Bob Seger Greatest Hits CD

Detroit has produced more than its share of great music: from jazz stars like Hank, Thad & Elvin Jones; to the Motown stable of vocal artists, and legendary rhythm players Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson. Not to mention a whole lot of hard funk and primal metal, everyone from Funkadelic and Ted Nugent, to Iggy & The Stooges and the MC5--hard driving, rugged rock and roll. Put it all together with a touch of pop, and a lot of soul, and you've got Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band.

It's easy to divine Seger's influence on the music of Bruce Springsteen, and draw parallels with the vocal style of Van Morrison. The epic themes of Seger's characters on "Night Moves" certainly parallel those of the folk heroes who populate Springsteen songs (though he began developing his menagerie a good decade before the Boss). The chant-like, testifying cadences of Seger's blowtorch voice, and his predilection for gospelish motifs, puts one in mind of the mighty Celt's visionary flights.

And as the fine GREATEST HITS makes clear, Bob Seger's influence on contemporary roots music is enormous. A song such as "Like A Rock" practically defines a roots approach to power pop, while "Old Time Rock & Roll" finds Seger in an upbeat, Little Richard mode. Celebrations notwithstanding, "Still The Same" and "Turn The Page" are dark, unstinting unsentimental looks at the underbelly of the showbiz animal and the road.

Includes liner notes by Bob Seger.

Engineers include: Shelly Yakus, Brian Christian, Jim Bruzzese.

Personnel: Bob Seger (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, electric piano, synthesizer, background vocals); Drew Abbott (guitar, electric guitar); Rick Vito (guitar, slide guitar); Ken Bell, Waddy Wachtel (guitar); Dawayne Bailey, Steve Lukather (acoustic guitar); Joe Miquelon (electric guitar); Crystal Taliefero, Jimmy Romeo, Alto Reed (saxophone); Bill Payne (piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer); Craig Frost, Doug Riley (piano, organ); Randy McCormick, Roy Bittan (piano); Jai Winding (organ); Barry Beckett (keyboards); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Roger Hawkins, Russ Kunkel, David Teegarden (drums, percussion); Charlie Allen Martin (drums); Sam Clayton, Bobbye Hall (percussion); Clydie King, Luther Waters, Donny Gerrard, Julie Waters, Rhonda Silver, Glenn Frey, Ginger Blake, Stanley Carter, Izora Armstead, Douglas Kibble, Linda Dillard, Laurel Ward, Laura Creamer, Martha Wash, Rosemary Butler, Shaun Murphy, Venetta Fields, Shirley Matthews (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Ed Cherney; Greg Edward; Jim Bruzzese; John Arrias; Bill Szymczyk; Bob Seger.

Recording information: A & M Studios, Hollywood, California; Ambience Recordings, Farmington Hills, Michigan; Bayshore Studios, Coconut Grove, Florida; Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, California; Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI; Criteria Studios, Mia; Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Sheffield, AL; Nimbus Nine Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Studio 55, Hollywood, CA; Woodland Digital Sutdios, Nashville, Tennessee.

Photographer: Brad Stanley.

Personnel includes: Bob Seger (vocals, guitar, piano); Glen Frey (vocals); Joe Miquelon (electric guitar); Steve Lukather, Waddy Wachtel, Drew Abbott (guitar); Rick Vito (slide guitar); Alto Reed (saxophone); Roy Bittan (piano); Bill Payne (piano, organ, synthesizer); Doug Riley (piano, organ); Robyn Robbins (Mellotron, organ); Craig Frost (organ); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Chris Campbell, Bob Glaub (bass); Russ Kunkel, Charlie Allen Martin, David Teegarden (drums, percussion).

Producers include: Jimmy Iovine, Jack Richardson, Bob Seger, Punch, Bill Szymczyk.

Spin (1/95, p.75) - Highly Recommended - "...the '70s were the decade in which Springsteen got the plaudits and the column inches, but the sales and the radio belonged to Bob Seger..."
Entertainment Weekly (11/18/94, p.108) - "...this plucks six blue-collar anthems from his late-'70s NIGHT MOVES and STRANGER IN TOWN albums, then sifts through his...'80s adult power-ballad backlist..." - Rating: B+