You Gotta Lose

 

Yesterday George Thorogood turned 75 and this is an occasion to take another look at his musical work. Born in the small state of Delaware on the east coast of the USA, he experienced his musical aha moment in the spring of 1965 when he saw the Rolling Stones together with Howlin' Wolf on television. 

After that, his career was set, focussing on the blues and playing in small clubs or on the streets on the West Coast. His heyday came just as punk and new wave were turning music upside down. Someone has the chupza to release an album on which he cements his concept of the blues. Hard rhythms, phenomenal guitar playing and a bluesy voice were what set them apart from many other blues bands at the time. 

A German music magazine described his music like this: If Mark Knopfler is the sultan of swing, George Thorogood must be the Satan of slide. There is nothing more to add.

Belated birthday greetings George

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - You Gotta Lose

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Delaware Slide

George Thorogood & The Destroyers - John Hardy

Foot Of Pride

 

A few days ago Bob Dylan released another part of his bootleg series called Springtime in New York. It is full of outtakes from his early 80's albums like Infidels and it was the the time he hit the Christian road and I turned away from him. Not that I didn't liked him any more but it was the time he didn't have to say much to me and other music came very much closer to me. Listening to those mostly unreleased songs shows that he was still able to write and arrange great songs. Although Infidels was produced by Mark Knopfler (I like their first album but the rest is rubbish) the songs were not polished in a mainstream way and worth to give them another chance after all these years

Who Do You Love

Back in the late 70s when punk started my local record dealer recommended me a classic blues record. I thought by myself what the hell is he doing. I started to explore new music and he showed me George Thorogood?? When he has put on then the record and I have heard the first tones I was inspired all of a suddenly. Never heard this songs with  such a power and enthusiasm. The next word I spoke was 'This record is mine'. If Mark Knopfler is called the Sultan of Swing I will call George Thorogood the Satan of Slide.

Enjoy and have a good week

George Thorogood and the Destroyers - Who Do You Love