Gary Moore's new CD

Yeah Stu, I picked it up a couple of weeks ago along with Derek Trucks new CD and both excellent.  Gary is an awesome musican.

Fair enough...guess that's why they make both chocolate and vanilla, different strokes for different folks? I have not listened to a lot of his earlier work, and I've never seen him live.  I've only got his new album, and the double album that's half live and half studio called The Best Of The Blues.

With only those 2 records and the youtube clip of him playing Still Got The Blues as a basis for comparison, I don't see/hear the clinical thing you mention...but if you've seen him live 3 times, you've got a better feel for his stuff than I do.

That being said though, I am still digging on his new album!

You're not alone in your opinion. A lot of people have difficulty in accepting that he is a blues guitarist. Because the success of his early career was in hard rock, metal and fusion even. He's played with so many people in so many genres, many blues fans can't accept that he plays it from the heart.

Fact is, he started out, as so many do, listening too, learning and playing blues. Peter Green, amongst others, was/is one of his main influences.

You've seen him a number of times live, so you know what you know. I've lost count of how many times I have seen him from Lizzy thru Ozzy, Colosseum, solo as a rock guitarist and as a blues player. In all honesty I find his blues skin suits him best. Watching him live I never ceased to be amazed at just how good he is. Fast yes, but with incredible technique. There is nothing he cannot do with a guitar but maybe therein lies part of the problem. Even I have sometimes thought that the incredible dexterity he can display robs a little of the feel sometimes.

Certainly the last time I saw him he seemed to be in a bit of a grumpy mood but he warmed to his task as we showed our appreciation.

He is an absolute professional, and a guitarist who has really augmented his god given talent with hard work. Couple of years ago I bought his tribute DVD for Phil Lynott "Gary Moore and Friends" and this I feel shows him in the correct light. In the interviews, and playing those classic Lizzy songs with his old bandmates there is some real warmth and humility there.

Also, Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham can both play a bit, but they are not in his league.

I too shall be seeing him again in March in Hannover.

I am also a fan of many bands and musicians but there are few that have crossed so many genres and performed to such a consistently high standard. There's nothing too much to try and 'get' with Gary Moore. He isn't a god. He is a hard grafting musician still recording original material and taking it to the streets. Long may he do so.

Yeah when that came out I was kind of hoping he would give us another celtic rock album a la "Wild Frontier" BUT it was my hope that he would hire on a name vocalist as his never strong voice, was by that time, shot for rock and barely acceptable for ballads. I notice Joe played his version of "Shapes of Things" on his show the other day. That was an awesome cover (particularly live) once again excepting the vocals......

Well his live performances do not grip me at all. Not doubting his ability but he has no presence  on stage. Having seen him 3 times with Lizzy (different thing altogether) and 3  times on his own. As I said before his concerts are just like the CD, he doesnt seem to go that extra bit for those who make the effort to buy his tickets. Maybe this next show will be different. Time will tell.

I can explain  it by saying that I would not buy tickets for his shows myself. If others want to buy me tickets then no problem but I could quite happily sit at the bar. Maybe this will be the show that grips me. I certainly hope I have to eat my words. To me he is just someone playing the guitar when on stage, may well be tecnnically brilliant but the performance does not reach out.