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Thorogood rocks on
Jeff Hahne, Staff Writer

(Thursday, February 26, 2004 1:00 am)

WINSTON-SALEM — It’s been 30 years since George Thorogood & The Destroyers first started performing. While the band is having more fun than ever, it’s also possible that they’re getting better. Thorogood calls their latest album, “Ride ‘Til I Die” their best yet.

Their eleventh studio album was produced by Grammy winner Jim Gaines and will be followed this year by a greatest hits album and four-disc box set.

Now Thorogood is getting ready to hit the road again in celebration of his 30 years, opening the tour at Ziggy’s in Winston-Salem on Friday, Feb. 27. The show will also be a benefit for AIDS Care Service in Winston-Salem which helps those with HIV, as well as housing and feeding the homeless.

“It’s a great organization and I hope we can raise some dough,” Thorogood said from his home in L.A. “We don’t want to use the term ‘warm-up’ gig, but for lack of other words, that’s kind of what it is. We make it a benefit show, so if we’re not quite as sharp as expected, we can say, ‘Hey, it’s a benefit show.’ It works out well that way. We don’t like to rehearse. We just play.”

Known for songs such as “Bad to the Bone,” “I Drink Alone,” and “Bourbon, Scotch and Beer,” Thorogood sees himself as a “rock n roll archeologist.

“I dig up these obscure pieces, shine em’ up and people go ‘Wow!’” he says. “How many people had heard of ‘Bourbon, Scotch and Beer’ before we did it?”

Thorogood says he’s having more fun now than he did when he started and says his biggest highlight is each night when he hits the stage. Energized by the crowd, he’s happy when people recognize some of his songs.

“It’s good to be known for something,” Thorogood says. “Some people will give their eye teeth to be known for only one song. If people name two songs, I’ll tell them to stop right there. I’m not greedy.”

His latest album contains covers of artists such as Bo Diddley, Charlie Midnight, Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry. The track, “American Made,” is dedicated to Native Americans, which Thorogood says serves two purposes.

“Somehow we’ve become very popular with Native Americans,” he says. “We have all of these drinking songs, and Native Americans don’t drink much, so I don’t see why they adopted us. They’ve had it rough in this country so I thought it was fitting to dedicate it to them.

“It’s also kind of self-serving,” he adds with a laugh. “Because when the revolution comes, and it will come, and they take over, I’m gonna be sitting pretty.”

The band’s box set, which will be released later this year, will contain one live disc, one rock, one blues and one of originals. Thorogood hopes the set will showcase the band’s diversity through the years.

As far as an end, Thorogood says it has to come some time.

“Some day, we’ll be playing a club, such as Ziggy’s, and at night when we go on it will be less than half-filled. I’ll go up to the promoter and say, ‘Son, congratulations, you just retired the great George Thorogood.’ I want to make sure it ends before it comes to that.”