Its been almost a year since the passing of guitar legend, Gary Moore. In this post, originally posted on 8th February 2011, our writer @miniwaffler discusses how his passing effected her and her family.
Skid Row, Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore solo artist. From rock, with Celtic roots, to blues; Gary had it in spades. He was the most unpretentious, unassuming, yet highly talented Belfast guitarist. He died suddenly without warning, in Spain, his death mourned around the world as twitter, facebook and other online sites discovered the news and paid tribute. Grief spread like wildfire. James Blake for the guardian quoted Gary as “A musician as prolific as he was diverse”, “….Moore will be remembered as a true modern blues man whose ability to make a guitar seem to cry in pain touched many.”
Moore who was in Thin Lizzy, a favourite group with this Ulster girl, also recorded 20 solo albums, including Still got the Blues (1990) where he worked with everyone from BB King to Bob Dylan. My favourite and first vinyl album of his was We Want Moore. Gary was a ‘local boy done good’ , he inspired so many of my generation to play guitar, one of whom is my husband. He missed the initial news as he was working. To arrive home after a crap days work and have to see his wife’s face crumple while sharing the news, then crumple on the floor himself out of shock, to weep openly as grief overwhelmed him. Thats what Gary Moore meant, thats how influential he is (was).
To have watched him the night before in a Thin Lizzy documentary is ironic, therefore it was poignant to watch again with our daughters, for them to remember. My husbands words, “thats it, no more material from my hero, like Jimi (Hendrix) and Stevie (ray vaughan) another guitar hero gone.”
Moore once said he would like to be remembered as someone who “meant it, no bullshit”. All his fans would nod at that statement.
R.I.P. Gary. You’ll be sorely missed
