"There’s A Light”
Dear All.
While we commemorate Rory’s sad passing 10 years ago, it not only serves to emphasise his absence but somehow seems to make the beacon of Rory’s spiritual and musical presence shine brighter.
Since I last wrote, we finally concluded our new agreement with Sony&BMG who will now look after Rory catalogue and I am pleased to say that they will continue to improve on the work already established. The first release under the new company is “Big Guns” (2x cd, Very best of), which has been a mammoth task, not least selecting 24 tracks (narrowed from 50) which describe its title. I’m sure many Rory listeners would draw up a different track listing and my short answer to anyone’s ‘but it doesn’t have!’ - Well wait for vol. 2,3,+ etc. though this not the intention.
“Big Guns”, is a balance of various factors which had to be taken into account; a fitting tribute of Rory’s music at this time; new listeners to Rory’s music (young and not so); the 5.1 audiophile; media producers who had overlooked Rory’s talents in the passed and not least the original multi-track tape condition of the some 100 hundred from which we worked. But the exercise undertaken to put Rory’s music into the 5.1 idiom was infinitely more time consuming and difficult than anticipated but most rewarding nonetheless.
At the time of writing, due to circumstances beyond our control, it is necessary to announce the cancellation of the envisaged ‘50 Years of Rock’ - Rory Gallagher Exhibition, at Millennium Hall, Cork City. I am sorry for anyone disappointed by this outcome. Currently, I have been approached by the Cork ’05 office offering to reschedule the exhibition for later in the year.
In the interim, we will put a number of ‘Rory’ exhibition items on display at the Rory Gallagher Music Library, City Library, Grand Parade (City centre), from 14th June through 3rd September. I had received many messages from visitors planning to be in Cork for Rory’s anniversary stating disappointment that they’re trip there at that time didn’t allow them to see exhibits, so from a positive point of view, this will now enable those to see Rory memorabilia in the City, which will have a writing theme.
Also, a church service ‘mass’ has been arranged in Cork on 14th June, for 12:30 p.m. at St.Peter & Pauls Church, Paul St. which is adjacent to Rory Gallagher Place, all welcome.
As I am about to depart for Ballyshannon this weekend, I shall close for now and will give a fuller update on my return when I expect news on other issues to be more concrete.
My very best wished to you all
Kind regards
Donal