Top Priority

A year after the huge success of ‘Photo-Finish’ Rory returned to Dieter Dierks studio in Germany to record Top Priority.

Follow Me sets the tone for this energetic and exciting album. This song quickly became a live standard. In Philby Rory draws parallels between his transitory life on the road to that of arch spy Kim Philby. For this track Rory plays a rare 60s Coral Electric Sitar hired from Pete Townsend, which embellishes the tracks ‘eastern block’ feel.

Wayward Child is a straight up rock track with the sort of infectious hook that Rory can deliver. Keychain is a great blues number with a lyric describing a man looking to escape his past.

From the first lick of At The Depot you can feel Rory’s exuberance and energy in this jumping rock ‘n’ roll track. No live performance was complete without Bad Penny, this big southern rock number. Again Rory uses a sitar to add texture to the song. Off the Handle is an angry blues track which features Rory blowing a mean harmonica.

Public Enemy No.1 is a tribute to B-movie heroes of his youth, Rory had an early love of gangster and crime films. Hell Cat is a spooky blues / rock track which sees Rory contemplating his superstitious nature and wondering whether he himself is jinxed. The Watcher sees Rory really experiment with his sound complimented by some really driving bass and drums.