Classic Rock Rory Feature

[Sinner Girl]

Regarding the article- I could never read the entire article 'til today, for some reason my computer wouldn't display it in a readable form until today. But the speculation on who may have been the lady who broke Rory's heart- no one really knows except that woman and Rory. And I suspect Donal might know, but if he does, I'm sure that his loyalty to his brother will guarantee that we will never hear of it as long as Rory wanted it to be kept forever private. But since speculation seems to be the trend here, let me add my 2 cents-

Here's an interesting interview- focus on Rory's words and demeanor at 18:40

[youtube]http://youtu.be/GdfT-p23Nko[/youtube] http://youtu.be/GdfT-p23Nko

Around 12:00 Rory plays Pistol Slapper Blues, not on his old National Steel, but on his Martin dreadnaught- it's an earlier show, he didn't have the steel guitar yet. That puts it in the very early 70's At 16:00 Rory sings I Don't Know Where I'm Going, then at 18:40 the interview takes an interesting turn- the question isn't heard, but it can be inferred from Rory's answer. He's very young there, and he looks very happy- I speculate that is around the time of this mystery love affair, he looks and acts like a young man in love, and he says " . . . I do all that, yeah, I think about it, it's, ah, I'm in no hurry, I like to stay footloose for a while yet, anyway, but you can never tell when you're going to be . . . caught." He is in his homeland of Ireland, and he has the sparkle in his eyes of a young man, happy with his life, and with plenty of time ahead.

Then from the book: "A certain lady, who I had a great thing for, right, went off and married this guy. Then she went off and had his child. And she introduced me to the husband who showed me pictures of the child right in front of my face. And I couldn't take it. I really couldn't take it. The only reason I didn't move was she was a musician friend of mine. She must have no feelings. I mean, how do you do that? He's a nice guy; I'm not sayin.' But I spent two years in a terrible state over that." from Gallagher, Merriott, Derringer, Trower 1st edition, p.53 Dan Muise

My understanding was that the above quote was given while Rory was in the hospital.

The quote fror Ted McKenna was from the Muise book, also on page 53, where he clearly states that Rory's girlfriend entered and exited the picture before Ted became involved in the band, and that would put it before Rory's time living with his friend Roland and Roland's girlfriend Catherine, incorrectly identified as Christine in the Classic Rock article.

Speculating here again, Rory had trust issues with business relationships after having been burned by his business dealings with Taste and his management back then. Being burned in a business relationship is a cakewalk compared to the pain of a personal relationships between a man and a woman when it goes wrong.

To open oneself to another person in a romantic relationship is risky business even for the most hardened people. I mean, how much more vulnerable can a person be, exposing one's heart and soul to another is quite an act of trust, and if that trust is betrayed- who hasn't had to experience that kind of pain? For someone like Rory- someone so guarded and private to begin with, it must have been hard to cope- That level of pain and loss, if he internalized it would be like a slow poison. If he confided in anyone it would be his brother, and like I said, Donal is so completely devoted to Rory that wild horses won't be able to make him spill it.

As far as the speculation about all the women- groupies- trying to score with him on the road, well, that's physical gratification, and everyone knows that goes nowhere for anyone involved. Rory probably had more self respect and respect for others-even the groupies, to indulge such weaknesses.

And as far as the Catherine speculation, Rory was living with his friend Roland. Even if he was attracted to his friend's girlfriend, how would that have worked? If she had been able to seduce him, how well do you think things would go at the breakfast table with the three of them the next day? Some people can do that sort of thing and not think twice about it, but it's easier to maintain friendships with a clear conscience. If anything Rory was loyal to his friends. Plus, I believe he had already had his heart broken by a women years before. If he had problems allowing another woman to get that close, why would he involve himself with someone who would cheat on one man to be with another? He already had trust issues, how can he trust that she wouldn't tire of him down the road and go to someone else? Even after Roland and she parted ways, there would always be that thought that if a person could cheat on one, why not another?

Back when I used to see his band play was in the 70's. He looked very happy and healthy. I loved to watch him play, and he always made his audience feel happy. But I was never so focused on him or his personal life, and it never occurred to me that after a tour he wouldn't go back to Ireland and happily go about his life till the next tour. I often thought of the times I saw him and his band, and they were some of my happiest memories.

I just always figured as the years went by that he would find and marry a pretty Irish lady and go on to father a bunch of musical genius children while continuing to pursue his musical interests. Years later while perusing the internet I read how his life unfolded in the 80s and 90s, and it is indeed a very sad, tragic end for a man who deserved so much better. Perhaps the reason that his tragic story haunts my thoughts is because I never, ever would have guessed that someone with such a kind, gentle demeanor would meet such a horrible end. It seems so unfair.

I don't think he was destroyed by a failed love affair, either. It probably didn't help, but I think what really happened was that his fears and doubts began to creep into his everyday thoughts, and when he sought the help of the medical profession the things they gave him made his self doubt and fear stronger, and he couldn't deal with it on his own. To the extent that he really needed someone he could trust completely and confide in, that would have helped him to heal, but it would require an act of faith that perhaps he just couldn't give.

RobertaSparrow i agree in every word...and about catherine,yes I'm sure that's the real reason about Rory's rejection...I know thαt because I had a similar experience once..."one bitten,twice shy"
Rory used to say that,according McAvoy...

Great post, and I agree what you wright

[leprechaun1]

it's not a reach to say the kurt was a fan of Rory...the flanel shirt was a give away. although kurt didn't play songs like Rory he did WANT to do things his own way. Rory did set the bar for independant musicians or those that thought they could do things their way. i wish more musicians would play what they want and not what the industry wants them to.

[RobertaSparrow]

it's not a reach to say the kurt was a fan of Rory...the flanel shirt was a give away. although kurt didn't play songs like Rory he did WANT to do things his own way. Rory did set the bar for independant musicians or those that thought they could do things their way. i wish more musicians would play what they want and not what the industry wants them to.

I posted this on the Rory as prophet thread, but it fits here better-
Rory was way ahead of his time. Especially his style, his interpretation of the blues, his sound.

But the clothes, I believe he was emulating the manner of dress that people here on the west coast have worn ever since I can remember- probably since before the Civil War. Cotton or flannel shirts, usually plaid, checked, or striped, and blue denim were what most people wore casually. I don't know if he was just taken with the way the old cowboys and working men over here dressed in the cowboy movies, or it was because they're some of the most comfortable clothes in the world, and I guess it was unconventional for Europe, especially back then, but if you look at old photos of the way people in the western U.S. dressed, that wasn't anything new. In fact for manner of dress he stood out more to us because he wasn't dressed in the manner that the hippies did in the late 60's, early 70's. He looked kinda conservative for a rocker.

If he were to walk down most any street in the western U.S. back then, even in the most conservative towns, he would have turned heads for his long hair, but they wouldn't have thought twice about how he was dressed. Were he to have gathered his hair up under a cowboy hat or baseball cap, I bet no one would think twice about him being "not from around here," at least until he spoke. I think his accent would definitely give him away at that point.

Mexican kids in Southern California in the 60's and 70's for the most part didn't know who Rory was, but those shirts were hugely popular there. They used to wear those plaid flannel shirts all the time. We called them Pendletons, after the workshirts that came out of the Pendleton Woollen Mills in Oregon. Pendleton Mills has been making those shirts since the late 1800s up to the present day.

Wouldn't surprise me if Kurt Colbain was a Rory fan. He wasn't in the same league as Rory, and I could see he would admire Rory for his gifted and unique playing style. But as far as the way Nirvana dressed, that is how the people here dress, before Rory, before Nirvana, and even now.

That doesn't make Rory any less original. And he was WAY ahead of his time.

[loulamb]

Hello, it says that i havent got permission to read this article,i'd really love to! how can i? thanks.

[stortokoltese]

how can i read the article?

[JimLED]

Hello, it says that i havent got permission to read this article,i'd really love to! how can i? thanks.

Hello there! Article is attached to the first post of the topic as picture.

[stortokoltese]

Thank's man, i realy enjoy it! Read it listening to irish tour '74. I'm pretty much inside Rory's music these days. I first met his energy back when i was 15, he was about to passed away by that time. Greek's love him, it wasn't difficult back then to came across his music. So i bougth blueprint and listen to it and i still have that filling inside me. Since then his music and his attitude it's part of my soul and my spirit.