Bob Seger grew up in Detroit and played in a local band called Last Heard. In 1966 he recorded some solo material, and several tracks received good critical notice and/or became hits on regional radio, including Heavy Music (1966), 2+2=? (1968) and Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man (1968).
After four LPs and many, many Mid-Western gigs, Seger quit music in 1969 and went to college. By 1971 he was on the road again, with the same results: critical praise, regional hits but no national success.
Back In ’72 (1973) contained future classics Turn The Page and Rosalie – written about one Rosalie Trombley (a supremely powerful Top 40 radio programmer for CKLW in the US) and later recorded brilliantly by Thin Lizzy.
Seger formed a permanent backing group, the Silver Bullet Band, and produced Beautiful Loser – but national success still eluded him.
Seger decided to try the approach taken successfully by Peter Frampton and use a live LP to sell his sound rather than a collection of old hits. Live Bullet proved to be key, and Bob Seger found himself an “overnight success” after 12 years of effort . . .
He quickly followed this up with Night Moves and both albums hit the US charts. Night Moves went platinum. The follow-up, Stranger In Town, went triple platinum.
Against The Wind went to #1 in the US Album charts, but seemed to suffer from platinum overdosage. Seger sensed this and offered another live set, Nine Tonight.
While Like A Rock (1986) also achieved platinum status, Seger was becoming rock music’s most renowned recluse. Apart from the single Shakedown (1987), which was featured in Beverly Hills Cop II, Seger was nowhere to be seen (or heard).
He returned to the studio in 1991 for The Fire Inside, which also led to the re-formation of the Silver Bullet Band.
