100 reasons this is the best rock and roll photo ever taken

[Jake]

©1970 & 2009 Pat Appleson Studios, Inc. - http://www.appleson.com All Rights Reserved, Used by Permission

Hey guys, I need your help coming up with the 100 reasons why this photo of the Bob Seger System (bigger version here) is the greatest photo in the world.

1. The bass player's mustache.
2. The drum set-up: six (count 'em!) kick drums.
3. Seger's pants.
4. The fact that Seger's guitar strap matches those pants.
5. The absolutely blissed out look on the drummer's face.
6. Are they playing on the top floor of a barn?
7. The custom paint job on Seeg's guitar.
7. That's the same guitar he played when he looked like this.
8. Drummer's wearing a dog collar.
9. That sheet covering the piano (or is it the PA?) has little pink flowers on it.
10. Seger's brown wifebeater.
11. Seriously, look at that drum concoction over the drummer's head. Have you ever seen anything like that? Even Tommy Lee never dreamed up anything as insane as that.
12. The bass player might actually be Lester Bangs. Or my dad. Wait a minute. Is Lester Bangs my dad?
13. There's black mold growing on the inside of those kick drums up front.
14. Or did they just not have enough gold spray paint to reach the back of those drums?
15. No, I'm pretty sure that's mold.
16. Where are the amps?
17. The drums aren't miked at all? You know why? They're playing upstairs in a tiny room.


Okay, your turn. Help me out. I'm pretty sure we can get to 100, or at least pretty close. Be sure to number your responses so we know how far we have to go...

[D. Phillips]

18. Seger's filthy fucking shoes
19. I am pretty sure those pants are in Joshua's basement (inside joke, I know, but I think they are)
20. Bass player-Lester Bangs-Jake's Dad may in fact be asleep
21. Curly guitar chord dangling from Seeg's guitar. What happened to those?
22. Seeg's face is distorted in a way that people surely thought it would remain that way forever
23. Even the hardware on that kit looks to be painted gold--must have been a bitch to break down after shows
24. Strange kick drum contraption doubles as heating ducts, giving us a peak into the drums future as a HVAC tech
25. Looks to be a Fender Rhodes 77 "Suitcase" piano on that sheet. I can tell you from experience that those things are anything but "portable"

[Sugarcubes Forever]

26. Dog collar on the drummer mixes so so many genres. Is that punk? Metal? Bondage? Or just functional?

27. Peace symbols on the bass guitar pay homage to the end of flower power and the dawn of Motor City stink!

[Joshua]

28. Bass player (who also looks scarily like my dad) is clearly tripping balls.

29. Mic stands bent by Bob himself from rods of cold-forged steel with rock and brawn.

30. Clearly they're in a room smaller and more cottage-like than Harvey's, but they're rocking the shit out of it like it's motherfucking Cobo Hall.

And yes, I should go find those pants... they've got to be around somewhere!

[Jake]

31. Turns out the photo is from Mount Holly Ski Lodge just north of Pontiac, Michigan, 1970.
32. Left to Right: Dan Honaker on Bass, Pep Perine on Drums and Bob Seger.
33. Photo taken by WWOK AM/FM Radio Personality Pat Appleson.
34. Here's another shot from the same show: http://www.appleson.com/Dave%20Carson%2 ... 0pat74.jpg

[Guest]

35. This band is 2,026 times better than any band currently playing the Ski Lodge circuit and regaling you with Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band covers.
36. Now imagine Seeg hitting the slopes after his set in those pants
37. The band was likely paid with all-you-can-eat hot dogs, Vernors and half-day lift tickets
38. Seeg changed out of his moon boots and into those filthy fucking shoes (see #18) for this set

[Anita E.]

39. If you didn't tell me, I would have NO FUCKING CLUE that is Bob Seger, and I love his music!
40. Seriously, those pants are the shit. Flare leg AND floods? Awesome.
41. Who knew that Bob Seger invented the "white man's overbite" whilst jamming out, long before it was used to describe a horrible dance move?

[Jake]

From Stephen Macaulay:

42. Because Pep Perrine could play heavy music on 55-gallon drums
43. Because Bob Seger was still playing music back then that wouldn't be appropriate for EZ-listenin' stations, as is obvious from this photo
44. Because it is evident that this is what rock and roll once really looked like
45. Because it says "Detroit"--down and gritty--in a way that is like a rivet to the forehead
46. Because at some point they're protesting the war in Vietnam
47. Because this was probably taken before back in '72, when the band was still smoking OPs

[sab]

48. I learned to snowboard at Mt. Holly 26 years later.
49. The ceiling is carpeted.
50. Bass player is wearing softball jersey.
51. Do I see actual drool coming out of bass player's mouth.
52. Holly is home to the Michigan Renaissance Festival.
53. Seeger appears to be suffering from Vitamin D deficiency.
54. Clearly high when painted his guitar.

[Jake]

From @tuninginout via Twitter:

55. Anyone who had to lug that drum set upstairs is seriously passionate or crazy - or both.