Thank you for all your lovely feedback on Part 1 of my interview with Eamonn McCormack! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading it. For this week’s blog, our conversation turns to Rory’s music, performances and instruments.

During the time you knew Rory, did you sense that he was at peace with his place in the music world, or was he still grappling with it?

I believe he was quite happy with his place in the industry and we all know his steadfast stance, in that he never wanted to compromise or sell out for the record label’s sake or ambition. He never wanted to be a mega star or a big flavour of the month type star. He wanted continuity and I know he was very appreciative of his own fans and knew that they would always stick by him. Within the international blues-rock market, he had serious living legend status and he never reverted back to playing small music bars, like many from the 70’s blues boom artists did. He maintained festival headliner status and played large enough venues accross Europe. I can tell you, there were plenty of well known named guitarists around in the 90’s that would have been thrilled to sell out the venues that Rory did every time. There was actually another wave of a blues boom not so long after Rory passed away and I believe that would have carried his status up even further like it brought Buddy Guy up etc. That’s a pity. He would have enjoyed that.

How did Rory maintain his passion for playing and performing despite the physical toll his health took on him towards the end? Was that something he remained determined to do?

Sadly, he played at home a lot less in the last few months. He always played acoustic at home. I never saw him play the electric at home. Maybe he did from time to time, but I never saw it. I always remember a funny phone call with him around this time. He had a great sense of humor. I could hear he had his acoustic guitar in his hands and I guess holding the old phone to his ear with his shoulder and he said to me in a Southern American accent, ‘Eamonn, y’all know I’m laying back on my bed here, with my cowboy boots on and my cowboy hat and sunglasses pickin’ some country and country blues!’ We got a good laugh about that.

I remember hearing you talk before about Rory’s guest appearance on ‘Falsely Accused’ and how he transformed from a shy and nervous guy into an absolute beast as soon as he strapped on his guitar. What was that like to witness?

Yes, that’s an experience I will never forget. I had asked my friend, the Dutch guitar legend, Jan Akkerman to come to London to guest on my album and he said yes. I had also asked Keith Donald (Moving Hearts) to play sax on the album. I knew Keith and coincidentally he was a friend of Rory’s too. Rory knew I was in London at the time recording my new album and on a phone conversation I said, ‘I would love you to guest on my album’ and I was thrilled when he said yes! So, when the time came around to record, myself and my brother Niall and bass player Sully picked him up at his apartment in Chelsea Harbour. We had a quick pitstop at a pub on the way to the studio for a sandwich and a pint. Rory had one single guitar with him in a case. Not the Strat, it was the red Airline guitar. I carried it into the car and studio and I remember saying to him he can use any of my equipment or guitars if he likes and he said, ‘Relax, that wont be necessary’. So, when we arrived at Jacob’s studio, Tom O’Driscoll was already there with a small truck load of guitars and amps and Rory’s foot pedals and setting them up. I remember Rory felt very relaxed to see the engineer Robin Black, as he worked with him in the past on some tracks on the Defender album, I believe. All of a sudden, he seemed very energetic and started to look ten years younger is how I would describe it. We headed into the studio room when the guitar amps were set up and Tom set up everything the way Rory asked and he first grabbed his no. 1 Tele and he plugged it in and the standby switches on the amps were switched on too. Next thing, Rory played a chord and tested the lead guitar sound as you do and the whole studio shook. No exaggeration, it was the most powerful thing I ever heard. It was not so much the sound or the volume, but it was the sheer emotion and ambience. It just cut through the walls of the studio like a laser and everyone felt it. We all just watched with our mouths open. I know some people get all iffy when people get philosophical about things like this. But I swear, the moment Rory strapped that guitar on his shoulder and played, he was larger then life. It was like his inner soul was connected to the Gods above, as if he was channelling the consciousness of the universe. It was unreal. It made the heaviest, heavy metal guitarists on the planet sound like they all played the banjo! Then we proceeded to record and we jumped around like a live show. He changed some lyrics on the song for me and he shouted some ad libs and he did two overdub slide parts later and he knew exactly the EQ he wanted on the desk so he would tell Robin through the studio intercom system.

Rory was still performing and creating music up until his last days. Did he talk about any new music or projects he was working on, or things he hoped to achieve before he passed?

Not really. Well, he did say when I sent him the rough mix of the track ‘Falsely Accused’ that he wanted to go back into the studio and also play some blues harp on it. But somehow that never materialized. I know he was very down about his last three live performances, which were in The Netherlands because he never let people down before. When you think about it, Rory gave and put everything he got into his performances for over thirty years and only three bad gigs in total because he was ill. He did mention something about there was talk about a second tribute to Peter Green Songbook Part 2. BTW on the month’s mind for Rory, at the afterparty in the Irish Center, Peter Green showed up to show his respects to Rory, a fallen bluesman. I thought that was beautiful and someone said Green never went out to functions.

Rory is known for the blues, but I know he listened to all genres of music. Were there any artists he enjoyed that surprised you?

Indeed, Rory had an eclectic taste in music. Apart from blues, of course, he would listen to some jazz, country, bluegrass, folk and Irish trad. I know he liked the raw energy of the Sex Pistols and he liked Nirvana. He also rated Prince and he admired the Edge of U2’s mastery of the echo chamber. He liked Gypsy music and Flamenco and he knew a bit about classical music too. He could hear a piece on the radio in a restaurant and he could tell you that was Bach or Mozart or Beethoven. Rory could appreciate any music once it was authentic and real. He had no time for that add water and mix type manufactured pop music. He just found it cold. He thought Abba were good with some catchy well thought out songs.

What’s your favourite of Rory’s guitars and why?

Of course, I would have to say the old battered Strat first and the Tele and then some of the odd ones like the Airline he took to the studio. He had so many cool guitars, which I was happy to see again at Bonhams. My latest favourite is the 12-string Ibanez that Vincent in Holland owns. Ibanez made great acoustic guitars in the 70’s. I own one.

What’s your favourite Rory song and why?

Again, so many to choose from. It would depend on my mood. But some I would namecheck are ‘Shadow Play’, ‘Follow Me’, ‘Secret Agent’, ‘Calling Card, ‘Tattoo’d Lady’ and Fuel to the Fire’. That last one has so much emotion; it always gets the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up, especially the live versions.

Do you know if Rory ever had vocal lessons?

No, I don’t believe he ever had vocal lessons. Not that I know of. I remember having a pint with an A&R guy called Doug who was with Polydor in the early days and later signed Rory to Castle Records, I think that was the name of the label. They released some videos and a few reissue CDs. Doug said to me, he believed Rory’s vocals developed from a good singer to a great singer as he aged, like a good wine. I would agree with him about that. I always loved Rory’s voice and it just got better from album to album.

Rory often mentioned an acoustic album and while Dónal did his best to honour his desire, I’ve always felt that the album Rory personally envisioned would have been worth hearing. Are you aware if Rory ever submitted any tracks to tape and, if so, have those tapes been preserved?

I wasn’t aware of any other acoustic tracks that he may have recorded apart from the ones that showed up on the posthumous acoustic album Wheels within Wheels, which I very much enjoyed. I’m sure there are some. Rory did often say one day he would get around to recording an acoustic album and I always felt the acoustic shows he did in Cork were sort of a precursor to an album and further acoustic type concerts. Dónal and his son Daniel have done a great job with Rory’s recorded archive, so you never know what’s still on the way!

Do you think there are other recordings of Rory that have yet to surface (e.g. his rehearsal in the studio for Van Morrison’s Wavelength, jam with Rolling Stones?). Additionally, would it be a good idea to release an album featuring Rory ‘guesting’ with other musicians, whether live or in the studio?

I’m sure there will be more recordings on the way and live footage. I don’t know if there’s material from the Van sessions, but wasn’t that the one where Van never showed up?! Also, I know Rory did spend a whole weekend jamming with the Stones in Rotterdam and very possibly there are some recording takes, but I would imagine if there are, that would have been recorded by the Stones for new guitarist recruitment purposes. I believe the Stones were keen on Rory, but let’s face it: Rory would have been lost playing second fiddle to Jagger and Richards. Rory was a front man. As regards a full album of Rory’s guest appearances, that does sound like a lovely idea. Of course, I’m biased about this for obvious reasons, but I believe it would be a nice album. Another idea I always had in the back of my mind was that famous guitarists from Page, May and Slash plus more, all recording their favourite songs of Rory’s as a tribute album to the man and maybe the new owner of his old Strat would even allow it brought out for the occasion to be used on some songs in the studio.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 3 NEXT WEEK!