Bob Seger
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1966-68) as The Last Heard - Doug Brown --- keyboards - Dan Honaker -- bass, guitar, backing vocals - Pep Perrine -- drums, percussion - Bob Seger -- vocals, lead guitar
line up 2 (1968-70) as The Bob Seger System - Doug Brown --- keyboards - Dan Honaker -- bass, guitar, backing vocals NEW - Tony Neme -- guitar, keyboards - Pep Perrine -- drums, percussion NEW - Bob Schultz -- keyboards, sax (replaced Bob Brown) - Bob Seger -- vocals, lead guitar
line up 3 (1970) as The Bob Seger System - Dan Honaker -- bass, guitar, backing vocals - Pep Perrine -- drums, percussion - Bob Seger -- vocals, lead guitar NEW - Dan Watson -- keyboards (replaced Tony Neme and Bob Schulz)
line up 4 (1970-72) as Bob Seger NEW - Michael Bruce -- guitar - Bob Seger -- vocals, lead guitar NEW - Skip Vanwinkle Knape -- keyboards, bass (replaced Dan Honaker) NEW - Dave Teegarden -- drums (replaced Pep Perrine)
Bob Seger (vocals, guitar)
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- The Beach Bums - Doug Brown & the Omens - The Decibles - The Last Heard - Pep Perrine (solo efforts) - The Town Criers
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Mongrel Company: Capitol Catalog: SM
499 Country/State: Detroit, Michigan Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: yellow label Available: 1 Catalog ID: 177 Price: $30.00
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Seriously - today (I'm writing this in June, 2012), Bob Seger stands as one of rock's forgotten heroes. That sad situation reflects a combination of Seger's own choices and the public's ever changing tastes. Truly a disturbing state of affairs ...
Having previously broken up the Bob Seger System and briefly enrolled in college, 1971 saw Seger reactivate his band (with new keyboardist Don Watson) and go back into the studio. Co-produced by Seger and Punch Andrews, "Mongrel" may be Seger's creative highpoint. Backed by a killer trio in the form of bassist Dan Honaker, drummer Pep Perrine, and keyboardist Dan Watson , the overall sound was a tad raw and under-produced, but song-for-song this was a stunning collection. With Seger sounding a bit upset throughout a big part of the set (check out 'Leanin On My Dream'), the album was also noteworthy in that tracks like 'Song To Rufus' and 'Mongrel' saw Seger showcasing his largely overlooked chops as a lead guitarist. Folks either don't know, or forget how good the man was on guitar.
- Kicked along by Watson's stabbing keyboards and Seger's squalling lead guitar, 'Song To Rufus' roared out of the starting gate with a slice of blues-rock that would have made The Allman Brothers envious. Yeah, it lacked the commercial sheen that made Seger a superstar in the mid-1970s, but boy did it rock ... rating: **** stars - Yeah, his vocal sounded a bit strained, but 'Evil Edna' found Seger adding a Southern soul element into his repertoire. Always the treated guitar solo on this one. Anyone know what the effect was ? rating: **** stars - Another blues-tinged rocker, to my ears 'Highway Child' was a precursor of the sound that made him a superstar. The song was raw, but compared to most of the album, had a full and polished sound. With lyrics that were surprisingly introspective, this was one of the album highlights. rating: **** stars - I'm obviously not the first person to highlight the fact, but the mid-tempo 'Big River' could have easily been mistaken as a dry run for 'Night Moves'. Admittedly, toning the backing singers down a notch wouldn't have hurt the song, but anyone who loves 'Night Moves' will appreciate this one as well. Kudos to Dan Honaker for the killer bass line. rating: **** stars - Kicked along by some of the meanest sounding lead guitar you've ever heard, the title track rocked with more energy that a coal power plant. Seriously, Seger and company literally tore the stuffing out of this song. rating: **** stars - 'Lucifier' maintained the same level of furiosity, but added a pounding melody with a distinctive commercial sheen to the results. This was the kind of rock song every pop band dreamed of recording and the kind of pop song ever rock band wished they could write. Easy to see why Capitol tapped it as a single. rating: **** stars - Perhaps inspired by his brief return to college, side two's 'Teachin Blues' was the album's first disappointment. A molten blues-rocker, Seger and company sounded like they were simply going through the motions on this one. rating: *** stars - Amazing that in the early-70s people wrote songs with social and political relevance ... Perhaps not the most subtle lyrics you've ever heard, but coupled with a killer rock tune, it was still enjoyable. rating: *** stars - In contrast to the original song, 'Mongrel Too' was redone as an acoustic blues number. Nothing particularly wrong with this one, but with the exception of Watson's harpsichord and the unexpected Gospel chorus, there wasn't anything that made it stand out. rating: ** stars - Sounding as if it had been recorded live, Seger's cover of 'River Deep - Mountain High' took awhile to grow on me. Part of the problem probably has to do with the fact I've never been a big fan of the original song, so this muscular cover was starting at a disadvantage. Once again Seger sounded kind of shrieky and out of breath on this one, but the song got better as it went along; particularly the extended instrumental segment that closed it outl. rating: ** stars
Released as a single, 'Lucifer' b/w 'Big River' (Capitol catalog number 2748) hit # 84 on the charts. YouTube has a television clip of the Seger and company performing the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMQmSvKQpUs
Probably not the place for a new, or casual fan to start, but for folks who grew up with the hits, this one should come as a major revelation. While Seger's 1970s catalog sold far better, "Mongrel" proved a modest seller, hitting # 171 on the US charts.
"Mongrel" track listing: 1.) Song To Rufus (Bob Seger) - 2.) Evil Edna (Bob Seger) - 3.) Highway Child (Bob Seger) - 4.) Big River (Bob Seger) - 5.) Mongrel (Bob Seger) - 6.) Lucifer (Bob Seger) -
(side
2) 2.) Leanin On My Dream (Bob Seger) - 3.) Mongrel Too (Bob Seger) - 4.) River Deep - Mountain High
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Seven Company: Capitol Catalog: SM
499 Country/State: Detroit, Michigan Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: reissue Available: 1 Catalog ID: 234 Price: $10.00
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Say what you will about Seger, but he's the
proto-typical blue collar rocker - and why not name your seventh
studio album "Seven"?
Track List
Seven was the first Seger album to feature "The Silver Bullet Band" in which he would steadily rely on for the rest of his career. The album gained notorious recognition and is a fan favorite despite its rarity. The tour for this album was very successful and kicked off with Seger and his newly formed Silver Bullets as the opening act for Kiss. Kiss asked Seger & the band to support them for a few shows. After seeing the band's first set, they offered Seger the rest of the tour, which gained the band much needed recognition. Early vinyl copies of the album featured the word "contrasts" at the bottom of the cover, leading people to believe the album had two titles. Others believed the album was titled "Seven Contrasts." However, Contrasts is the name of the artwork featured on the album. The word in parenthesis is simply a reference to the artwork rather than an actual subtitle or title of the record. A later bootleg of the album released in the 1980s was entitled "Seven Worlds." [edit] ReceptionAlthough the album failed to make the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, the single "Get Out Of Denver" reached 80. Critics and longtime Seger fans tend to regard the album as a lost classic, much like its predecessor Back in '72. For example, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the album 5/5 stars, calling it "one of [Seger's] strongest, hardest-hitting rock records".[1] Summing up, Erlewine wrote:
[edit] Track listingAll songs written and composed by Bob Seger.
[edit] Personnel
[edit] Production
[edit] ChartsSingles - Billboard (North America)
On 'Seven', released in 1974, Bob Seger introduces his Silver Bullet Band
(consisting of Drew Abbott on lead guitar, Chris Campbell on bass, Rick
Manasa on keyboards, and Charlie Martin on drums), which would soon carry
him to fame and fortune with his subsequent albums 'Beautiful Loser' and
'Live Bullet'. 'Seven' is, obviously, Seger's seventh album, but the dice
on the cover, which add up to seven, suggest Seger was also hoping for a
bit of luck as he rolled out this release. 'Seven' was following Bob's
best album (IMHO), 'Back In '72', which only aspired to number 188 on
Billboard's album charts, and the artist simply had to be wondering just
how good he would have to be in order to achieve steady, national
recognition. 'Seven', unfortunately, would not crack the Top 200. No
surprise then that Bob began penning songs such as 'Beautiful Loser'.
But 'Seven' is far from being a loser. Unlike many musicians, who put out a lot of dubious work before gaining widespread acclaim, Seger had been putting out quality albums and singles since the mid-1960's. He was signed by a major label and toured extensively, so his inability to bask in the limelight is a mystery. Ironically, several of the songs on 'Seven' mark the transition in Seger's musical style that would finally turn popular attention his way. 'Seven' is a short disc, tallying just 30:24 over nine tracks. There were three singles released from the disc, the adrenalin-laced rockers 'Get Out of Denver' and 'Need Ya', and the bit more restrained, upwardly mobile 'U.M.C. (Upper Middle Class)'. Each song received significant airplay but failed to crack the Top 40. Nevertheless, each of these songs found a place in Seger's setlists in his more fertile years. The first five tracks represented the opening side of the original vinyl version of 'Seven', and it was rock and roll heaven. Every song is infused with high levels of energy and emotion, especially 'Get Out Of Denver' ("...'cause you look just like a commie and you just might be a member...") and 'Need Ya'. Seger seems to be offering a history lesson on William Jennings Bryan with 'Cross Of Gold' ("you can crucify the world on a cross of gold") and a lesson on long-distance lust on 'School Teacher'. Side two on the original vinyl opened with the mid-tempo rocker 'U.M.C.', featuring a nice wah-pedal guitar from Abbott, which unfortunately was becoming passe in the mid-1970's. 'Seen a Lot of Floors' is a barroom stomper, and probably the weakest track offered. On '20 Years From Now', a piano ballad, Seger heralds in the sound that would evolve into solid hits such as 'Like a Rock'. The closer, 'All Your Love', is a country rock number with a catchy melody and chorus suitable for Texas line-dancing. The last two songs make it apparent that Seger is branching out into unexplored territory, genres beyond the traditional garage-rock fare that had fueled so many of his previous discs. As Seger moved beyond 'Seven' he left me behind. I may be a bit unusual in that I find much of Bob's earliest work to be his best. Tracks like 'Ramblin' Gamblin' Man', '2 + 2 = ?', 'Heavy Music', 'Ivory', and 'Rosalie' represent the Seger sound I love. Unfortunately, Bob has divorced himself from his early releases, so great albums such as 'Back In '72' and 'Seven' will cost you an arm and a leg to purchase in the CD format. I used a cassette to make this review, but Seger could give those fans who loved his music when others ignored it a real gift by re-issuing the CD versions. Doesn't sound like a bad way to make a buck, does it Bob?
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0
out of 5 stars The
Old Style Seger,
By
This review is from: Seven (Audio
CD)
During the years when he was tops on the charts he became my
favorite.Since that time I have sought out and bought every one of his CDs
that I could put my hands on.As with some music it takes a while for it to
get through to you and this album is one such as this.I do my own Karaoke
as I drive down the road with the radio blasting.This is a group of songs
in what I call his old more bluesy style. Other than in Detroit it did not
make him a star so I guess thats why it never got air time and still does
not. In my world at 60yrs old that is a loss to his fans.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0
out of 5 stars bob
seger seven is a ten,
Amazon
Verified Purchase(What's
this?)
This review is from: Seven (Audio
CD)
this copy came fast as well as the back in 72 cd this is not a bootleg
it's an original and the quality is good the 1st track is get out of
denver which has a honkytonk blues feel school teacher has a good fast
pace tempo showing seger in rare form one of my other favorites is 20
years from now which a good slow one which falls in the realm of against
the wind. Another song that is fast pace is cross of gold which has some
interesting lyrics such as "you can steal the things you need,you can
keep the people down,you can take the best there is,you can shelve us
underground, this cd is a must have for all seger fans.
5.0
out of 5 stars Finding
a hard to locate "alblum".,
By
Amazon
Verified Purchase(What's
this?)
This review is from: Seven (Audio
CD)
This CD is a long time favorite of mine. The remaking of it was just as
good as the original.The company that I bought it from held true to their delivery date of 14 to 31 days, it was delivered within 23 days. I would not hesitate to purchase from this company again.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0
out of 5 stars No
way you'll go wrong with this one. Very strong album.,
This review is from: Seven (Audio
CD)
No way you won't enjoy this one if you dig classic rock. This is probably
Seger's second best album, behind "Mongrel." "Seven"
is a real high Seger highlight in the discographical canon. Incredible
record, from start to finish, this is one of the better places to start
with the artist and songwriter. If you like to rock, "Cross of
Gold," "All Your Love," and "Long Song Comin'"
will suffice. "Get Back to Denver," obviously, is one of the
man's better recordings, but the rest of the album kicks major arse and
demands a proper re-release. Get it if you can find it.
With his seventh album, appropriately titled Seven, Bob Seger delivered one of his strongest, hardest-hitting rock records -- the toughest since the days of the Bob Seger System. Not to say that he ever abandoned rock & roll, since Back in '72 was filled with fantastic rockers, but it was tempered with reflective singer/songwriter material. Not here. Even the slowest song, "20 Years from Now," is a steady mid-tempo ballad that showcases the band. Still, that's a rare moment of reflection on a record that opens with "Get out of Denver," the greatest Chuck Berry knockoff ever written, and never loses momentum. Great, raucous rockers pile up one after the other as Seger spins out barroom anthems ("Seen a Lot of Floors"), anti-establishment tirades ("Long Song Comin'," "Cross of Gold"), jokes ("U.M.C. [Upper Middle Class]"), bluesy rock ("All Your Love"), and simple garage rockers ("Need Ya," "School Teacher"). Only nine songs, lasting just over a half-hour, but it's one of the most infectious sets Seger ever cut, proving that he wasn't just a dynamite rocker, but he had the songs to match. And, again, it didn't have any success -- it didn't even chart, actually. That doesn't change the fact that this is one of his very best albums.
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: It's a Mystery Company: Capitol Catalog: SM
499 Country/State: Detroit, Michigan Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: -- Catalog ID: -- Price: --
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S charts.
"It's a
Mystery" track listing: 1.) Rite of Passage - 3:50 Hum, his voice remains a national treasure and the song certainly rocked, but there was just something off-putting about the dense lyrics and the almost molten production - could Bob Seger actually try too hard? rating: ** stars 2.) Lock and Load - 4:55 Ah much better ... classic Seger rocker with lyrics that should make most people smile. And the kind of personal rehab song that would serve as my theme song (should I ever need one). rating: **** stars 3.) By the River - 3:26 Seger may be the best strumming guitar songwriter out there. Their really wasn't a great deal to this mid-tempo ballad, but Seger managed to provide three minutes of calm and self-examination. Lovely. rating: **** stars 4.) Manhattan - 5:22 'Manhattan' had a certain epic feel and Seger's always done good "character" songs, but this one has always bothered me. Guess it had something to do with the horribly dark plotline. rating: *** stars 5.) I Wonder - 4:05 One of the prettiest things he's ever written and it was a real surprise to hear Seger showcasing a softer vocal style. I had no idea he could come off sounding so soft and cuddly. LOL rating: *** stars 6.) It's a Mystery - 4:19
(side
2)
Capitol seemingly had little interest in the album, not even bothering to release a single from the collection.
It’s A Mystery was released October 24,
1995 and proved to be the least popular Bob Seger album since Seven
(1974). While it would sell close to a million copies in The United
States and Canada, his Greatest Hits album which was released just the
year before would sell close to 11 million. It was proof that the
public preferred his older material to what he was currently
producing. The real mystery is how could he go four years between
studio albums and only come up with this mostly mundane group of
songs. In fairness the music is not terrible, but fairly or unfairly
his post The Distance work would always be compared to that of his
classic period when he produced such works of art as Against The Wind,
Stranger In Town, and Night Moves.
In some ways this music, while pleasant, is just not interesting. His sense of melody remains intact but the lyrics are for the most part strained. His desire to be current with political views and comments on the state of the world are far from the popularity and appeal of his blue collar rock roots which served him so well in the past. He does try and “Rite Of Passage” and the title song both rock hard. Seger’s voice may have lost a little power over the years but it is still unique and good enough to fuel his music. “Lock and Load” and “Hands In The Air” are the best of the lot and interestingly both are co-written with Craig Frost and Tom Mitchell rather than being solo compositions. “Revisionism Street” at least has a little bite as he takes on the entertainment industry but beyond that there is not much there. Even his cover of a Tom Waits song, “16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six,” who had provided interesting cover material in the past, rings hollow. He took four years to produce the album so it was not time that was the issue. Maybe he was tired or his mind was elsewhere but the music has an unfinished feel to it. It’s A Mystery is ultimately forgettable. I would have hoped for more from an artist of Bob Seger’s stature and talent. Why I didn’t get it on this release is indeed a mystery.
Published
Pressing
Bob seemed to be aware of the lack of
power in his voice on "The Fire inside", and in order to
sound stronger it was here he started "pressing" and you
really have to tolerate it in order to enjoy most of this album.Songwise - it ain't that bad, but you've got to give it several spins until it starts growing. Interesting but more for the die-hard-fan.
Published
"Manhattan" is very good, but
-- at least based on my first several listens -- it's the single
standout amidst a mass of overproduced, samey stuff.
Published
I want to like this, 'cos Bob Seger has
my respect. There's just nothing here to like.
Published
Revisionism Street is my favourite tracks
To be honest the others I don't much care for Not as strong as 1991's 'The Fire Inside' at all!
Published
By the River and Manhattan are great
songs
Published
What was he thinking?
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Ride Out Company: Capitol Catalog: SM
499 Country/State: Detroit, Michigan Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: -- Catalog ID: -- Price: --
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Now the I'm in my mid-'50s (AARP actually
tracked me down a couple of weeks ago), I'm starting to rediscover some of
the bands that I loved as a teenager and as a college kid. In
some cases, like a good friend who moved on with their life and you
occassionally cross paths with,
And then there's Bob Seger. After discovering "Night Moves" I bought every Seger album I could find up through 1986's "Like a Rock". I even bought 1991's "The Fire Inside" (though I have to admit I never really paid attention to it.
Obviously a far cry from say, Night Moves
or Stranger In Town, but in his mature age Bob Seger still maintains a
fine singing voice and a great prowess for writing great songs.
With the lead single and opening track we find Seger covering 'Detroit Made' (one of three covers on the album). No normally I would have a problem with the albums greatest moment coming from a cover, but being as it Seger and the song is about his and my home city, I can't help chalk it up to his emotion and personal attachment to the song. Elsewhere we find greatness in 'Hey Gypsy' classic Seger cheese in 'The Devils Right Hand' and the wonderful closer 'Gates Of Eden.' While it will most likely be forgotten in a year or so, and will never be hailed amongst his greatest work, for a man about to turn 70, this is a solid and enjoyable album for fans of the mans work.
Published
Working on some light moves
NOTE: This is the review of the deluxe
edition of Bob Seger's Ride Out, which includes three bonus tracks,
unlike the Target deluxe edition, which contains two different tracks.Bob Seger's Ride Out arrives eight years after his last release and his only his second album not to bill The Silver Bullet Band in conjunction with his name. The legendary rocker has slowly, but surely, crafted his seventeenth studio album by taking his time on experimenting with different styles, composers, and tiptoeing through numerous different genres in order to create an album that cannot be criticized for lacking in variety. Despite his roots in heartland rock, Seger finds himself in more of a whimsical, country mood, undoubtedly fazed in some way by Nashville, where the bulk of this album was recorded. However, much like Seger concocted Ride Out, by sifting through over seventy different songs, I envision consumers doing the same with the end product that is Ride Out, which is cherrypicking their favorite tracks and having a good remainder of the album being a one-off listen. Seger's album isn't flawed in the sense that the lyrics lack or the instrumentations feel off, but the vibes of the album are forgettable and feel like a greatest hits collection of a veteran singer's singles mixed in with the lesser known songs of his bigger albums. The album starts out fairly strong, giving us three songs that remind us of the heartland roots of Seger, complimented by his prolific use of background singers for effect, but descend into the realm of "fair but characterless" tunes that seem to catch Seger in a spiritualistic mood. The instant winner on the album is "The Devil's Right Hand," bursting with the kind of energy and drive I have come to expect from Seger, as he bolts out the classic Steve Earle song the way Waylon sung it for the 1980's film Betrayed. The other introductory track, "Hey Gypsy," provides for a nostalgic and spoken-word tune that effectively compliments Seger's persona as well. Songs like "Adam and Eve" and "Gates of Eden" are the kind of aforementioned tracks that catch Seger in a more content mood, reflecting on life and its wonders, something a man nearing seventy would often be expected to do. Seger clearly cares about the world around him and the idea of creation with those particular tracks, as well as "It's Your World," an environmental tune that make us stop and think in the moment but little else in a long-term sense, something that could be said about the entire album. Ironically, the deluxe edition's bonus tracks are some of the strongest works, with "Listen" being very upbeat and jivey, as Seger lets out some addicting flows thanks to the array of great instruments and "The Fireman's Talkin'" provides for a low-key but flavored ending to Ride Out, a collection of acceptable and harmless tunes that unfortunately find themselves deluding their own impact by being so genial and safe. Recommended tracks (in order): "The Devil's Right Hand," "Listen," "Hey Gypsy," "The Fireman's Talkin'," and "Adam and Eve."
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