Search - Dr Feelgood :: Stupidity

Irresistable!

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 07/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dr Feelgood was at their best playing live, and even though most of these live versions stick close to the originals, they are played with so much energy and nerve, making this one of the very best Dr Feelgood albums.



Now, live recordings often suffer from a slightly "airy" sound...particularly the drums, which never seem to have the punch of a good studio cut. But on these 28-year-old recordings Dr Feelgood and co-producer Vic Maile have somehow captured the biggest drum sound I have ever heard on a live album - on "Roxette" and "I'm A Hog For You Baby" in particular, the imposing John Martin, "The Big Figure", lays down a thundering beat.



This is down and dirty R&B with crunchy stop-and-go guitar riffs. Lee Brilleaux' vocals sound even more rough and gravelly than usual, and his harp playing is sharp as shards of broken glass. The performance of the band gels perfectly, and on "Stupidity" the Feelgoods actually managed to capture the ferocious power of their live shows.



"Stupidity" is some of the best and juiciest rock n' roll you're ever likely to hear. Why the Feelgoods never made in the US is beyond me.

4 1/2 stars - highly recommended."

A let down from the LP sound

William P. Davis | So. Lake Tahoe, CA United States | 02/25/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First off, buy Dr. Feelgood. What a fine Rock and Roll band. Perhaps, no better. The sound on this CD is too thin. Maybe I'm used to the vinyl issue. Might be I'm the wrong guy reviewing this, as I regard Dr. Feelgood to be as important as Little Richard and Chuck Berry. I've seen them all, and Dr.Feelgood stands with them all. I'd suggest "Down By The Jetty" and "Be Seeing You"."

Stupidly good

S J Buck | Kent, UK | 10/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This fabulous live album went to no.1 in the UK album charts in 1976, which is quite remarkable if you think back to that era. Glam and Progessive Rock had happened and disco & Punk/new wave were about to be huge. So it makes no sense that a rhythm & blues band album should get to no.1.



Listen to the album though and you begin to understand why Feelgood were so successful. Its a straightahead R&B album (in the old sense) with an un-schooled and English 'lads night out on the town' feel to it. Yes they certainly were influenced by Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry etc but they brought something new the material, and of course wrote some classics themselves. 'She Does It Right' remains my favourite original with Lee Brilleaux belting out the vocals and Wilko Johnson playing incendiary guitar. Of the covers I'd pick their version of 'Riot on Cell Block No. 9'. The atmosphere on this track captures the live feel brilliantly.



Another aspect of Dr Feelgoods success was the visual element. 30 years later its easy to forget the stage presence these guys had. Remember Wilko on tram-lines skating across the stage! Its a shame they didn't film any of these shows from 1975. You can catch film of them performing on the BBC Old Grey Whistle Test DVD, which is pretty good.



The CD runs to 47mins, has 15 tracks, with some interesting sleeve notes about the background to their success during the mid 70's.

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