Formed in Cork in 1966 by Rory Gallagher (fresh from his apprenticeship in the Fontana Showband), Taste went through two years of dues-paying, as well as a line-up change, before they were repositioned as a rock/blues “power trio” to rival, if not supercede, the likes of Cream.
This four-CD boxset aims to piece together the whys and wherefores, with emphasis placed on the band's two studio albums: 1969's debut Taste and 1970's On the Boards.
The former is a stone-cold rock/blues classic, featuring guitar masterclasses in the likes of Blister on the Moon and Born on the Wrong Side of Time.
On the Boards includes What's Going On, which became a mainstay in Gallagher's solo career.
Extras include demos, live sessions, in-depth sleevenotes and rare photographs. It all adds up to a very fine package.