Review by Shawn Perry
Photos by John Minichiello & Junkman
Trends, fads and American Idol — they have no place in George Thorogood’s world. It is now as it was back in the 70s when the Delaware-bred guitarist and his band the Destroyers made a few records for a small label called Rounder, which went on to release several high-profile records, including Robert and Alison Krauss’ 2007 Grammy-winning album, Raising Sand.
Thorogood’s been on several labels since, and has now returned to Capitol after a decade. In L.A., he was making the rounds — promoting his new album, The Dirty Dozen, playing a show at the Greek Theatre, and making an appearance the following night at the Guitar Center in Hollywood.
It had been 20 years or more since I’d last seen George Thorogood & The Destroyers. The first time was in or around 1978 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Or maybe it was Pauley Pavilion, I don’t remember. What I do remember is that Thorogood walked out on stage while the lights were still up, drinking a Heineken. Everyone cheered as he set up his own amp, made a few adjustments, grabbed his guitar and slid right into a song.
Sitting 10 rows back at the Greek, I could see things had changed considerably. The stage was all high-tech and streamlined. Amps were nowhere in sight, seemingly covered by screens with racing stripes and topped off by rows of powerful ever-ready spotlights. A few roadies made some last-minute checks, and Thorogood was not among them.
Moments before the show began, I noticed the Last DJ, Jim Ladd, seated a couple of rows in front of me. I wondered if he was thinking the same thing as I was: Had George Thorogood gone big-top Hollywood on us? Did “Bad To The Bone” turn the brash former minor league ball player into a world-class prima donna?
As soon as the house lights went down and the stirring sounds of Barry McGuire’s “Eve Of Destruction” echoed over the hillside of the Greek Theatre, any doubts I or Ladd may have had melted away instantly. Suddenly, there he was: George Thorogood, dressed in an auspicious black T-shirt with a little embroidered white stripe running over one shoulder. Black jeans, black shoes, dark glasses (uh-oh!), and his black Gibson ES 125 TDC strapped on and ready to make noise.
Opening up with “Rock Party,” George Thorogood & The Destroyers had expanded since I’d last seen them. In addition to original Destroyers, drummer Jeff Simon and bassist Billy Blough, the group now includes second guitarist Jim Suhler, who joined in 1999, and the newest member since 2003, saxophonist Buddy Leach. Thorogood is clearly the star, but the band does a remarkable job keeping the show on pace, assuring the songs are tight and providing the support the frontman needs to do his shtick.
George Thorogood hasn’t exactly gone Hollywood, but he knows how to work a crowd like a consummate pro. He breathed fire into “Who Do You Love” and the audience lapped it up. His in-between-song raps were fat, ferocious, hilarious. “Gentlemen, to the bat poles…” he announced and at once we were rolling into “Night Time.” Thorogood made faces and walked the plank along the front of the stage, while Suhler took a lead. The Destroyers are all about teamwork.
All this time, I took little notice of the overhead graphics and screens for the people in the back. But I saw a caricature of a bulldog and the words, “I Drink Alone,” and it was easy to figure out where we were headed next. Leach got the spotlight for a searing sax solo. The band leader spun around and widened his eyes. It was time for another drinking song, and there was only one I could think of: “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.”
Another dog caricature popped up and the words fuzzied up. I was right. The one number I could never shake from my consciousness. “You got the rent money yet?” “No.” And on it went like it did in 1978. Thorogood embellished a bit, throwing in something about the Greek Theatre being the number one concert venue in Los Angeles. And then he went on a rant about drinking and driving. “Get your buddy or get your girlfriend to drive,” he advised. I like this guy.
“Cocaine Blues” was dedicated to Johnny and June Cash before the group finally tried a couple of new ones from The Dirty Dozen, “Tail Dragger” and “Howlin’ for My Baby.” Simple, straight-ahead, Howlin’ Wolf and Willie Dixon songs — they fit right in. Then, out of nowhere, Thorogood brought out a special guest, a young and unidentified girl, presumably a relative like a daughter or a niece or at least someone well connected. She politely strummed an oversized Rickenbacker and half-sang the chorus on “Get A Haircut.” At this point, it was getting obvious what was left, and that was “Bad To The Bone,” a career-defining hit given wings by a massively popular video on MTV (shown while the song played) and a riff that’s been reprised in at least a dozen movies.
Back for the first encore, the guitarist got down and dirty on “You Talk Too Much,” then bounced back for a second encore of “Madison Blues.” The slide was slipping, the energy was high-strung and when it was over, everyone knew rock and roll was still something George Thorogood & The Destroyers could do well. Blues guitarist Jonny Lang was the opening act, and his five-piece band played a solid set that included a soulful rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Living For The City.”
The next night, Monday, July 27, George Thorogood & The Destroyers appeared at the Guitar Center in Hollyood for a short Q&A and a five-song set before a crowd of around 100. Thorogood even got a chance to play Bo Diddley’s famous “Cigar Box” guitar. He wore dark glasses (uh oh) and reverently handled the prized instrument. If it wasn’t for Bo, most of us probably wouldn’t know much about George.
