George Thorogood has been an American blues rocker for more than four decades, and hes still going strong.
The man who formed the Destroyers back in 1973 will do three shows in Oregon next Monday in Eugene, then shows at Chinook Winds Casino and Resort in Lincoln City on Oct. 2 and 3 (chinookwinds
casino.com).
Thorogood, 65, and his band have released more than 20 albums, two of which have been certified platinum, another six certified as gold. The Destroyers popularized a Bo Diddley song, Who Do You Love? Their I Drink Alone reached No. 13 on the American pop music list.
But the Wilmington, Del., native is most well-known for his original song Bad to the Bone, a tune that continues to get airplay today and has been used in film, television, commercials and sporting events over the years. Jay Bone Buhner, in fact, used it as his walk-up music when he came to the plate for the Seattle Mariners.
Thorogood, now based in Los Angeles, spoke with the Portland Tribune via telephone from L.A. during a stop on a 17-date, 22-day Badder Than Ever tour through the West and Midwest.
Tribune: How often have you played Oregon before?
Thorogood: Not often enough. Its a place we really love to come back to. One time we played at the zoo there in Portland, an outside venue. It was fantastic.
Tribune: What was it like growing up in Delaware?
Thorogood: Not easy. Its an ultraconservative area. Lets put it this way It was not Haight-Ashbury or Greenwich Village.
Tribune: You were 16 when you got turned on to the guitar. What grabbed you about it?
Thorogood: Who didnt get turned on to the guitar after The Beatles played Ed Sullivan? The whole world turned upside-down. The Beatles and Stones should get 10 percent of every guitar sold in the world after that. My interest was not a unique thing. Everybody was doing it. There are very few who stuck with it, but by 1965 or 66, every kid in my high school had a drum set or a guitar. It was like owning a bicycle.
Tribune: Why did you stick with it?
Thorogood: I dont know how to do anything else. I have no education. I barely got through high school. Im not good at working. I dont have a trade like a carpenter or a bachelors degree in political science. This is pretty much all I knew how to do. And it was something I had a feel for, a passion for. I had to work very hard to master it to make a living. I had a passion for performing. As I grew older, I realized my voice alone was not going to carry me. I knew I was not going to write songs like a Neil Young or a Joni Mitchell. I thought, Your guitar is your out. Thats the direction I went. I knew I could give Duane Allman a run for his money.
Tribune: You opened for Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf early in your career. Were they a major influence?
Thorogood: Of course they were. They influence everybody who plays the kind of music I like to play.
Tribune: Is it true that Bad to the Bone wasnt a major hit on immediate release?
Thorogood: Thats right. It got wheels when it was introduced to classic rock radio. Its been gathering momentum ever since. That was the key to that song getting going.
Tribune: And the songs video that ran on MTV with you and the band playing pool with Bo Diddley didnt hurt.
Thorogood: In 1982, MVT was in its infancy, and it was more powerful than getting your song on radio. They had 24 hours of programming. They were looking for product. The demand was bigger than the supply. We were fortunate to have a major record. We had the right song, the right label at the right time. The (Destroyers) act, in general, exploded.
Tribune: You worked as a support act for the Rolling Stones on some California dates during their 1981 U.S. tour. What was that like?
Thorogood: It was like going to the World Series with Willie Mays.
Tribune: You toured all 50 states, plus Washington D.C., in 50 days that year. How hard was that?
Thorogood: It was no big deal, really. The first part of it was in the West, and that was a little tough, because the places were far apart. It was relatively easy in the East, where the cities are close. It was just 50 days, not like Lou Gehrig playing in 2,130 games in a row. If you cant play rock and roll for 50 straight days, somethings wrong.
Tribune: How many dates a year does the band play now?
Thorogood: It varies. Could be anywhere from 50 to 75.
Tribune: Do you feel yourself slowing down at 65?
Thorogood: I hope so. I always play too fast, anyway.
Tribune: Do you still get the same rush on stage as you did when you started more than 40 years ago?
Thorogood: Thats the key right there. If you run on the field and the rush isnt there, you might as well stop. Im still doing it, right? Once the desires gone, Im gone.
kerryeggers@portlandtribune.com
Twitter: @kerryeggers