Taste “On the Boards” (1970)

I couldn’t imagine being a guitar player in the mid sixties to early seventies. Players were evolving faster than the sound of the notes they played. Hendrix came from a parallel world and was changing everything, Clapton was making his mark, along with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Paige, and Carlos Santana just to name a few. Meanwhile, a reclusive Irishman named Rory Gallagher was tearing it up with his Stratocaster, earning a fraction of the recognition of what the aforementioned players were gaining. Gallagher’s second record, On the Boards (1970) with his power trio Taste, is one of hard rock’s understated gems, a fiery, raw blend of blues-rock, jazz, folk, country, and sophisticated progressive rock. All three players shine in this stripped down affair. The opening track, “What’s Going On” is a biting, hard rockin’ ominous number about social discord and the mixed signals of the times that are felt through Gallagher’s gruff voice. There’s the jazzy swagger of “It’s Happened Before, It’ll happen Again” (he also blows a convincing sax on this track). “If the Day was Any Longer” is a vulnerable ballad with an earnest seduction too it; some sweet harmonica augments the tenderness. Side two begins with some elaborate slide guitar workouts on “Eat my Words” that would make Duane Allman’s eyebrows rise. The title track is another jazz-tinged tune; Gallagher’s Strat chimes with bright, clean tones but contradicts this with a dark melody. “See Here” is an acoustic track that has a searching, yet sweet lullaby vibe too it that never seems to resolve musically (in the good way). There are also some basic blues rockers that could’ve easily gone into tired, honkey- tonk, bar fight territory but were saved not only by Gallagher’s astounding guitar playing but his intricate song writing as well. Rory Gallagher was a guitar player’s guitarist, but to the general public one of the most (arguably the most) overlooked guitar players of all time; who knows why; maybe he just wasn’t “psychedelic” enough. All that put aside, On the Boards is a remarkable album; and a true testament to his masterful six string navigation and his brilliant song craft. —ECM Tim

How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher.’ —Jimi Hendrix