What do you think?
Rate this book
White Knuckles
Irish guitarist and singer-songwriter Gary Moore, perhaps best known for his involvement in Thin Lizzy, also enjoyed a successful solo career before his untimely passing in 2011. Based on interviews with those who knew him and worked with him, White Knuckles: The Life of Gary Moore comprehensively explores his colourful story, for the very first time.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published November 9, 2023
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 1, 2025
I found this book a more enjoyable read than the official biography (by Harry Shapiro), largely as it was written by a true fan - you can tell.
Power writes with good humour throughout, and despite obvious adulation, never comes across as sycophantic - on the contrary, he is unafraid to call out Moore's "difficult" side, less than perfect vocal ability and short shrift with various people.
Gary's famous guitars are discussed, but not nerdishly, and he weaves his discography effortlessly into his life story.
The personal side of Gary's life lacks the sources of the official biography, largely as Shapiro had the monopoly on interviews with Gary's nearest and dearest. It's a shame, as I feel Power could have done more with the material and delved even deeper. An acquaintance who knew Gary in his Skid Row days approached Shapiro with a beautifully written account of their meeting (even down to the colour of his shoes and the fact he still had his Belfast accent) - she shared it with me, including a response from Gary to an email she'd sent him a few years before he died (corroborating their friendship decades earlier), but despite having asked for such contributions, Shapiro omitted it. I believe Power would have appreciated and made good use of it, thus further transforming the 2D guitar hero we all know into the 3D person we all want to learn more about.
A very enjoyable book, which could have been even better if it was the "official" one.
Power writes with good humour throughout, and despite obvious adulation, never comes across as sycophantic - on the contrary, he is unafraid to call out Moore's "difficult" side, less than perfect vocal ability and short shrift with various people.
Gary's famous guitars are discussed, but not nerdishly, and he weaves his discography effortlessly into his life story.
The personal side of Gary's life lacks the sources of the official biography, largely as Shapiro had the monopoly on interviews with Gary's nearest and dearest. It's a shame, as I feel Power could have done more with the material and delved even deeper. An acquaintance who knew Gary in his Skid Row days approached Shapiro with a beautifully written account of their meeting (even down to the colour of his shoes and the fact he still had his Belfast accent) - she shared it with me, including a response from Gary to an email she'd sent him a few years before he died (corroborating their friendship decades earlier), but despite having asked for such contributions, Shapiro omitted it. I believe Power would have appreciated and made good use of it, thus further transforming the 2D guitar hero we all know into the 3D person we all want to learn more about.
A very enjoyable book, which could have been even better if it was the "official" one.
October 30, 2023
Outstanding book, thoroughly recommended
March 3, 2024
Excellent read. Very well researched and referenced.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews