DR. FEELGOOD
‘GET RHYTHM: THE BEST OF DR. FEELGOOD 1984 – 1987’
Release date: 7th October / SALVOMDCD38
including the two Stiff Records albums, ‘Brilleaux’ and ‘Classic’
and ‘Hunting Shooting Fishing’
and band confidant Will Birch
The most enduring band to emerge from the UK’s much touted pub-rock scene from the early to mid-seventies, Dr. Feelgood were the ultimate working band. Throughout their entire career, the band never left simple, hard-driving rock & roll behind, and their devotion to blues and R&B earned them a devoted fan base. From their formation in 1971 to lead vocalist Lee Brilleaux's untimely death in 1994, the band never left the road, and continue to perform today.
Get Rhythm: The Best of Dr. Feelgood 1984 – 1987 (released 7th October on Salvo Records) is a 44-track authoritative exploration on the third phase of the Dr. Feelgood story. Drawing on the best of that era, this fine collection also includes a 28-page booklet featuring rare photos and memorabilia plus sleevenotes by producer/songwriter and band confidant Will Birch.
In 1983 Lee Brilleaux recruited a new Dr. Feelgood line-up: Gordon Russell on guitar, Phil Mitchell on bass and Kevin Morris on drums. Hard-driving, visceral rhythm & blues was, naturally, their stock-in trade and over the next half a dozen years they toured widely and recorded four albums (‘Doctor’s Orders’, ‘Mad Man Blues’, ‘Brilleaux’ and ‘Classic’), the latter two, both featured here in their entirety, on the celebrated Stiff label.
Produced by Mike Vernon and released in 1984, ‘Doctors Orders’ comprised a number of R&B and blues chestnuts, complemented by original songs, two of which were penned by the band with help from long-standing friend Larry Wallis.
The next album - or 'mini-album' - was the band-produced ‘Mad Man Blues’, a tribute to six great R&B classics including the titular John Lee Hooker number for which Brilleaux sang through his guitar amp. ‘Mad Man Blues’ was eventually expanded to full album length and included here are the original six tracks plus ‘Can't Find The Lady’ by the aforementioned Wallis and the hard-to-find studio version of ‘Don't Start Me Talking’.
Signing with Stiff, a label that the Feelgoods singer had help to finance ten years earlier, the group issued the ‘Brilleaux’ and ‘Classic’ albums in 1986 and 1987 respectively. The former, produced by Will Birch, includes strong versions of Johnny Cash's ‘Get Rhythm’, John Hiatt's ‘I'm A Real Man’, Bobby Charles' ‘Grow Too Old’ and The Undertones' ‘You['ve] Got My Number’. The latter was made with producer Pip Williams and also includes some interesting covers - including Bob Dylan's ‘Highway 61 [Revisited]’ and Jerry Lynn Williams' blues ballad ‘(I Wanna) Make Love To You’. Special mention must also be made of the non-album single, ‘See You Later Alligator’, produced by Dave Edmunds and a notable hit in Europe and Australia.
Catch Dr. Feelgood at the following UK venues:
13.09.2013 GLASGOW King Tuts
14.09.2013 GATESHEAD The Sage
15.09.2013 LOWESTOFT Blues Fest@Pakefield H. Park
26.09.2013 BOREHAMWOOD Ark Theatre
29.09.2013 BOGNOR REGIS Butlins Sound of 70s weekend
11.10.2013 HASTINGS White Rock Theatre
12.10.2013 IPSWICH Jerwood Dancehouse
22.10.2013 SWANSEA The Grand Theatre
24.10.2013 YORK
25.10.2013 CLAPHAM The Grand
26.10.2013 NORWICH The Epic
30.10.2013 LONDON Royal Albert Hall - The Blues Vault
07.11.2013 WAKEFIELD The Town Hall
08.11.2013 CANVEY ISLAND Dr Feelgood weekend
09.11.2013 CANVEY ISLAND Dr Feelgood weekend
10.11.2013 HAILSHAM Pavilion
28.11.2013 WOLVERHAMPTON The Slade Rooms
29.11.2013 BARROW IN FURNESS Forum 28
30.11.2013 GREENFIELD Friezland Hall
01.12.2013 GREEN FIELD Friezland Hall
05.12.2013 NEWCASTLE The Cluny
06.12.2013 CAMBRIDGE The Junction
07.12.2013 WHITTINGTON Whittington Hall
14.12.2013 LUTON
18.12.2013 LLANDUDNO Junction Labour Club
19.12.2013 SALTBURN The Spa Hotel
20.12.2013 DERBY
21.12.2013 HULLBRIDGE The Touchline
More info: www.drfeelgood.org
CD Purchase link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Rhythm-Best-Feelgood-1984-87/dp/B00EKJQKJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382024086&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+feelgood+cd
