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.)
Article comments
1 - Scott B.
George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers(as I will always know them as) are truly one of those great under the radar bands with a huge cult following. They have stayed the course as to their music genre. This band has more than just 1 "real" anthem song that identifies who they are! I have had the pleasure of seeing them live in person on a few occasions. One of the shows they played at my college and I worked as a backstage helper. These guys are one of the best live performers around. They perform with an energy level that doesn't change from start to finish. I have not picked up the anniversary release but will soon. I have been a fan for 20 years. Keep rocking George!
2 - James J
The addition of Jim shuler on guitar on the new tracks are wack. He makes it sound too twangy and polished. GT is and alsways will be a bar band and Jim adds an unwarranted touch of texas showboatism. GT is not to be taken polished.