Spinner

Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton Keep George Thorogood From Retiring

At 58, George Thorogood is thinking about the end of his career. Talking to Spinner about his new album, 'The Dirty Dozen,' which mixes new material with some rarities, Thorogood says, "That's it, I'm going out with style, baby." Does that mean this is the farewell album? "You never know, it might be," he says. "You never know how long you're gonna live. You don't know what the world's going to be. I'm just saying if that is it, then I finished on a high note."

Despite his age, Thorogood admits that now that he sees some of his peers keeping at it, he's not ready to hang up his guitar just yet. "I kind of look at Mick Jagger as the barometer of how long I'm gonna go," he says. "He's about seven or eight years older than me, and Eric Clapton's five years older than me. look at those guys and I say, 'Well, they're still going, which means I have no right to retire.' Mick Jagger's gonna be 66."

An astute observer of rock, Thorogood has watched how age has affected or failed to change some of his peers. "That kind of thing is not gonna affect B.B. King because he's the same act at 80 that he did at 40," Thorogood says. "It's not gonna affect Rod Stewart really because Rod Stewart was a cabaret balladeer at 22, so he's gonna be up there in a cane and top hat, martini in his hand, at 67. That's gonna work for him. For ass-kickers like Peter Wolf and Mick Jagger, we'll have to wait and see."

And before 'Lonesome' George thinks of hanging 'em up, he admits some of his heroes are just getting better with age. "I go to see Tom Jones all the time. Man, he just gets better and better every time I see him. So he's a case in point, long live the king of the lounge lizard," he says. "Eric Clapton is better now than he ever was and Jeff Beck is just out of this world, so is Carlos Santana."

'The Dirty Dozen' is in stores July 28.

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Dave Willey

Sorry George,
While Alvin Lee was good with Ten Years After, his solo material is uninspired in most cases. He got a lot of distance out of I'm Going Home, just as Iron Butterfly did with their big hit song. Check out Alvin's last two recordings, D- at best.You picked two songs you liked, and I can hear a collective sigh and then a scream at you, saying "So What George" Alvin played this past weekend and couldn't even sell out the venue! He's a has been, and has been nothing to write home about for many years now, wake up.

July 19 2010 at 10:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
listennowbreath

srv,duane,robin trower, jimi, jeff, eric,carlos....so many masters of music!!!

September 27 2009 at 7:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve

Greatest ever that like picking the greatest baseball player ever there are many opinions. Many think its Hendricks but when he was asked he said Billy Gibbons. Then you must add guys like Al Dimiola. George Benson,BB King, Brian May, Frank Moreno, Alvin Lee,Jimmy Paige, Eddie Van Halen changed a whole generation of players. I loved Stevie Ray but it would be tough to pick just one. Don't forget Les Paul, Chet Adkins, Roy Clark every type of music had it's Standouts.

August 20 2009 at 8:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bret

SRV

July 20 2009 at 7:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SandhillsRider

Oops, that is spelled "incendiary." Duane's slide playing could clean your clock1

July 08 2009 at 8:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SandhillsRider

Sorry guys although Jimi was incediary, Duane Allman was the best there ever was.

July 08 2009 at 8:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jed Clever

I agree with Larry. All of the above-mentioned guitarists are great. There is not a "best" among them. Your "favorite" is a matter of opinion; who is to say that Bethoven is better than Motzart?

July 08 2009 at 7:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
steve

when you bought the ticket (in the 80's)you never knew who you were going to see,mostly the opening act because george would cancel at the last minute

July 08 2009 at 7:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GeorgeCarpoziIII

A final response about Alvin Lee; The song, Night of the Guitars (song 1) is to me the most talented guitar work of all time, period! Alvin Lee plays faster, with no mistakes at all, unprecedented improvisation, and clarity in that song than anyone, at least to me, has even accomplished. You MUST LISTEN to the song, and tell me if Hendrix, Satriani, Jeff Beck, Page or any of the name guitarists could duplicate. I would liken the few songs Alvin Lee did with the likes of a Micky Mantle in baseball. Mantle did not hit the most home runs, for reasons of injury, but NO ONE HIT THE BALL FARTHER than Mantle, period. Twice, he virtually hit the ball out of Yankee Stadium, with no coming close to this day. As with Alvin Lee, much of the numbers he plays are a little sloppy, at times. But, as with the Night of the Guitars, he seems to be like a Savant(I hope the word is spelled correctly). And yes, Hendrix did say to Alvin Lee at Woodstock that he, Hendrix, wished he could play the guitar like Alvin Lee. So, Alvin Lee to me is one the greatest, but most under rated guitarists in modern day rock, period! Having said that, I really like to listen to Hendrix, Satriani, Beck, Page, Johnny Winter, Clapton and Vai. And there are many more not mentioned that are awesome. Thanks

July 08 2009 at 7:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Larry

I just saw George two weeks ago in California and he still kicks butt.
Every string picker mentioned in these posts has or had their own style of blues and they all have rocked for a very long time. To say one is better then the other is a little silly. George, you are still bad to the bone.

July 08 2009 at 6:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply