I just got my copy of the first Bob Seger System album

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but I can't listen to it until I get home (3 hrs from now). In the meantime prepare me for my initiatorty hearing of this reputed "lost classic" and tell me what I should listen for, etc.

(I also got Ornette's "This is Our Music" so tell me about that too if you like)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

c'mon chuck, don't leave me hanging!

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 20:42 (twenty-one years ago)

hehe - well of course the real best early stuff is on all those pre-LP singles he did. But yeah the first album is probably the best of the early LPs. I mean, it's certainly better than Noah and Brand New Morning and Smoking O.P.s. Maybe not better than Mongrel or Back in '72, actually. But it's good. You'll know the title track of course; then "2+2=?", "Tales of Lucy Blue" and "White Wall" are recommended cuts.

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know a single song on this album, never heard a note from it. But several different people whose opinions I respect (ie, not chuck eddy) recommended this to me and after reading up about him it sounds like my kinda thing. I did get "Smokin OPs" recently and really liked a coule of the tunes on it ("Bo Diddley" and "Heavy Music"), the rest is kinda eh.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

It's the best of the bunch. I really like Mongrel too though.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

if I like it I'll hunt down Mongrel fr shure. Had to go through Gemm to find this tho, and much as I'd like to hear those early 45s that shit is not cheap. (which means I'll probly never hear em)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 10 August 2004 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

7 Nation Army by The White Stripes was insp. by 2+2= on this LP. 2+2= is great - impassioned & confused working class howl 'gainst Vietnam. (The 7" has got a diff. mix so check hat also).

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Back in 72 is good, eh? Dang. Passed up a reasonably priced vinyl copy of that a few months ago.

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Back in '72 is good, yeah. It's got the song "Rosalie" that Thin Lizzy covered. And the title song is real good. And some other stuff. It's pretty hard to find, too - if you see it you should pick it up; even if you don't like it you could turn around and flog it on eBay. Mongrel is great cuz it has "Lucifer" on it.

I'll bet you may recognize "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" when you hear it, Shakey. It's got a real tough drum intro.

― Monetizing Eyeballs (diamond), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Really, really good record for the most part. "2+2=?" is electrifrying (possibly his best ever), title cut is stompin' white-soul, and the two extended acid-rock workouts even remind me of Can for some strange reason! ("Black Eyed Girl" wouldn't sound out of place on Tago Mago. The rest is more conventional, fair-to-great hard rockers and a few mellow ones. Bob's voice is great and, surprisingly, so's his guitar. (The Bob Seger System being basically a power trio.)

For a more in-depth review, check this out:
http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/reviews/index.php?review_id=285

[Incidentally, I like that site a lot and visit this "unsung" section several times a week.]

Finally, some time in the near future I'll be signing up with Soulseek, and then all that hard-to-find 1966-'73 Seger stuff will be available. Just imagine how much money those jerks at Capitol Records and Seger himself are depriving themselves of by not rereleasing this stuff properly! I mean, I own all this stuff already, and still I'd happily pay to have 'em all collected in one place.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 07:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I just read about a band from Detroit called the Seger Liberation Army that does covers of the 60's stuff. Anyone hear them?

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Dirtbombs/Jim Diamond side project thingy.... They've got a new cover of Seven Nation er I mean 2+2=?. I heard the first 7". It was fun.

http://www.bigneckrecords.com/SLA.htm

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)

well after multiple listens last night I must say I was not disappointed. I had to play "2+2=" for several people. That's my kinda song, one hypnotic riff played over and over and over.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 11 August 2004 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I honestly dunno why Seger doesn't file a lawsuit for "7 Nation Army."

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 19:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Prolly cause he ripped it off from some even-more-unsung bar band.

― nickn (nickn), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

As far as repetitive blues riffs go, charges of outright plagiarism seems sorta misplaced to me. Plus the WS riff *is* a bit different and the song is at a slower tempo with a different vocal melody and song structure, etc. 7 Nation Army actually has *more* changes than 2+2 =.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 11 August 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Eh... he knew what he was doing.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, I don't doubt that a bit. It sounds like White wrote 7 Nation Army with 2+2= in mind and tried to paper over the similarities with some slight variations (I think he succeeded - I mean, I like both songs).

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 11 August 2004 20:49 (twenty-one years ago)

White did write 7 Nation directly inspired by 2+2= but it's not a straight enough copy to be a rip off... After the beginings they go two different ways.

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

has White discussed this in public or something...? One key difference is that 2+2= has that awesome 2-bars-of-silence break in the middle (none of that in 7 Nation Army)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 11 August 2004 21:35 (twenty-one years ago)

is 7 Nation Army some joke about the "coalition of the willing"?

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 11 August 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

nah, jack white's a pepper and he's talking trash about 7up

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

The 7 inch and the LP vers. have different 2 bars of silence... The 7 inch has additional gtr over the silence and end section.

When I was in Detroit I thought that I'd find every good Bob Seger 7" for pennies but only managed to get 2+2=. Got the most excellent Lucifer 7" at a record fair for a couple of quid the other day tho'. Bob stuff tends to be really cheap in the UK when it shows up cuz not only do people not know the good stuff but they don't know the bad stuff either.

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Wednesday, 11 August 2004 22:58 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

I think I like the trippy tunes and ballads as much as the rockers

― Lynco (lync0), Thursday, 3 August 2006 23:58 (nineteen years ago)

I've always had a theory that if Bob had stopped making records or died right after NIGHT MOVES, he would be considered up there with the MC 5 and the Stooges. As it is, most folks who remember him like that are those who were there.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Friday, 4 August 2006 01:44 (nineteen years ago)

Anybody know the story of why this old stuff has not been rereleased?

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Friday, 4 August 2006 06:48 (nineteen years ago)

i always figured seger was one of those self-hating early works dudes, like ralf and florian.

― GOD PUNCH TO HAWKWIND (yournullfame), Friday, 4 August 2006 08:47 (nineteen years ago)

It's amazing: the vinyl can be had for $5 or less, but the CDs sell for upwards of $40. One of those times when a record player really pays for itself. I have the vinyl (which I got for $5) but to be honest I've only listened to it once all the way through. It was okay, but the sound quality was kind of muffled, and I just haven't been tempted enough to come back to it. Apart from the novelty of it being Bob Seger and all, I must admit some puzzlement as to the hosannas that have been showered on this one. I'd rather listen to the Nuggets box.

― o. nate (onate), Friday, 4 August 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

The only song I've heard is "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man," and really love that one. I guess I'm fantasizing about the whole album jumping like that.

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Friday, 4 August 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

i once had an in depth conversation about bob seger with a plumber who came to my house to fix my toilet.

― Emily B (Emily B), Saturday, 5 August 2006 04:14 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

BADASS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2aBOTNGWMY

― M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, 27 August 2007 17:55 (eighteen years ago)

sweet!...definitely the era of the Caveman Vest...

― henry s, Monday, 27 August 2007 18:06 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah that was great! I've been listening to Night Moves and the first greatest hits nonstop recently, and some of the earlier records are on the way in the mail, so I'm on a total Seger rush now.

― Euler, Monday, 27 August 2007 18:11 (eighteen years ago)

thanks for the link! that's the best thing i've experienced yet today, and i've been to the eye doctor even.

― dr. phil, Monday, 27 August 2007 18:12 (eighteen years ago)

woah, no guitar!

― fritz, Monday, 27 August 2007 18:20 (eighteen years ago)

he looks so much like buffalo springfield-era neil young in that clip.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, 27 August 2007 18:56 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

BADASS AS WELL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lWVqt8isUA&feature=related

― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 24 October 2009 17:11 (sixteen years ago)

four months pass...

I found a copy of Mongrel about a week ago, very good shape, $6. I'm not sure I'd ever seen a copy before. Really good album, I like it more than Ramblin' Gamblin' myself. The organ surges are insane.

― Mark, Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:44 (sixteen years ago)

I've never seen a copy of "Mongrel." I mean, ever. Lucky man.

― DISASTÜR ZÜN RHINE (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 13 March 2010 03:53 (sixteen years ago)

Weird I see that record all over the place.

― Trip Maker, Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:13 (sixteen years ago)

I might have really bad luck with the early Seger stuff, it took years to find the first one, now I see it practically every week. Someday my Mongrel will come.

― DISASTÜR ZÜN RHINE (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 13 March 2010 14:14 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah, prices on eBay etc. suggest that it is not rare, but for whatever reason I never see it. Maybe I didn't notice it for a long time b/c of the cover.

― Mark, Saturday, 13 March 2010 15:02 (sixteen years ago)

the later reissues are pretty common. they quickly became cut-outs. after bob hit it big they pressed a ton of them. don't think many people bought them though. at the time. (this is true for steve miller too. most of the copies of his early records you see are post-fly like an eagle pressings.)

― scott seward, Saturday, 13 March 2010 15:46 (sixteen years ago)

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