Bob Seger is one of the most enduringly popular acts of the classic rock era. A prime exemplar of the adage, \u201cit takes years to become an overnight success,\u201d Seger truly burst onto the scene with 1976\u2019s Night Moves, a critical and commercial smash that eventually earned 6X Platinum status (six million units sold in the U.S.). Subsequent releases built upon that success.<\/p>\n
But Night Moves<\/em> wasn\u2019t Seger\u2019s debut; far from it. In fact it was the ninth album from the Detroit rocker. Over the course of his career (which concluded with his 2019 retirement) Seger has sold in excess of 75 million records worldwide, placing him just outside a ranking of the top 100 artists worldwide in terms of sales.<\/p>\n Remarkably, five of his first seven albums have been out of print for 30 years or more. (One is the great Seven<\/em>, released in 50 years ago in March 1974.) While those albums never achieved the sales figures of his later releases, they\u2019re filled with great songs and rock-solid performances. Here, then, are five Bob Seger rarities from his early years. (All titles are credited to Bob Seger except where indicated.)<\/p>\n \u201cNoah\u201d from Noah<\/em> by The Bob Seger System (1969)<\/strong>
\nThis sturdy, singalong tune was one of only a few on the second album by The Bob Seger System that actually featured lead vocals and songwriting by Seger. Saxophone features prominently in the arrangement. As is the case with most of his pre-Silver Bullet Band era releases, Seger goes to significant effort to avoid any association with this record.<\/p>\n