George Thorogood thought about becoming a comic. After all, he had 100 jokes in his portfolio when he was in sixth grade, he said.
But the hard-rocking, blues-playing Thorogood settled on guitar and a career playing rock ‘n’ roll and blues music.
Four decades later, there’s still comedy in his bones and joy that his job consists of performing on stage with a rock band. “Even the president wants to do that,” he quipped.
Thorogood comes to Genesee Theatre Friday to perform during his Badder Than Ever tour, playing classics including “Who Do You Love,” “I Drink Alone,” and his iconic “Bad to the Bone.”
He’s sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.
Thorogood attributes his decision to pursue the world of rock to the Rolling Stones, recalling their first albums.
“They were doing blues, and they were really groovy looking. I thought there was a chance for me. The Rolling Stones gave us hope,” said Thorogood, adding in the same breath that the Beatles were “the greatest rock and roll band of all time.”
In his earliest years, Thorogood took his guitar on buses and played at parties for $20, he said, or got a couple of bucks playing on the street. The Stones solidified the thought that maybe he could make a living at this, he said. And indeed, his band George Thorogood and the Destroyers toured with the Rolling Stones in 1981.
That’s when Thorogood realized he needed a signature song.
When the first chords to a familiar Stones song sounded — even before the words were sung — “everybody in the audience started going crazy,” he said. “That got into my brain. I needed a signature song.”
He thought of the word “bad,” which he and his friends used while growing up. “It meant cool or groovy. One of the kids used to say, ‘bad to death.'”
Thorogood said he thought was a bit over the edge, so he came up with “bad to the bone.”
The song was released in 1982 — with its raucous electric guitar sound and the stuttering Bs as he sang the word “Bad.” Since then the song has been used in advertising, played at sporting events and heard in movies and TV shows.
“We didn’t think it would go that far,” Thorogood said.
Despite the advent of rap, punk rock and countless other musical styles, his brand of music will never die, he said.
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“When did beer go out of fashion? When did cheeseburgers go out of fashion? When I started doing this, I thought, ‘I want to have something that’s going to last.'”
Thorogood said he doesn’t listen to contemporary music but didn’t have a serious answer as to why.
“I’m too busy doing interviews,” he said.
He’s also busy touring. He’s done more than 8,000 shows and has more coming this fall. He’s looking forward to coming to the Chicago area, he said. “Chicago’s the happiest town right now,” he said, referring to the winning Cubs.
Before his concerts, Thorogood signs autographs and answers questions.
“The one (question) I yearn to hear, love to hear is: ‘George, when are you coming back?'”
Sheryl DeVore is a freelance writer.
George Thorogood and the Destroyers
When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16
Where: Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan
Tickets: $43-$63
Information: 847-263-6300; www.geneseetheatre.com