Photo via George Thorogood - georgethorogood.com
George Thorogood and The Destroyers
George Thorogood and The Destroyers
George Thorogood and The Destroyers weren’t a punk rock band, but they played some of the same venues when they emerged in the late ‘70s (memorable shows at The Palms) and pointed toward the already half-forgotten music that became the roots for The Blasters and many other bands coming from the ‘80s. At a time when Johnny Cash resigned himself to twee evangelical tunes, Thorogood reminded us that Cash had once sung “Cocaine Blues,” covered on the Destroyers’ second album, Move It On Over (1978).
Gold and platinum albums came later but Move It On Over set the template with Thorogood’s aggressive performance of Hank Williams’ “Move It Over,” his startling command over Bo Diddley’s voodoo “Who Do You Love” and an emotive take on Elmore James’ “The Sky is Crying.” Bad to the Bone (1982) cemented his popularity with its contemporary, pugnacious mash-up of Chicago blues and ‘50s rock and roll. His sixth album, Maverick (1985) included the song most associated with Thorogood, an original blues number steeped in angry resignation, “I Drink Alone.”
Recent years found Thorogood wandering between record labels and confronted by illness, but he’s back, at age 75, and determined to shake the rafters.
