George remains good at being bad

By Deanna Dowlin, Journal Staff Writer | Saturday, August 05, 2006

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As one might expect, George Thorogood is definitely bad to the bone, just as his music proclaims. But what you might not expect is his softer side — a charming, compassionate, low-tech, rebel-with-a-cause — and the man is also incredibly funny.

This self-proclaimed, glorified-bar-band player has been generating loud, angry blues-rock more than 30 years and is best known for his seductive slide guitar and growling vocals. His band, the Destroyers, has Jim Suhler on guitar, Buddy Leach on saxophone, Billy Blough on bass and Jeff Simon on drums. Their “Greatest Hits: 30 Years of Rock” album was named the No. 1-selling blues album of 2005, after running 50 weeks at the top of the charts.

Personally, you’ll find songs by George Thorogood and the Destroyers in my workout playlist and of course, my Harley cruisin’ playlist. Nothing goes together better than a little testosterone-fueled music and a Harley ride through the Black Hills. George Thorogood and the Destroyers will be rocking the Buffalo Chip on Monday, Aug. 7, with honky-tonk band Montgomery Gentry opening.

Thorogood has performed at the rally only once before, two years ago, but he has been to the Black Hills several times, including at Saloon No. 10 for a Badlands benefit in 1989 and at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in 1981 during his 50 states in 50 days tour.

“I love the Black Hills,” Thorogood said. “If you made it through Sturgis once, you’re a vet.”

Thorogood even remembered that the 1981 show fell on Halloween night, which tells me that it must have been one heck of a show. I would imagine a tour that covers 50 states in 50 days — a feat that has yet to be duplicated — would become one big blur. He also confessed that he and the band read up on the history of the Black Hills before visiting and still remembers their visit to the graves of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok on Mount Moriah. “You don’t even have to do the sightseeing,” he said. “The whole area is so historic.”

Thorogood doesn’t ride a motorcycle — he claims that he’s waiting for Harley-Davidson to donate one — but he does appreciate them. “My brother is a big biker,” Thorogood said. “He used to have an Indian 61 Triumph with a teardrop gas tank. Man, that sucker could really fly.”

Thorogood is on a tour to promote his new album “The Hard Stuff” that’s reminiscent of the passionate and angry Thorogood of the glory days. The album includes the gritty, rumbling title track “Hard Stuff” that leaves your ears ringing no matter how loud you play it; a Fats Domino cover of “Hello Josephine” that is Thorogood gone zydeco; a John Lee Hooker cover of “Huckle Up Baby” that you can’t help groovin’ to; a Johnny Shines cover of “Dynaflow Blues” that showcases Thorogood’s signature slide guitar; and a different flavor of Thorogood in his almost-latin cover of Bob Dylan’s “Drifter’s Tale.”

“Hello Josephine” is dedicated to the people of New Orleans and their “undying spirit” in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. “Hurricane Katrina was a really bad thing,” Thorogood said, “and I said to myself, who would be a better ambassador for New Orleans than Fats Domino?” Thorogood donated the proceeds from two concerts last fall to the Red Cross Katrina relief fund and Communities in Schools, which delivers all donations to schools, students and educational systems in the affected states.

“New Orleans didn’t get much help from the government,” he said. “In this world, it sounds kind of corny, but you can’t rely on outside sources all the time. We’re going to have to help each other. ... We need to look to each other for support.”

Thorogood revealed his compassionate side again while discussing an issue closer to home — the Bear Butte protest at this year’s rally. “My heart belongs to the Native Americans,” Thorogood said. “They were here first. It should not be ignored. ... They’ve got a legitimate point. Bear Butte has been there for thousands of years, and that should be respected.”

Thorogood has a considerable fan base of American Indians and has even dedicated his song “American Made” to them. “I don’t want to interfere with anyone’s religious belief,” Thorogood said. “Bear Butte is cherished by these people. .. If it was a Jewish temple or a Catholic cathedral, it would be the same thing. ... On the other hand, for other Americans, their religion is Harley-Davidson.”

When asked if he had any other current causes, Thorogood named simply the general human condition. “We need to try to get everyone on the planet living as healthy and as long as they can. ... We are all part of the general human condition, Native Americans or Katrina victims, it should be all one common cause.”

Thorogood is well known for being a low-tech kind of guy. He had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned my iPod playlist. “I’m not good with stuff,” Thorogood said. “Don’t give me stuff. Give me a funny story. If I can’t eat it, drink it or smoke it, I’m not interested. Will it help me write the next ‘Jumping Jack Flash?’ No.”

In fact, Thorogood has played for most of his career on a Gibson ES-125, which is set up like an acoustic or semi-electric guitar. When his favorite guitar pick was discontinued, he bought the machine that makes them. You have to admit, there is a certain charm about his theory.

“All that time on the computer could be time spent with my daughter or my friends or doing something else that I can’t mention today, if you know what I mean. I am a heterosexual male.” Thorogood may be showing more of his softer side, but his bad-boy core is as vibrant as ever.

When I asked Thorogood what he attributes his musical success to, he said, “the fantastic, loyal fan support. The people make you, and the people break you, so it’s all about the people.

“I had a cat come up to me once. I used to open for him, and now he opens for me. He asked me, ‘How did you get there? How did I get here? How did you do it?’ I said, ‘I’ll give you three reasons that I’m here and you’re there: One, bourbon, one, scotch, and one, beer,’ ‘Bad to the Bone’ and ‘Move It On Over.’ You’ve got to have a song. Would B.B. King be B.B. King without ‘The Thrill is Gone?’ You’ve got to have the tunes.”

Thorogood is a bit too modest if you ask me, but he’s not wrong. “If you have a song, you got a job,” he said. “If you have three songs, you’re a legend.”

I asked Thorogood what’s next for him, and he quipped, “I’d like to try ventriloquism.” Comedian, perhaps? “I’m waiting for Dennis Leary to retire,” he said. “I can be obnoxiously funny, too, you know.” The man does not lie.

The legendary Thorogood signed off our interview with quintessential cool, “Keep it down. Keep it cool. I’ll see you at the rally.”