released the album ''Moore Blues for Gary – A Tribute to Gary Moore'', which featured the likes of Glenn Hughes, Steve Lukather,
Steve Morse Steve J. Morse (born July 28, 1954) is an American guitarist, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs and as the lead guitarist of Deep Purple from 1994 to 2022. Morse has also enjoyed a successful solo career and was briefly a member of ...
,
Joe Lynn Turner Joe Lynn Turner (born Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito, August 2, 1951) is an American singer known for his work in the hard rock bands Rainbow, Yngwie J. Malmsteen and Deep Purple. During his career, Turner fronted and played guitar with pop rock ...
,
Ricky Warwick Ricky Warwick (born 11 July 1966) is a Northern Irish musician and the lead singer of the rock bands Black Star Riders and Thin Lizzy. He is also the frontman for the Scottish hard rock band The Almighty, with whom he achieved chart success in ...
, and many others. On 12 April 2019, a tribute concert for Moore was held at The Belfast Empire Music Hall to help raise funds for a memorial statue. On 28 August 2020, Über Röck announced plans to host a tribute concert in Belfast on 6 February 2021 to mark the tenth anniversary of Moore's death. Moore has been cited as an influence by many notable guitarists, including
Doug Aldrich Doug Aldrich (born February 19, 1964) is an American hard rock guitarist. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St. John in 1998 and has played with Whitesnake, Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, Bad Moon Rising and Revolution Saints. ...
,
Joe Bonamassa Joseph Leonard Bonamassa ( ; born May 8, 1977) is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. He started his career at age twelve, when he opened for B.B. King. Since 2000, Bonamassa has released fifteen solo albums through his ind ...
,
Vivian Campbell Vivian Patrick Campbell (born 25 August 1962) is a Northern Irish guitarist. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as a member of Dio, and has been a member of Def Leppard since 1992 (replacing Steve Clark after his death). Campbell has al ...
, Paul Gilbert,
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
,
John Petrucci John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with former member Mike Portnoy before he departed the band in 201 ...
,
John Sykes John James Sykes (born 29 July 1959) is an English guitarist, best known as a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang. He has also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder and released several solo albums. Following a stint in ...
, and
Zakk Wylde Zachary Phillip Wylde (born Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt; January 14, 1967) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and as the founder, lead guitarist, lead singer, songwriter and producer of the heavy meta ...
. In 2018, Moore was voted number 15 on '' Louders list of "The 50 Best Guitarists of All Time". In 2020, he was placed on a list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" by ''
Total Guitar ''Total Guitar'' is a monthly music magazine based in Bath, the United Kingdom, that has been in circulation since 1994. The magazine is owned by Future plc, who publish many other magazines ranging from drums and video games to technology mag ...
''. ''
Classic Rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prima ...
'' included him on their 2021 list of "The 100 Most Influential Guitar Heroes". Gary Moore's official biography, written by Harry Shapiro and authorized by Moore's estate, was released on 27 September 2022.


Equipment


Guitars

The guitar most associated with Moore was a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, which was sold to him by Peter Green for around £100. The guitar, nicknamed " Greeny", is known for its unusual tone, the result of a reversed neck pickup. Moore used the guitar for most of his career (most notably on "Parisienne Walkways"), until he sold it in 2006 for somewhere between $750,000 and $1.2 million. The guitar was purchased by Metallica guitarist
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
in 2014 for what was reportedly "less than $2 million". On ''Still Got the Blues'', Moore used another 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, nicknamed "Stripe", which he bought in 1989. Aside from a refret (Moore favoured jumbo frets) and new
Grover Grover is a blue Muppet character on the popular PBS/HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street''. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a blue monster who rarely uses contractions when he speaks or sings. Grover was originall ...
tuners, the guitar was all stock. The guitar was retained by Moore's estate following his death. In 2000–2001, Gibson released a Gary Moore Signature Les Paul Standard with a faded lemonburst finish and a reversed neck pickup. Gibson later released a Gary Moore Signature BFG Les Paul, featuring a
P-90 The P-90 (sometimes written P90) is a single coil electric guitar pickup produced by Gibson since 1946. Gibson is still producing P-90s, and there are outside companies that manufacture replacement versions. Compared to other single coil desi ...
pickup in the neck position. In 2013, Gibson announced a new Gary Moore Signature Les Paul, modelled after the "Greeny" guitar. On ''Corridors of Power'' and ''Victims of the Future'', Moore used a 1961 Fiesta Red
Fender Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuousl ...
, which had previously belonged to
Tommy Steele Sir Thomas Hicks (born 17 December 1936), known professionally as Tommy Steele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star. After being discovered at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London, Steele reco ...
. In 2017, Fender Custom Shop released a limited edition replica of the guitar. During the 1980s, Moore also played
Hamer Hamer may refer to: People with the surname Hamer: *Hamer (surname) In places: * Hamer, woreda in Ethiopia * Hamer, Iran * Hamer, Idaho, United States * Hamer, Ohio, United States * Hamer, South Carolina, Unite ...
and PRS guitars, as well as
Charvel Charvel is a brand of electric guitars founded in the 1970s by Wayne Charvel in Azusa, California and originally headquartered in Glendora, California. Since 2002, Charvel has been under the ownership of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. ...
s equipped with Floyd Rose tremolos and EMG pickups. Other guitars Moore used during his career include a 1964
Gibson ES-335 The Gibson ES-335 is the world's first commercial semi-hollowbody electric guitar, sometimes known as semi-acoustic. Released by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of its ES (Electric Spanish) series in 1958, it is neither fully hollow nor fu ...
, and a 1968
Fender Telecaster The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is an electric guitar produced by Fender. Together with its sister model the Esquire, it is the world's first mass-produced, commercially successful Les Paul had built a prototype solid bo ...
, amongst many others. After his death, a number of Moore's guitars were auctioned off. These included a 1963 Fender Stratocaster given to him by Claude Nobs, a Fritz Brothers
Roy Buchanan Leroy "Roy" Buchanan (September 23, 1939 – August 14, 1988) was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan worked as a sideman and as a solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career and two lat ...
Bluesmaster, a 2011 Gibson Les Paul Standard VOS Collector's Choice No. 1 Artist's Proof No. 3 (modelled after the "Greeny" guitar), and a 1964
Gibson Firebird The Gibson Firebird is a solid-body electric guitar manufactured by Gibson beginning in 1963. History The Gibson Guitar Corporation released several new styles during the 1950s to compete with Fender's solid-body instruments, such as the Telecas ...
1. Moore began playing with .009-.046 gauge strings, before switching to .010-.052. Later he switched to gauge .009-.048. Moore's preferred brand of strings was Dean Markley. He also used extra-heavy picks.


Other equipment

Moore used
Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...
amplifiers during most of his career. He utilized other brands from time to time as well, including Dean Markley,
Gallien-Krueger Gallien-Krueger, also referred to as 'GK' (as in their logo), is a manufacturer of bass amplifiers and speaker cabinets . The company is based in Stockton, California, and was founded in 1968. History Robert Gallien started his company, then ...
and Fender. Some of the effects pedals Moore used during the 1980s included a
Boss DS-1 The Boss DS-1 is a distortion pedal for guitar, manufactured by the Roland Corporation under the brand name Boss since 1978. The first distortion effects unit made by Boss, it has become a classic effect, used by many notable guitar players. B ...
, an Ibanez ST-9 Super Tube Screamer, a Roland Space Echo, a Roland SDE 3000 Digital Delay and a Roland Dimension D. Later he used a variety of effects by
T-Rex ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...
, an Ibanez TS-10 Tube Screamer Classic and a Marshall Guv'nor, the last of which was featured most notably on "Still Got the Blues". In the studio, Moore used an
Alesis Alesis is an electronic music company that designs and markets electronic musical instruments, digital audio processors, audio mixers, drum amplifiers, amplifiers, digital audio interfaces, recording equipment, drum machines, professional aud ...
Midiverb II since the late 1980s. Moore was also an early adopter of the pedalboard, namely the Boss BCB-6 "Carrying Box", which he used in the early 1980s.


Discography


Solo albums

* '' Back on the Streets'' (1978) * '' Corridors of Power'' (1982) * '' Dirty Fingers'' (1983) * ''
Victims of the Future ''Victims of the Future'' is the fourth solo studio album by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore, released in February 1984. It was the first album to feature former UFO guitarist/ keyboardist Neil Carter and bassist Bob Daisley. It was also th ...
'' (1983) * '' Run for Cover'' (1985) * ''
Wild Frontier ''Wild Frontier'' is the sixth solo studio album by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore, released on 2 March 1987. His first studio effort after a trip back to his native Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1985, the album contains several songs abo ...
'' (1987) * '' After the War'' (1989) * '' Still Got the Blues'' (1990) * '' After Hours'' (1992) * '' Blues for Greeny'' (1995) * ''
Dark Days in Paradise ''Dark Days in Paradise'' is the eleventh solo studio album by Irish guitarist Gary Moore, released in 1997. Much like his earlier album '' Still Got the Blues'', ''Dark Days in Paradise'' represented a stark change in musical direction for ...
'' (1997) * '' A Different Beat'' (1999) * '' Back to the Blues'' (2001) * '' Power of the Blues'' (2004) * '' Old New Ballads Blues'' (2006) * ''
Close as You Get ''Close as You Get'' is sixteenth solo album by Northern Irish blues guitarist and singer Gary Moore. The album reunited Moore with his former Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflect ...
'' (2007) * '' Bad for You Baby'' (2008) * ''How Blue Can You Get'' (2021)


References


Sources

* *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Gary 1952 births 2011 deaths 20th-century guitarists 21st-century guitarists 20th-century male singers from Northern Ireland 21st-century male singers from Northern Ireland Blues musicians from Northern Ireland Blues rock musicians Blues singers from Northern Ireland British blues guitarists Bruce-Baker-Moore members Charisma Records artists Colosseum (band) members Electric blues musicians Guitarists from Northern Ireland Irish blues guitarists Irish male guitarists Irish rock guitarists Irish songwriters Lead guitarists Musicians from Belfast People educated at Ashfield Boys' High School People from Hove Record producers from Northern Ireland Rock guitarists from Northern Ireland Rock musicians from Northern Ireland Rock singers from Northern Ireland Songwriters from Northern Ireland Thin Lizzy members The Gary Moore Band members Eagle Records artists Virgin Records artists British hard rock musicians Provogue Records artists