Rory Gallagher: New Unpublished Poem and illustration by Joe Campbell

Really proud of this little pen and ink. The poem's a tribute to not only the best ever blues guitarist (in my humble view) but also his guitar, hence the title; Rory's Strat.

Still got to add colour. Working on that-

Rory’s Strat

Rory, gracious virtuoso

Grounded in modesty

Loud, solo and true

Setting light to the crowd

Hammered, driven blues

Blood, sweat and torn apart

Bedecked in denim

Flat out, heart-burst

Caustic fingers

Danced on the board

Of a worn 61’ Strat

A treble-boosted, life partner

Customised, modified and re-wired

Tube screamed and twinned

Sunburst at one stage

Pitted and eroded

Stained, stripped and exposed

Down to the grain

Sleeps now

Glass-cased and silent

Good night

Hope you enjoyed it

A thing of beauty! Apparently Rory Gallagher had a very acidic blood type that stripped the paint off his guitar. Not just his guitar but our teenage years.