Detroit Classic Rock Radio: A Plea For Sanity

Wed, 12/19/2007 - 6:49pm by John J. Madonna

If you asked me six years ago if I liked Bob Seger, I’d’ve said, “I don’t know who that is.” If you asked me four years ago if I liked Bob Seger I’d’ve say, “Yeah, he’s okay. I got Stranger In Town for fifty cents; it was worth it.” If you asked me right now if I liked Bob Seger, I’d say, “Are you kidding? Every disc jockey in Detroit spends their days fawning over him, his “musical influence,” and playing ev'ry cut off of Live Bullet! Just because he’s from Michigan, I have to love him? No, thank you.” Then I’d probably find a cardboard cutout of Bob Seger, just so I could punch it in the face. I routinely bring three wherever I go. You got to have backups.

Part of me will always be a snotty teenager that will, when too many folk pour adorations on something, automatically hate it more and more. I do not set out to tarnish the good Bob Seger name. Fact is, he made some good records. Springing out of the lively late 60s/early 70s Detroit rock scene, he helped establish Michigan as a great Rock and Roll state… though we might've got more help from Peter Wolf, Magic Dick, J. Geils, and everyone else in… oh, man I am completely spacing on their band’s name. And Bob Seger can proudly boast he had the perseverance to do what few else have done: achieve mainstream success at age 30.

That being said… being from Michigan does not magically make his records any better. “Old Time Rock and Roll” is not a brilliant song. In fact, the more I hear it, the more I doubt if it’s even a good song. His ballads can tend on mushy; his blue-eyed soul can tend to whitewashed soul; and “Turn The Page?” More like “Turn Off The Radio.” Am I right? Am I right? I’m right.

Detroit radio, and I'm looking at you CSX, give Bob Seger his due. No more, though. It does the man no good trying to make him out as better than he was. Thank you and good night.