GOT THE BLUES part I

Still Got the Blues

Still Got the Blues is a 1990 album by guitarist Gary Moore. Prior to this album Moore's work had consisted of predominantly jazz-fusion with Colosseum II and rock and hard rock styles including his work with Skid Row, Thin Lizzy, G-Force as well as a large repertoire of solo work. This album, as evidenced by its title, is a departure from hard rock to an electric blues style.

Still Got the Blues has been arguably the most successful of Moore's solo albums as it was well received by old fans and also converted many who had never before heard of the Irish guitarist. The album's visibility and success was assisted by contributions from well known veterans Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison. Moore chose to record his lead vocal in the control room with the then just released Shure Beta 58 supercardiod microphone rather than the studio typical big phantom powered condenser microphone in a sound booth. It is argued that this assisted him to achieve a greater passion and live feel while still maintaining studio polish.

Gary Moore

Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 1952 – 6 February 2011), was a Northern Irish musician, most widely recognized as a singer and guitarist.

In a career dating back to the 1960s, Moore played with artists including Phil Lynott and Brian Downey during his teens, leading him to memberships with the Irish bands Skid Row and Thin Lizzy on three separate occasions. Moore shared the stage with such blues and rock luminaries as B.B. King, Albert King, Colosseum II, George Harrison and Greg Lake, as well as having a successful solo career. He guested on a number of albums recorded by high profile musicians, including a cameo appearance playing the lead guitar solo on "She's My Baby" from Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3.

After a series of rock records, Moore returned to blues music with Still Got the Blues, with contributions from Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison. The album was well received by fans. He stayed with the blues format until 1997 when he returned to the harder rock, but with a softer, more pop and ballad-oriented sound on Dark Days in Paradise followed with another change of direction in 1999, when he decided to experiment with modern dance beats on A Different Beat; this left many fans, as well as the music press, confused. He also contributed guitar sections to Richard Blackwood's 2000 album, You'll Love to Hate This.

Death

Moore died of a heart attack, associated with consumption of large amounts of alcohol, at the age of 58 during the early hours of 6 February 2011. At the time, he was on holiday at the Kempinski Hotel in Estepona, Spain, with a girlfriend, who raised the alarm at 4:00 am. His death was confirmed by Thin Lizzy's manager Adam Parsons. Tests revealed that Moore died after consuming alcohol. He had 380 mg of alcohol per deciliter of blood in his system – 30 mg more than the amount usually associated with such deaths.

Moore was laid to rest in St Margaret's Churchyard, Rottingdean, East Sussex, England, which is close to Brighton, in a private ceremony with only the family, and close friends in attendance.

‘Still Got The Blues’ lyrics

Used to be so easy to give my heart away

 But I found out the hard way

 There’s a price you have to pay

 I found out that love was no friend of mine

 I should have known time after time

So long, it was so long ago

 But I've still got the blues for you

Used to be so easy to fall in love again

 But I found out the hard way

 It's a road that leads to pain

 I found that love was more than just a game

 You’re playin' to win

 But you lose just the same

So long, it was so long ago

 But I've still got the blues for you

So many years since I've seen your face

 Here in my heart, there’s an empty space

 Where you used to be

So long, it was so long ago

 But I've still got the blues for you

Though the days come and go

 There is one thing I know

 I've still got the blues for you.