Road Fever

The song "Road Fever" by Blackfoot, featured on their 1979 album Strikes, captures the relentless energy of life on tour, a theme that resonated deeply with the band’s hard-rocking ethos. In a 2019 interview on Blackfoot’s official website, frontman Rickey Medlocke described the track as a raw reflection of the band’s grueling tour schedule in the late '70s, where they’d play 200+ shows a year, often driving through the night to the next gig. He noted that the song’s driving rhythm and gritty lyrics were inspired by a particularly chaotic stretch of shows across the Southeast, with the band fueled by adrenaline and cheap coffee. Fans on the Blackfoot Fans Facebook group often share stories of hearing "Road Fever" live during the band’s peak, with one fan recalling a 1981 Atlanta show where Medlocke’s guitar solo felt like it “shook the whole damn Fox Theater.”

Another piece of trivia comes from a 1980 radio interview archived on the fan site Swampland, where drummer Jakson Spires revealed that "Road Fever" was one of the first songs recorded for Strikes in Al Nalli’s basement studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The band laid down the track in a single take, capturing the raw, unpolished vibe they wanted. Spires mentioned that the song’s opening riff was something Medlocke had been jamming on during soundchecks, and it clicked instantly with the band. On Blackfoot’s X account, a 2020 post celebrated the song’s enduring appeal, sharing a fan’s comment that “Road Fever” still feels like the perfect anthem for late-night drives.

Blackfoot began in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969, born from a collision of Southern grit and hard rock ambition. Rickey Medlocke, who’d briefly played drums for Lynyrd Skynyrd, teamed up with bassist Greg T. Walker, guitarist Charlie Hargrett, and drummer Jakson Spires to form the band, initially called Fresh Garbage. According to a bio on their Facebook page, the group played local dives like The Comic Book Club, honing a sound that blended Southern rock’s soul with the heavier edge of bands like Deep Purple. Medlocke’s Native American heritage—Lakota Sioux and Blackfoot Indian—shaped the band’s identity, leading to their name change to Blackfoot by 1972. After years of lineup shifts and relentless gigging, they signed with Atco Records, and their 1979 album Strikes, featuring "Road Fever," went platinum, cementing their place in rock history.

The band’s journey wasn’t without hurdles. A post on Blackfoot’s Instagram reflects on how they struggled through the early '70s, with Medlocke and Walker briefly joining Lynyrd Skynyrd before reforming Blackfoot. Their persistence paid off with Strikes, produced by Al Nalli and Henry Weck, which showcased their ability to craft both blistering rockers and soulful ballads. Fans on the Blackfoot Fans Facebook group often cite the band’s Native American pride and blue-collar work ethic as key to their appeal, with one user calling them “the hardest-working band in Southern rock.”

For more on Blackfoot, check out their official website for tour updates and merch. Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest news and throwback posts. Fans can dive deeper at the Swampland fan site or join discussions in the Blackfoot Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can share their love for "Road Fever" and beyond.