George Thorogood And The Destroyers: Blues To The Bone Part 1.

 

On the evening of December 1 st , 1973 at The University of Delaware’s Lane Hall, a guitarist, a drummer, and their rhythm guitarist set up their gear – including a borrowed PA – on the small

bandstand. Though the three-piece band had only rehearsed once or twice, guitarist George Thorogood and drummer Jeff Simon had been bashing out covers of songs they loved – including ‘No Particular Place To Go’, ‘Madison Blues’ and ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’ – in suburban Wilmington basements since they were teens.
                 

“George once said he wanted to start a band, and that was good enough for me,” says Simon. “Besides, the gig paid $150.” A week earlier, Thorogood hadn’t even owned an electric guitar. “I’d been traveling

around the country as an acoustic street musician,” George explains. “I was back home for my sister’s wedding, and Jeff booked the gig without telling me. I went to a pawn shop downtown and bought a Gibson ES-125.” Their band didn’t have a name, either. “There was a piano player on a bunch of Howlin’ Wolf sessions who was credited only as ‘Destruction’,” Thorogood remembers, “so we decided to call ourselves ‘The Destroyers’.”
              

The Lane Hall audience was wary at first. “We started playing what we knew,” Simon recalls, “a lot of

Elmore James, Chuck Berry and Jimmy Reed. We may have been a bit nervous, but we were having so much fun that nothing else mattered. Then it was like somebody flipped a switch. Everybody hit the dance floor all at once.”
               

“We had the place rockin’,” Thorogood says. “We must have played ‘One Bourbon’ three times. It may have been a bit unpolished and primitive, but we were connecting with the audience in a major way.

From that very first show, Jeff and I knew we were onto something.” Five decades, more than 8,000 performances, and over 15 million albums later, on any given night on any stage in the world, few bands can still rock the house like George Thorogood Destroyers. For Thorogood, Simon, and long-time Destroyers Bill Blough, Jim Suhler and Buddy Leach, that’s only part of the reason why their Bad All Over The World – 50 Years of Rock Tour will be a celebration like no other.
                

“People may love our records, but our live performances leave the ultimate impression,” George explains. “We’re all blue-collar guys; if we don’t kick ass on stage every night, it’s back to working at the car wash.” For the past half a century – and with no signs of slowing down – they’ve kicked ass

with their 50 Dates/50 States Tour; delivered landmark performances at Live Aid and on SNL; opened club gigs for Muddy Waters and stadiums for The Rolling Stones; and remain one of the most reliable/formidable live acts in the world, with 2022’s run of nearly 100 shows in 17 countries across 3 continents including Europe and Australia – plus a top-selling U.S. summer tour with Sammy Hagar – being one of their biggest years yet.
              

The band also has a longstanding commitment to medical science and social justice that includes a partnership with The Leukemia Lymphoma Society as well as an ongoing collaboration with Musically Fed to feed veterans, the homeless, and the food insecure nationwide. A portion of proceeds from the

50 Years of Rock Tour will also benefit The Marla Thorogood Memorial Fund For Ovarian Cancer Research in conjunction with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in memory of George’s late wife who passed away in 2019. “When I was a kid, my hero was Bobby Kennedy,” George says. “He said ‘Some men see things as they are and ask why? I dream things that never were and ask, why not?’ It was a message that spoke directly to my generation, and one that I’ll always carry with me.”
              

But does Thorogood ever wonder if that nervous 23-year-old onstage at Lane Hall could imagine the bad-to-the-bone rock party he’d bring to the next several generations? “Rather than think about the past 50 years, I’d rather focus on our next 50 shows,” George says with a laugh. “But I will admit to a warm

feeling of satisfaction, maybe a bit of pride, and definitely a whole lot of gratitude.” And when asked to pick a career highlight thus far, maybe one night that changed everything for George Thorogood The Destroyers, he shakes his head, flashes a huge grin and heads off to soundcheck. “My highlight is when I step on that bandstand,” Thorogood says. “The promoters invited us, the audience came to hear us, and we’re ready to rock. When the rush of that ends, I’ll stop. Until then, every night I play for people can be the biggest night of my life.”
              

01. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS 1977

                  

George Thorogood and the Destroyers is the self-titled debut album by American blues rock band

George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released in 1977. Consisting mostly of covers of blues hits, it includes a medley of John Lee Hooker's "House Rent Boogie" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer", the latter a song written by Rudy Toombs for Amos Milburn, and later covered by Hooker.

George Thorogood And The Destroyers – George Thorogood And The Destroyers
Label: Demon Records – FIEND CD 55
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue Mar 1986
Country: UK
Released: 1977    
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Modern Electric Blues, Blues Rock

TRACKS

         

01. You Got To Lose   3:28
Written-By – Earl Hooker
02. Madison Blues   4:34
Written-By – Elmore James
03. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer   8:37
Written-By – John Lee Hooker
04. Kind Hearted Woman   4:25
Arranged By – George Thorogood
Written-By – Robert Johnson
05. Can't Stop Lovin'   3:13
Written-By – Elmore James
06. Ride On Josephine   4:27
Written-By – E. McDaniel
07. Homesick Boy   3:15
Written-By – George Thorogood
08. John Hardy   3:29
Arranged By – George Thorogood
Written-By – Trad.
09. I'll Change My Style   4:10
Written-By – Parker, Villa
10. Delaware Slide   7:49
Written-By – George Thorogood

LINE - UP

Bass – Billy Blough
Drums – Jeff Simon
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Lead Vocals – George Thorogood
Guitar [2nd Guitar On Some Tracks] – Ron Smith

Flac Size: 286 MB

02. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - MOVE IT ON OVER 1978

              

Move It On Over is the second album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released by Rounder

Records in 1978. The album contains all cover material. Its title track, Hank Williams' "Move It On Over", received major FM radio airplay when released, as did the Bo Diddley cover, "Who Do You Love?"

You can find it in an older post HERE

03. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - BETTER THAN THE REST 1979 OR NADINE 1986

                

Better Than the Rest is the third album (mini-album) of songs by George Thorogood and the

Destroyers, recorded in 1974 and released in 1979. When the songs were recorded, Thorogood was an unknown artist who was not signed to a record label. After he had released his first two official albums on Rounder Records in 1977 and 1978, Better Than The Rest was released by MCA. In 1986, the songs from this album were released on compact disc with the title Nadine, in a different track order.

George Thorogood – Nadine
Label: MCA Records – MCAD-20350, MCA Records – MCAD 20350
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1986
Country: US
Released: 1979    
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Modern Electric Blues, Blues Rock

TRACKS

              

01. Nadine   4:03
Written-By – Chuck Berry
02. My Way   1:56
Written-By – Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart
03. You're Gonna Miss Me   2:14
Written-By – Eddie Jones
04. Worried About My Baby   3:29
Written By – Camps-A. Tucker-J. Tolbert
05. Night Time   3:08
Written By – Henderson-Rivera
06. I'm Ready   2:46
Written-By – Willie Dixon
07. My Weakness   2:26
Written By – N. Wilson-M. Smith
08. Goodbye Baby   3:08
Written By – Josea-Ling-Taub
09. Huckle Up Baby   2:24
Written-By – Bernard Besman, John Lee Hooker
10. Howlin' For My Darling   3:24
Written-By – C. Burnette, W. Dixon

LINE - UP

Bass – Michael Levine
Drums, Vocals – Jeff Simon
Engineer – Joe Chicarrelli
Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals – George Thorogood

Flac Size: 202 MB

04. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - MORE GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS 1980

             

More George Thorogood and the Destroyers is the fourth album by George Thorogood and The

Destroyers, released in 1980. An alternate name for the album is I'm Wanted.

George Thorogood And The Destroyers – More George Thorogood And The Destroyers
Label: Rounder Records – ROUNDER CD 3045
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1986
Country: US
Released: 1980    
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Rock & Roll, Rockabilly

TRACKS

                    

01. I'm Wanted    4:05
02. Kids From Philly    2:30
03. One Way Ticket    4:33
04. Bottom Of The Sea    3:30
05. Night Time    3:03
06. Tip On In    3:01
07. Goodbye Baby    4:18
08. House Of Blue Lights    3:03
09. Just Can't Make It    3:25
10. Restless    3:14

LINE - UP

Bass – Billy Blough
Drums – Jeff Simon
Saxophone – Hank Carter
Vocals, Guitar – George Thorogood

Flac Size:  MB

05. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - BAD TO THE BONE 1982

               

 

Bad to the Bone is the fifth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the

Destroyers. It was released in 1982 by the label EMI America Records and contains their best known song, "Bad to the Bone". The album features Rolling Stones side-man Ian Stewart on keyboards

 

 

You can find it in an older post HERE
Post removed due to copyright reasons (DMCA complaint)
06. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - MAVERICK 1985

             

Maverick is the sixth album by the band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was produced by

Terry Manning and released in January 1985. Some of its songs are among Thorogood's best-known, including "I Drink Alone" and "Willie and the Hand Jive", the latter being his only single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

You can find it in an older post HERE


07. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - LIVE 1986

                 

This live release by George Thorogood & the Destroyers is a good representation of the live show of the band. However, it can be said that in places, the recording seems to fall a bit flat. One of the better

sections of the disc, though, is the pairing of "I Drink Alone" with "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." That combo makes for a hard-drinking twosome of tracks, delivered in Thorogood's trademark take on retro blues and rock & roll. Other highlights of the disc include the obligatory "Bad to the Bone," "Who Do You Love," "The Sky Is Crying," and "Bottom of the Sea." The saxophone on many of the arrangements really stands out and makes a big difference in the power of the pieces.  group.

George Thorogood & The Destroyers – Live
Label: EMI America – CDP 7 46329 2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Rock & Roll, Classic Rock

TRACKS

01. Who Do You Love?   5:36
Written-By – E. McDaniel
02. Bottom Of The Sea   3:26
Written-By – M. Morganfield
03. Night Time   5:29
Written-By – Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer
04. I Drink Alone   4:35
Written-By – G. Thorogood
05. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer   5:54
Written-By – J.L. Hooker
06. Alley Oop   3:32
Written-By – D. Frazier
07. Madison Blues   5:38
Written-By – E. James
08. Bad To The Bone    5:35
Written-By – G. Thorogood
09. The Sky Is Crying   8:32
Written-By – C.L. Lewis, E. James, M. Levy
10. Reelin' & Rockin'   5:10
Written-By – C. Berry

LINE - UP

Bass, Vocals – Bill Blough
Drums – Jeff Simon
Maracas – H-Bomb Ferguson
Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar – "Sleeveless" Steve Chrismar
Rhythm Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals – George Thorogood
Saxophone [Saxes], Percussion – Hank "Hurricane" Carter

Flac Size: 372 MB

08. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - BORN TO BE BAD 1988

             

Born to Be Bad is the seventh studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released

in February 1988 on the EMI label. The album peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard 200, and was on the charts for 24 weeks.

You can find it in an older post HERE

09. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - BOOGIE PEOPLE 1991

              

Boogie People is the eighth studio album released by George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was

released in 1991 by EMI Records. The album peaked at #77 on the Billboard 200.

George Thorogood And The Destroyers – Boogie People
Label: EMI USA – CDP-592514
Format: CD, Album, Club Edition
Country: US
Released: 1991
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock

TRACKS

01. If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)    4:11
02. Long Distance Lover    3:57
03. Mad Man Blues    3:26
04. Boogie People    3:33
05. Can't Be Satisfied    3:38
06. No Place To Go    4:41
07. Six Days On The Road    4:28
08. Born In Chicago    3:24
09. Oklahoma Sweetheart    4:30
10. Hello Little Girl    3:46

LINE - UP

George Thorogood – guitar, vocals
Billy Blough – bass guitar
Hank Carter – saxophone, vocals
Jeff Simon – drums
Steve Chrismar – guitar

Flac Size: 274 MB

10. GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS - THE BADDEST OF GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS 1992

                 

The aptly-titled The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers offers a dozen tracks that cleanse the church of rock'n'roll of all but its most basic elements: guitar, bass, drums, and a pile of Chuck

Berry, Bo Diddley and Rolling Stone licks. Delaware's George Thorogood has never quite captured his wildman live presence in the studio, but having all his best material gathered on one disc -- including "Bad to the Bone," "Move It on Over," and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" -- makes for a great party. Steve Morse's liner notes are brief but, like the songs, get right to the point ... cut to the bone, you might say.

George Thorogood And The Destroyers – The Baddest Of George Thorogood And The Destroyers
Label: EMI Records Group North America – 0777 7 97718 2 0
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1992
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Rock & Roll

TRACKS

                  

01. Bad To The Bone   4:56
Written-By – George Thorogood
02. Move It On Over   4:18
Written-By – Hank Williams
03. I'm A Steady Rollin' Man   3:43
Written-By – Robert L. Johnson
04. You Talk Too Much   4:35
Written-By – George Thorogood
05. Who Do You Love   4:20
Written-By – Ellas McDaniel
06. Gear Jammer   4:34
Written-By – George Thorogood
07. I Drink Alone   4:32
Written-By – George Thorogood
08. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer   8:27
Written-By – John Lee Hooker
09. If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)   4:12
Written-By – George Thorogood
10. Treat Her Right   3:31
Written-By – Gene Kurtz, Roy Head
11. Long Gone   4:30
Written-By – George Thorogood
12. Louie To Frisco   4:15
Written-By – Chuck Berry

LINE - UP

Bass – Bill Blough
Drums – Jeff Simon
Guitar – Steve Chrismar (tracks: 4, 9, 10,)
Guitar, Vocals – George Thorogood
Piano – Ian Stuart (tracks: 1, 12)
Saxophone – Hank Carter (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 to 12)
Vocals – Hank Carter (tracks: 4)

Flac Size: 392 MB