z z u b JEFF KSEEPIS MON GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS MARCHING TO THE BEAT OF THEIR OWN DRUM PHOTO BY REBECCA BLISSETT by Danielle Sariyan George is three years older than me, parents had the patience for that. If my Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, and He was half joking. Bill Graham was the George Thorogood and The so we didn’t really go to school together. kids were playing drums in the next a few others. We spent a lot of time with promoter and he said, “We’ll put you on Destroyers have been rockin’ and rollin’ My older brother is four years older. He room I don’t know how much patience Hound Dog Taylor. They kind of adopted the first couple of shows and see how for 43 years running. With their went to school with George. We all grew I would have, but they never said us. We learned a lot about life from those it goes.” We did the first show and it went unmistakable blues-rock sound, up together. I’ve known him since I was anything. My brother was in a couple guys. That’s really special to me. Opening so well he said, “You can do the whole irreverent high-energy stage act, and nine years old. When we were kids of bands and they would always practice for the Rolling Stones and the magnitude tour.” The 50/50 Tour [all 50 states in 50 consistent nonstop tour schedule, The we played baseball all day and then in the basement. There were of those shows, playing for 100,000 consecutive days] was already booked Destroyers have amassed a tremendous dissect Rolling Stones’ records at night. neighborhood kids coming in and there people sometimes, that’s a unique when we did this Stones’ show, so we following of die-hard fans who flock year My brother would buy the records. He was always music and loud stuff going situation! And then we’re playing with couldn’t. We were like, “We have this after year to sold-out venues to watch thing booked. We can’t do it.” One of the band boogie down over and over the shows on the 50/50 Tour… we played again. E HAVE A FAIRLY HIGH ENERGY ACT SO WE GET A with them in New Orleans. We ended This September the band—George “W - up doing 16 shows with them in America Thorogood (vocals), Jeff Simon (drums), LOT OF ENERGY FROM THE CROWD . T HAT HASN ’T in 1981 and nine shows with them in Bill Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler Europe in 1982. That was really special. (rhythm guitar) and Buddy Leach CHANGED . W E STILL GET GREAT ENERGY . I’ M LOOKING After the first show in Philadelphia (saxophone)—kick off the second leg the piano player, Ian Stewart, came of their Badder Than Ever Tour. During OVER MY SHOULDER WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO to me, sat down and said, “Those Chuck a very short break in the band’s 32-city CATCH US GETTING AWAY WITH WHAT WE RE DOING Berry songs you’re playing… what keys U.S. and Canada tour I caught up with ’ . are those in?” I told him and he goes, Jeff Simon to discuss his favorite on THE PEOPLE THAT LIKE OUR MUSIC ARE STILL “Well do you think I might have a play?” stage moments, his memories of growing I said, “Ian, are you kidding me? You’re up with the man he calls GT, and his SHOWING UP . I T AMAZES ME TO THIS DAY .” one of our heroes!” Every show after experience “keeping time” for The that he played with us and then when Destroyers. had a job. He was a big influence on on. My folks never said anything. They Charlie Watts. That was my guy. That we recorded Bad To The Bone , Ian came Rock and roll is your full-time job. me. He would be the first kid on the block always encouraged it. I think that’s was my hero. That’s who I patterned my and played on it and then did the tour You have played drums for George with the records. George spent a lot of unique! whole drumming approach after. We in Canada with us. We got to know Ian Thorogood and The Destroyers for time at our house and we would just The Destroyers have performed over got to meet the guys and I was kind of a little bit. That was nice. Then on one over four decades. To what do you talk about music. “Why did he do this?” 8,000 live shows and toured with apprehensive because what if he’s a of the breaks in Rotterdam we booked credit your continued success? “Why did he have a cymbal crash here?” some of the biggest names in the jerk? But man he was really nice to me. a gig for ourselves and took Ian and I can’t explain how we’ve been able It was a music education for me. That’s industry from Muddy Waters to I spent as much time with him as I Bobby Keys who played sax from the to do it for so long. We’re just really what we did when we were kids. Howlin’ Wolf, and the Rolling Stones. possibly could, which wasn’t a lot, but Stones’ camp to play with us. We were fortunate. George had a charisma. Even when Do any experiences stand out as one any chance I could I would just show in the second or third set of the night In 1973 your van and your drum skills we were kids I could see there was of those, “I can’t believe this is freakin’ up and be there. and Mick shows up and sings a couple helped birth one of the most something special about him. Something happening!” moments? I’ll tell you about the way we got into of Chuck Berry songs. It was over after legendary bands in music history. good was going to happen with him. It George and I moved to Boston in ’74 that. George went to our booking agent that. You can’t follow that. What was it like to grow up, work, was my brother’s idea to get a drum kit. or ’75 and we worked mostly in New and said, “The Rolling Stones are starting Recording, performing and and travel the world with your friend We got a drum kit and taught ourselves England. That’s where we opened for their tour in Philadelphia. If you don’t distributing music has completely George Thorogood? how to play along with the records. My Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Hound get us on one of the shows, you’re fired.” evolved in the last forty years. It is GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS WILL PLAY THE MAYO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN MORRISTOWN, NJ ON SEPT. 28 AND THE PARAMOUNT IN HUNTINGTON, NY ON SEPT. 29. FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO GEORGETHOROGOOD.COM. 16 ARTS WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 www.theaquarian.com easier than ever for people to share and access continue to buy the music. different kinds of music, but there is still so If nobody shows up then no body is going to hire much technology cannot replace. What is your you. They’re responsible. It’s a team. Teamwork. take on that? The team. There’s good and bad or positive and negative Speaking of your team, with songs like “Bad To to both. How it affected us personally? Our records The Bone” and “Move It On Over,” The Destroyers sold in a steady stream all along the way. We never have made an entire career out of serving up a really had a hit record or sold millions and millions playful, tongue-in-cheek badass attitude. Who of records all at once. We had a steady stream and in the band is actually the biggest rebel? pretty decent sales. When digital sharing came It’s like being an actor in a movie. That character in that income went away because everybody is doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the way you are just taking it, taking it, taking it. That’s the direct as a person. But let’s see, a rebel? Do we have a effect I have witnessed. But being able to share rebel in our troops? music with people and the way things are set up I have a feeling it might be you! now with Spotify and Pandora, even though they’re Me?! No. No. No. It’s funny because I don’t mind not paying people fairly, it’s a way to find new music. being able to just walk around without anybody I’ve gone on there and I’m like, “Wow. Where did having any idea who I am or what I do. GT is the that song come from?” There’s so much more front guy. He is the voice and he is good at it. God available now. All the stuff from the '40s, the '50s bless him. It’s a whole different thing. I would hate and even the '30s is available again. You wouldn’t to disappoint you, but we’re pretty regular guys. have been able to access it or find it, but now all If you’re looking for wild rock and roll stories and that stuff is available. I think that’s a positive. That’s drugs and sex and all that, that doesn’t really apply what I do.