Ian Rankin has been confirmed as chief collaborator on a new, crime-inspired special release featuring the music of Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher.
Entitled Kickback City, the unique immersive album is inspired by the crime noir passion and music of Rory Gallagher. Featuring a specially compiled album of Rory Gallagher’s best crime novel-influenced music, the package also includes an exclusive new novella by Ian Rankin - The Lie Factory - fully illustrated by graphic artist Timothy Truman. Rory’s lyrics and song titles are woven into the story. The album package also includes a special narration of the story by Irish actor Aidan Quinn.
Rory Gallagher was a huge fan of the crime noir genre and much of his work was inspired by the characters and themes found in the detective novels of authors like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
Equally, the award-winning Ian Rankin and his hard-boiled, hard-living central protagonist, Detective Inspector John Rebus, are great fans of Rory’s work.
“I was approached by Rory’s brother Donal Gallagher who asked if I knew that Rory was a big fan of crime fiction," says Rankin. "And of course when you look at the songs, the lyrics and especially the titles – 'Kickback City', 'Continental Op' (the title of a Dashiell Hammett book) – it all makes sense.
"Donal mentioned that he was thinking of putting together an album of Rory’s songs that are to do with crime and thriller elements and asked if I wanted to get involved. It was great fun and writing the story for the Rory Gallagher album was just obvious to me: it would be noir, the classic Raymond Chandler or Philip Marlowe private eye.”
Kickback City comes complete with visuals created by illustrator Timothy Truman (DC Comics / First Comics). Also a life-long Rory Gallagher fan, the musician, writer and illustrator has been working in the graphic novel industry since the 80’s and is internationally known for his art design for the Grateful Dead.
“I turned on to Rory’s work in 1973 when I was a junior in high school in West Virginia. One Friday night," Truman says, "I turned on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and that’s when I first saw Rory. He immediately blew me away. I thought he was the greatest guitarist and performer I’d ever seen and I’ve been a devoted follower ever since.”
Kickback City will be packaged like a hardback book housing 3 audio discs, including an audio version of the book read by Hollywood Actor Aidan Quinn (Legends Of The Fall,Michael Collins), the 44-page novella The Lie Factory and four ‘crime scene’ postcards.
As well as the crime inspired Rory Gallagher compilation album, the set also includes a collection of live ‘crime’ tracks (Kickback City Live) recorded at the Cork Opera House, never before available as an audio release.
The album is released on October 28.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the death of the Irish rock legend Rory Gallagher, we asked some Irish musicians and media folk for their recollections and reflections on one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
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On the 20th anniversary of his death, the memory of the Irish rock legend was superbly evoked at a gathering in Áras an Uachtaráin yesterday. PHOTO CREDIT: Ann Lane
Read More Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the sad passing of Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher, Hot Press has been scouring the vaults for classic examples of coverage from his storied career.
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Sunday June 14 marks the 20th anniversary of the legendary Rory Gallagher's tragic death. While the world has changed in many ways, the trail-blazing guitarist's impact is still keenly felt...
Read More A new music space in Cork city opens its doors on the day of Rory's 20th anniversary.
Read More 'Tattoo'd Lady' will ring out across airwaves to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his death.
Read More NO HOME SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS STUNNING BOXSET
Read More 'Band of Friends', featuring Gerry McAvoy, are celebrating the life and music of Rory Gallagher later this month in Dublin.
Read More Rory Gallagher's old amp, rare U2 memorabilia and Michael Jackson items will be just some of the treasures up for grabs in Dublin at the end of May.
Read More Thousands of fans set to descend on Ballyshannon for the much loved festival.
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Rory Gallagher’s family have donated a replica Fender Strat and the rare Oberheimer Studio Amp he used in the 1970s to raise funds for the Ballycotton RNLI.
Read More Donal Gallagher speaks of how his brother would be "incredibly touched" as over 10,000 people sign petition to rename Cork International Airport.
Read More The audio-visual show, bringing Ian Rankin's The Lie Factory, comes to the City Library this month.
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Rory Gallagher’s noir-themed tracks inspire posthumous collaboration
Read More Donal Gallagher has been talking to Hot Press following the closure of the Cork music shop where his brother Rory picked up his famous guitar.
Read More Sadly, it’s not all good news from The People’s Republic. Shortly before the county’s hurlers engaged in their titanic winning battle with Dublin at Croker, the shop where Rory Gallagher famously bought his 1961 Fender Strat announced that it was closing.
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The 12th annual Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival will take place in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, later this month.
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Mick Taylor & Horslips were among those to play at the festival
Read More Two of the guitar legend's performances will be broadcast next week.
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The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival begins in late May.
Read More To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of Rory Gallagher's eponymously-titled first solo album, Daniel Gallagher – nephew of the Irish guitar legend – has lovingly remastered the first six albums that formed the bedrock of the Cork legend's remarkable solo career.
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Modern guitar wizard Joe Bonamassa donned Rory Gallagher's legendary Fender Stratocaster at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo, and he wasn't the only one to get his hands on the famous six-string...
Read More Modern guitar wizard, Joe Bonamassa is set to play Rory Gallagher's legendary Fender Stratocaster at his London show tonight, Hot Press has learned. The gig takes place at the HMV Hammersxmith Apollo.
Read More It was one of those meetings of remarkable men that promised much. But nothing went according to the script when Ireland’s ultimate guitar hero, Rory Gallagher, travelled to San Francisco to record with the legendary Janis Joplin and Neil Young producer, Elliot Mazer. All of 33 years later, fans are about to be treated to a full Rory studio album which was – literally and controversially – binned in 1978.
Read More Rory Gallagher plugs 'Colours' later this month in The Workman's Club.
Read More Notes From San Francisco comes with a bonus live CD.
Read More A documentary on Rory Gallagher brought back the extent to which Irish artists were marginalised by Irish media. The sad truth, however, is that the new generation still struggle to receive their fair share of air-time on Irish radio. Why?
Read More A statue of the legendary Irish guitar maestro Rory Gallagher, who died in 1995, was unveiled in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal recently.
Read More A bronze statue to honour the late Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher is to be unveiled in Ballyshannon, the town of his birth on June 2, to launch the Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival.
Read More Rory Gallagher’s brother and manager Donal has agreed to speak at the official launch of the book Cork Rock: From Rory Gallagher To The Sultans of Ping, written by local journalist Mark McAvoy.
Read More Rock fans are in for a special treat with the addition of a special Rory Gallagher Exhibition to the attractions at the Music Show, which takes place at the RDS on October 3 and 4.
Read More Mercier Press have published Cork Rock-From Rory Gallagher to the Sultans of Ping, a book that tells the story of the growth of rock music in the City over the last five decades.
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The Gallagher faithful will be out in force tonight in Dublin.
Read More The last recording made by Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher is finally going to be released.
Read More Photographer Fin Costello will present his collection of classic Rory Gallagher shots in a new 80-page book.
Read More Sinnerboy is set to spread the words of Rory across Ireland.
Read More The fifth international tribute fest for late Irish legend Rory Gallagher will see 63 events take place over four days.
Read More An online petition has been launched calling for Cork International Airport to be renamed Cork Rory Gallagher Airport in honour of the city’s favourite adopted son.
Read More Rory Gallagher, the influential 70s rock star who died in 1995, has been commemorated by Belfast with a special day which took place on 29 December.
Read More Rory Gallagher fans are in for a treat as the Triskel Arts Centre stages a Homecoming tribute to its adopted son.
Read More Temple Bar was brought to a standstill at the unveiling of a sculpture honouring Rory Gallagher last Friday.
Read More The legendary guitarist is back at number one, this time in the DVD charts, 11 years after his death.
Read More Mark McClelland was a feature and music writer for Cork's Evening Echo for four years. Here, he presents his top ten most significant musical acts to emerge from Cork.
Read More A bronze sculpture of Rory Gallagher's famous Stratocaster guitar will be unveiled in a ceremony next week in Temple Bar - and you could be there.
Read More In tribute Rory Gallagher, a bronze replica of his trademark Fender Stratocaster will be erected on Rory Gallagher Corner, Temple Bar, Dublin.
Read More Rory Gallagher fans will be spoiled rotten with the release of a 3 DVD boxset on November 28.
Read More Rory Gallagher is the subject of a new RTE Radio 1 documentary series, which premieres at 11.12pm on Sunday July 24.
Read More It was Wednesday June 14th, 1995, when the terrible news of Rory Gallagher’s death was first phoned through to the Hot Press office. In more ways than one, it was the end of an era. On Wednesday November 8th, a commemoration service was held at Brompton Oratory in London. The ceremony ended with a tribute, which was delivered by Niall Stokes, editor of Hot Press. As a special remembrance of Rory, on the 10th anniversary of his death, we reproduce here the full text of that tribute.
Read More One of the most iconic Irish musicians ever, Rory Gallagher died ten years ago, on June 14 1995. This month, he is commemorated with a comprehensive retrospective, Big Guns – The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher. His brother, Donal Gallagher, who was both manager and mentor to Rory, talks to Colm O’Hare about the work involved in compiling the album, the guitarist’s legacy – and the fascinating story of how he nearly joined the Rolling Stones.
Read More The tenth anniversary of Rory Gallagher's death will be honoured with a very special event in Ballyshannon, plus a Best Of album and a Gerry McAvoy autobiography
Read More Fine Gael councillor Brendan Travers is campaigning for the naming of “The Rory Gallagher Theatre” in the Donegal town of Ballyshannon
Read More Fianna Fail councillor Gary Keegan has spoken out against the National Photographic Library's blocking of the Rory Gallagher tribute
Read More Rory Gallagher tribute act Sinnerboy will play Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny and Dundalk in November, demonstrating the continuing appeal of the guitar hero's music.
Read More A proposal to erect a memorial sculpture at Rory Gallagher Corner has been blocked by the National Library of Ireland
Read More A proposal to erect a memorial sculpture at Rory Gallagher Corner has been blocked by the National Library of Ireland
Read More The 'Live at the Rockpalast' series of DVDs seem to be going down well in Germany, with Thin Lizzy's charting at number five and Rory Gallagher's shooting to the top of the music DVD charts
Read More This album closes with a rendition of ‘La Bamba’ (replete with an organ sound made entirely from cheese) that’s marked by the stinging clarity of Gallagher’s guitar tone and the throwaway rasp of his vocal.
Read More Get your self to Hammersmith next week: Rory Gallagher + guitar workshops, talks, films and giveaways to boot
Read More Rory Gallagher’s posthumous Wheels Within Wheels is a remarkable collection of previously unreleased acoustic material by Ireland’s guitar legend. It comes complete with a cover by the celebrated painter, David Oxtoby, that is certain to make a lasting impression.
Read More Rory Gallagher was the real deal, a hard-rockin’ blues devotee whose live act, at its heady peak, was one of the best in the world
Read More The first three albums scarcely need any new recommendation from me. For all that, the disc which makes this boxed set an absolute must-buy for all Rory Gallagher fans, is the splendidly titled Waiting For The G-Man.
Read More Eamonn Sweeney reports from the re-launch in London of an historic Rory Gallagher tour documentary
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Taken from the 1995 Hot Press Rory Gallagher tribute issue, the late Gary Moore speaks of the early days supporting Taste and his continued friendship with Gallagher.
Read More JOHN STEPHENSON recalls RORY GALLAGHER'S incendiary finale to the Sense Of Ireland festival in London, in 1980.
Read More Hot Press has been scouring our archives to bring you some great Rory Gallagher gems over the next couple of days.
Read More Taken from the December 1995 Hot Press Rory Gallagher tribute issue.
Read More LIAM FAY remembers Rory Gallagher, the superb raconteur with a dry wit
Read More NIALL STOKES takes a very personal journey back through the music and memories of a friendship with a man he was proud to have known.
Read More A selection of RORY GALLAGHER quotes from the back pages of HOT PRESS including the truth about the rumours that he nearly joined the Rolling Stones
Read More DERMOT STOKES takes a browse round the gallery of styles that made Rory Gallagher one of the great bluesmen. (From the 1995 Hot Press Rory Gallagher tribute issue)
Read More The Rory Gallagher Story - a star-studded saga of music, magic, mayhem, merriment and the highs and lows of the long and winding road. Interview by Liam Fay. (Taken from the Hot Press 15-year anniversary special)
Read More Throughout a long and often glorious career, Rory Gallagher has maintained the kind of punishlng touring schedule that has left lesser mortals in a severely burnt out state. But why does he continue to do it? Ronan O'Reilly caught up with him during his recent British tour and attempted to find out.
Read More After a recording silence of five years Rory Gallagher returned towards the end of last year with ''Defender'', regarded by many critics as his finest album to date. In Dublin recently for a series of storming gigs at the Olympia, in a wide-ranging interview, he spoke to Bill Graham about Ireland in the showband era, his early experiences playing in the sleaze pits of Hamburg, his rediscovery of the blues – and the longstanding love of the thriller genre which informs his latest album.
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This is the point at which we finally jettison any attempt to lumpen Rory Gallagher with the HM crew, new or old.
Read More John Waters meets Rory Gallagher on his 1981 tour in support of Jinx
Read More When Rory Gallagher hits the stage at this year's Macroom festival gig, it'll be his last appearance in Ireland, a year that has seen him forgo some of the spotlight he's enjoyed over the previous ten years in Britain and Ireland in particular.
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