In a 1992 interview with Liam Fay, Rory described his “privilege” at being the most bootlegged artist in Western Europe alongside Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. He wasn’t being sarcastic or flippant in his remark. According to Dónal, Rory saw bootlegs as an “honour system” and was thrilled whenever he met fans backstage who showed him their copies of bootleg albums of his concerts. He would look at them enthusiastically and ask where they had bought them, before going out and buying copies for himself. Back at home, he would then listen to the albums, gradually amassing a huge collection of his own bootlegged records.

While Dónal would often sneak around concert venues and pop up and unsuspectingly snip the wires of anyone he spotted with a recording device, Rory took a different view: if you can’t beat them, join them! So, in 1992, he decided to bootleg the bootleggers by releasing G-Men Bootleg Series Volume 1 through the UK indie record label Castle Communications. The triple-CD boxset featured classic live performances with the pirate’s own artwork from three unofficial albums circulating around Europe. While Rory couldn’t pinpoint the exact details of the gigs, he had a rough idea: Discs 1 and 2 (named ‘Calling Hard’) featured an entire London show from 1976 or 1977, as well as six live tracks from ‘somewhere’ in 1978, while Disc 3 (named ‘Bullfrog Interlude’) featured a 1973 performance from London radio to promote Blueprint.

The boxset retailed at just £15 – the price of one CD – although today it fetches up to £60 if you can track down a copy on eBay or Discogs! With the boxset, Rory hoped to “set a legal precedent” by claiming back the rights to his own recordings. He saw it as a way of protecting his own interests, as well as those of the different companies who licensed his music across the world.

Whenever talk of bootlegs arises in the Rory fan community, most comments centre around the so-called ‘classic line-up’ and the many fantastic recordings from the 1973-1978 period (e.g. Nagoya 1974; New York 1976; London 1977). However, it is our view that Rory’s very best bootlegs date from the final decade of his career, and yet these are regrettably some of the the least known. As today marks the 29^th anniversary of Rory’s passing, it is an occasion to play his music especially loud and proud. With this post, we wanted to encourage you to take a deep dive into some of Rory’s lesser known live material.

To this end, we’ve put together four of our own ‘bootleg’ playlists based on a range of Rory performances from 1985 to 1995. No repeats – 60 different songs, each with a short acoustic interlude, of course. We don’t purport that these are the definitive versions of the selected songs as this can change in the blink of an eye, but they are certainly standout versions. In what follows, we include the YouTube links to the four playlists and provide some accompanying brief details of what makes each performance so special.

Hope you like it!

Bringing the House Down (Best of Bootlegs – Disc 1)

Track Listing:

1. Continental Op (Bonn Blues Festival 1992)
A powerful show-opener. It was Rory’s first time playing in Bonn and he certainly made a strong first impression! Walter Trout (also on the bill) still talks about his amazement at how unwell Rory looked backstage compared to how energetic he became once onstage.

2. Moonchild (Out in the Green, Loreley 1986)
Rory really means business here! Fiery and fierce guitar playing. Fantastic accompaniment from Gerry and Brendan too.

3. I Wonder Who (Nottingham Rock City 1987)
One of the high points in any of Rory’s later shows. Rory and Mark’s interplay is absolutely sublime here.

4. The Loop (Heppenheim Open Air Festival 1988)
A staple of Rory’s later live set, it really shows his ability to push the boundaries of the blues in exciting, new directions. The maestro absolutely killing it again on the harp!

5. Tattoo’d Lady (Temple Bar Blues Festival 1992)
Dónal’s own personal favourite version of the song, and we can certainly see why! Rory pours his absolute heart and soul into every note and word. He felt he had something to prove at Temple Bar due to negative reports about him in the press leading up to the festival. Boy, did he show them!

6. I Could’ve Had Religion (Festival Interceltique de Lorient 1994)
Hauntingly beautiful and deeply emotional. It is criminal that Ian Thullier chose to use footage from this version in the Ghost Blues documentary over descriptions of Rory’s failing health as he couldn’t be more of a warrior here!

7. Nadine (Göttingen 1987)
Always a joy to hear Rory playing this Chuck Berry classic. He always seemed to have such fun with it and, here, he throws in a bit of ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ too. Impeccable work by Mark as usual.

8. Out on the Western Plain (Geleen 1987)
One of Rory’s defining songs. Captivating and enchanting, it never fails to send a tingle down the spine.

9. Ghost Blues (Paris radio performance 1994)
A rare chance to hear this song acoustically. Just as mesmerising as the electric original. Perfectly signals the direction in which Rory was heading.

10. I Can’t Be Satisfied (Fender 40^th Anniversary Concert 1993)
Rory bucked the trend when he pulled out his National at the 1993 concert in honour of the Fender Stratocaster, but then again, he was never one to follow rules! A fantastic version of the Muddy Waters classic.

11. Laundromat (Tokyo Mielparque Hall 1991)
What a thrill to hear this song performed in 1991! It is a perfect demonstration of just how much Rory had developed as an artist since its original recording 20 years earlier. What guitar work and vocals! A little taste of ‘Keep on Knockin’ thrown in at the end too.

12. Treat Her Right (Mont-de-Marsan 1985)
A song that Rory first played back in the showband days. Later recorded for Blueprint, but never made the album. This version is much heavier and delivered in a much faster tempo, with such beautiful interplay between Rory and Mark.

13. Summertime Blues (Albuquerque Grand Central 1985)
Rory truly makes this Eddie Cochran staple his own. His vocals are exceptional here, while Gerry delivers an iconic bassline.

14. Sweet Little Sixteen (Houston Cardis Club 1985)
Another bit of classic rock ‘n’ roll from Rory, yet with his own twist. Such an explosive performance with incredible slide work.

15. Messin’ with the Kid/La Bamba (Pistoia Blues Festival 1994)
What a way to end a show, clearly demonstrating that the quality of Rory’s performances never dipped! The addition of sax here by Frank Mead is a nice touch.

Dynamism Personified (Best of Bootlegs – Disc 2)

Track listing:

1. Shinkicker (Tokyo Mielparque Hall 1991)
Rory has the audience in the palm of his hand from the opening note. The atmosphere is palpable here, and it’s a pleasure to behold!

2. Mississippi Sheiks (Budapest Sportcsarnok 1985)
Nice to hear this one making an appearance in 1985. Rory is truly in a league of his own here. What magical slide work!

3. Kickback City (Wolverhampton Civic Hall 1988)
Rarely played live, this Defender standout is lifted to a whole new level in this performance by Rory. Spellbinding!

4. Off the Handle (Dublin Olympia Theatre 1988)
Rory proving why he is such a master bluesman. The way he controls the pace here and directs his band at just the right moments requires such skill, and yet he does it so effortlessly.

5. Doing Time (Nottingham Rock City 1987)
Another Defender track that Rory rarely played live. Once again, he showcases his tremendous slide skills. Guaranteed to get you out of your seat and moving!

6. King of Zydeco (Oakland Omni 1991)
Rory creates a warm, sprightly and fascinating sound with his guitar that immediately conjures up the smells, scents and sights of Louisiana.

7. Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Philadelphia Chestnut Cabaret 1985)
A touch of Chuck Berry à la Rory. You can almost visualise the duck-walking before you!

8. My Babe (San Francisco Stone 1985)
A slick and sharp interpretation of this Little Walter classic. The audience is loving it!

9. Bankers Blues (Montreux Jazz Festival 1985)
Rory and Mark at their very finest. What musical chemistry the two men had! Later in his career, Rory had thought of him and Mark going out as a duo performing acoustically. How I wish he had lived long enough to fulfil that dream.

10. I Shall Be Released (Kehl Stadthalle 1992)
Always a bittersweet one to hear, but Rory plays it so beautifully. Full of emotion and wistfulness.

11. Mean Old Woman (Zurich Volkshaus 1992)
Rory lifts the tone again with this number, throwing in a little bit of the Stones’ ‘Satisfaction’ at the beginning, while Mark teases with a touch of the ‘Peter Gunn Theme’.

12. Philby (Mont-de-Marsan 1985)
An absolutely epic version of this song. The false ending and the way it starts back up again always gives me goosebumps. And the way Rory casually throws in some of ‘Paint It Black’ is a stroke of genius.

13. A Million Miles Away (Enschede De Vrijhof 1995)
Rory’s beautiful theme song. The last time it was ever captured on record. I just can’t listen to it without crying.

14. Wang Dang Doodle (Jübek Festival 1985)
Raw, gutsy and ready to erupt at any minute. Such an exciting version of this Howlin’ Wolf classic. Gerry and Brendan do a fantastic job here of driving that rolling beat too.

15. Bullfrog Blues (Melbourne Palais Theatre 1991)
A barnstorming version, with Rory firing on all cylinders and Gerry and Brendan both delivering fantastic solos. Perhaps no better way to end a show!

Warp-Mongering Blues (Best of Bootlegs – Disc 3)

Track listing:

1. Kid Gloves (Kawasaki Club Città 1991)
An ideal way to open a show, its energy and power setting the benchmark for the evening ahead. Rory never does anything by halves!

2. When My Baby She Left Me (Philadelphia Chestnut Cabaret 1985)
Such a feel-good, swinging, foot-tapping number! Rory’s guitar work is dynamic and skilfully executed. A nice little bass solo from Gerry too.

3. Bring It on Home to Me (Budapest Sportcsarnok 1985)
Perhaps not a song that one might expect Rory to pull off, but boy, does he! This version is absolutely stunning, bluesy down to the core yet still retaining a gospel flavour. Mark is an outstanding foil to Rory here.

4. Seven Days (Mont-de-Marsan 1985)
This version couldn’t be more different to the version that appeared on Defender, but it gives a taste into what Torch would have sounded like. A similar vibe to the up-tempo version of ‘All Around Man’ that Rory would sometimes throw into the set in his later years.

5. Slummin’ Angel (Coatham Bowl 1990)
It’s really nice to get a chance to hear this Fresh Evidence track live. It somehow sounds so fresh and contemporary. Beautiful Celtic-coloured harmonies to Rory’s solo here.

6. I’m a Man/Hoochie Coochie Man (Babenhausen Stadthalle 1992)
12 minutes of jawdropping blues improvisation at its very finest. Nobody does Muddy like Rory. A gritty and downright steamy performance with breathtaking slide.

7. Heaven’s Gate (Nottingham Rock City 1990)
A song that Rory rarely played live. It beautifully encapsulates his faith in the blues, yet his ability to inject the genre with something new. The lyrics are poignant, while the guitar work is extremely emotive.

8. Pistol Slapper Blues/Keep Your Hands Off Her (Dublin Olympia Theatre 1988)
Rory’s little homage to Blind Boy Fuller and Big Bill Broonzy. Such exquisite finger-picking skills. A masterclass in country blues, which is so warmly received by the Dublin crowd.

9. Walkin’ Blues (Ontario 1985)
Another fine example of Rory’s acoustic playing. His soulful vocals meld perfectly with the sounds of his National. Some nice improvisation on the lyrics too.

10. Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright (Gampel Open Air Festival 1993)
A deeply touching version of this Dylan classic, which Dónal understandably finds hard to listen to. Rory seems to sing with a rare combination of intuition and contemplation. Mark’s accompaniment on harp is seamless as usual.

11. Bad Penny (San Diego Bachanal 1991)
A rip-roaring 10-minute rendition of this Rory classic with a few playful nods to Bob Marley along the way! There is also a chance for Gerry to shine with an extended solo.

12. Seems to Me (Karlsruhe Schwarzwaldhalle 1987)
A fantastic strolling blues number that Rory didn’t play live very often. Touches of Slim Harpo in his guitar work and a dazzling vocal performance.

13. I’m Not Awake Yet (Vienna Rockhaus 1992)
A surprise addition to the set, reintroduced for the first time in almost two decades and played electrically. A rather melancholic version, with Mark offering haunting and emotionally charged accompaniment. The song builds slowly over its nine minutes, taking on a heavier turn towards the midpoint as Richard’s drumming accelerates and Rory’s rhythm-playing builds.

14. Don’t Start Me Talkin’ (Heppenheim Open Air Festival 1988)
Another Sonny Boy Williamson classic that Rory totally turns into his own. He and the band always seem to be having such a great time when they perform this song, and it’s truly infectious for the listener!

15. Shadow Play (Rocklife 1990)
A song that Rory always seemed to perform as if his life depended on it. The tireless energy he injects into the vocals and playing makes it sound like a show opener. Hard to believe that he’d already been playing for several hours prior!

Tour De Force (Best of Bootlegs – Disc 4)

Track listing:

1. Cradle Rock (Ballyronan Festival 1989)
A surprising return of this old favourite. Despite Rory unable to remember some of the lyrics, the performance sends the crowd into a frenzy, particularly during the two slide solos – a testimony to how much he had developed and matured as a guitarist since the Irish Tour ‘74 version.

2. Everybody Needs Somebody to Love (Skanderborg Open Air Festival 1989) 
An incredible interpretation of this Solomon Burke classic. Rory and the band work so well together here, Gerry laying down a strong bassline and Mark peppering Rory’s rhythm guitar with some groovy harmonica playing.

3. Stormy Monday/Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (Dublin Olympia Theatre 1988)
Rory lowers the tempo with this stirring rendition of the T Bone Walker original, before picking it back up again in true expert style with a charged cover of Hambone Willie Newbern ‘Rollin’ and Tumblin’.

4. Take Out Some Insurance (Out in the Green, Loreley 1986)
Rory gives this Jimmy Reed song a new lease of life and has the audience clapping along in no time. Some wonderful slide work by Rory and harp playing by Mark, as well as a chance for Gerry to strut his stuff with a great bass solo.

5. I Ain’t No Saint (Philadelphia Chestnut Cabaret 1985)
A smooth and sophisticated version of this Defender track. Touches of Albert King to Rory’s playing here.

6. Goin’ Down to Eli’s (Minneapolis Guthrie Theater 1991)
What a version of this Robert Nighthawk song! Rory delivers the lyrics with such conviction, really painting a picture of the sordid tale of murder. The pièce de resistance of his Minneapolis show.

7. Mean Disposition (Nottingham Rock City 1990)
Such an honest and authentic interpretation of this Muddy Waters classic. Rory really gets inside the music, delivering such a powerful vocal performance.

8. Empire State Express (Cleveland Empire 1991)
A hypnotic performance by Rory alone on stage with his National. He spectacularly intimates the sounds and motions of the train with his guitar here, demonstrating his aptitude and curiosity for continuously exploring new sonic possibilities with his instrument.

9. Barley and Grape Rag (Temple Bar Blues Festival 1992)
Described by Ronnie Drew as one of the high points of his life, this duet is the real jewel in the crown of Rory’s Temple Bar concert. Their two voices meld together in a wonderful blend of gravel and soul, while their affection for one another is apparent in their banter and laughs throughout.

10. Want’ad Blues (Dublin RTÉ radio performance 1988)
In less than five minutes, Rory is able to conjure up a mood, indeed a presence, with his interpretation of this John Lee Hooker song. His approach is confident, evident from his addition of a slide introduction and solos to his mature, rumbling vocals. He keeps the audience engaged by the assortment of rhythms: brisk down-strokes on the National, bold and passionate sweeps of his slide and finally the occasional cease of guitar altogether to allow the tap of his boot to build the beat’s momentum.

11. Mr Pitiful (Chicago Park West 1991)
A lively rendition of the Otis Redding and Steve Cropper original. Rory barely has time to catch his breath as he explodes across the stage, singing, scatting, growling and firing note after note from his guitar.

12. She’s Not There (Albuquerque Grand Central 1985)
Rory really puts his own stamp on this Zombies’ song, improvising the lyrics and going wherever the mood takes him with his guitar playing. It’s a true feast for the ears!

13. You Really Got a Hold on Me (Mont-de-Marsan 1985)
Another touch of soul from Rory, this time with a Smokey Robinson classic. His vocals at this mid-80s point in his career are so en pointe. The way that Mark’s harmonica weaves with Rory’s guitar is sensational. It really does have a hold on me! I could listen over and over!

14. I Feel Good (Heppenheim Open Air Festival 1988)
Rory bringing a touch of James Brown to his audience in a confident performance full of sass and swagger. Gerry lays down a solid groove throughout, while Mark once again excels with his harp playing.

15. Used to Be (Boston Paradise 1991)
An unexpected encore that sends the crowd wild. Not featured often in Rory’s set since the mid-1970s. A marvellous rendition to close the show!

Bonus Track: Loanshark Blues (Newcastle City Hall 1987)
Rory once described ‘Loanshark Blues’ as the best song he ever wrote, and it’s easy to understand why. The storytelling lyrics, the driving riff, the vocal delivery all come to an impressive crescendo here, marking a fine end to our ‘Best of Bootlegs’ special.

We love you, Rory

You truly are so sorely missed

❤️