Saga de Bob Seger in
integral
Type-setter
inspired, true animal of scene, Bob Seger is also one of
the great voices of the music rock'n'roll. It is
rightly compared often, and, in Bruce Springsteen. But
contrary to the Boss, it owed galérer a whole
decade before knowing a deserved dedication thousand
times.
Become rock'n'roll star
at an age where many of its alter ego thinks already of
the retirement, Bob Seger is from now on an institution.
To the United States, all the formats of radio pass its
music and publicity often used. Another sign of the
richness of its talent, its songs were taken again by
people as different as Rod Stewart, Garth Brooks, them
Pointer Sisters and Metallica. In France, Johnny Hallyday
drew from his repertory on several occasions.
Bob Seger has just
published "PROMISED FACE THE", a new very awaited album
which shows it faithful to its image and its style. The
disc was carried out between 2001 and 2006, primarily in
Nashville where ten of the twelve titles were recorded
which make it up.
Robert Clark Seger
was born in Detroit, in Michigan, on May 6, 1945. As
of his early childhood, Bob is initiated with the music
by his father, Stewart, a male nurse who works at Ford
and which, at its lost times, directs its own group,
Stewart Seger Orchestra. At the house, there are a
ukulélé piano, but also a guitar, one, a
banjo, a saxophone and a clarinet on which the young boy
takes his first lessons, but without particular
attraction for this instrument.
Bob Seger is ten years
old when his/her father gives up the family residence to
go to try his chance in California. With his mother
Charlotte and her elder brother George, it then leaves
middle-class suburbs for a more modest district of Ann
Harbor where it will pass all his youth. Of his father,
Bob preserved the virus of the music. Very quickly, it
forsakes the clarinet for the piano and the guitar, and
it makes its first weapons within the Decibels, a trio
which animates the festivals of the college.
Its finished schooling,
Bob Seger joined Town Cryers, then, in 1964, Omens where
it holds the keyboards. At the beginning of 66, for their
first attempt, Omens have fun to record a parody of
American N°1 of Barry Sadler, "The ballad of the
green berets", which they rename "Thank you yellow
beret". The war of Vietnam makes rage and our jokers took
care well to publish their 45-turns under a pseudonym,
The Beach Bums.
At this time, Omens are
taken in hand by a local promoter, Eddie Andrews, whom
one calls "Punch". In fact, "Punch" is especially
interested by Bob Seger. It guessed its enormous
potential and decides to reorganize the group around him.
Omens become Bob Seger & The Last Heard, Bob passing
to the guitar solo and the song. Bob Seger & The Last
Heard will publish five individual, of which "Heavy
music", a hard rock'n'roll and violent one where one
feels the influence of James Brown. He appears on Hideout
Records, the label created by" Punch" Andrews.
"Punch" Andrews also
deals with the interests of another group of Strait,
Mushrooms, to which belonged the young person Glenn Frey.
Bob Seger written and produces their individual "Such has
lovely child". It is the birth of a friendship which will
lead to a collaboration between Eagles and Bob Seger
about which we will speak a little later.
Bob cumulates local
successes and its dimension does not cease climbing.
Relegated to the second plan, Doug Brown, the former
leader of Omens, decides from to go away. Bob benefits
from this departure to train Bob Seger System who signs
at Capitol in 1968. As of February 69, Bob Seger System
obtains a national hit with the generic title of its
first album, "RAMBLIN' GAMBLIN' MAN". It is a perfect
example of rhythm & white blues which reaches the
eighteenth place of the hit-parades.
It is thought at
this time that Bob Seger System is at the beginning of a
beautiful career, the more so as the scene
rock'n'roll of Strait knows one euphoric period with Iggy
Pop & The Stooges, MC5 and the group of Ted Nugent,
The Amboy Dukes. But the commercial failure of the two
following albums, "NOAH" in October 69, and "MONGREL" one
year later, led to the premature dissolution of the
group. One finds on "Mongrel" a recovery "To rivet deep,
mountain high" that it is to better forget, by charity
for Bob Seger. But one notices there "Lucifer", a
composition a little in the vein of Creedence Clearwater
Revival which is a small success in the
discotheques.
From now on in solo,
Bob Seger publishes "BRAND NEW MORNING" in November 71.
It is an acoustic album which does not meet more echo
than its preceding discs. Discouraged, it gives up the
music to resume its studies, but passion is strongest and
well quickly, one surprises it to make ox with the duet
Teegarden & Van Winkle.
"I always was in the
music", will declare it in 1975. "I like that so much
that I do not see myself making another thing. The day
when nobody any more will come to listen to me, I will
surely choose to be a disc jockey".
With the assistance of
"Punch" Andrews which became his manager, his producer
and his friend, Bob Seger assembles his own label,
Palladium Records, distributed by Reprise. It is thus on
its own label that it publishes "SMOKIN' O.P.' S" in July
72. O.P.' S means "Other Persons". It is an expression of
Middle West used to designate the foreigners. The
foreigners in question, they are the authors of the songs
which Bob Seger interprets here, since it is primarily
about an album of recoveries.
With the credits of
"Smokin' O.P.' S", one finds "Yew I were has
carpenter" of Tim Hardin, "Coils the one you' Re
with" of Stephen Stills, or "Bo Diddley" of Bo Diddley.
Bob Seger proposes in more two personal compositions,
"Someday" and "Heavy music", his success of 1967 with the
group The Last Heard. But what it is especially necessary
to retain of this album, it is that Bob has almost
abandoned the guitar solo to concentrate on the song. And
its éraillée and powerful voice makes
wonder.
In February 73, "BACK
IN `72" is recorded mainly in Muscle Shoals, in Alabama,
with in particular the participation of J.J. Fix on the
resumption of the "Midnight to wrinkle" of Greg Allman.
Criticisms are very good, but the public is not yet with
go. Except of course at his place, in its stronghold of
Michigan, where it is already an institution. It is in
fact the two following albums which will prepare the
blossoming of Bob Seger.
For "SEVEN", in
April 74, Bob Seger assembles a new group which it
baptizes "The Silver Bullet Band", literally: the
orchestra of the money ball. It is composed of Andrew
Abbott to the guitar, Rick Manasa with the keyboards,
Chris Campbell with low and Charlie Martin with the
battery.
Their presence is still
discrete since they exploit only one half of the album,
the second part having been realized with the assistance
of musicians of Nashville, in particular Charlie McCoy.
Silver Bullet Band accompanies Bob Seger on "Get out of
Denver", a minor success which confirms a talent of
type-setter in full evolution.
Bob Seger finds then
Muscle Shoals, his rhythm section and his coppers,
for the recording of its eighth album. He baptizes it
"BEAUTIFUL LOSER", the splendid loser. It is a qualifier
which it could apply, but that it chose in reference to
the book éponyme of Leonard Cohen of which he is
an enthusiastic admiror.
"Beautiful loser" is
refused by Reprise which does not find it commercial
enough and it is Capitol which recovers thus Bob Seger
for the second time. The ballade "Jody girl", "Katmandu",
and the resumption flamer of "Nutbush City limits" ensure
success - still relative - disc. In any case, "Beautiful
loser" is sold more than the first seven albums of Bob
Seger joined together.
After the replacement
of the keyboard Rick Manasa by Robyn Robbins and the
arrival of the formidable saxophonist Reed Viola, Silver
Bullet Band becomes the permanent group of Bob Seger. It
is an exceptional group, near to the E. Street Band de
Bruce Springsteen with which one will often compare it.
It is thus with Silver
Bullet Band that Bob Seger records double "LIVE BULLET",
on September 4, 1975, in Cobo Hall of Strait in front of
twenty-four thousand compatriots very won over to his
cause. It is a true scathing attack, four faces of pure
rock'n'roll, the equal one of the best public albums ever
carried out. But especially, for Bob Seger, it is finally
the beginning of the dedication after ten years of
frustrations and disappointments.
"Live bullet", which
appears in April 76, is very quickly certified disc of
gold and remains classified in the hit-parades during one
year whole. But this success rests still mainly on the
only sales of Middle West.
The national
recognition, Bob Seger finally obtains it in November 76
with "NIGHT MOVES". Certified platinum disc the very same
day of its exit, the critic regards it as one of the best
albums of its time. The generic title is classified
N°4, whereas the ballade "Mainstreet" and
"Rock'n'roll never forgets" reach Signal 40. Bob Seger
seems now assured to have his place with the Pantheon of
the rock'n'roll, a place which it deserved well before it
is given to him.
In the current of
the year 1977, the beater Charlie Martin is victim of a
car accident which leaves it paralysed. It is
replaced by Richard Teegarden who had belonged to the
group of Bob Seger at the time of "Smokin' O.P.' S".
"STRANGER IN TOWN"
appears in May 78. One once more finds there the rhythm
section of Shoals Muscle and one notices the presence of
both there Eagles Glenn Frey and Don Felder with the
guitar. Bob Seger takes again the gaining formula of the
preceding album by alternating poignant ballades and
rock'n'rolls with energy devastator. It is on this disc
that one finds "Old time rock'n'roll", that Johnny
Hallyday will adapt in French to make of it "the good
time of the rock'n'roll & roll".
In his "Best of" of
1994, Bob Seger will make this comment in connection with
"Old time rock'n'roll": "This song had been addressed to
me by the rhythm section of Shoals Muscle. It was a
simple model with another singer. I rewrote the verses,
but I asked not to be credited like the joint author with
the text. It was an error, because "Old time rock'n'roll"
is the second today titrates more diffused of all times
in the American juke-boxes, just behind "Crazy" of Patsy
Cline." Indeed, in 1992, Bob received a "Legend of the
Jukebox Award" to officialize this record.
In addition to "Old
time rock'n'roll "roll", "Stranger in town" contains
three other tubes: "Still the same", "Hollywood nights"
and "We' ve got tonight".
In 1978, on his album
"Stranger in town", Bob Seger had accomodated both Eagles
Glenn Frey and Don Felder. In October 79, it collaborates
in the album of Eagles, "The last run" where it Co-sign
their N°1, "Heartache tonight".
And to and from
continues. In March 80, Gift Henley, Glenn Frey and
Timothy B. Schmit make the choruses on "Fire lake", the
title high-speed motorboat of the new album of Bob Seger,
"AGAINST THE WIND".
Silver Bullet Band lost
his keyboard, Robyn Robbins, which is replaced by
prestigious guests like Bill Payne (of Little Feat) or
Dr. John. But on the bottom, the music remains the same
one. " Against the wind" is classified N°1 of the
albums and offers to Bob Seger its first Grammy
Award.
For the round which
follows, Bob Seger called upon Craig Frost, the old
keyboard of Large Funk Railroad, and it is with him that
double public album "NINE TONIGHT is recorded". For what
it is necessary to regard as "Live Bullet" number 2, they
are the public ones of Cobo Hall of Strait and Boston
Garden which were put at contribution. Bob dedicates the
disc to them, like with all the spectators in front of
whom it played one day, because they remain, says it,
"his best reason to go up on scene".
In 1982, Bob Seger
composes "That girl" and "Nobody' S business" for the
first respective albums solo of Glenn Frey and Gift
Henley. In December, it publishes "THE OUTDISTANCES" and
obtains to a new success with "Shame one the moon", a
signed ballade Rodney Crowell.
The back of the small
pocket of the album "The Outdistances" watch Silver
Bullet Band reduced to three musicians: Chris Campbell,
Reed Viola and Craig Frost. On the other hand, like
compensating, the guests are numerous and they do all
left the circle of the friends: Roy Bittan (of the E.
Street Band), Russ Kunkel, Waddy Wachtel, Danny
Korchtmar, as well as impossible to circumvent Glenn Frey
and Don Felder.
Bob Seger disappears
then during three long years. He does not leave album,
does not undertake any round, does not give any
interview, but however takes down two small successes
thanks to original film bands. In September 83, Tom
Cruise MIME "Old time rock'n'roll" in the film "Risky
business". That is enough so that the song, which goes
back to 1979, finds a good place in the charts. In
January 85, on the original tape of the film "French
Teachers" (: "A low Profs! "), one finds a new of Bob
Seger, "Understanding", which climbs until the eleventh
place of the hit-parade American.
A new album of Bob
Seger, LIKE A ROCK'N'ROLL", arrives finally in April
86. The three year old hole which separates "The
distance" from "Like has rock'n'roll" is explained by at
the same time sentimental and professional reasons.
Sentimental, bus Bob had much evil to overcome the
failure of its marriage after eleven years of common
life. Professional, because it decided to produce itself
this disc, and for this reason, it had to learn the trade
from A to Z.
Contrary to the
preceding albums, "Like has rock'n'roll" does not bring a
tube and that in spite of the presence of Jackson Browne
and Rick Vito, the future guitarist of Fleetwood Mac. The
individual ones which is extracted from it, "American
storm", "It' S you", "Miami" and "Like has rock'n'roll",
reach honourable classifications in the charts, but
without more.
Some speak already
about its decline, but Bob Seger, the leaf, did not say
his last word. In August 87, it is for the first
N°1 time of individual with "Shakedown", an extract
of the original band of film "the cop of Beverly Hills
2".
"Shakedown" is a
composition of Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey which
was intended at the beginning with Glenn Frey. Although
it hardly appreciates the text of the song, Glenn
prepares to record it when it is victim of a laryngitis.
In the urgency, it
turns to his friend Irvin Azoff who is also the former
manager of Eagles. This one thinks immediately of Bob
Seger who agrees to record "Shakedown", provided that it
can rewrite the words of them. The result is known. The
evening when the song reaches the first place of the
classifications, Glenn Frey - which, let us recall it,
was born close to Strait -, calls Bob Seger to
congratulate it. And it adds: "At least, the money will
remain in Michigan!"
In 1989, Bob Seger
makes an appearance surprised on "Let it roll", the album
which marks the return of Little Feat. He also takes
again "to Blue monday" Conceited people Domino for the
original band of the film "Road house", a version
recorded with Steve Lukather, the guitarist of Louse.
To discover a new
album, two years must still be had patience, until
September 91 exactly. The disc which marks the return so
much awaited of Bob Seger calls "THE FIRE INSIDE". It was
recorded over one two years period between Los Angeles
and Nashville. The guests are numerous and it for the
majority of is accustomed. Once more, it is Silver Bullet
Band who ensures the cohesion of the unit. On "The fire
inside", Bob Seger takes again two songs of Tom Waits,
but it is one of its own compositions, "The real coils",
which brings a new success to him.
On July 10, 1993, in
Bloomfield Hills, in his native Michigan, Bob Seger
marries Nita. The couple has two children, Cole and
Samantha, who have today respectively thirteen and eleven
years.
In November 1994, after
more than twenty-five years of career, Bob the first
compilation publishes which covers a broad part of its
career. Its title, "GREATEST HITS", can seem somewhat
usurped. Indeed, one finds there the great classic like
"Still the same", "Night moves" and "Old time
rock'n'roll", but not two larger successes than Bob Seger
had in the hit-parades: i.e. "Shame one the moon" and
"Shakedown".
In October 1995, Bob
Seger proposes a new album. He is called "IT' S.A.
MYSTERY", and according to a well ground formula, he
proposes eleven news and a resumption, once again a title
of Tom Waits. Bob worked with more tightened team,
primarily Silver Bullet Band increased by the guitarist
Tim Mitchell.
The majority of the
songs cover our time a glance often ironic, but never
arrogant. "Really, I hate to be cynical and I do not like
cynicism at the others, comments on Bob Seger, but good
blood, comment on to make when you see the verdict of
business O.J. Simpson!"
In 1998, Bob Seger
signs "Chances are", a title which it interprets in
duet with Martina McBride. It is an extract of the
original band of "Hope floats", a film with Sandra
Bullock who is called in French "Thus goes the life".
As it already did in
the past, Bob is done discrete then. But this time, it is
to devote itself to his/her children. Because it intends
well to benefit from the joys of the paternity which it
knew only tardily. Indeed, it was already 47 years old
when his/her Cole son was born.
In 2003, "Against the
wind" is always sold: it is certified quintuple album of
platinum. It is perhaps sufficient for the singer, but
not for his fans who push it to reveal new material when
they learn that it is on the point of publishing a new
compilation. Finally, they are heard, since one finds on
"GREATEST HITS 2" of Bob Seger two news which it kept for
a future album: "Satisfied" and "Tomorrow". In addition
to these two news, this "Greatest Hits 2" takes again the
two larger tubes of Bob Seger, "Shame one the moon" and
"Shakedown", who had been voluntarily isolated of his
first "best of".
Established with the
Rock'n'roll Hall of Fame in March 2004, Bob Seger is back
finally. He has just published "PROMISED FACE THE", a
disc which had already been announced in July 2001. It is
its first album studio since "It' S.A. mystery", which
dates from the autumn 1995.
Bob Seger did not
change. One can however note that it approached Nashville
still a little more, since that ten titles of the album
were recorded in the capital of the country, and that one
finds there a resumption of Vince Gill and a duet with
Patty Loveless. "Face the promised" proposes in no-claims
bonus a DVD with the "making of" of the album, two
versions live of "Still the same" and "Hollywood nights"
(recorded in San Diego in 1978) and the clips of "Like
has rock'n'roll" and "The fire inside".
Always managed by
"Punch" Andrews, Bob Seger will take again the road. He
announced it officially and the round will begin on
November 8 with Grand Rapids, in Michigan, the state
where he always saw.
DIFFUSED TITLES (in the
order of their passage to the antenna):
- "Still the same" (CD
"Stranger in town")
- "Wait for me" (CD
"Face the promised")
- "Betty Lou' S
getting' out tonight" (CD "Against the wind")
- "Heavy music" (LP
"Smokin' O.P. 'S")
- "Ramblin' gamblin'
man" (LP "Ramblin' gamblin' man")
- "Lucifer" (LP
"Mongrel")
- "Yew I were has
carpenter" (LP "Smokin' O.P. 'S")
- "Midnight to wrinkle"
(LP "Back in '72")
- "Get out of Denver"
(CD "Seven")
- "Nutbush city limits"
(CD "Beautiful loser")
- "Beautiful loser" (CD
"Live bullet")
- "Night moves" (CD
"Night moves")
- "Old time rock'n'roll
"roll" (CD "Stranger in town")
- "We' ve got tonight"
(CD "Stranger in town")
- "Fire lake" (CD
"Against the wind")
- "Against the wind"
(CD "Against the wind")
- "Shame one the moon"
(CD "The outdistances")
- "Understanding" (CD
"Teachers")
- "Like has
rock'n'roll" (CD "Like has rock'n'roll")
- "Shakedown" (CD
"Beverly Hills COP 2")
- "The real coils" (CD
"The fire inside")
- "Hollywood nights"
(CD "Stranger in town")
- "Manhattan" (CD "It'
S.A. mystery")
- "Satisfied" (Greatest
Hits 2")
- "Wreck this heart"
(CD "Face the promised")
