BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND

‘Live’ Bullet (EMI)

Some albums float around the ether and get missed when it comes to writing a review. Then, it’s Sunday night and you’re looking for something you’ve never heard before. Hey presto: it’s time to spin ‘Live’ Bullet. There’s a first time for everything, and this is mine. Recorded in 1975 in Michigan, the album was a classic double album on vinyl and has, semi-recently, been re-released on CD by EMI. Recorded at the Cobo Hall, this edition features one bonus track, I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home.

The set kicks off in grand style with a rollicking cover of Tina Turner’s Nutbush City Limits. It’s like an old-school bootleg. There’s the stage announcer, a lot of energy in the room and a band who obviously built their reputation on the road. Travelin’ Man is next and, for my money, the band excel when they’re rocking. The ballads stall the momentum and, clearly, we’re hearing the album light years after Seger introduced his ‘new’ songs into the set. Highlights include Bo Diddley, Katmandu, Chuck Berry’s Let It Rock and a searing Get Out Of Denver. To his credit, Seger is back on the road. This might be a period piece, but it’s a cool introduction to one of America’s best ‘bar-room’ bands who at the time of this recording were still considered only a regional success. And, that voice… well that’s the real deal.

[rating: 3/5]

Sean Sennett