Kilcar singer-songwriter Rory Gallagher (formerly of the Revs and now known as just Rory) has had an interesting musical background so far. At 30 years of age the Donegal musician has been one of the few Irish musicians to play Slane Castle and has had numerous top 20 hits with his previous band the Revs. He has just begun a solo career and launches his second single 'Waterfall' to radio this week.
One Christmas in the early 80's Rory woke up to find Santa Claus had brought a 'Top of the Pops' drum kit. This was Rory's first step into the family business - his parents doing the rounds on the showband scene with 'Pluto'. Frighteningly, before most kids can read and write Rory could bash out Roxanne by the Police and made his first stage appearance playing 'Eye of the Tiger' at a community festival aged just 4.
Throughout his teens Rory formed some local bands and began playing solo lounge gigs across the North-West. At 18, Gallagher released a low-budget, self-produced album of original songs called '20th Century.' The album was made record of the week by Larry Gogan on 2fm. Rory also made the final of the 2fm songwriting competition... twice.
The loneliness of solo work combined with an ambition that outgrew playing 'Wonderwall' to a pub audience led Rory to form the Revs with childhood friend Michael D O'Donnell and Dundalk guitar player John McIntyre.
The speed at which the Revs found fame was extraordinary. After just their third gig (a band competition in Dublin sponsored by HotPress) they signed an indie record deal and within their first year they went on to play over 200 gigs across Ireland. Debut single 'Wired to the Moon' followed and the song became a summer hit. The band's debut album 'Sonic Tonic' went into the charts at number five and featured a cover version of the Vapours' 'Turning Japanese'. The band found themselves playing the Oxegen festival (they played the mainstage at Oxegen for four years running!). The band picked up a HotPress Award and a Meteor Award for best newcomers (beating the likes of Gemma Hayes, Damien Rice and Snow Patrol).
Supporting bands like Muse, the Hives (Dublin Castle) Stereophonics and Counting Crows (Slane Castle) the bands sound started to mature. With the release of their most successful album 'Suck' which reached number 3 the band had a hit with the single 'Death of a DJ'. The Revs' success started spread and the song was made 'Single of the Week' by Kerrang magazine, they played the Reading and Leeds festival, completed two mini-world tours, made the cover of several magazines in Ireland and Australia and were voted third Best Irish Band in a HotPress Readers Poll - beaten only by U2 and the Frames.
In 2005 the band took a break to write and record their third album. Recorded in Malmo, Sweden they released 'the Revs' to much critical acclaim. Musically the album was the groups most successful record. Tracks like Time Slippin', You Shine and Take It All Back were perfect songs for the band to properly break into the international scene. The album, however, was a commercial failure. It sold only 2000 copies and with it the Revs spirit was diminished. Record company mistakes and financial struggles ended up with the Revs playing one last 5 date tour in Ireland in 2006. If you can get your hands on that album definitely give it a listen!
Rory moved to Lanzarote in 2007 and started work on his first solo offering since the demise of the Revs. God Bless the Big Bang was released in August 2008 with Rory playing every instrument on the record, apart from steel guitar which was played by his father. Rory came back home to Ireland for a promotional tour for the record. The first single from the album 'Raindancer' received lots of airplay and became a radio favourite throughout the summer of 2008. 'God Bless the Big Bang' was made album of the week by the Sunday World, The Anglo Celt and Today FM. Rory finished off 2008 by running the New York Marathon and playing gigs back home supporting Ocean Colour Scene.
The first release in 2009 for Rory is the second single from '..the Big Bang'. 'Waterfall' is a radio-only single in Ireland and is one Rory has had in the vault for a long time. This man has worked hard to make a living from his music and the proper recognition he deserves is surely around the corner with this single.
Rory plays Whelan's in Dublin on May 11th.
God Bless The Big Bang is available on I-Tunes now.
One Christmas in the early 80's Rory woke up to find Santa Claus had brought a 'Top of the Pops' drum kit. This was Rory's first step into the family business - his parents doing the rounds on the showband scene with 'Pluto'. Frighteningly, before most kids can read and write Rory could bash out Roxanne by the Police and made his first stage appearance playing 'Eye of the Tiger' at a community festival aged just 4.
Throughout his teens Rory formed some local bands and began playing solo lounge gigs across the North-West. At 18, Gallagher released a low-budget, self-produced album of original songs called '20th Century.' The album was made record of the week by Larry Gogan on 2fm. Rory also made the final of the 2fm songwriting competition... twice.
The loneliness of solo work combined with an ambition that outgrew playing 'Wonderwall' to a pub audience led Rory to form the Revs with childhood friend Michael D O'Donnell and Dundalk guitar player John McIntyre.
The speed at which the Revs found fame was extraordinary. After just their third gig (a band competition in Dublin sponsored by HotPress) they signed an indie record deal and within their first year they went on to play over 200 gigs across Ireland. Debut single 'Wired to the Moon' followed and the song became a summer hit. The band's debut album 'Sonic Tonic' went into the charts at number five and featured a cover version of the Vapours' 'Turning Japanese'. The band found themselves playing the Oxegen festival (they played the mainstage at Oxegen for four years running!). The band picked up a HotPress Award and a Meteor Award for best newcomers (beating the likes of Gemma Hayes, Damien Rice and Snow Patrol).
Supporting bands like Muse, the Hives (Dublin Castle) Stereophonics and Counting Crows (Slane Castle) the bands sound started to mature. With the release of their most successful album 'Suck' which reached number 3 the band had a hit with the single 'Death of a DJ'. The Revs' success started spread and the song was made 'Single of the Week' by Kerrang magazine, they played the Reading and Leeds festival, completed two mini-world tours, made the cover of several magazines in Ireland and Australia and were voted third Best Irish Band in a HotPress Readers Poll - beaten only by U2 and the Frames.
In 2005 the band took a break to write and record their third album. Recorded in Malmo, Sweden they released 'the Revs' to much critical acclaim. Musically the album was the groups most successful record. Tracks like Time Slippin', You Shine and Take It All Back were perfect songs for the band to properly break into the international scene. The album, however, was a commercial failure. It sold only 2000 copies and with it the Revs spirit was diminished. Record company mistakes and financial struggles ended up with the Revs playing one last 5 date tour in Ireland in 2006. If you can get your hands on that album definitely give it a listen!
Rory moved to Lanzarote in 2007 and started work on his first solo offering since the demise of the Revs. God Bless the Big Bang was released in August 2008 with Rory playing every instrument on the record, apart from steel guitar which was played by his father. Rory came back home to Ireland for a promotional tour for the record. The first single from the album 'Raindancer' received lots of airplay and became a radio favourite throughout the summer of 2008. 'God Bless the Big Bang' was made album of the week by the Sunday World, The Anglo Celt and Today FM. Rory finished off 2008 by running the New York Marathon and playing gigs back home supporting Ocean Colour Scene.
The first release in 2009 for Rory is the second single from '..the Big Bang'. 'Waterfall' is a radio-only single in Ireland and is one Rory has had in the vault for a long time. This man has worked hard to make a living from his music and the proper recognition he deserves is surely around the corner with this single.
Rory plays Whelan's in Dublin on May 11th.
God Bless The Big Bang is available on I-Tunes now.
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