The crime writer Ian Rankin has written a novella inspired by the music of Rory Gallagher.

The book is being published as part of a new compilation of Gallagher’s music called kback City, inspired by his love of crime fiction.

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Kickback City will feature Gallagher’s best crime novel influenced music alongside Rankin’s novella which has been fully illustrated by graphic artist Timothy Truman. This album also includes a special narration of the story by actor Aidan Quinn.

Ian Rankin said: “I was approached by Rory’s brother Donal Gallagher who asked if I knew that Rory was a big fan of crime fiction? And of course when you look at it, the songs, the lyrics and especially the titles: Kickback City, Continental Op (the title of a Dashiell Hammett book) it all makes sense. Donal mentioned that he was thinking of putting together an album of Rory’s songs that are to do with crime and thriller elements and asked if I wanted to get involved. It was great fun and writing the story for the Rory Gallagher album was just obvious to me. It would be noir, the classic Raymond Chandler or Philip Marlowe private eye.”

DISC ONE: KICKBACK CITY STUDIO

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1) Kickback City

2) Continental Op

3) Kid Gloves

4) Big Guns

5) Loanshark Blues

6) Secret Agent

7) B Girl

8) Slumming Angel

9) Barley & Grape Rag

10) Doing Time

11) In Your Town

12) Sinner Boy

13) The Devil Made Me Do It

14) Seven Days

DISC TWO: KICKBACK CITY LIVE

1) Continental Op

2) Tattoo’d Lady

3) I Ain’t No Saint

4) Off The Handle

5) The Loop

6) Messin’ With The Kid

7) Loanshark Blues

DISC THREE

44 Page novella – The Lie Factory

The Lie Factory narrated by Aidan Quinn

4 x ‘Crime’ scene Postcards