Another Friday and today y'all get the Bob review I've been promising. I know I know ''so exciting''. Hah. I do actually like him but more on that later. I've been scrolling through old blog posts from like 2010 and up. So many posts about concert count downs and freaking out over that. Fan girl life lol. There's a post in between from 2014 sobbing over My Chemical Romance break up and ''Fake your death'' being the last song they recorded together. Last song lol. Suddenly in 2021 ''fake your death'' is just funny. They were so fucking with us this entire time. I mean evil genius much?
But what does make me wanna fake my death is that dreaded disgusting holiday coming up. Yeah this is your annual blog post on how much Valentines day disgusts me. If we stay in 2014, that's the year my ex boss made me wear leather booty shorts, lace corset and huge white wings for a promo shoot. I don't know what demon made me agree to that when we all know there's no way in hell I'd pass for an angel or worse a cupid. Yuck. Think what made me agree were the magic words of ''you can keep the shoes''. I have a weakness just like every other woman for shoes. Mostly boots and high heels. Another thing to laugh about is that said boss and I after this shoot sat in his office, drinking Corona and watching ''My Bloody Valentine''. Corona. Whole different meaning in 2021, but the movie is still great.
A year later I actually worked at a florist shop for Valentines day and if I hated the holiday on any other day in a florist shop you either peal off your skin or someone elses skin. I don't know what was worse men that came in needing gifts for both their wife and mistress or men that don't know their special someone exists on any other day but february 14th. If another person walked in at that time wanting to buy rose petals, not a freakin rose but ''just petals'' I would shoot myself. Red roses, chocolate, strawberries, champagne and tacky lingerie. Kill me please.
I'm not single or bitter mind you, far from it, but the hypocricy of ''holidays'' created to steal money from people and ease guilty conscience from shitty partners disgusts me. Listen I'm not saying they're all the same. Attentive husbands, boyfriends, wives, girlfriends, that remember all holidays, that's cute, but those who only remember this one holiday? Ugh. My boyfriend is still trying to make me ''love'' valentine's day. Useless battle but bless him for trying. Though you know he makes a big deal out of all holidays, and out of all random days ''a bucket of roses because I was thinking of you last night'' kinda thing. Or ''got you this shirt because I saw it in a store and thought you'd love it''. I love that more than the shirt, the whole ''I saw this and it made me think of you'' thing. So thoughtful.
And apart from the fact that y'all should love each other each and every day of the year (leave the romantic in me alone) there's something else I'd like to point out. All the people who have nobody, all the people that lost somebody, all the people that are not happy and in love. I get it you know lovers should have a day, probably, I guess, but there's no ''anti valentines'' day on the other end, for all those who for whatever reason don't want to celebrate. No black cupcakes, no gray and black candy hearts saying ''not you'', ''how about no'', ''fuck off''. No happy hour at the bar, drinking your feelings away, though what is a bar anyway? No black roses, no music dedication on the radio for those people. And lastly why is valentines day focused on only romantic love? It's a holiday celebrating love. So why not siblings, family, friends, pets, etc…
But because I'm in a good mood, sharing some dumb ''pick up'' lines for my punk rock, music loving friends that read this crap I call a blog. Punk rock because these are All time low, My chemical romance, Panic at the disco, Fall out boy, Sleeping with sirens, etc references. Enjoy these. And, yes, you are totally right, my idiot of a boyfriend is texting me these on a daily basis, but really, they're so stupid they're funny. Lol.
''Drums aren't the only thing I'll be banging tonight ;)''
''URIE-ly cute''
''Roses are red, violets are blue, if you were a band I wouldn't break up with you''
''R u an emperor, cause you're gonna need new clothes when I'm done with u''
''Hearts won't be the only thing on fire tonight''
''Are you Sirens, because I'm sleeping with you tonight''
''Do you have a band aid bc I just scraped my knee falling for you''
''I'll bang you harder than the goddamn door''
''Your beauty has me STUMPed''
''Serenade ain't the only thing happening in the backseat tonight''
''My songs won't be the only ones to know what to do in the dark tonight''
''You're Way too cute''
''Be the Frank to my Gerard and I promise I will love you like I did yesterday''
I did say I'm dating a lovable idiot didn't I? Lol. These are so stupid but I love them so much. Alright now that I got that out of my system, how about that review that I've been promising? It's actually my fave album of his so this should be fun. Already listening to it through for the second time today. The older Winchester actually called him one of the greatest rock writers ever. There's a hilarious scene in the show (Supernatural obvs) ''is everything a Bob Seger song to you?''. I can relate. Many things in my life are also a Bob Seger song.
''Night moves'' is the ninth studio album by Bob and actually the first album that also credited the Silver Bullet band which you can see right there on the cover which is actually ridiculous because about half of this album was actually backed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section so not really a Bullets band at all. But that aside you know what? This is one album for which I can say was very well received by the critics (who are still assholes, me included obviously) and gave Bob a nationwide success. Which would mean that even though this is the ninth album it's actually his first real breaktrough. It got them certified platinum and sold over six million copies worldwide. Pretty neat aye?
You know people called Bob the ''poor man's Bruce Springsteen''. That explains why I like him but also makes me mad because it's not the case at all. They are both great musicians in their own way and though I see similarities in their ''story telling'' type music, comparing him to the Boss is just dumb, nobody can be up to Bosses ankles obviously. On that note just a quick message to all the press and people at Jeep. How about a fuck all of you? I am over this witch hunt y'all are playing with musicians. Listen to me, I'm all for punshment if one is guilty but only AFTER they are proven guilty, else you have another Johnny Depp situation on your hands because ''we always believe women'' right? Bullshit.
It's hard to really define Bob as an artist, big success although deserved kept dodging him and it took a decade of slow building an audience before Night moves really blew up though critics (I'm telling you they're all assholes) still defined him by his weakest hits. Night moves came couple of years before the huge hit ''Old time rock and roll'' which I'm sure you all know or have heard at least once. Song that describes me so well ''Just take those old records off the shelf, I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself. Today's music ain't got the same soul, I like that old time rock and roll''. True story. So little new music that I feel strongly about. Well I do feel strongly about new music. Strong disgust.
Night moves opens with ''Rock and roll never forgets'' which has the same vibe as ''Old time rock and roll'', it sets the whole mood of the record which is this nostalgic feel, and I think it's absolutely perfect. I don't know maybe I'm just getting old or something. The song ''Night moves'' was the one that was an instant classic. About time too. It's the classic you know getaway teenage lovers. I don't know why I keep thinking of Tiffany and ''I think we're alone now'' when someone starts about teenage lovers lol. I actually love this song. Shut up, we all got our guilty pleasures.
But really ''Night moves'' was inspired by Springsteen ''Jungleland'' which I think is pretty easy to see and it made it all the way to number four on the top forty chart. Fucking finally and well deserved. My friends and I use the ''don't Night moves me'' quote from Supernatural all the time though. Try having your laptop open on the desk, skype running (wait am I getting old, is zoom what's cool now?) your friend like ''I'll be right back'', he disappears for thirty plus minutes and in that time you get a bit frisky with your ''better half'' on the sofa…well…it's not like he'd come back and go ''yuck, can't you guys keep it in your pants for five minutes'' no no, what he would do is play ''Night moves'' laughing hysterically. ''Don't Night moves me bitch.'' My life really IS a Bob Seger song.
I'm not even going to comment on ''The fire down below'' or ''Come to Poppa''. Cheeky. Reminds me of ''She goes down'' by Motley Crue. Not music vise, just ''message'' vise and between you and I? He would not have to ask me twice. Listen it's that long hair. My friend already diagnosed me that my type is ''tall, dark, long haired and ''stabby'' '' literally she said stabby. Lol. That has nothing absolutelly to do with my love for knives, Bucky Barnes and / or Diego Hargreeves.
The best song on this album is obviously ''Mainstreet''. Maybe not so much the story behind the lyrics ''I used her, she used me, but neither cared, we were getting our share''. I mean I'm not sure a crappy relationship or a hooker type thing? Either way rather tragic if that's the highlight of your life, teenage using eachother type relationships. The bridge of the song was cut in radio plays which I find just proposterous but that's a story for another time. Let me just say that these radio edits are about as stupid as censoring that Poison album cover. It's a tongue people not a penis. The lyrics though are literally about ''Ann Street'' in his childhood hometown Ann Arbor in Michigan.
I think that the album as a whole may be one of the best albums out there in the time period (1976 / unrelated but holy shit I have so many albums so much older than me lol) because and I will quote someone right now (unfortunally I don't know who though) who said that this album is brilliant because ''it's a wonderful chronicle of the time when innocence became experiences and the child became the adult''. Beautiful description and so very true. The songs are written so well, they tell a story and they flow together perfectly. I guess they tell the story on what it was like to be a young adult in the midwest in the 70's. I wasn't there then but that's what I imagine it was like. A Bob Seger song.
It's pretty obvious that Bob was influenced by Springsteen, apart from his words you can hear it. This was about the same time as ''Born to run'' came out (1975) and it turned the rock and roll world completely upside down, it was different it was new, they had Clarence. Who didn't feel inspired by Bruce I wonder. He was and is to this day an amazing musician. (seriously piss off Jeep). But I think the biggest difference between the two may be that Bob's music / vocals are a bit rougher while the Boss a perfectionist and all is far more polished. The production alone is completely different. Of course if they were completely alike one would call that a copy cat and move on. And if I'd had to point out another song on Night moves than for sure ''Sunburts'' which just might be the best sorta screaming bluesy vocals that sound way too angry and yet subtle and passionate enough to be right on that edge of maybe being a ballad song, it's something else that song.
I think what later won the people over with this album is this blend of Springsteeny roots, rough bluesy rock n roll and badass attitude of the record. It was about time too, he would deserve success much sooner with that raspy yet powerful voice which reminds me of whiskey flavour and this smooth warmth like a cat fur feels when a cat is laying on the sun. I know I'm crazy but that's what I think about when thinking of that voice. And songs that were about love, women, blue collar hard working people? Who doesn't prefer that over ''bitches'' and ''dolla dolla bills''. Just saying.
Unfortunally if you wanna hop on this train you're a bit too late, Bob was on a farewell tour in 2019 and I believe that his concert in Philadelphia on November 1st may very well be the last one. I doubt this is a Motley Crue situation. While we're at it do you know how angry this no concerts thing is making me in this aspect as well? All my favourite musicians are people of ''a certain age'', Corona took a year of touring from them, younger bands wont feel it but someone like the Stones will and we were literally robbed of so much it makes my heart hurt.
Right so to wrap up this babbling I'm sure you're just dying for this post to end already, if y'all are curious, wanna get into Seger or just give it a try then start with ''Night moves'' because it is the best album and then move on to the rest if you end up liking it.
Enjoy the weekend, I'll be buried under about 40 sketches that I want to finish in the following week. Crazy is crazy I know. Cheers guys!
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