Thorogood raises the roof

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By: Rob Williams

Updated: May 24 at 12:32 AM CDT

George Thorogood's feel-good blues-rock has always been the perfect soundtrack to sitting outside and having a few cold ones.

So on one of the first beautiful Fridays of the season in Winnipeg there were moments during the lengthy three-act show at the MTS Centre it would have been nice if the roof would have retracted to let in some of that sunshine, making it an even better experience for the 4,100 fans who gave up their patio seats for a chance to hang out with the Delaware Destroyer, acoustic blues legend Taj Mahal and gospel stalwarts the Blind Boys of Alabama.

Thorogood was the headliner and took to the bare stage with his arms in the air, wearing a bandana and sunglasses, greeting the crowd with a yell of "How sweet it is!" before he and his long-serving band The Destroyers ripped into the boogie-shaker Rock Party, setting the tone for the night.

Three decades of hits and covers followed with the radio staple Who Do You Love second on the set list, which got the crowd on its feet, where many of them stayed for the remainder of the 100-minute set for favourites like Get a Haircut, Bad to the Bone, Move It On Over and You Talk Too Much.

"Welcome to the rock party ladies and gentlemen. We're going to do some dirty things tonight. We're going to do some nasty things and we're going to do some very bad things. I will do everything in my power to get arrested tonight. If somebody's going to go to jail tonight it may as well be me," he announced before the groove-heavy jam The Fixer.

At 58, the Delaware-born guitar slinger shows no signs of slowing down: he strutted around the stage like his mentor Chuck Berry, pulled off some synchronized moves with his long serving four-piece band and ripped off solos effortlessly.

With more than 30 years stage experience Thorogood knows how to please his beer-drinking party-ready fans, and even better, it's not just some phony crowd-pleasing shtick -- he is genuinely honest and passionate about the music he loves and is enthusiastic about sharing it with the masses.

The wonderfully scuzzy I Drink Alone led into the iconic One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer, a John Lee Hooker cover he has made his own, even adding a don't drink and drive message to the 10-minute version Friday.

Where Thorogood injects a good deal of rock 'n' roll into his blues stew, Taj Mahal showed off his more traditional side during a slow-rolling 50-minute set that drew on Delta, Chicago and country blues.

The setlist was an abbreviated version of his trio's show at the Burton Cummings Theatre in 2006 with Checkin' up on My Baby, Annie Mae, Fishing Blues and Queen Bee all making it back two years later.

He even told the same anecdotes and used the same lines, most notably his dedication of Blues with a Feelin' to "the ladies that have critical mass in the back."

The talented and good-natured 66-year-old was in fine shape as he switched off between electric and acoustic guitars with the occasional stint on the keyboard; he even managed to engage the crowd in some call and response for the Blues is All Right.

The Blind Boys of Alabama started the night with a collection of joyful spirituals that made believers of the crowd who showed up early.

Making their third appearance in the city since 2005, the seven member vocal ensemble, led by septuagenarian founding member Jimmy Carter, put on an uplifting show, mixing contemporary funky gospel numbers with reworked versions traditional songs like the rousing Free At Last, which moved Carter to get off the stage and wander onto the arena floor guided by his guitarist.

They even managed to find some common ground with the classic rock lovers in the room with their version of Amazing Grace done in the style of House of the Rising Son.

rob.williams@freepress.mb.ca

George Thorogood re-energizes electric blues

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By Bill Locey
Sunday, March 2, 2008

The greatest band from Delaware made a rare stop at the venerable Majestic Ventura Theatre, and the locals loved it. George Thorogood & the Destroyers has been re-energizing the electric blues from those old blues guys and then some, ripping through his nearly three decades of rockers, and leaving the joint hooting and dancing.

Born in Wilmington on New Year's Eve 1950, the former semi-pro second baseman opted for a more lucrative career as a rock star, and seems to hit a homer every time he takes the stage. His breakthrough album, "Move It On Over,'' came out in 1978, and an opening slot on a Rolling Stones tour and a well-publicized 50 gigs in 50 days in 50 states tour back in '81 didn't hurt, either.

Gathered to hear what's advertised as the "World's Greatest Bar Band," the fans, many imitating the world's greatest barflies, were elbow-bending sufficiently Monday night to keep four bartenders and several barmaids busy. This was a sit-down dinner show, and the balcony was fairly packed as well.

The turnaround time between the opener and the headliner was mercifully brief and as the stage was bathed in blue light, the crowd became impatient; some actually stood up. In the balcony, it was whistlehead night as people took turns scaring each other with shrill whistles, hoping that would make George move it on over to the stage. The whistling turned to cheers when Barry McGuire's protest classic, "Eve of Destruction,'' came blasting over the sound system. But since Thorogood is as about as apolitical as Ward Cleaver, the choice of the song made little sense unless the "Eve of Destruction'' alluded to the impending appearance of the Destroyers. Yeah, that must be it. Anyway, the blue backdrop turned into a rainstorm with all sorts of lightning — if there was a bit of automatic weapons fire, it would've been a Ted Nugent intro.

Instead, it was Thorogood with Republican short hair, a headband and giant white guitar and the four Destroyers, who have probably done this a few times before. Right away, the die was cast — a massive guitar solo, the occasional duck walk and cheers from the crowd. While it's true that Thorogood basically re-invented all the classic blues guys like Bo Diddley and John Lee Hooker, many of his familiar songs are his own originals, but any George song without a guitar solo would be like a Twinkie without the white stuff.

And the crowd was primed — cheering at all the appropriate moments, such as whenever George mentioned "Southern California'' or "any Destroyer fans?'' or "How does it feel to be 17 years old again?'' or even when the lights came on as bright as the sun, blinding us all temporarily.

The Dedicated knew the words, too, helping out with the chorus of "One bourbon, one scotch, one beer.'' Good job.

No surprises — Thorogood gave them what they wanted — all those rockin' blues songs off all those albums over all those years. The end of destruction featured his two signature tunes, "Bad to the Bone'' and "Move It on Over,'' which was an appropriate cue to take a few steps up the street to Dargan's, where the Corsican Brothers were unleashing their melodic take on the history of power pop.

Music Review: George Thorogood & the Destroyers - Bad to the Bone - 25th Anniversary Edition

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What makes a great rockin' blues song? That is a mystery that I have been trying to understand for years. I could give you examples of great, classic, enduring rock/blues tunes like "One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer", "Who do You Love?" or "Move it on Over" without truly understanding what exactly made those songs so great. One man though, who clearly always understood the question is George Thorogood. His answer in 1982 was Bad to the Bone!

The release of Bad to the Bone, the 25th Anniversary Edition on Capital Records is more than a bit nostalgic for me. I am, in every which way a rockin' blues girl of the 80’s and when I received my copy in the mail, (It’s good to be a critic.) I was both childishly ecstatic and a wee bit nervous. I suddenly felt worried that maybe, just maybe, I was remembering George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers (yes I know they dropped the Delaware from the name, but it was so cool!) and this particular album through rosy colored nostalgic glasses. What if by thoroughly dissecting this much beloved record I found that it wasn’t everything I once believed it was cracked up to be? There was a time after all in my prepubescent years that I thought Three’s Company and The A-Team were darned good TV shows. What if, God forbid, that was also the case with my youthful taste in music?

Thank the Lord almighty and Hallelujah, turns out I did have great taste in music in the eighties. I ran through all of the original 11 tracks and they are still as fabulous and amazingly unabashed as ever. In fact, from track one "Back to Wentzville" through 10 "Wanted Man", I came to realize one of my big regrets is that I’ve never seen George Thorogood and the Destroyers perform live. How ultimately cool that would be?

I wouldn’t want to see them at a large venue like a stadium or arena though. No, no, George and the boys truly are what they’ve always maintained themselves to be “an unpretentious bar band” . This is one partying bunch, and listening to this CD I found myself dancing like a fool around my living room as I was transported to some dark smoky, crowded and rowdy kinda joint. (Oh by the way, I apologize to my neighbors who must have thought I was having some kind of fit. I’ll try to remember to close the curtains next time I rock out.)

The bonus track, "That Philly Thing", is a fantastic instrumental blues tune with a bit of a jazz feel and beat to it. It’s a great listen that made me think, yeah, that’s what Philly must be like, even though I’ve never actually been there… and I really should go there someday.

I approached the new recordings of "Blue Highway", "New Boogie Chillem", "No Particular Place to Go", "As the Years Go Passing By", "Bad to the Bone" and "Wanted Man" with a personal bias to overcome. I generally really dislike artist’s remakes of their own songs. Not that I’m some kind of purist. There are a lot of song remakes that are even better than the original. Heck, Mr. Thorogood’s version of "One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer" is the perfect case in point.

No, what I’m usually adverse to is when the original artist remakes his/her own song. For example, and I know many will disagree with me, I just loathe Eric Clapton’s unplugged version of "Layla". What is that anyway? Now there was a classic adrenaline rush of a rock and roll song and Clapton shoved Valium down its throat and sent it on its dodgy old way. Eric how could you? But again, I digress.

With a few butterflies I turned to track 12, "Blue Highway" and tried to keep both my ears and my mind open.

Perhaps it was due to my expectation of a disaster, but I was very pleasantly surprised! The new recording of "Blue Highway" was quite good. It was great, in fact. While it’s more of an acoustic version, the country twang gives it an even greater mournful edge. Phew… that was a relief, now on to track 13.

"New Boogie Chillum" is a bit more smooth but still pretty brash, high speed, and quite pleased with itself, which is exactly as it should be. Definitely set the toes a tapping on that track. The same held true for the fast and funny "No Particular Place to Go". I still can’t help but jump up and dance to that tune (curtains closed this time to protect the innocent.)

I’m equally fond of the new recordings of "As the Years Go Passing By" and "Wanted Man". Both new versions offer slightly altered versions on tempo and vocal arrangements, but the souls of George’s original recordings are more or less in tact (if not a little too cleaned up for my taste). Though it must be said, the extended guitar solo on "As the Years Go Passing By" quite simply kicks butt and takes names.

I saved listening to the new recording of "Bad to the Bone" for last. After all that is the song isn’t it? It’s not just the title track to the album, it’s the title track to my misspent youth. "Bad to the Bone" was and still remains the ultimate anthem of rebellion and freedom. There have been other classic rock and blues songs that have withstood the test of time; think "Crossroads", think "Rebel Rebel", think "Layla" (the real version of "Layla" that is). But there have been precious few that have so captured the imagination of the world like "Bad to the Bone".

Even if you have never heard of George Thorogood and the Destroyers, you most certainly know that song. I would hard pressed to find a single person on the entire planet that does not instantly recognize that riff. You don’t even have to speak the language to understand what that song means just from that famous guitar riff.

So with slightly calmer nerves I turned to track 16, the new recording of "Bad to the Bone". After all, the previous 5 new recordings held pleasant surprises, even though they are in fact, remakes of remakes. Nonetheless I felt hopeful.

Folks, it’s like this. From the first riff, nay the first note, my heart immediately sank! I hated it! What have they done to my anthem? What has become of the absolute perfectly imperfect wild untamable song? It’s… it’s… been tamed!

For all intense and purpose, I should love the new recording. The distortion was obviously done with the latest and greatest state of the art technology and the arrangements and vocals have been updated and polished. This new version is slick.

Yet, it’s because of this perfect precision that the song completely loses its groove, to say nothing of its edge. This new version is just too smooth, too clean shaven. It’s just not the unpretentious bar band rockin’ out with all its soul. This new recording was done by a much more mature and polished band, a take it home to meet your parents band; (as opposed to the ‘every young girl’s dream, every mother’s nightmare' image that I’ve always associated with George Thorogood and that wonderfully wild song!) But perhaps that’s just me.

The irony here is that because of my disappointment with this new version of one of my all time favorites, I finally understand the enigma of what makes a great rockin’ blues song! It’s that tension built by a song that is always balancing on the razor’s edge; that sounds like it’s always in danger of unraveling. That's what made "Bad to the Bone" so wild, so free, so absolutely perfect in its chaos. Now that it’s been tamed, now that it’s beautiful and polished and so perfectly clean. It’s… well… it’s just not "Bad to the Bone"!

So, in spite of this minor stab to my wild heart of old, do I recommend this CD? Yes, I absolutely and unequivocally recommend this CD for anyone new to the Destroyers or long time devoted fans alike. This extended anniversary edition is as amazing today as it was 25 years ago, and the new tracks are a great addition to any rock/blues collection.

I’m also certain that most people will like the new, heavier, cleaner, more perfectly distorted guitar sound of the latest recording of the title track. As for myself, I’ll keep enjoying the rest of a great album. I’ll just generally skip track 16 and turn back to track 6, the original, the true version of George at his wild best; thoroughly good, untamed, and Bad to the Bone!

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad To The Bone: 25th Anniversary Edition Review

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B-b-b-b-b-b-bad….

My Story
George Thorogood is one of those rockers who never seems to get his due. He’s never tried to make his music about more than it was: good time, bar room, dirty rock ‘n’ roll. And I appreciate that. It’s not really hard to believe that the band’s commercial peak is celebrating its 25th anniversary, because, in a way, it’s had to remember a time when George Thorogood & The Destroyers weren’t touring the country, bringing blues infused guitar rock to America one concert hall at a time. Maybe that’s as much a testament to the power of the band as any awards or critical acclaim would be.

Their Story
George Thorogood left a burgeoning career as a minor league baseball player in 1970, after seeing famed bluesman John Paul Hammond play live. In 1973, Thorogood formed the Delaware Destroyers, who later shortened their name to The Destroyers. At the time, the band consisted of drummer Jeff Simon, bassist Michael Lenn and guitarist Ron Smith. The group, influenced by blues and early rock ‘n’ roll, toured the northeastern US for several years, earning their stripes and a dedicated fan base in the process. They recorded a demo tape which they shopped around in the mid-70’s called Better Than The Rest. The raw set of rockers found its way to Rounder Records, who signed George Thorogood & The Destroyers to their first record contract in 1976. As the band entered the studio for the first time, Michael Lenn dropped out and Billy Blough stepped in on bass.

George Thorogood & The Destroyers, the band’s debut, hit shelves in 1977. The set, a smoking tour of electric blues that included covers of greats like John Lee Hooker (“One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”), Elmore James, Bo Diddley and Robert Johnson, didn’t exactly change the world, but it did show fans what Thorogood and his band were all about. The follow-up, 1978’s Move It On Over, reached #33 on the Billboard pop charts, thanks to covers of Hank Williams’ “Move It On Over” and Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love”, two singles that received a good deal of airplay at radio.

Move It On Over eventually went gold, and Rounder capitalized by giving an official release to the demo set Better Than The Rest in 1979. The band wasn’t particularly fond of this move, as they felt they’d grown as musicians since their early days. Nevertheless, the set reached a respectable #78.

As the 80’s dawned, several changes occurred in the Destroyers camp. Guitarist Ron Smith left and saxophonist Hank Carter came onboard. This line-up only released one album on Rounder, 1980’s modest hit More George Thorogood & The Destroyers, before jumping to major label EMI. The jump to a major label couldn’t have happened at a better time for Thorogood. Blues-rock was gaining steam in the US (and about to blow even wider open, thanks to folsk like Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble), and with a promotional team like EMI behind him, Thorogood was poised to break out big time. For their part, Thorogood & The Destroyers (with help from pianist Ian Stuart) hit hard with their EMI debut, 1982’s Bad To The Bone. The set reached #43 on the Billboard charts, but more importantly, truly ignited The Destroyers on radio and MTV with the title track. With the title track and “Nobody But Me”, Bad To The Bone yielded the band their first true hit singles.

Following the success of Bad To The Bone, Thorogood & The Destroyers toured heavily for a couple of years, eventually adding Steve Chrismar as a second guitarist to beef up their live sound. They finally returned in 1985 with Maverick, an album that quickly went gold. Bad To The Bone was certified gold two days later. Reaching a career best #32 on the charts, Maverick was more of the same from the consistent Destroyers: amped up blues rock with covers and bar room energy to spare. The inevitable live album, (titled simply Live) appeared in 1986, as did a reissue of Thorogood demos on MCA titled Nadine. Live was certified gold that year and yielded another minor rock hit with “Reelin’ & Rockin’”.

George Thorogood & The Destroyers ended the 80’s with Born To Be Bad, the band’s fifth gold record. The set tied their best charting effort at #32 and yielded some of their highest charting hits: “You Talk Too Much”, “Treat Her Right” and the title track.

The 90’s weren’t as kind to Thorogood as the 80’s, unfortunately. The band’s style of music was seeing an overall decline. Undeterred, the band continued to record and tour heavily throughout the decade. Sales for 1991’s Boogie People were soft, though it yielded rock hits with “If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave)” and “Hello Little Girl”. 1993’s Haircut faltered even more, even though it yielded three more rock hits, including the #2 “Get A Haircut”. Following that album, guitarist Steve Chrismar ended his short tenure in the group.

There was still interest in Thorogood’s back catalog, though. The mid-90’s saw the band’s self-titled debut certified gold over fifteen years after its release, as well as Live and a 90’s hits compilation called The Baddest Of George Thorogood & The Destroyers certified platinum. In 1995, the band released a second live set, Live: Let’s Work Together. It was their final record with EMI.

Since leaving EMI, Thorogood & The Destroyers have toured and recorded for various labels, though they haven’t reached the commercial success they saw in the 80’s. They’ve released four studio albums (most of which have done well on the Blues charts) and several live sets and compilations, including 2004’s 30 Years Of Rock: Greatest Hits, which reached #55 on the Billboard charts and certified gold. Jim Suhler joined on as second guitarist in 1999 and in 2003 longtime saxophonist Hank Carter was replaced by Buddy Leach.

In 2007, though the band is currently releasing records with Eagle, Capitol/EMI celebrated the 25th anniversary of Thorogood & The Destroyers’ Bad To The Bone with an expanded rerelease, which includes a B-side and several new versions of the original tracks. The band has supporting dates scheduled throughout August and September, which can be found at their official website.

The Album
On August 14, 2007, Capitol and EMI Records released Bad To The Bone: 25th Anniversary Edition, an expanded version of George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ 1982 album. The set features an extra B-side from the era and six newly recorded versions of the album tracks.

The Band: 8.0
George Thorogood: vocals, guitar
Jeff Simon: drums
Billy Blough: bass
Hank Carter: sax (1982)
Jim Suhler: lead & rhythm guitar (2007)
Buddy Leach: sax (2007)

What can you say about George Thorogood & The Destroyers that hasn’t already been said? They’re one of the best pure bar bands in America, it’s true, but they’re also the unsung heroes of blues-rock, keeping the genre alive on the radio in the 80’s with a longer string of singles than perhaps any other band in their genre.

The remastered version of the original album sounds great. It’s vital, alive and exciting, all these years later. No one can boogie on guitar like Thorogood, and his plain spoke, beer soaked delivery matches the music perfectly. The Destroyers are an explosive backing band, powering through covers and originals like the foremost white authorities on electric blues.

The new material is problematic here, as the older Destroyers play these tunes as well-worn, road tested bar tunes. Sure, this is how you would here the music now if you were to see them live, but it’s missing both the energy of youth and the excitement of something new, not to mention it’s not LIVE, anyway. Not that present-day Thorogood doesn’t have the chops, it’s just, after such a definitive look at the band via 1982, there’s no need to retread. This expanded set would’ve been better serviced by more unreleased material or just all new songs altogether.

The Songs: 7.5
1. Back To Wentzville
2. Blue Highway
3. Nobody But Me
4. It’s A Sin
5. New Boogie Chillun
6. Bad To The Bone
7. Miss Luann
8. As The Years Go Passing By
9. No Particular Place To Go
10. Wanted Man
11. That Philly Thing (Instrumental B-Side)
12. Blue highway (New Recording)
13. New Boogie Chillun (New Recording)
14. No Particular Place To Go (New Recording)
15. As The Years Go Passing By (New Recording)
16. Bad To The Bone (New Recording)
17. Wanted Man (New Recording)

George Thorogood & The Destroyers have done little to change their formula in the past three decades, so any hits package should satiate the casual fan. If you want an album, though, this should be where you start. It’s gritty (“New Boogie Chillun”), it’s catchy (“Bad to The Bone”) and it’s just flat-out rock ‘n’ roll (“It’s A Sin”). The songs prove that rock ‘n’ roll was alive and well, even back when synthesizers were gearing up to take it out. Every song here is a classic, literally, from “No Particular Place To Go” to the awesome take on Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan’s “Wanted Man”.

“That Philly Thing” is a blazing B-side from 1982’s “Nobody But Me” single and it really rocks. The new recordings are decent, but I could take or leave them. It’s interesting to here the band’s take on them now (especially since 3/4s of the original band is still actively there), but there’s nothing widely different about their versions except that they’re a bit more live. The new stuff ranges from fun (“Wanted Man”, “Blue Highway”) to “What The Hell?” (the less than inspired version of “Bad To The Bone”). Still, if you don’t have this record, it’s worth getting the new version if just for the extra B-Side.

The 411: The 25th Anniversary Edition of Bad To The Bone is awesome. The remastered tracks sound crisp and vital and fans will enjoy the newly available “That Philly Thing”. The original tracks here are crammed with classics, which is reason enough to get it, as there’s stuff you won’t find on Thorogood’s many compilations. The newly recorded tracks are a good idea in theory, but don’t add much value. Still, if you don’t have this album, it’s one of those blues-rock essentials that should be bolstered by a bit of added incentive. Support Delaware’s favorite bar band and pick this set up.
Final Score: 8.0 [ Very Good ]

Adams, Thorogood should have switched spots

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The difference between Bryan Adams and George Thorogood is a matter of about six beers.

Adams’ earnest, straightforward rock is the way you feel at the beginning of your night, when you’ve downed your first two. You’re a little heady, but still reserved and in control.

Thorogood is the way you feel when you’re nearing the end of the last can of your sixpack — loose, uninhibited and ready for some mischief.

It’s a shame those two feelings were all out of order Saturday night, when George Thorogood and The Destroyers opened a split bill with Bryan Adams at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.

It’s not a knock against Adams. His set was solid and his performance dead-on. It’s more of a testament to how hard it is for a pop star to follow a rock legend.

Thorogood took the stage when the sun was still up. Just like the group’s sound, the stage was a Spartan affair, with Thorogood alone at center stage and his band shrouded in the background. But that’s all Thorogood needs.

The man — clad in black pants, a black cutoff T-shirt and white sneakers — is such a presence he rarely needed to wander from center stage, letting his attitude and music to carry the show.

That simplicity is exactly how Thorogood avoids the nostalgia that causes stars like Adams to wax and wane. Yes, his rock is “classic,” but it’s so damn fun everyone from 40-ish biker chicks are dancing with air guitar- strumming kids in backward baseball caps.

“Bad to the Bone” and “One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer” are songs everyone has grown up on — when first released, on 97 Rock or even in (sell-out alert!) car commercials.

Adams’ stage set was rather simple, but a bigger light show and the myriad amps arrayed around the band seemed to overcompensate for something. And while Adams’ music can be fun, it’s predictable.

That said, the performer definitely did his own songs justice.

The opener, “One Night Love Affair,” set a tame tone for the set, but “Life Is an Open Road” and “18 til I Die” brought the crowd to its feet. Even with the popularity of his set, the crowd didn’t sing along with Thorogood-inspired bravado until the opening of “Summer of ’69.”

His ballads were pitch perfect. “Everything I Do” had couples swooning and lighters swaying.

Adams’ romantic appeal might have been the most charming aspect of his show. His best moment with the crowd was when he selected a woman — shaking with excitement — to come onstage and sing with him.

Adams, a Canadian, owes much of his success to the Western New York region, and he paid tribute to that in his onstage banter.

“This is where it all started for me,” he said. “Radio stations in Rochester, Buffalo and Albany started playing me, and the rest . . .” and he segued into his next song.

Red Rocks Review

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By John Wenzel
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 06/20/2007 01:39:19 PM MDT

The beauty of Red Rocks Amphitheatre is the way it stirs both audience and performer, encouraging extended solos, wild dancing and gleeful interaction between the stage and crowd.

Buddy Guy clearly felt the venue's energy Tuesday night, playing a lengthy set that wavered between inspired and rambling. Of course, it was an endearing sort of rambling, as the Chicago blues legend fashioned medleys from artists he has helped inspire (Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix) and standards from the blues canon (mentor Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf).

Guy looked ready for a Hawaiian cruise in a blue floral shirt, straw hat and crisp white pants, strolling leisurely through the higher rows of the venue and imploring his five-piece band to "play it so funky you can smell it." His solos hit like lightning bolts, unpredictable and lacerating with thunder in their wake.

Of course, when he played guitar with his teeth or the occasional drum stick (as he's wont to do), it sounded more like Marty McFly's ill-timed solo at the end of "Back to the Future" or Hendrix at his most explosive and skull-splitting. More than a few people could be seen covering their ears throughout the venue.

Even as the adoring crowd and natural beauty of Red Rocks buoyed Guy, he toyed with the crowd's attention and pushed back headliner George Thorogood later than most. He meant it when he said, "I could play all night," because he nearly did.

By late Tuesday, Thorogood was barely halfway through his set, the crowd's vigor remaining strong for his sharp, toe-tapping blues-rock. But after Guy's set, the shiny saxophone work and by-the-numbers solos of Thorogood's Destroyers felt a bit polished and predictable, even as they maintained the rabid energy Guy had built.

Thorogood reigns over classic rock radio with songs like "Bad to the Bone" and "Who Do You Love" (which were played note-perfect), and it's doubtful the majority of the crowd was looking for surprises. Still, both Thorogood, 57, and Guy, 70, proved they can make as much roiling noise as musicians one-third their age, and do it convincingly.

The Hard Stuff

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No one stretches three chords - heck, make that one chord - more than our man George. For proof look no further than the lead-off, sliding guitar title track (with a bass line that sounds remarkably like that of the classic '70s hit I Dig You, by Brit punk act Cult Hero) by the self-described "world's greatest bar band." And what's a Destroyers album without carefully selected covers by rock and blues pioneers like Fats Domino (Hello Josephine, complete with horns), Chester Burnett (Moving) and John Lee Hooker (the ferocious Huckle up Baby)? A terrific blues album from one of the genre's living legends.

CD Review: The Hard Stuff George Thorogood

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June 24, 2006
Richard Marcus

It was back in the late seventies, when you could still hear a variety of music on F.M. radio, that one night as I was getting ready for bed I heard this voice coming out of my radio that sounded like it had been around for a thousand years. I was really surprised to hear that the song "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" was from the first album of a guy named George Thorogood.

A year later I was sitting in front row seats in a small concert hall watching him lead his Destroyers through a set of high-powered blues originals and standards. He was like a ball of energy duck-walking across the stage while playing some incredible slide guitar. He was still in the public eye when he released his second collection of songs, including a brilliant cover of Hank Williams' "Move It On Over", but after that he seemed to fade out of my view.

You'd occasionally hear "Move It On Over" or "One Bourbon…" on the radio, but not much more. I assumed that he was still out there working the circuit, but like so many other Blues musicians preferring to play music the way he wanted to instead of compromising for the sake of fame and popularity. I'm not trying to make out like he's some martyr for the Blues or anything like that; I'm sure he'd laugh off such a suggestion, it's just that he'd found his niche and was content with it.

Hell any guy that has the guts to say "I went to the same school as Eric Clapton. He graduated with honours, I scraped through with a C minus" has a better sense of his place in the world than most gurus or swamis can hope to achieve in a thousand lifetimes. Neither he nor his music make any apologies for what they are, or figure they owe anybody any explanations.

The fact that he does what he does out of love for the material and the music couldn't be more evident than on his latest release The Hard Stuff. He can still grind out the tough as nails bar rock blues that has formed the foundation for every blues-based band since the sixties but he also knows when to pull back and apply a lighter touch when needed.

The title track, "Hard Stuff" is just what it says it is. Tough, hard, and gritty rock and roll that makes your ears ring and your sternum hurt if you were to stand too close to the stacks of speakers in a bar. Hearing that as the opening cut sets you up for what you think will be a long, bumpy ride, but on the very next song he switches gears and takes you by surprise.

His cover of Fats Domino's "Hello Josephine" is delivered in his trademark gravely voice, but he and the band play it with just the right touch so it has that distinctive Fats' sound. It's only appropriate that they have dedicated that track to the people of New Orleans and as they put it their "undying spirit" as Fats had to be rescued from the aftermath of Katrina.

George may claim to be only a glorified bar band player, but his versatility puts him in a league by himself. Sure he can still kick the doors down with tracks like "I Didn't Know", but the two songs preceding it, the poppy "I Got My Eyes On You" and the rockabilly/blues of "Moving," show his range as both a guitarist and singer have diversified. He has developed into the full-fledged blues player that he always showed he could be.

He's got far more than just power and speed to offer anymore and that makes him far more interesting a performer and musician. Listen to the almost country blues of his version of "Little Rain Falling" by Jimmy Reed and Ewart Abner and you'll hear a person who's understood that the Blues are a feeling not just a guitar style.

Further proof that he's not someone to be easily painted into a corner stylistically when it comes to his interpretation of what is and isn't the Blues is his inclusion of the poignant "The Drifter's Escape" by Bob Dylan. Here he reveals his sensitivity to material over form and offers up a fine version of this song.

Now in case anybody was worrying, he's still one of the meanest, fastest slide players to come along in years, and can still burn the paint right of walls he gets so hot on occasion. Don't for a second believe that he's mellowed out or anything stupid like that. I was just letting you know that his abilities extend far beyond those of the dynamo that can power a small city.

If you're like me and haven't heard any of George Thorogood's music in a while, a die hard fan, or if somehow or other you're new to the man The Hard Stuff is an album you'll appreciate. Not only does it feature George doing what he does best, but it also shows the true diversity of his talent that may not have been appreciated or realized in the past.

Another triumph for a true-blue survivor on tour for life

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Wednesday May 31st 2006

He might not be in today's hit parade, but George Thorogood is a bona fide rock veteran. He remains the only rock musician to have played all 50 states of America within 50 days, a feat that is almost logistically impossible.

This touring thoroughbred has been on the road since the release of his first album 'Better than the Rest' back in 1974. Thorogood and his cohorts, the Destroyers, clearly have a fervent Irish fan base who lap up every second of his raw and rugged take on bluesy rock 'n' roll.

He looks weathered but remarkably fit and healthy for a man of his years, belting out sweaty blues standards for a full two hours and 10 minutes.

Thorogood's most famous song was made famous by John Lee Hooker, the legendary 'One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer', which is probably the most famous blues song ever written about booze. Add that to the usual 'my baby left me this morning' theme and you've virtually got an entire genre. Obviously, this was on the setlist alongside a slew of celebrated classics.

The last time George brought his six-string to these shores was for an all-seated show in this same venue.

This appearance worked much better, allowing a boisterous crowd to join in with his riff-laden jam and holler while boogying in the aisles. The funniest part of the show was when he said he wanted to play a song for the "more sophisticated rock fan" and proceeded to play another golden oldie, 'Cut Your Hair and Get a Real Job'.

Judging by the reaction, there appeared to be a lot of rebellious teens trapped inside older bodies. Contemporary rock appears to value freshly-cut hype over true-blue survivors.

Whenever the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs aren't able to get people to cross the street to see them live, George Thorogood will probably still be packing them in on his never-ending tour.

EAMON SWEENEY

George Thorogood & the Destroyers, "The Hard Stuff"

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Music Review by Paul Schultz
Published: June 2, 2006

You always know what you're going to get with a George Thorogood record, and that's a good thing. For over thirty years, he and his band, the Destroyers, have been plying their brand of blues-rock to anyone and everyone that will listen, and they do indeed deliver the hard stuff on their latest release. Early musical influences are represented with a generous seasoning of blues covers and I, for one, thank Thorogood for digging them out of obscurity for a new generation of listeners.

A Thorogood original (written with Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer and performer, Tom Hambridge, and Destroyer guitarist Jim Suhler) starts things off in enthusiastic fashion with the hard-hitting title track, opening with a riff similar to Dwight Yoakam's "Fast as You", only with the volume cranked up to 11. Thorogood's signature slide guitar soon makes its presence heard, and features prominently throughout the record, particularly on "Love Doctor", "Taking Care of Business" and culminating frenetically in the finale. His take on Howlin' Wolf's "Moving" displays some tasty guitar work, but this is probably the most glaring example of a song that just can't be believably sung by a white guy. He does better on Fats Domino's "Hello Josephine", accompanied by Buddy Leach's saxophone playing, which is also spotlighted on the Jimmy Reed ballad "Little Rain".

"Now, here's a song with a message" Thorogood announces in the repetitive "I Didn't Know" that cleverly brings the music completely to a halt several times, as if the silence will help him think about why he doesn't know what he doesn't know. Always capable of finding a goofy song and making it work (who else could pull off "Get A Haircut"?), the boys present Hound Dog Taylor's "Give Me Back My Wig" with such speedy precision that you don't bother to ponder the "give me back my wig, honey let your head go bald" lyrics.

At about the midway point, the instrumental "Cool It" epitomizes a group effort with guitar, sax, and bass soloing. The blue-collar rocking highlight is "Any Town USA" which has Thorogood engaging in plenty of name dropping as he rattles off landmarks in cities such as Cleveland (Jacob's Field, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), Chicago (Checkboard Lounge, Wrigley Field) and Detroit, and also mentioning "Big Ten Michigan". The driving "Rock Party" finds Thorogood name dropping his own music catalog: "I feel like shaking up somebody's home/I'm sick and tired of drinkin' alone/I'm gonna show ya that I'm bad to the bone at the rock party tonight". It's not all one speed, however, as Thorogood dials things down for Bob Dylan's "Drifter's Escape" and resonates on a biscuit cone guitar for Johnny Shines' "Dynaflow Blues".

Sounding like a manic "Spirit in the Sky", the album concludes on a blistering high note, with the John Lee Hooker classic boogie "Huckle Up Baby". Thorogood growls his familiar line "you know what I'm talkin' about" before sending this song into the musical stratosphere with an inspired slide guitar performance. For a guy in his mid-fifties, Thorogood can still bring the hard stuff as well as he ever has. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the party album of the summer.

The Hard Stuff - Billboard review

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Anyone in search of straight-ahead rock'n'roll and blues will find a robust plateful of blood-red meat and potatoes here. With a dynamic range running from frenetic to ferocious, George Thorogood does not disappoint. A dead-on mix, rightfully treating "restraint" as a dirty word, turns the title cut into arguably the most have-no-mercy rocker Thorogood has ever attacked in his 12-album, 30-year career. Even the slow blues "Little Rain" delivers a sax ride to stir the dead, and "Any Town USA" is pile-driving Thorogood at his best. Any nit-pickers complaining that he has been largely remaking the same record for three decades might as well have asked Muddy Waters why his three-chord blues only had three chords. Thankfully, Thorogood shows not the slightest inclination to reinvent the wheel, happy to keep rolling down the hard-rocking road of which he is a master. —Gordon Ely

The Hard Stuff - City Paper review

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Rampaging guitarist and vocalist George Thorogood and the Destroyers return on The Hard Stuff (Eagle) with another set of driving tunes performed with maximum energy and intensity. He can get fancy and intricate when he wishes, but Thorogood’s best when he’s belting out simple lyrics and delivering fierce riffs and answering refrains.

The set’s top original pieces include “I Didn’t Know,” “Any Town USA” and the title track, but Thorogood’s choices in covers range from explosive reworkings of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Moving” and Johnny Shines’ “Dynaflow Blues” to Bob Dylan’s “Drifter’s Escape” and the Fats Domino/Dave Bartholomew Crescent City stomper “Hello Josephine.” Buddy Leach’s booming sax licks and Jim Suhler’s expert rhythm guitar assistance ably anchor Thorogood’s sonic assaults on The Hard Stuff.

The Hard Stuff - New York Post review

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May 28, 2006 -- John Lee Hooker's musical legacy - the blues boogie - remains in good hands with veteran rocker George Thorogood. On "The Hard Stuff," the shaggy growler is still bad to the bone as he leads his longtime band through a generous 15-song collection that mixes originals with choice covers.

Thorogood maintains his unassuming, underrated persona as the leader of the world's best bar band. That's not to say you'd find the man cranking music at Moe's Tavern, but his old-school guitar-bass-drums-sax attack lends itself to alcohol-fueled partying.

The album's best barroom ripper is "Anytown USA," where GT and the boys hail blue-collar rock fans who live in factory and mill towns across America. The tune has bounce without exposing a soft pop underbelly.

Of the album's covers, the Hooker classic "Huckle Up Baby" is a great down 'n' dirty boogie with Thorogood turning in some masterful slide guitar. The band hits its stride, combining barrelhouse roll and raw rock, on the Fats Domino standard "Hello Josephine."

Thorogood lets music dominate the stage

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By MICHAEL PERRY, Courier & Press correspondent
March 26, 2006

If you like straight ahead, no frills rock 'n' roll, The Centre was the place to be on Saturday night. On an almost bare stage, except for a drum kit, some speakers and a few microphone stands, George Thorogood and the Destroyers brought their distinct version of the blues to 1,932 mostly satisfied fans. The band of five, consisting of Thorogood, drummer Jeff Simon, bassist Bill Blough, guitarist Jim Suhler and saxaphonist Buddy Leach, took the stage a few minutes after 9 p.m. and after Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" played to a darkened theater. Dressed all in black, the minimalist approach of the band managed to place the emphasis on the music played. Because the blues is the root of rock 'n' roll, this stripped-down effect was the perfect complement to Thorogood's library. Having performed approximately 30 years, it was refreshing to see someone enjoy himself as much as Thorogood.

Driven forward by the rhythm section like a chunky locomotive, most of the songs seemed to take on a life of their own. Whether is was the immediately recognizable "Bo Diddley" back beat of "Who Do You Love," the opening chords of "I Drink Alone," or the quasi-spoken blues standard, "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," Thorogood and the band had most of the fans on their feet from the opening number.

Thorogood is first and foremost an excellent guitar player, and this was never more evident than on his biggest hit, "Bad to the Bone." He spent the night spinning and duck walking, but mostly playing blistering blues.

"Nighttime," a J. Geil's Band song, was another highlight of the show. Between the playing of Thorogood and the driving force of the Destroyers, each song almost had a hypnotic effect. At various times throughout the show, fans were either dancing in the aisles, or seated, simply nodding their heads to the beat.

The Centre is not the most conducive place for a show of this nature. By the time the sound gets up to the upper balcony, it is so muffled to be almost unlistenable. The middle tier is much better as far as the sound goes, but the seats are still too far away to allow the listener to get involved. Only on the bottom level does the full concert experience come full circle. Even then, audience participation is somewhat limited. Cross Canadian Ragweed opened and sounded like a mixture of Tom Petty, Blackfoot, The Black Crowes and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band has been playing for almost 12 years, and although it hasn't received the accolades of other bands together that long, it isn't from lack of talent. The tickets for the show indicated that the concert was to begin at 8 p.m.; however when this reviewer entered the auditorium at 7:45, the show already was in progress. Near the end of Thorogood's encore as he introduced the band, he dared to ask the question, "Who is the baddest?" Obviously, it is you, George ... to the bone.

Review - Columbus, OH - 12/04/2004

Found a terrific music site at fromoutofnowhere.com. As I browsed through, I found the following review of a Destroyers show in Columbus, OH. As it turns out, the site also features photos of the show! You can view that gallery here.



George Thorogood and The Destroyers

Newport Music Hall

Columbus, Ohio

12/4/04

By Rob Kern

Set list: Run Run Rudolph, Who Do You Love, Nighttime, I Drink Alone, One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer, Cocaine Blues, Sweet Little Lady, Haircut, Bad To The Bone, Gearjammer, Move It On Over, The Fixer, You Talk Too Much, Greedy Man, Rockin’ My Life Away.

Quick show of hands, how many people think Nelly, Linkin Park or Ashlee Simpson will be performing in 2034? Or 2014 for that matter? Anyone, anyone? Bueller….Bueller? The young “artists” of today may just want to take notes as George Thorogood and The Destroyers treated a packed crowd to an energetic performance as part of their 30th Anniversary tour at the Newport Music Hall, which just happened to be celebrating its 20th Anniversary.

George and The Destroyers took the stage in a holiday mood, opening with “Run Run Rudolph” and then launching into a set of some the best-known tunes from their deep catalog of classics. The enthusiastic crowd cheered the band on as they performed “Who Do You Love” and “Nighttime” while George stalked the stage and played the familiar chords with a fire that most wouldn’t associate with songs that were recorded twenty years earlier. Long time bassist Bill Blough and drummer Jeff Simon laid down a solid beat during “I Drink Alone” as George teased the ladies, gyrating and thrusting while saxophonist Buddy Leach blasted out a blazing solo.

George Thorogood and The Destroyers have mastered the art of blues rock bar boogie; if you’ve ever been in a blue-collar bar or tuned into a classic rock FM station for more than an hour, chances are you will hear one of their tunes. One of the most well known, “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” was served up to the audience and most of them sang it right back to the band, word for word. George kept the crowd energized as he led the band through “Cocaine Blues”, “Sweet Little Lady” and “Get A Haircut”. Guitarist Jim Suhler was given ample opportunity to showcase his nimble fretwork to an appreciative crowd; no egos here as George gave everyone in the band time to shine.

The hit parade continued as the band turned on the classic “Bad To The Bone”, it may be overplayed on classic rock stations but George and company have more than enough magic to breathe life into it on the stage. If slide guitar is your fancy, George had it in bucketfuls on “Gearjammer”. Thick, meaty grooves oozed out as Thorogood worked his guitar during “Move It On Over” then followed it with the slower groove of “The Fixer”. The band wrapped up the set with the henpecked husband anthem, “You Talk Too Much”, followed by “Greedy Man” and “Rockin’ My Life Away”.

Thirty years from now, many of today’s top sellers will not even warrant a footnote in the history of music. Good lord willing and the creeks don’t rise, we’ll all be celebrating George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ 60th anniversary tour.

Thorogood pleases crowd thoroughly

Thousands of fans sing along, dance to veteran blues rocker's tunes.

By Mariella Savidge
Of The Morning Call

It was not a night to sit still. Or politely. Nor was it one for anybody with sensitive ears.

''I'm going to do everything in my power to get arrested tonight … if anybody's going to jail for rock 'n' roll, it might as well be me,'' George Thorogood told thousands of enthusiastic fans at Musikfest's RiverPlace on Friday night.

After the opening that included Bo Diddley's ''Who Do You Love,'' he also used that gravelly bad-boy voice to tell the audience he intended to do some ''dirty, nasty, some very bad things'' during the show, which was part of his 30th anniversary tour with the Destroyers.

Eh. It depends on your definition of bad, or as he told a reporter a couple of weeks ago, ''It's so bad, it's good. Y'know?''

His bluesy, roots rock style flowed as easily as the very nearby river, so that anybody who may have been even a borderline fan going in was hooked. Thorogood's ability to amuse and entertain was so powerful that it made up for that extra smidge of humidity provided by the aforementioned river that made the air and the bugs almost unbearable.

He was just fun to listen to and to move with, to which the many fans who filled the aisles could attest.

But even if they stayed in their seats, fans were quick to jump in and finish the words to a song and to roar at his efforts on the bottleneck guitar that, at times, made the instrument sound like a human voice.

It took but a note or two to spark audience recognition as ''I Drink Alone'' was followed by ''One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,'' after which — contrary to his carefully cultivated reckless image — he told the guys to let their wives drive home.

Not one to disappoint, Thorogood followed ''Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job'' with the song the fans were hungriest for.

''Don't rush me,'' he said, but shortly after rolled into the Chuck Berry-inspired ''Bad to the Bone,'' putting fans over the top as they watched him hop across the stage, knees bent.

Following ''Move It On Over'' he bared his teeth with a devilish, ''Pretty good, eh?'' before temporarily leaving the stage.

Two encores included ''That's It, I Quit'' and ''Madison Blues,'' ''Rockin' My Life Away'' and ''Greedy Man,'' before a curtain call when he said good night and blew a kiss.

Aw, he's not so bad.

mariella.savidge@mcall.com

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Live Review: George Thorogood and the Destroyers in West Hollywood, CA

- Live Daily -

December 05, 2003 01:39 PM - George Thorogood took the House of Blues stage Thursday night (12/4) with his arms raised like a prizefighter ready for battle.

By the evening's second song--the blast "Long Gone," off 1985's "Maverick"--Thorogood and his solid band were already a sweaty rock-and-roll mess. They tore through nearly two hours of scorching blues at the L.A. venue before a crowd of middle-aged, classic-rock-loving, denim-jacket-wearing, beer-swilling freaks. Though sparse, the audience was wild and adoring throughout the show.

Dressed in all black (indeed, his entire band wore all black), Thorogood dropped a rumbling rendition of "Who Do You Love?" just three songs in. The flamboyant frontman pulled out all the rock-and-roll clichés and somehow made them work masterfully. Thorogood and his bassist, Bill Blough, and lead guitarist, Jim Suhler, even did the synchronized ZZ-Top-style guitar-pointing shuffle to several of the night's songs.

Thorogood and the Destroyers played nearly all of their FM-radio staples, throwing in a few tracks off their most recent LP, "Ride 'till You Die," including "The Fixer" and "American Made." But it was the old, sludgy, Chicago-blues throw-downs that earned the night's most emphatic responses.

"One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer," albeit abbreviated on this occasion, remained a pulsating epic fraught with everyday peril and a down home boogie beat. Thorogood slid his way across his Gibson's neck with flawless precision. Later, the fast-talking, macho singer asked "the divorced women--and the women that are thinking about getting a divorce--to get up and shake it" just prior to delivering the pulsating "In the Nighttime."

He may be starting to look old, but he still feels young. Onstage, Thorogood embodied all the fervor and charm of his early days, spinning around in his well-timed hyper twists, cueing his band with his hips and guitar--even wagging his tongue in a not-so-friendly way. The middleweight effeminately pranced from side to side like a Sunday morning minister on a blues mission from the Almighty.

By the time "Get a Haircut and Get a Real Job" emerged from his ballsy grab bag, Thorogood looked like an aged Vinnie Barbarino--still cooler than a snowball. The East Coast classic-rock machine did something only the most endearing performers can achieve: he seemed rock-star untouchable while remaining thoroughly likable, smiling all night long. After "Who Do You Love," the singer said, "I hope it's me." A few times during the show he would ask the crowd, "Are you with me?" as his band revved into the next tune. Clearly, satisfying the fans was of paramount concern for Thorogood.

Of course, his biggest hit came toward the end of the show. On "Bad to the Bone," saxophone player Buddy Leach, looking like a hip Papa Smurf, blew some insane reed, and Thorogood and his band relished in the audience's adoration.

For his encore, Thorogood wore a black (what else?) T-shirt with the words "Free Tommy Chong" emblazoned across his chest. A voracious "You Talk Too Much" closed the set as Thorogood feigned exhaustion during the song's closing bars. After the singer "collapsed" to the floor, his band helped him back to his feet, where he once again raised his fists in victory--a rock and roll champion from start to finish.

ChaosMusic Review

With Grammy winning producer Jim Gaines at the helm, Ride Till I Die is quite simply the Destroyers’ best effort to date. If Thorogood’s signature guitar licks and trademark vocals seem more infused with passion than ever before, so too do the contributions of stalwart rhythm section drummer Jeff Simon and bassist Bill Blough. Sax demon, Hank Carter blows like a hurricane, but the performance of recently added guitarist Jim Suhler adds a crucial dynamic that makes the record bristle with an intensity that reflects why he has become a permanent and valuable addition to the Destroyers.

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Ride 'Til I Die review from jazzreview.com

There is one thing you can always count on with George Thorogood, his music is not going to change. “Ride ‘Til I Die” continues his firm grasp of blues-rock. Making music now in his fourth decade, there seems to be no stopping George. He can still sing and grind away with his one and only gruff voice and his guitar slung low on hips with the energy and verve of performers half his age.

All I can think of is one thing when his name is mentioned-Ba-ba-ba-bad to the bone! There is no doubt that he is. He laid down his tracks long ago for his locomotive blues-rock train (1977 to be exact, with his self-titled album) and he shows no signs of turning off his engine.

If there is one man alive that has carved his own unique niche in blues-rock history, it is George. Like I said, his music never changes and you know what to expect, and the best part about it is that he always delivers the goods. The blues are generally predictable and the stories are always surrounding woman, ego, money, and booze, then all the emotions that play into those subjects. You can bet your last dollar that it is who is telling the story that makes all the difference, and of course, the music that provides the navigation. GT makes it all new even though you have heard the stories told a thousand times before. He has the gift of gab, only its set to rousing music. Maybe it is his voice, the driving rhythms, the guitar, or the deadly combination of all of those factors coming at you like a speeding bullet aimed right at your heart and soul. Yes, he sure does have crosshairs on that six-string and he is an accomplished sharpshooter.

The hard driving rock solid “Fixer” ends with George spelling out fixer as “fix her,” as he sings and plays about being the savior to all womanhood. Let us say that George is the proverbial rock ‘n’ roll chauvinist with a tale to tell. He can get away with it though, he lets his music do the talkin’ and I do not see anyone putting up a fuss since he started. After all, it is all in good fun. “Ride ‘Til I Die” is not about breaking in a horse at the ranch; it is immodest statement of sexual virility from a musical stud. That is the blues baby, take it or leave it. It is George’s way or the highway on “My Way,” although he says that he is a steady unflappable gent, he still likes it his way.

This man has always flexed his musical muscles with the words to back it up and people love him for it. I am sure many folks wish they could be as bold in their lives. Yup, GT and the boys are back with a bang on their new label Eagle Records and ready to rock you for another decade. Same old story, same old George...You betcha! I wouldn’t want it any other way.

- Keith 'MuzikMan' Hannaleck

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Ride 'Til I Die review from American Hit Network

If nothing else, this release proves that George Thorogood plans on riding his career out ‘til the bitter end, and that he plans on doing it in style. Apparently, not much has changed since the glory days of 1978, when he released “Move It On Over” to surprise mass acceptance. He’s rocking just as hard now as he was then - maybe harder – flaunting his one-two combination of grease-soaked blues and guitar-based boogie to near perfection.

Thorogood’s John Lee Hooker obsession remains evident here, particularly on tracks like “She’s Gone” (written by Theodore Taylor), “You Don’t Love Me, You Don’t Care” (Ellas McDaniel, a.k.a. Bo Diddley) and the title track (duh – it’s written by Hooker). “You Don’t Love Me, You Don’t Care” suggests ZZ Top’s “La Grange,” which probably explains why the label chose this to be the lead-off single, but almost anything here could qualify. “Greedy Man” kicks off the album and it burns from start to finish. “American Made” is almost as good, and twice as topical. Thorogood still isn’t writing, but his choice of material is impeccable. Elvin Bishop, Nick Lowe, J.J. Cale and Chuck Berry contribute one song each, but none of the selections are obvious. As a music fan who dabbles considerably in the blues, I’m quite impressed that Thorogood could compile such an inspiring collection of songs without touching on anything that is too familiar. He can make a sleeper like Chuck Berry’s “Move It” sound as though it was written yesterday, or convince you that Nick Lowe wrote “That’s It, I Quit” specifically for him. Over thirteen tracks, the energy level consistently remains in the red, and Thorogood sounds just as youthful and energetic as ever. The only real difference is that his present-day band can keep up with him.

If Ride ‘Til I Die was released in 1978, it would have been a top 40 hit album with steady rotation on rock and roll radio (God, who would have thought that we’d ever reminisce about the good old days of the late ‘70’s?). These days, the blues are a commercial pariah. So is any type of rock and roll that is performed by anyone over twenty-one, unless the topic is some ‘new miserable experience’. In these corporate times, radio is no longer a cooperative entity, which means that GT has his work cut out for him. To promote this album, Thorogood and the Destroyers will need to tour their asses off, hoping to generate word-of-mouth. Based on this album, it should work. I for one will DEFINITELY be there if they come to my town, because this band is hot, and as far as word of mouth is concerned, I’m gonna start start hollerin’ about Ride ‘Til I Die right about now.

-Tom Ryan

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My review of "Ride 'Til I Die" on Amazon.com

"Ride 'Til I Die" is the greatest record of all time. Simple as that.

The heavens must have been aligned perfectly during the recording of this album, because something like this comes along once in a lifetime, if you're lucky.

All the pieces have come together for the Destroyers on this one. Industry legend Jim Gaines takes over the production helm from Terry Manning, and he has pulled a masterpiece from the guys. The production is better than anything you've ever heard, and the mix is perfect - you can every little thing, and you'll be glad you can. This is also the first record to include the newest Destroyer, Jim Suhler, and his contributions make a huge impact.

For me, "Maverick" was always the definitive Destroyer album. Until now. Take "Maverick" and mix it with "Move It On Over" and then take it to the tenth power and beyond.

For whatever reason, George and the boys have been reinvigorated, they've been shot full of adrenaline and power and melody and harmony and rhythm and boogie, boogie, boogie. Suddenly, the band members are all 21 again and ready to prove to the world that they are, without a doubt, the greatest rock band on the planet. They succeed.

Take whatever measures you need to take to secure yourself a copy of this disc, and the sooner the better. You'll be smiling and dancing and pumping your fists, you'll be doing whatever it is you do when you feel happy and alive and free. You'll also be listening to this one twenty years from now doing the same thing.

Like I said before, "Ride 'Til I Die" is the greatest record of all time. Simple as that.

Classic Rock Revisited review of RTID

George is back for the attack with a 13-track CD featuring everything Thorogood. Slide guitar, funny lyrics, toe-tapping rhythms and the best damn backing band this side of Delaware.

“Greedy Man” is a throwback to 80’s era Thorogood. This song would be welcome on the Bad To The Bone CD. In fact, the entire collection is a throwback to Rock n Roll’s fun era. Unlike many of his contemporizes, Thorogood does not want to change his sound to fit the times or make any type of political statement. Instead he wants to rock out and have a good time. Ride ’Till I Die show a man still making music true to the blend of boogie rock blues he helped invent. “Don’ Let The Boss Man Get You Down” is Thorgood paying homage to the blues masters. “Devil In Disguise” and “She’s Gone” show the man very at home in his own skin.

Nothing to prove and nothing groundbreaking here but if you want to checkout another installment in the Thorogood musical series then this CD is for you. An excellent choice for cruising with top down.

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amazon.com review of RTID

Since the early 1980s, George Thorogood has delivered heart-felt tributes to his favored blues and rockabilly artists, and he’s continued along this expected path with Ride ‘Til I Die. Warm and deeply affectionate covers of Bo Diddley's "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)," Eddie Cochran's "My Way," and, of course, John Lee Hooker's "Ride 'Til I Die," demonstrate that Thorogood is in fine form, his trademark slide guitar warring with a squealing sax over a pumping blues grind. "American Made" is a sure-fire crowd pleaser; "She's Gone" is a dirty stomper that recalls his biggest hit, "Bad to the Bone"; while the closing title track is an evolving acoustic number punctuated by sudden electric wails. Unlike pop stars, bluesmen often benefit from the passing of time; it lends them weight and gravitas. Thorogood is no exception. He'll peak late--and he's pretty damn good now. --Dominic Wills

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