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George Thorogood - Interview

1989 Interview

By Andrew WattPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
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George Thorogood has been a staple part of my musical diet since I was a teenager. As this story recalls I first saw him as a teenager when I was on holidays on the Gold Coast. I saw him play numerous times since and a few years ago I interviewed him about roadies when I was making a TV show called Rock Soldiers. This interview appeared in InPress on May 17, 1989 and it was around his fifth Australian tour. It's just been announced that George is going to tour Australia again —and I guess me and Ruttsy will front up for another round...

Original Interview

George Thorogood and his band the Deleware Destroyers are currently on their fifth Australian tour and nothing has changed. They're still playing a white hot set of blues and rock n' roll that has been wooing audiences for over a decade. It's the same music that led the Rolling Stones to choose Thorogood to be the opening act on their last Australian tour and that has seen him set Live Aid alight when he jammed with Albert Collins.

George ain't in no hurry to change either and as he explains to Andrew Watt, he wouldn't have it any other way.

The first time I ever laid eyes on George Thorogood was in the heart of Queensland's Gold Coast in Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise. Thorogood was on his first Australian tour and he and his band were obviously keen to check out the local 'scenery'. Amidst the crowd in shorts, thongs and singlets the Destroyers stood out. Thorogood in his snake skin boots, black jeans and t-shirt and denim jacket looked every inch the outlaw rocker in town to create havoc.

Later that night at The Playroom (a local band venue) Thorogood did exactly that. It was one of the best rock n' roll shows I'd ever seen and immediately I was converted as a fan.

Since then I've seen the Destroyers in action five or six times and each show has been as good as the first one. I've bought every Thorogood album and each time he's delivered the goods A George Thorogood album or concert is like an old boot—you know exactly how it's going to feel when you put it on but it remains a favorite.

Some people would call this 'predictability' and say it as a criticism, but as far as Thorogood is concerned it's no problem at all.

"If that's the only criticism I get then I'm happy. That criticism is like a feather in my cap, it's a notch in my pistol belt," he comments, easing into conversation. "It's like saying that I've done what I set out to do. I wanted to be that predictable."

"I don't want to be redundant or repetitious but but it's like if you go to a Clint Eastwood movie or a Charles Bronson movie, you now what to expect."

"A Destroyers album will always do in a pinch. Even in the early days people would come and see our band last. It was like, 'well there's always George's band' and someone else would say, "yeah, right, we'll go and see the Destroyers.' It'll get you through. It's like some of the classic television shows that go on for years like The Honeymooners or Leave it To Beaver. They're predictable but people like to watch them anyway. I want to be known for that, but I don't want to use the word 'predictable'. I'd like to use the word 'reliable' I think."

Thorogood's albums are a mixture of originals and hot blooded versions of songs from the likes of Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, and Chuck Berry. He'll occasionally throw in a country ballad like Johnny Cash's "Wanted Man" or a slow blues track.

It was the guitar playing of James and Hooker that originally attracted Thorogood to the blues. Now he's a guitar player of great repute himself and although every year gives rise to a new guitar hot-shot, Thorogood is still regarded highly. Nevertheless he doesn't look at guitar playing as a competitive sport.

"Nah, I don't think of that too much. Sometimes I hear a guy play and it makes me want to go home and practice more. I don't like to think of it as competition.

"We just have to look at our act. There's so many acts out there competing for the spotlight. That's what I look at. I think, 'how can we make our act better?' so we can keep working.

"The guitar is a more personal thing away from the Destroyers. I think, 'I'd like to play a smokin' guitar like that guy' and people say, 'You can!' and I think, 'Really?' It's like playing in a baseball game. You see a guy hit a home run and you think, 'Wow, I only hit a double'."

On the recording front a lot of the consistency of Thorogood's records can be traced back to his relationship with producer Terry Manning. A veteran rock and R&B producer, Manning is best known in this country as the producer of the Johnny Diesel & the Injectors album. He used the same no-frills approach over the years with the Destroyers.

"We pretty much come from the same school of music," says Thorogood of Manning. "Our backgrounds are real similar and we both understand a certain style of music.

"Terry's one of the only guys outside of the guys in my band who truly understands what I'm trying to do without me having to explain it to him.

"I wasn't sure at first, but after making the first record with him I knew it was right. Now I just go in there and say 'Terry, make it sound bad!' and he knows. He knows I'm not shooting for record sales, but it's a sound I'm searching for. That sound is in my head and it's also in his. We got real lucky," he concludes.

Thorogood's band was originally a three piece but a big turning point occurred around the time of the third album when they recruited saxophonist Hank Carter into the fold. Carter is a brilliant player and a great personality and his introduction has added more to the band than just another sound.

"Prior to Hank joining I was far too serious," explains Thorogood. "And the other personalities in the band were always following my lead—my mood was their mood. When Hank came in it opened me up a bit and it became more fun.

"If we had record sales in the millions and we got the press a lot of people got Hank Carter would be up there with Clarence Clemons as far as popularity goes. He's just as good and he is a fan favorite. When I announce him on stage people go crazy for him. He's not under-rated, he's just under-exposed."

Over the past few albums there's been a slight increase in the number of Thorogood originals the band has recorded. Despite this he's got no big opinions of himself as a songwriter.

"I've gone from absolutely nothing to passable," he laughs. "I've only written a handful of tunes cos' I'm so damn critical of myself when it comes to making up a song."

"For years people have been pushing me to do it but I'd say, 'All the great songs have been written, I can't write a great song.' I've squeezed out a couple now and then and I'm not embarrassed by the songs I've written but I don't want to say I've reached a level yet. I'd like to continue to strive to get better. But it's not my thing to do, to write hit songs—I just write George Thorogood songs."

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About the Creator

Andrew Watt

Andrew Watt is a music writer. and has interviewed 100's of artists for numerous publications. His articles here are enhanced reproductions of those interviews.

https://www.facebook.com/Andrew-Watt-347138795895467/

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