For me, the highlight is when I step on that bandstand. The fans came to hear us and we’re ready to rock. Every night I play for people can be the biggest night of my life.
Mercy! We’ve been at it for more than 50 years now spanning 6 decades. Words don’t seem enough to express how grateful I am to be able to do what I love to do, and make a living at it. It’s only possible because of the support of our awesome fans…so thank you! My family’s support and sacrifices give me the ground to walk on. I’m not stopping until someone tells me that I have to…Rock On!!!”
Performing live never gets old. We’ve always strived to give the best show possible to our fans around the world. It’s been a thrill and an honor to perform for over 50 years!”
When I joined the Destroyers as guitarist back in 1999, it was a dream come true. I'd been listening to the albums for years and I had seen them with the Rolling Stones in New Orleans in 1981. Since then, it's been a wild and exciting ride and the dream continues. Let's rock!
I had several years of formal school training and was taught to follow the rules of music theory. Since joining The Destroyers, I have also been taught how music with raw energy, emotion and passion can bring so much happiness to so many people. For that, I’m very grateful.
From their record-breaking 50 States in 50 Dates Tour in ’81 to their current tour, The Baddest Show on Earth, George Thorogood and the Destroyers have always given 100 percent on stage. Now, as the legendary blues rockers celebrate more than five decades together, Craft Recordings shines a spotlight on their high-octane concerts with The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live. Spanning 1978–2024, the brand-new collection showcases some of the band’s most electrifying live performances—many making their debut on record—including such enduring crowd pleasers as “Who Do You Love,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Bad to the Bone” and “Move It on Over.”
Arriving June 12, The Baddest Show on Earth will be available on LP (featuring four previously unreleased tracks), while the expanded CD and standard/hi-res digital editions include eight previously unreleased performances. Both physical formats feature new liner notes from GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and blues musician Scott Billington.In addition to black vinyl, fans can pick up a Translucent Yellow vinyl pressing exclusively at Barnes & Noble and Blazing Red Smoke vinyl exclusively through GeorgeThorogood.com and on tour. Pre-order the album today and listen to a previously unreleased performance of “Who Do You Love” captured live in Atlanta in 1980.
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For more than 50 years, George Thorogood and The Destroyers have remained one of the most consistent—and consistently passionate—progenitors of blues-based rock. And no one knows that better than the millions of fans who’ve seen them live. Formed in 1973 by guitarist, singer, and songwriter George Thorogood and drummer Jeff Simon, the Delaware-based band honed their sound on stages across the Northeast, building a devoted word-of-mouth following through their high-energy performances and blistering grooves.
Things began to heat up in the late ’70s, after the band relocated to Boston and signed with Rounder Records. Channeling the raw power of their live shows in the studio, they released their self-titled debut in 1977, followed a year later by their breakthrough album, Move It on Over. Their profile continued to rise with a string of popular releases, including More George Thorogood and the Destroyers (1980), Bad to the Bone (1982) and Maverick (1985). Still, their true passion always remained in the live arena.
“George’s connection to unvarnished, primal rock and roll made the music relevant in a way that no one could have predicted,” writes Scott Billington, who spent over 40 years as Rounder’s Vice President of A&R. “And even though he went on to make many wonderful records…he’s the first to say that he’d rather be on stage than in a recording studio.”
That unwavering dedication is on full display throughout The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live, beginning with highlights from the band’s earliest years. Standout performances include the previously unreleased “Ride on Josephine,” captured in 1978, and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” recorded in 1980. The latter—also making its debut on record—features stellar interplay between Thorogood and his late, longtime saxophonist Hank Carter. Fans will also relish reliving the group’s signature hit, “Bad to the Bone,” culled from a triumphant 1982 homecoming show in Boston.
The band’s showmanship has never wavered, as evidenced by more recent previously unreleased performances, including “Born to Be Bad” from 2024, along with fiery renditions of two blues classics: Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin’ for My Baby” (2023) and Willie Dixon’s “Tail Dragger” (2020), both exclusive to the CD and digital editions.
Speaking about The Baddest Show on Earth, Thorogood says, “When the lights go down, the downbeat hits and the audience erupts; all bets are off. The Destroyers are at their best when we play for the people, and these are some of our favorite—and rarest—performances from the past five decades. You wanted the baddest, you got it.”
Today, George Thorogood and The Destroyers—which currently consists of Jeff Simon (drums, percussion), Bill Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler (rhythm guitar), and Buddy Leach (saxophone)—have played more than 8,000 live shows.
Career highlights include their record-breaking 50 States in 50 Dates tour in 1981; numerous high-profile tours alongside The Rolling Stones, Sammy Hagar, and ZZ Top, among others; over 15 million albums sold worldwide; plus landmark performances at Live Aid and Saturday Night Live.
Last year, Thorogood played to more than 54,000 spectators during a Las Vegas Raiders halftime show, in addition to a full band PBS special, Recorded Live at Analog, which aired in over 75 markets and received top ratings. George Thorogood and The Destroyers are currently on the road once again for their The Baddest Show on Earth tour, with dates across North America, Europe & The UK. Scroll down for an initial list of shows and visit GeorgeThorogood.com for tickets and more info.
Click here to pre-order/pre-save The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits LiveThe Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live Tracklist (Vinyl)
Side A
1. Who Do You Love (Live in Atlanta, Georgia - 1980)*
2. Move It On Over (Live in Boston, Massachusetts - 1982)
3. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Live in Atlanta, Georgia - 1980)*
Side B
1. Ride On Josephine (Live in Roslyn, New York - 1978)*
2. Madison Blues (Live in Boston, Massachusetts - 1982)
3. Bad To The Bone (Live in Boston, Massachusetts - 1982)
4. Born To Be Bad (Live in Sarasota, Florida - 2024)*
*previously unreleased
The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live Tracklist (CD/Digital)
1. Who Do You Love (Live in Atlanta, Georgia - 1980)*
2. Move It On Over (Live in Boston, Massachusetts - 1982)
3. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Live in Atlanta, Georgia - 1980)*
4. Ride On Josephine (Live in Roslyn, New York - 1978)*
5. Madison Blues (Live in Boston, Massachusetts - 1982)
6. Bad To The Bone (Live in Boston, Massachusetts - 1982)
7. Born To Be Bad (Live in Sarasota, Florida - 2024)*
8. Steppin’ Out (Live in Midland, Texas - 2022)*
9. Howlin’ For My Baby (Live in Hyannis, Massachusetts - 2023)*
10. Tail Dragger (Live in Kansas City, Missouri - 2020)*
11. Boogie Chillun (Live in Toronto, Canada - 1978)*
*previously unreleased
