Biography

Taste is an Irish rock and blues band formed in 1966. Its founder was songwriter and musician Rory Gallagher.

History

Taste (originally "The Taste") was formed in Cork, Ireland, in August 1966 as a trio consisting of Rory Gallagher on guitars and vocals, Eric Kitteringham on bass, and Norman Damery on drums. In their early years Taste toured in Hamburg and Ireland before becoming regulars at Maritime Hotel, an R&B club in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In 1968 Taste began performing in the UK where the original lineup split up. The new lineup formed with Richard McCracken on bass and John Wilson on drums. The new Taste moved permanently to London where they signed with the record label Polydor. While with Polydor, Taste began touring the United States and Canada with the British supergroup Blind Faith. In April 1969, Taste released the first of their two studio albums, the self-titled Taste, with On the Boards following in early 1970, the latter showing the band's jazz influences with Gallagher playing saxophone on numerous tracks. In November that year, the band, along with Yes, opened for Cream at Cream's farewell concerts.

One performance came in 1970 as part of the Isle of Wight Festival, alongside Jimi Hendrix and The Who. Later the same year Taste toured Europe but were disbanded by Gallagher, who decided to pursue a solo career, performing their last show on New Year's Eve in Belfast. Wilson and McCracken immediately formed 'Stud' in early 1971, with Jim Cregan and John Weider.

Some years after the band's break up, earlier recordings featuring the original line-up emerged.

A musical homage to Taste and Gallagher was by Black 47 in their song "Rory", released on 1998's Green Suede Shoes album.

Personnel

Members

Line-ups

Discography

Studio albums

• Taste - Polydor, 1969
• On the Boards - Polydor, 1970
• Taste First - BASF, 1972 (Recorded in 1967 - also released as In the Beginning (1974) and Take It Easy Baby (1976))
• Wall to Wall - Bad Reputation, 2009
• John Wilson's Taste of Rory - M Bop / Disonic 2010

Live albums

• Live Taste - Polydor, 1971
• Live at the Isle of Wight - Polydor, 1971
• In Concert - Ariola, 1976 (released as Taste featuring Rory Gallagher) (recorded at The Marquee with classic Taste line-up in 1968)
• Live in San Francisco - M Bop / Disonic 2010

Singles

• "Blister on the Moon" / "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" - Major Minor, 1968 (Edited for Polydor Records in 1969)
• "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" / "Same Old Story" - Polydor, 1969
• "What's Going On" / "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" + "Blister on the Moon" - Polydor, 1969
• "Wee Wee Baby" / "You've Got to Play" - BASF, 1972 (Exclusive to Germany)
• "What's Going On" / "Railway and Gun" - Polydor
• "Blister on the Moon" + "Sugar Mama" / "Catfish" + " "On the Boards" - Polydor, 1982
• "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" / "Same Old Story" - Polydor (Exclusive to Italy)
• "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" / "Same Old Story" - Polydor (Exclusive to Japan)
• "If I Don't Sing I'll Cry / "I'll Remember" - Polydor (Exclusive to Spain)

Compilations

• The Best of Taste - Polydor, 1994

DVDs

• Message To Love - 1995 (Isle of Wight Festival recordings of "Sinner Boy" and "Gamblin' Blues" only)

Bibliography

• The New Musical Express Book of Rock, 1975, Star Books, ISBN 0-352-30074-4
• Cork Rock: From Rory Gallagher To The Sultans Of Ping by Mark McAvoy. Published by Mercier Press (2009) ISBN 9781856356558

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