Hack. With big biceps.

Hack, and his manager fucked my girlfriend in the 80s. This may cloud my judgement.

Whiteboy blues. Too much Heat, not enough Hooker. Too much noise, not enough soul. That's just to say that he's not to my taste, though, and doesn't help much with questions of authenticity.

Authenticity is more important to some folks than others (many of those folks are blues fans), and standards definitely vary. But given the kind of music that Thorogood plays, and given that his first album came out in 1974, I think it's safe to say that there are standards of blues authenticity which Thorogood will never meet. He spent years playing in crappy bars, though, for what that's worth.

From Wikipedia: George and the Delaware Destroyers were friends with Jimmy Thackery and the Nighthawks. While touring in the 1970s, the Destroyers and the Nighthawks happened to be playing shows in Georgetown (DC) at venues across the street from each other. The Destroyers were engaged at The Cellar Door, the Nighthawks at Desperados. At midnight, by prior arrangement, while both bands played the same song ("Madison Blues") in the same key (E), George and Jimmy left their clubs, met in the middle of M street, exchanged guitar cables and went on to play with each other's bands.

That's pretty awesome, and not just because The Nighthawks appeared in The Wire.

Sad to the bone.

George Thorogood? Genuine Real Deal Bluesman or Painful Hack?

Neither. Good natured (and occasionally inspired) bar-band blues rock. Nothing earthshaking, but fun. And he's better on his originals than his covers, although his version of Amos Milburn's 'One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer' is always fun.

I never liked him till I saw him open for BB King once, and he kicked ass. I have to give him that.

He's just as legitimate as Eric Clapton.

Both. Obviously following in the footsteps of blues greats, but doing his own thing, apparently well enough to make a decent living at it.

One more: too much Electric, not enough Mud.

one more, more: too much Electric, not enough Marmoset.

I like him, always have. It's not "serious" music to me, but I like that kind of stuff, anyway. The first song I heard after my first son was born was "Bad to the Bone". (It was playing on the hospital muzak)

Whatever charms and chops he has/had, have been lost through the horrible curse that has undone many an undeserving rock band: Classic Rock Radio. May God lift that endless misery from this land, that those who have ears may at last have peace, and may God have mercy on his soul.

I'm sorry, I really have no idea what the previous comment was about. Although I really do hate the concept and the execution of what passes for commercial rock radio these days.

Hey, he's not a real deal bluesman, but what jonmc and BP said. He can put on a house-rocking show with blues-based rock, and whether or not he's particularly authentic (a concept I don't buy anyway; he IS as authentic as Clapton, and for that matter, as authentic as any bluesman looking to make a living). What's more, he knows his blues - his covers are really good choices. He has sooo much fun with "One Bourbon..." and really fleshes out the rent-problem situation enough to create real, full characters out of a simpler talking blues. His cover of John Hardy is also awesome - he made me love that song. His Who Do Ya Love is beautifully growled and aggressive. He's had a 30+-year career keeping houses full of people on their feet.

I know Move it On Over and Bad to the Bone are played out, but you gotta look beyond that to see a real, skilled, kick-ass working musician with chops and knowledge who can make people get out of their seats and dance. Also from Wikipedia:

After two shows in Boulder, Colorado, George and his band flew to Hawaii and played for only one night. The next night they appeared in Alaska for one show. The following day the band flew to Washington State, met their roadies who had their Checker car and a truck, and continued a one show per state tour for all fifty states in exactly fifty nights.

Yep - that takes chops and enjoyment of what you do. Their website bills the band as "The World's Greatest Bar Band," and if you consider them as what they are, they are the best. No hack could last this long, work this hard, and still fill the house.

whether or not he's particularly authentic ...

and whether or not you finish your sentences or lose track of your parenthetical clauses, he's a solid artist who has reason to be proud of his career.

He has his place and holds it well. It's not often I am in the mood for George, but I do have an album and listen to it occasionally, which is more then I can say about 47 of the current top 50 artists on billboard.

George Thorogood? Genuine Real Deal Bluesman or Painful Hack?

Black and White, meet Grey Area.

Grey Area, meet Black and White.

People have a funny idea of what blues is.

George Thorogood can turn a crowd on. What the fuck else do you need? A certificate?

He's just as legitimate as Eric Clapton.

Exactly. For all that that entails.