Back in the 70s and into the 80s, the radio had Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band on heavy rotation. Add the movies and commercials, and it seems like Seger’s music was everywhere. Little wonder the hard workin’, dues payin’ Michigan-bred musician has reigned in 11 platinum and seven multi-platinum albums. And he’s still going strong today, recording and touring, albeit less frequently. To celebrate the salad days and then some, Capitol has released a solid 26-song double-disc collection by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band called Ultimate Hits: Rock And Roll Never Forgets.
Working in the studio with both the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and the Silver Bullet Band, Seger pumped out a succession of hits – “Old Time Rock and Roll,” “Hollywood Nights,” “Night Moves,” “Mainstreet,” “Still The Same,” Like a Rock” “Against The Wind, among them and included on this remastered set. Even more astounding was the live album, 1976’s Live Bullet, which successfully highlighted Seger and the Silver Bullet Band’s strength as live performers. That double LP also helped to breathe new life into earlier songs like “Travelin’ Man,” “Beautiful Loser” and Turn the Page,” which all appear on this 2011 compilation.
The original mono version “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” the singer’s first hit single with the Bob Seger System in 1968, makes its album debut here. Seger’s rendition of “The Little Drummer Boy” from 1987’s A Very Special Christmas, is also included – and well executed considering the late November release date. Previously unreleased cover versions of Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train” and Little Richard’s “Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (Going Back to Birmingham)” offer extra sheen to the singer’s spit-and-shine reputation. Bringing together the best and brightest of what Bob Seger has recorded over the past four decades deserves far more than a couple of discs. But if you’re looking for the most essential stuff with a few extras, Ultimate Hits: Rock And Roll Never Forgets is about as definitive as you can get.
~ Shawn Perry
