How Gary Moore's propulsive playing and fiery tone changed the course of blues guitar

Gary Moore
(Image credit: Stuart Mostyn/Redferns)

If you play high-gain, uptempo blues these days, chances are the late, great Gary Moore is one of your go-to guys. That’s certainly true of Kris Barras, a leading name among the modern generation of blues rock guitarists. 

“Gary loved traditional blues,” Kris tells Total Guitar, “but his blues style was very much rock-influenced, and that’s what drew me to him. The blues police are always there – to them if you weren’t around in the 1960s, don’t just play 12-bar stuff and turn your gain up above four, then you’re not real blues! But for me blues is about passion and emotion, and Gary Moore had that in spades. 

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Grant Moon

Grant Moon is the News Editor for Prog magazine and has been a contributor to the magazine since its launch in 2009. A music journalist for over 20 years, Grant writes regularly for titles including Classic Rock and Total Guitar, and his CV also includes stints as a radio producer/presenter and podcast host. His first book, Big Big Train - Between The Lines, is out now through Kingmaker Publishing.