January 11, 2013

Bob Seger, Michigan Rocker

"Never wanted to be no (Bob Seger)." 

"… a little Bob Seger …"

Back in '89, people thought John Cougar–Mellencamp's song "Pop Singer" referenced "Bob Seger." 

A year ago, Ty Stone released "Bob Seger," a cool song that mentions the Michigan rock 'n' roll icon. 
"I was reading in Rolling Stone where they said Detroit audiences are the greatest rock 'n' roll audiences in the world … I thought to myself … I've known that for 10 years."

When I was younger and still learning which music I liked most, I listened to a log of Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band. I had a few of Seger's albums on cassette, mostly the old ones that you can't even get on CD or digital. I thought the album Nine Tonight was better than Live Bullet but Bullet aged unlike many albums ever have. I think it was because we may have bought Tonight when it was fresh in Camelot Music at the Cherryland Mall in Traverse City, Mich.

I used to listen to both of them — and they are great live albums. Bullet was cool because Seger referenced Detroit throughout, plus it was recorded at Cobo Hall in Detroit. And I had been to Cobo in '76 to see, ah, Spider–Man.

I'm going to take you back say 30 years, to 1982. I'm listening to the '76 classic live album, and Seger says, "I was reading in Rolling Stone where they said Detroit audiences are the greatest rock 'n' roll audiences in the world … I thought to myself … I've known that for 10 years."

Beautiful Loser/Travelin' Man

I always thought that line was cool. My friends know I thought it was cool because I have referenced it many times over the years. But in '76, what Seger was saying to that Detroit rock audience at Cobo Hall is that he's been rocking and rolling the Detroit scene for 10 years. Keep in mind, that in '76, Seger had only had a couple of minor hits, mostly in the Detroit area. I've been told he was like the house band at the Tanz Haus in Acme, Michigan. You may know the spot better as the K–Mart across from the Resort.

So, Seger had been a Michigan star, with little national acclaim as of '76. Six years later I'm listening to his old stuff — while knowing that he's a huge star. He's had three or four huge albums in the past few years, so for an 11 year old, it's hard to fathom that he hadn't been huge in '76. So the line about Detroit audiences doesn't make the TRUE sense that it would years later. It was just a cool line about a great city (well, I thought it was a great city because that's where the Tigers played!)

What he meant in '76 is that he was one of them.

Rumor has it that this summer — in downtown Detroit, maybe even Comerica Park — Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band are going to co–headline a show (or two, or three) with Kid Rock and the Twisted Brown Trucker Band. Now, you talk about an epic show. The master and the apprentice live in the D. Kid Rock has made it known what a huge Seger fan he is; during the Super Bowl shows in '04, Seger joined Rock for "Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets" at the Joe. A co–headlining tour was be a great swan song for Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band. Maybe one more live album, drop the new one he's been working on …

Kid Rock's tribute to Seger with 'Live' Trucker from '06. 


1 comment:

B. Hansen said...

great writing rick...glad to see you sharing your craft again