Taste are an Irish blues rock band that was founded by songwriter and guitarist Rory Gallagher in Cork in 1966. Gallagher left the band in 1970.

History

Taste (originally "The Taste") were 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. They toured in Hamburg and Ireland before becoming regulars at Club Rado in the Maritime Hotel, an R&B club in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the summer of 1967.

In 1968, the original lineup split up, and a new lineup formed with Richard McCracken on bass and John Wilson on drums. Wilson and McCracken immediately formed 'Stud' in early 1971, with Jim Cregan and John Weider, while Gallagher went on to pursue a solo career. Some years after the break-up, recordings of the original line-up emerged.

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

In 1996, Richard McCracken and John Wilson reformed the band with guitarist/vocalist Sam Davidson taking over Rory Gallagher's role as frontman, with Albert Mills replacing McCracken in 2010. The band continued in this formation until February 2017, when it was revealed that the band would tour under the name "Little Taste of Rory feat. John Wilson", and that the line-up now consisted of Wilson, Davidson, and new bassist Alan Niblock. In 2018 John Wilson retired from the band due to ill health but Sam Davidson continues to perform as "Sam Davidson's TASTE" with Albert Mills back on bass and Lyn McMullan taking over from Wilson on drums.

Personnel

Members

;Current members

  • Sam Davidson – guitars, vocals
  • Albert Mills – bass
  • Lyn McMullan – drums

;Former members

  • Rory Gallagher – guitars, vocals, saxophone, harmonica
  • Norman Damery – drums
  • Eric Kitteringham – bass
  • John Wilson – drums
  • Richard McCracken – bass
  • Alan Niblock – bass

Timeline

Line-ups

{| class="wikitable"|-

!Years

!Lineup

|-

! 1966–1968

|

  • Rory Gallagher – guitars, vocals, saxophone, harmonica
  • Norman Damery – drums
  • Eric Kitteringham – bass

|-

! 1968–1970

|

  • Rory Gallagher – guitars, vocals, saxophone, harmonica
  • Richard McCracken – bass
  • John Wilson – drums

|-

! 1970–1996

|

:Disbanded

|-

! 1996–2010

|

  • Richard McCracken – bass
  • John Wilson – drums
  • Sam Davidson – guitars, vocals

|-

! 2010–2017

|

  • John Wilson – drums
  • Sam Davidson – guitars, vocals
  • Albert Mills – bass

|-

! 2017–2018

|

  • John Wilson – drums
  • Sam Davidson – guitars, vocals
  • Alan Niblock – bass

|-

! 2018–present

|

  • Sam Davidson – guitar, vocals
  • Lyn McMullan – drums
  • Albert Mills – bass

|}

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2" style="width:15em;" |Title

! rowspan="2" |Album details

! colspan="3" |Peak chart positions

|-

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |GER<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |UK<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |US<br>

|-

! scope="row" |Taste

|

  • Released: April 1969
  • Label: Polydor

| —

| —

| 133

|-

! scope="row" |On the Boards

|

  • Released: January 1970
  • Label: Polydor

| 33

| 18

| —

|-

! scope="row" |Wall to Wall

|

  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Bad Reputation

| —

| —

| —

|-

|}

Live albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2" style="width:15em;" |Title

! rowspan="2" |Album details

! colspan="7" |Peak chart positions

|-

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |AUS<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |BEL<br>FL<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |BEL<br>WA<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |FRA<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |GER<br>

! style="width:3em; font-size:85%" |UK<br>

|-

! scope="row" |Pop History Vol. 9

|

  • Released: 2015
  • Label: Polydor

| 118

| 39

| 38

|-

|}

Singles

  • "Blister on the Moon" / "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" – <small>UK, April 1968</small> <sup><span id="ref_a" ></span>[a]</sup>
  • "Born on the Wrong Side of Time" / "Same Old Story" – <small>UK/ EU/ JPN, 1969</small>
  • "What's Going On" / "Railway and Gun" – <small>EU, 1970</small> <sup><span id="ref_b" ></span>[b]</sup>
  • "If I Don't Sing I'll Cry" / "I'll Remember" – <small>ESP, 1970</small>
  • a<span id="endnote_a" ></span>^ - re-released in 1970 with the sides reversed.
  • b<span id="endnote_b" ></span>^ - b/w "Morning Sun" in some countries.

DVDs

  • Message to Love – 1995 (Isle of Wight Festival recordings of "Sinner Boy" and "Gamblin' Blues" only)
  • What's Going On: Live At The Isle Of Wight - 2015

Bibliography

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

References

  • Has the covers of all singles, complete discography, everything
  • Gallagher life timeline
  • Taste live at Rodeo Club - Athens (Greek)