| Artist | George Thorogood & The Destroyers |
|---|---|
| Album | Maverick |
| Released | 1985 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:33 |
| Label | EMI America |
| Writer | George Thorogood |
| Producer | Terry Manning |
| Prev year | 1983 |
| Year | 1985 |
| Next year | 1985 |
"Gear Jammer" is a rock song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released on their 1985 album Maverick by EMI America Records.[1] It was written by George Thorogood.[2] The song is often considered one of their best, and is often played live.
Writing and recording
Gear Jammer started out as an instrumental jam session, both Terry Manning[3] and the Destroyers liked the song, so Thorogood came up with the lyrics for it.[4] Thorogood later said that "Gear jammer is a slang term for a trucker, and it had a kind of cool vibe about it. I started putting some words together in my head, and I came up with the riff at the start."[5]
Thorogood said the title "Gear Jammer" came from a Johnny Cash song.[4]
Release
Gear Jammer was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album Maverick,[6] as a 12-inch single.[7] The song debuted at No. 46,[8] and peaked at No. 26 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[9][10] The song was included on several live and compilation albums.[11]
Critical reception
Gear Jammer was received positively by critics. Tim Peacock of uDiscover Music described the song as a "tour de force truck drivin’ anthem".[12] Fidel Bessera of Blues Rock Review calls the song a "hard-hitting bluesy rocker".[13]
Personnel
- George Thorogood – vocals, guitar
- Billy Blough – bass guitar
- Jeff Simon – drums
- Hank Carter – saxophone
Chart performance
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[9] | 26 |
References
- ^ Viglione, Joe. "Maverick Review by Joe Viglione". AllMusic
- ^ uDiscover Team (March 8, 2020). "George Thorogood – Prodigiously-Talented Boogie Blues Guitarist". uDiscover Music
- ^ Bosso, Joe (March 4, 2014). "George Thorogood runs down his 11 greatest hits". MusicRadar. p. 5.
- ^ Wardlaw, Matt (April 13, 2022). "The Story Behind George Thorogood’s Slow-Developing ‘Bad to the Bone’". Ultimate Classic Rock
- ^ McStea, Mark (December 16, 2022). "George Thorogood’s Top Five Career-Defining Destroyers Tracks". Guitar Player
- ^ "Maverick Thorogood LP released by EMI America". RPM. Vol. 41. February 23, 1985. p. 7. – via World Radio History.
- ^ "The Gavin Report – January 11, 1985". The Gavin Report. January 11, 1985. p. 27. – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Billboard Volume 97 No. 3". Billboard. January 19, 1985. p. 18. – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Billboard Volume 97 No. 5". Billboard. February 2, 1985. p. 24. – via World Radio History.
- ^ "George Thorogood Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "Gear Jammer – George Thorogood | AllMusic". AllMusic
- ^ Peacock, Tim (February 25, 2022). "New George Thorogood Collection, ‘The Original George Thorogood’ Due In April". uDiscover Music
- ^ Beserra, Fidel (June 24, 2021). "Top 10 George Thorogood Songs". Blues Rock Review