Hot Press's Pat Carty on Calling Card:

[I]t was the first time since his Taste days that anyone but Gallagher sat in the producer’s chair, Roger Glover a bass playing veteran of both Deep Purple and Rainbow, earning a co-producer’s credit. According to Dónal Gallagher’s liner notes on the album’s reissue, Rory was “keen to find a producer who had an affinity with the traditional rock values but who was open to new ideas.”

Rolling Stone was, again, a bit sniffy, accusing the vocals and lyrics of not being “particularly arresting”, while praising Gallagher’s “fluent variety”. The album did continue in the slightly harder vein of its predecessor on tracks like ‘Do You Read Me’ and ‘Moonchild’ although perhaps the toughest thing here is the brilliant ‘Secret Agent’ – although the ‘Public Enemy’ outtake, which he would return to later, gives it a good run. This is one of Rory’s many “pulp fiction” songs, inspired by his love of hard-boiled authors like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler.

[Full feature]

Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, co-producer of Calling Card:

While to many outsiders Rory was a man seriously dedicated to his muse, he had a humorous, playful side too. Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover worked with Rory on the production of the Calling Card album in 1976. His most abiding memory of that time occurred late one evening in the studio.

“Rory was doing a very convincing impression of a preacher making a sermon and urging the audience to repent of their sins and come to the Lord. This went on well into the night, aided and abetted by drink and laughter. That’s what made Rory a great stage performer, his ability to entertain whatever the occasion.”

[Full feature]

Johnny Marr:

"Listen to ‘Moonchild’ off Calling Card. Man, that is a riff! Or ‘Secret Agent’! Calling Card is a great album, and again you have to give props to his band, particularly Gerry McAvoy."

[Full interview]

John Creedon:

"Rory Gallagher’s Calling Card was one of the first albums I got. To this day, that’s such a beautiful album."

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Rory Gallagher in conversation with Niall Stokes, ahead of his appearance at the Macroom festival in Co. Cork in 1978:

There was a country flavour on Calling Card, indicating another sphere of interest for Rory – Waylon Jennings being a favourite.

“I like all these kinds of music. But blues-based is still the best description for what I’m doing. In the end though, the songs I write usually dictate where I’m at.”

[Full interview]

Revisit Calling Card below: