Description:
‘Calling Card’ was released in 1976 after the successful ‘Against The Grain’. It contained many great songs including “Do You Read Me”, “Secret Agent”, “Jackknife Beat”, “Edged in Blue”, “I’ll Admit You’re Gone” and the namesake of this LP, “Calling Card”.

The album was produced by Deep Purple’s bass player Roger Glover (to find out more about Roger Glover read Alex Gitlin’s excellent introduction.)

Here follow his memories of that collaboration, written especially for the Rory Gallagher Page.

Many thanks to Roger Glover for kindly letting us reproduce his words and to Kirk Crawford for making this happen.

<< I've no idea why I was asked to produce a Rory album. Partly, I believe it was that he shared management with Status Quo and since I'd just done a project with them, the management must have thought that I was either good enough, cheap enough, or available.

I never got paid either way, incidently, although no fault of Rory's. Rory was a super guy - polite, considerate, humble. Then he had a drink or two and he overcame all these obstacles. We were a long time getting things going in the studio, but when it did, Rory shone.

I particularly remember "Barley and Grape Rag", done acoustically at first, with all the band around him and set up in the dining room of the studio, for intimacy. A liquid evening as I recall.

The one infuriating trait he had was that he could never make up his mind about anything, especially when it came to deciding which take was the best. I'd make my mind up and he'd go along with that for a minute or two, then have second thoughts so we'd record another one, then listen to all of them again, and the process would go on until, usually, we'd go back to the first one. This might take a whole evening.

He had a lot of respect from his band members though, they were dedicated to him.

Gerry McAvoy - seemed like Rory's right hand man, stalwart, firm, ready smile, decisive, solid bass player, a great laugh.

Lou Martin - lovely chap, shy, slightly awkward, quiet, adored Rory, rippled those keys in a very bluesy tradition.

Rod De'Ath - very nice chap, thin, wiry, determined, not the greatest drummer in the world but gave it all he had.

They all seemed very dedicated to Rory, there was an allegiance there, born of years of smoky clubs and endless journeys. I always felt welcome, but I was always an outsider.

I think the most successful, i.e. the best sounding, track on the album is "Calling Card", although I have a soft spot for another track, "I'll Admit You're Gone".

It was a pleasant album to do, but not without its frustrations, as most albums. However, we remained friends after it and I was proud to have worked with him.

One image I have from those sessions; late one evening, Rory, on microphone in the studio, doing an impression of a preacher sermonizing and extolling his audience to repent 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 him a great stage performer, his ability to entertain, whatever the occasion.

I have many memories of those sessions, but that one stands out >>.

Roger Glover, October 1995.

Recorded at Musicland Studios, Munich. Produced by Roger Glover.
All compositions by Rory Gallagher.

Rory Gallagher: guitars and vocals
Lou Martin; keyboards
Gerry McAvoy: bass
Rod de’Ath: drums and percussion

1. Do You read Me
2. Country Mile
3. Moonchild
4. Calling Card
5. I’ll Admit You’re Gone
6. Secret Agent
7. Jackknife Beat
8. Edged in Blue
9. Barley and Grape Rag

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