Hear unreleased Rory Gallagher track Continental Op – a rampaging live performance from the Stratocaster great's previously undocumented period

Matt Parker
·2 min read
2
Rory Gallagher live onstage on 1987
Rory Gallagher live onstage on 1987

Rory Gallagher’s estate has announced the release of a huge new collection of unreleased material, All Around Man – Live In London, which is taken from a two-night run at London’s Town And Country Club in 1990.

Gallagher’s sets at the venue (now known as the Kentish Town Forum) took place in support of what would be his last studio album, 1990’s Fresh Evidence. As such, the set takes in a sizeable chunk of that final record, alongside material from its predecessor Defender.

The first track Continental Op is already available to stream and the energy the late great Stratocaster master is channeling in the recording is remarkable, particularly considering it’s from the latter part of his career.

There are two major solo sections among the five-minute performance – one features some electrifying slide work, while the second wrangles some outrageous bends and lightning runs from the neck. His tone is stunning, too – full of crunching, harmonic distortion and sounds that you can only get from digging in with a pick in just the right way.

Elsewhere, the collection looks to contain a fairly wide ranging set, taking in classics like Tattoo'd Lady, Shadow Play and Moonchild, alongside deeper cuts like Ride On Red On from 1982’s Jinx and Muddy Waters cover Mean Disposition.

The full collection will be released on July 7 as a triple vinyl album and a double-CD, alongside the usual streaming and download options. Check out the full track list below.

Rory Gallagher – All Around Man – Live In London album
Rory Gallagher – All Around Man – Live In London album

All Around Man – Live In London track list

  1. Continental Op

  2. Heavens Gate

  3. Don't Start Me Talkin'

  4. Kid Gloves

  5. Mean Disposition

  6. The Loop

  7. Tattoo'd Lady

  8. The King of Zydeco

  9. Moonchild

  10. Out On The Western Plains

  11. Ride On Red, Ride On

  12. Walkin Blues

  13. Empire State Express

  14. Shadow Play

  15. I Wonder Who

  16. Shin Kicker

  17. Middle Name

  18. When My Baby She Left Me

  19. Ghost Blues

  20. Messin' With The Kid

  21. Keep A Knockin'

  22. Bullfrog Blues

  23. All Around Man

All Around Man – Live In London is released July 7. For more information and preorders, head to the Rory Gallagher store.

If you want something to do in the meantime, why not steal some tricks from the master and learn Rory Gallagher’s soloing techniques?