Photo courtesy of David Dobson and Rogers & Cowan
George Thorogood
As the Ohio State Fair passes its midpoint this summer, the band responsible for Southern rock hits such as “Bad to the Bone” will bring its blues-tinged rock ‘n’ roll to the Celeste Center.
George Thorogood and the Destroyers plays the fair Aug. 2 as part of its Rock Party 2017 Tour.
The group has performed upwards of 8,000 shows over the course of its 40-plus year career. The current iteration of the band features Bill Blough on bass, Jim Suhler on rhythm guitar and Buddy Leach on saxophone, all of whom joined between 1976 and 2003. Two of the members are original: Thorogood himself, on vocals and lead guitar, and Jeff Simon on drums and percussion.
Together, the band has sold more than 15 million albums – two certified Platinum, six certified Gold. Its best-known hit was the breakout 1982 track “Bad to the Bone,” though it had several very popular cover songs to its name in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These included “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” originally by John Lee Hooker; “Move it on Over,” originally by Hank Williams; and “Who Do You Love?” originally by Bo Diddley.
The band would then continue its chart-placing success through the 1980s and into the early 1990s with tunes such as “I Drink Alone,” “If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave)” and “Get a Haircut.”
Thorogood and the Destroyers embarked on their current tour back in February, and it doesn’t wrap up until late September. For longtime fans, the band promises surprises throughout the show, while those coming to see the band for the first time are advised to “bring (their) dancing shoes and prepare to be entertained,” says Simon.
Photo courtesy of Blissett Photography
Jeff Simon
The band’s last studio album was 2120 South Michigan Ave., released in 2011, but Thorogood is releasing his very first solo album this August. Simon believes the solo album, entitled Party of One, will have nothing but a positive impact on the band, insisting it’s just something new for the fans to embrace.
The band has no intention of slowing down anytime soon, Simon says.
“We still have fun playing. Nobody’s talking about hanging it up. It amazes me to this day that we’ve been able to do it for this long,” he says. “It’s not something to be taken for granted. It’s what you dream about as a kid.”
It’s no accident when a band succeeds as long as Thorogood and the Destroyers have, and Simon credits “a good mix and balance of personalities in the band.” Simon and Thorogood’s relationship dates back to childhood.
“George’s house was less than a mile from our house. We’d play baseball every day and come back and listen to music at night,” Simon says. “I knew even back then that George had charisma. I just knew … that something was going to happen with him.”
Simon’s youthful intuition was spot on, and as the years have passed, the band members have become more aware of the uniqueness of a music career spanning four decades. As a result, they find themselves wanting to give back.
For their current tour, $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to the the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Additionally, the band has been involved with the Grammy Awards’ MusiCares Foundation, and Simon personally supports another cause he’s passionate about.
“Most of the charity stuff that I do is focused on an arm of the Blues Foundation called the HART (Handy Artist Relief Trust) Fund,” he says. “They raise money and pay for medical and funeral expenses for blues musicians. It’s a cause that I’m really keen on.”
The band has also embraced the digital music age. It employs a social media team to help reach fans and get the word out about it’s up to. Even the crew has gotten in on the act, with its own website dedicated to telling their story about life on the road with the band. The site, www.tonightoncrew.com, is worth a visit simply to view the behind-the-scenes sound check videos.
Photo courtesy of David Dobson and Rogers & Cowan
This August’s show will mark Thorogood and the Destroyers’ ninth visit to Columbus. The band’s first show here was in 1981 at the Agora Ballroom, which today is the Newport Music Hall.
“It was the 22nd show of our 50/50 Tour,” Simon says. “We played all 50 states in 50 consecutive days. It seemed like a good idea at the time. We did get a lot of good publicity out of it.”
That publicity led to popularity, and the band played shows in Columbus at the Mershon Auditorium, Newport Music Hall, Franklin County Veterans Memorial Auditorium and Polaris Amphitheater over the years.
It’s been eight years since the group last took the stage in Columbus, performing at the LC Pavilion, now Express Live!.
“We’re thankful to be able to come visit Columbus again and hope everybody has a chance to come out and see us,” says Simon. “We’re looking forward to the show.”
George Thorogood and the Destroyers with 38 Special
7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2
Celeste Center, Ohio Expo Center, 717 E. 17th Ave.
Bob Valasek is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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