A few weeks back, I posted 2 video tributes from YouTube that were played live and in concert honoring the late Gary Moore.

One was from Eric Clapton and the other was from Joe Bonamassa. Both were stellar ovations of the blues legend.

Shortly after they were posted, a comment was added to each by user “Damian”. The comments were both very well stated and worthy of re-publishing for those who do not follow TheGuitarBuzz comments.

While I am sure that these comments were not intended to stir up a lot of heated controversy, they did included enough direct commentary to ruffle a few E-strings. Lets agree to take them in the spirit of how they were written…full of passion, emotion, sincerity and from the heart of a guitar player still struggling with the loss of Gary Moore. We all know that he was taken from us way too soon…

The first was in response to the Eric Clapton Tribute Video:

I suspect he played it acoustically because he couldn’t pay it justice electrically. I’m kinda pleased that at long last Clapton has acknowledged Gary, but it’s too little too late. It’s angered me for years that he never said a word about him when he was alive, never invited him on stage, (despite playing with every other blues player imaginable), never invited him to the Crossroads festival, and never even uttered his name in interview. He obviously had a problem with Gary, a man who only ever paid due reverance to Clapton, and constantly sang his praises and acknowedged his influence. Perhaps he felt Gary had “stolen his thunder” when “Still Got the blues” went stellar. Perhaps he felt Gary wasn’t “authentic” enough, as he’d been playing Rock for 2 decades. Perhaps he felt Gary had “humiliated” BB and the 2 Alberts by “blasting them off stage”, (despite the fact all three of them expressed their love for Gary’s playing). Perhaps he simply knew what we all did…that Gary was better than him at playing the style of blues he made famous. Whatever the reason, I’ll resent Clapton for the fact for the rest of my days, and this little tribute smacks to me of a guilty conscience. Gary would’ve been overjoyed had Clapton done this while he was alive. No point now!
– Comment by Damian, 6-11-11

The second was in response to the Joe Bonamassa Tribute Video:

So pleased that Joe did this. He has always acknowledged Gary as an influence and it was great to hear that they were beginning to forge a friendship, though they only had an opportunity to meet 2 or 3 times. Gary is my all time favourite, and Joe has become second in line in the last 5 years, so this really touches me, though it is obviously tinged with sadness and regret that we will never get to see the 2 of them share a stage together, which I feel sure would have happened at some point. How GREAT would that have been!?
– Comment by Damian, 6-11-11

The best way for me to end this post is to include yet another tribute video – this one from the legendary bass player Jack Bruce, joined by Joe Bonamassa.

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