🎸 Gary Moore – Old New Ballads Blues (2006)
Released in 2006, Old New Ballads Blues is a blues-rock album by Northern Irish guitarist Gary Moore, emphasizing a return to stripped-down, traditional blues with heartfelt storytelling.
This album showcases Moore’s mastery of melodic blues guitar, highlighting both instrumental skill and vocal expression. It blends reworked older material with new compositions, bridging his 1990s blues era and later electric blues work.
📀 Album Credits
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Artist: Gary Moore
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Title: Old New Ballads Blues
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Type: Studio album
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Released: 2006
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Label: Eagle Records
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Producer: Gary Moore
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Recorded at: Sarm West Studios, London
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Genre: Blues rock, electric blues, ballads
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Length: 52:15
Personnel:
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Gary Moore: guitars, lead vocals
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Vic Martin: keyboards
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Pete Rees: bass
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Graham Walker: drums
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Guest musicians: occasional horns and backing vocals
The album was produced with a focus on emotional delivery and guitar tone, minimizing excessive studio polish to capture a live, intimate blues feel.
🎶 Tracklist
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A Different Beat – 4:45
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I Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow – 5:00
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Still Got the Blues (For You) – 6:10
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Bring Your Love Home – 4:35
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Too Tired – 5:05
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Cold Black Night – 5:15
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Walking By Myself – 4:50
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Story of the Blues – 5:20
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Since I Met You Baby – 4:45
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All Your Love – 5:10
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I’ll Be Alright – 4:20
The album blends classic re-recordings and new ballads, creating a cohesive blues-rock listening experience.
🎸 Notable Songs
🔥 “Still Got the Blues (For You)”
A reimagined version of Moore’s signature blues ballad, featuring emotive solos and matured vocal delivery, reaffirming its status as his signature blues anthem.
🎶 “Too Tired”
A heavier blues-rock track emphasizing guitar interplay, dynamic rhythms, and raw energy, a highlight of Moore’s later blues work.
🎵 “Walking By Myself”
A re-recorded blues classic, performed with crisp guitar tones, driving rhythm, and expressive phrasing, connecting the album to traditional electric blues roots.
💖 “Story of the Blues”
A melodic ballad featuring Moore’s narrative lyricism and soulful guitar solos, emphasizing emotional storytelling.
🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia
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🎸 Reworking Classics: Many tracks revisit Moore’s 1990s blues hits, giving them a fresh interpretation with mature tone and subtle arrangements.
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🔊 Minimalist Production: Moore aimed for a live-feel, stripped-back recording, letting the guitar and vocals drive the album.
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📀 Blend of Old and New: The album’s title reflects its approach: “Old” songs reimagined, “New” songs written in traditional blues style.
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🎵 Guitar Focus: Moore uses vintage Les Paul guitars and tube amps, delivering a warm, sustaining tone throughout.
💡 Did You Know?
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Old New Ballads Blues was intended as a retrospective celebration of Moore’s blues period, highlighting both his originals and reinterpretations of blues standards.
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The album became a fan favorite for its intimate, heartfelt approach, showing Moore’s ability to convey emotion through subtle phrasing rather than sheer speed or technicality.
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Many tracks from this album were incorporated into Moore’s live setlists in the mid-2000s, reinforcing their appeal to dedicated blues-rock audiences.
📊 Legacy & Impact
Old New Ballads Blues represents Gary Moore’s continued devotion to electric blues, emphasizing emotional authenticity and melodic guitar work.
The album bridges Moore’s classic blues hits and contemporary interpretations, making it a key release for fans of expressive blues-rock. It demonstrates Moore’s ability to balance technical mastery with heartfelt storytelling, cementing his status as a modern blues icon.
