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GEORGE THOROGOOD Forty years in, the growling blues-rocker is still bad to the bone

GeorGe ThoroGood has been aspirations. his eponymous debut with the Miles davis, wearing sunglasses and not rocking hits like “bad to the bone,” destroyers was released on the fledgling saying a word to the audience all night. “Move It on over” and “Willie and the rounder records label in 1977, followed Their stuff is powerful, and I don’t have that hand Jive” for four decades. and despite a year later by his breakthrough effort, kind of product. I have to sell it—I’m a song- his road warrior reputation—he and Move It on Over, containing the title track and-dance man at heart.” his band the destroyers once played and his popular remake of bo diddley’s still, Thorogood understands why 50 cities in 50 days—Thorogood insists “Who do You Love.” a third album, his music continues to resonate with he’s hardly working. Better Than the Rest, further propelled audiences after four decades. “I don’t want “Lou Gehrig played 2,130 games in a his popularity, but it took 1982’s Bad to to pat myself on my back or blow my own row,” says Thorogood. “What do you think the Bone to finally elevate him to rock- horn, but as with any product, quality never we were doing—playing five hours a night? star status. The lead track is not only an goes out of style. are you still watching of course not. Playing 50 days in a row is indelible fixture of the rock canon but also a On the Waterfront or Casablanca on not like a regular job where you’re working popular theme used in countless films, TV TV? of course you are. Why? because year-round. You’re not digging ditches. shows, commercials and sporting events. they’re good. Why are people still drinking You’re playing in a rock ’n’ roll band. If It’s also currently featured on the greatest- Coca-Cola and budweiser? because you can’t play 50 days in a row, there’s hits disc Icon and the George Thorogood they’re good products—and if it’s a good something wrong with you.” and the Destroyers: Live at Montreux dVd. product, it will last. of course there were a few gigs he’d “Prepositional phrases never go out of “as far as doing it for 40 years, well, sooner forget. “It wasn’t sink or swim, it was style,” says Thorogood of “bad to the bone.” who even knows if you’re going to live 40 more like do or die,” he recalls. “I started “Like the title ‘Gone With the Wind,’ it’s just years? nobody looks that far down the out as a street musician in san Francisco, one of those sayings that was begging line. but I did know I was going to make but I don’t advise that for anyone. Then I to be used in a larger context. somebody a living at it—that was a reality since I was got a band together, and we worked some else would have written it if I hadn’t. It a teenager. It was a foregone conclusion.” places you wouldn’t even send a dog into was just too obvious. The saying is bigger he pauses a beat. “Maybe it was my to use the toilet.” than the song now.” incredible and fantastic good looks,” he The venues have improved, but at 63, With his signature raspy vocal and says. “I don’t know what the chemistry is the delaware native can be proud of his sledgehammer guitar delivery, Thorogood other than being about striking a chord with early days. Inspired after witnessing a 1970 isn’t laid-back about delivering the goods. my audiences. all I know is, they like what I concert by blues great John hammond, “I go onstage to sell my product,” he says. do. and that’s good enough for me.” Thorogood abandoned his pro-baseball “I’m not going up there like bob dylan or –Lee Zimmerman

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