George Thorogood Talks New Album, Tour With Sammy Hagar, and Being Sexy on 1071 The Boss

Two years after graduating High School, George Thorogood’s parents had enough.

“My mother kind of nudged me out the door, my father kicked me out of the door and said, look kid, you’ve been out of High School for almost two and a half years–when are you going to go out and be a rock star?” he tells 1071 The Boss midday host Michele Amabile. “You talk like one, you act like one, you dress like one, you sleep until four in the afternoon-when are you going to go out and be one?”

Finally, they encouraged him to pick up a guitar that was lying around, and his mother gave him occupational advice–and no, it wasn’t “Get A Haircut and Get A Real Job.”

“George, you know you can’t work,” he remembered. “You’re no good at it.”

With that encouragement, Thorogood embarked on his journey that eventually culminated in rock stardom, and today (April 15) Thorogood is celebrating career milestones with the release of “The Original George Thorogood, available on released on CD, digitally, and in two vinyl LP configurations, including black vinyl and, for the ultimate collector, a limited-edition Translucent Orange LP.

“There are two things that never go out of style,” he said of his success. “Funny and sexy. I got half of that covered.”

This summer, Thorogood will be going out on the road with Sammy Hagar for a tour that will arrive at the PNC Bank Arts Center on June 11.

“It’s easy to write a song, difficult to write a good song, and even harder to write a great song,” Thorogood says. “It strikes home that I have the ability to write some pretty great songs, and there’s a real sense of achievement to that.”

Included in the collection is a brand new song, “Back in the U.S.A.” as well as the blockbuster hits “Bad To The Bone,” “I Drink Alone,” and “Rock and Roll Christmas.”

George checked in with Michele Amabile to talk about the album, tour, his relationship with Chuck Berry, and the legacy of “Bad To The Bone,” which is celebrating a 40 year anniversary this year.

“Nowadays the song is bigger than the artist, and the saying is bigger than the song,” he said.

To order, click HERE.

Here is the tracklisting:

The Original George Thorogood CD Tracklist

1. Bad To The Bone

2. I Drink Alone

3. Gear Jammer

4. Born To Be Bad

5. If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave)

6. Back In The U.S.A.**

7. Rock And Roll Man

8. You Talk Too Much

9. Miss Luann

10. Back To Wentzville

11. Rock And Roll Christmas

12. Oklahoma Sweetheart

13. Woman With The Blues

14. I Really Like Girls

The Original George Thorogood LP Tracklist

Side A:

1. Bad to the Bone

2. I Drink Alone

3. Gear Jammer

4. Born to Be Bad

5. If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave)

Side B:

1. Back in the U.S.A.**

2. Rock And Roll Man

3. You Talk Too Much

4. Miss Luann

5. Oklahoma Sweetheart

6. Rock And Roll Christmas

Listen below to “Back in the U.S.A.”