A seemingly simple sentiment, the idea that Rory Gallagher was an amazing artist, whose playing inspired numerous contemporary legends, doesn’t really do justice to the sheer passion imbued in his playing. To listen to an album like Deuce, re-released for its fiftieth anniversary, is to be transported by the raw authenticity of an artist who lived for the music he made.
Deuce was Rory’s second album. His debut was remarkably released the same year, but the two albums are very different for, while Rory’s eponymous LP was a tightly plotted studio album, Deuce saw Rory (alongside bassist Gerry McAvoy and drummer Wilgar Campell) attempting to recreate the visceral energy of their live show. The resulting record didn’t quite attain such a lofty ambition, as the multiple takes in the comprehensive four disc box set show, but it has grown in stature among fans, and it contains some fantastic songs, not least the crackling Crest Of A Wave, which closes the album.
The Package
The Deuce 50th Anniversary box set comes in a variety of packages. Dedicated fans will want the deluxe edition, available physically either on four CDs or three LPs, as well as digitally. Those who are less eager to fully dig into the album’s tortured gestation can opt for a two CD set (which features a condensed best of the box) or a single LP containing the remastered album only.
The four CD box set (reviewed here) follows in the footsteps of its predecessor and arrives packaged in a hard back book containing a foreword form Johnny Marr (Smiths), various essays on the album and hitherto unseen images from the late, great Mick Rock. It’s certainly an attractive offering, matching similar archival sets from Cream and Velvet Underground.
The Audio
The deluxe sets, annoyingly, are not identical. The four CD set offers no fewer than thirty-two alternate takes and demos (on discs two and three), with a thirteen-track live CD (sourced from two radio shows – Radio Bremen and a BBC in Concert set) making up the fourth disc. The three LP version limits itself to just nine alternate takes and the complete Radio Bremen portion of the live set. In all honesty, this is a preferable set, as the sequencing of the four-disc deluxe is something of an endurance test for the listener, placing multiple takes of the same song side by side. Given that the various Black Sabbath boxsets themed the discs as alternate albums, it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine something similar could have been done here and, for all that the individual takes are excellent, it’s hard to imagine anyone sitting down regularly to listen to a disc that features five versions of Maybe I Will in a row.
Disc One
Honestly, what more is there to say about Deuce? The album was last remastered ten years ago, for it’s fortieth anniversary, and at the time we said: “the levels of intensity found on ‘Deuce’ are simply remarkable – it’s raw, it’s beautiful, it’s laden with power and authority, and Rory stands stock still in the centre of it all whipping up a hurricane” (read the whole thing here). That view hasn’t changed. Deuce may not quite have reflected the band’s live sound in the way that Rory might have hoped, but it’s one hell of a performance from one hell of a band, and it remains a firm favourite in a catalogue packed with treasures.
Discs Two & Three
As noted above, the sequencing of these two discs is nothing short of baffling. With plenty of space to organise things in a way that would keep the listener engaged, the decision to stick multiple versions of the same song next to one another is just daft. It’s a shame, because there are some gems here, with the band trying out different approaches and sounds in their search to get the best take for the album. At the same time, few of these approaches are different enough to warrant spending some thirty-two minutes listening solely to Maybe I Will in search of a dropped chord or scuffed vocal. It is nice of course to hear the odd bit of studio chatter (Rory accusing the engineer of being a flatterer on I’m Not Awake Yet for example) but, if anything, these various takes show how consistently on the money the band were.
Where the various takes do work next to one another is when a substantial change is made. Witness, for example, the way Rory switches from the crunchy band approach of Whole Lot Of People (similar to that found on the album), to stripped-down acoustic version, in search of the right vibe. It’s definitely interesting to hear so different a take on the song but, again, offering up no fewer than three acoustic versions feels like overkill… and so it goes.
Overall, the second and third discs are very much a treasure trove for completists, but a bonus unlikely to be played more than once by the merely curious. As such, I can’t escape the feeling that this is one of those rare occasions where a digital version may actually be preferable, for there are at least two fantastic alternate versions of Deuce to be cobbled together out of the tracks on offer here, an approach made infinitely easier in a playlist. Don’t get me wrong, any time spent in the company of Rory Gallagher is typically a pleasure, but the sequencing here contrives to take much of the joy out of the experience.
Disc Four
Where Deuce saw Rory and his band attempting to capture their indefinably wonderful live sound, disc four sees the band out on stage for a pair of radio broadcasts. The first half of this disc, seven tracks captured by Radio Bremen, is available in its entirety on both the two CD edition and the three LP version. It is a remarkable set, dirty and raw, and it captures the band in fine form. From the opening Should’ve Learnt My Lesson, it almost feels like you’re in the room with the band, surely the very production for which they were searching on all those alternate takes, and when Rory leads his band into an explosive Crest Of A Wave (with the quietest of introductions), you can feel the electricity flowing from the stage. However, for a true glimpse of genius, the mid-tempo I Could’ve Had Religion is nothing short of mesmerising, and it’s worth the price of admission alone. For The Last Time, meanwhile, features a lead break so dazzling, you feel its power even half a century later.
The second half of disc four is exclusive to this set, and captures Rory in concert at the Paris Theatre, courtesy of the BBC. As with the previous discs, there’s some overlap here, with only two tracks in the BBC set not repeated from Bremen. Nevertheless, it’s a strong recording (albeit less gritty than Bremen), and the BBC did a typically good job of capturing the band in full flow, not least during the nine-minute rendition of I Could’ve Had Religion. The between song raps from the presenter, meanwhile, are wonderfully evocative of the era, while the spontaneous chant for more at the end showcases the rare ability that Rory had to utterly command any audience lucky enough to see him in the flesh. It’s a worthy finale to the set.
Conclusions
Deuce is a wonderful album, and, in many ways, it is the album with which Rory should have launched his solo career, thanks to an emphasis on the live fire of a remarkable band. However, the extent to which it benefits from a super-deluxe edition is questionable. For the fan who wants to kick back and listen to a great album, I recommend either the two CD or Three LP versions, as these both offer enough of the bonus material to engage the attention, without going overboard. The Super-deluxe edition, however, is very much for the fan who wants to own everything. That’s not to say the material itself is bad – it’s not. To listen to any song independently is to be blown away with just how good Rory and his band were. However, while each track is independently great, place them next to one another and, to quote another blues legend, the thrill is gone. A timely reminder, then, of a remarkable album, but gauge your love of Rory carefully before deciding upon which version to buy. 7.5
Order now: https://rorygallagher.lnk.to/Deuce_50
Format track lists
4 CD BOX SET
CD 1
Used to Be – 50th Anniversary Edition
I’m Not Awake Yet – 50th Anniversary Edition
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – 50th Anniversary Edition
Maybe I Will – 50th Anniversary Edition
Whole Lot of People – 50th Anniversary Edition
In Your Town – 50th Anniversary Edition
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – 50th Anniversary Edition
There’s a Light – 50th Anniversary Edition
Out of My Mind – 50th Anniversary Edition
Crest of a Wave – 50th Anniversary Edition
CD 2
Used to Be – Alternate Take 1
Used to Be – Alternate Take 2
I’m Not Awake Yet – Alternate Take 1
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – Alternate Take 1
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 1
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 2
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 3
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 4
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 5
Whole Lot of People – Electric Alternate Take 1
Whole Lot of People – 6 String Acoustic Alternate Take 1
Whole Lot Of People – Deuce Album Session / Alternative Acoustic Take / 1971 *
Whole Lot of People – 12 String Acoustic Alternate Take 1
In Your Town – Alternate Take 1
In Your Town – Alternate Take 2
In Your Town – Alternate Take 3
CD 3
In Your Town – Alternate Take 4
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Deuce Album Session / Alternative Acoustic Take / 1971*
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Deuce Album Session Outtake / 1971*
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Alternate Take 2
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Alternate Take 3
There’s A Light – Alternate Take 1
There’s A Light – Alternate Take 2
There’s A Light – Alternate Take 3
Out of My Mind – Alternate Take 1
Out of My Mind – Alternate Take 2
Out of My Mind – Alternate Take 3
Crest of a Wave – Alternate Take 1
Crest of a Wave – Alternate Take 2
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – Home Demo
Maybe I Will – Home Demo
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Home Demo
CD 4
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Crest of a Wave – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
I Could’ve Had Religion – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
For The Last Time – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Messin’ With The Kid – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Pistol Slapper Blues – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Used To Be – BBC In Concert – Live at The Paris Theatre, 13 January 1972
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – BBC In Concert – Live at The Paris Theatre, 13 January 1972
Out Of My Mind – BBC In Concert – Live at The Paris Theatre, 13 January 1972
I Could’ve Had Religion – BBC In Concert – Live at The Paris Theatre, 13 January 1972
Crest Of A Wave – BBC In Concert – Live at The Paris Theatre, 13 January 1972
Messin’ With The Kid – BBC In Concert – Live at The Paris Theatre, 13 January 1972
2 CD
CD 1
Used to Be – 50th Anniversary Edition
I’m Not Awake Yet – 50th Anniversary Edition
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – 50th Anniversary Edition
Maybe I Will – 50th Anniversary Edition
Whole Lot of People – 50th Anniversary Edition
In Your Town – 50th Anniversary Edition
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – 50th Anniversary Edition
There’s a Light – 50th Anniversary Edition
Out of My Mind – 50th Anniversary Edition
Crest of a Wave – 50th Anniversary Edition
CD 2
Used to Be – Alternate Take 1
I’m Not Awake Yet – Alternate Take 1
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 1
Whole Lot of People – 12 String Acoustic Alternate Take 1
In Your Town – Alternate Take 3
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Alternate Take 3
There’s A Light – Alternate Take 1
Out of My Mind – Alternate Take 3
Crest of a Wave – Alternate Take 2
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Crest of a Wave – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
I Could’ve Had Religion – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
For The Last Time – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Messin’ With The Kid – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Pistol Slapper Blues – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
3 LP
SIDE A
Used to Be – 50th Anniversary Edition
I’m Not Awake Yet – 50th Anniversary Edition
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – 50th Anniversary Edition
Maybe I Will – 50th Anniversary Edition
Whole Lot of People – 50th Anniversary Edition
SIDE B
In Your Town – 50th Anniversary Edition
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – 50th Anniversary Edition
There’s a Light – 50th Anniversary Edition
Out of My Mind – 50th Anniversary Edition
Crest of a Wave – 50th Anniversary Edition
SIDE C
Used to Be – Alternate Take 1
I’m Not Awake Yet – Alternate Take 1
Maybe I Will – Alternate Take 1
Whole Lot of People – 12 string acoustic Alternate Take 1
SIDE D
In Your Town – Alternate Take 3
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Alternate Take 3
There’s A Light – Alternate Take 1
Out of My Mind – Alternate Take 3
SIDE E
Crest of a Wave – Alternate Take 2
Crest of a Wave – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Don’t Know Where I’m Going – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
I Could’ve Had Religion – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
SIDE F
Should’ve Learnt My Lesson – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
For The Last Time – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Messin’ With The Kid – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
Pistol Slapper Blues – Radio Bremen 21/12/1971
