To mark the sad passing of legendary Bluesman Gary Moore, we revisit a quick interview the Belfast man conducted with Michael Doherty prior to a series of gigs in Belfast and Dublin in 2007.
Michael Doherty: Great to see you back on home turf, Gary. Does it put extra pressure on you, playing in front of audiences in Belfast and Dublin? After all, hometown fans remember you when you had the arse out of your trousers...
Gary Moore: Hahaha! In my case, they remember me when I was lying flat out in Neary's pub! I was in Belfast a few years ago and it seemed like a foreign country, especially as I had never played in the Odyssey before. At one stage, somebody shouted out: "Play 'The Sash', Gary". That brought me home and I realised where I was then! Dublin is special because that's where I got my start as a professional musician; that's where I met Phil, and that's where it all started for me.
Modern blues guys tend to consider themselves as Keepers of the Blues fame. You've always revered the master bluesmen and, with that in mind, I note you have some Son House tracks on the new album, 'Close as You Get'.
I think that music is really important, especially these days when there's so much bulls*** around. Blues is one of the few places where you can find real truth and sincerity in music. That's why you have to be real respectful towards it and that's why you are a keeper of the flame, in a way. Many of those old guys have gone, now. I've played with many of them and there aren't many blues artists coming through.
When you were a young Blues fans listening to the Beano Bluesbreakers album and attending Alley Cat gigs, did you ever dream that you would end up playing with all the blues legends, including the great man, John Mayall, himself?
I dreamed about it a lot. When I should have been going to school I was down in the woods dreaming. I used to get on the bus and hit all the music stores. I suppose I had a belief that I would get somewhere even though the people in Belfast at that time used to tell me that I was s***. They used to say, 'What's the point of going to London where everybody is as good as Clapton and Jeff Beck?' And I thought, 'They can't all be as good as Clapton and Beck'. And when I got to London I realised that the only guitarists as good as Clapton and Beck were Clapton and Beck!
You've championed many blues greats, but I have to ask you your opinion of my favourite blues guy, Alvin Lee...
I was very impressed with all that Ten Years After stuff, 'Hear Me Calling', etc, so I went to see him playing this weird rooftop gig in Belfast. On the way there I was knocked down by a car, so I limped all the way to the gig! Alvin was great and he had that big frizzy hair and clogs, and that really fast playing style. Years and years later we became quite friendly. He didn't play very much then, but he was still wearing the clogs! He told me he loved my playing so it was lovely to meet him after all those years.
