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1976
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"...Hit Git And Split..."
As a lifelong and frankly
rabid-as-a-dog fan of Dr. Feelgood - I pre-ordered this 4CD-beauty months back
(a musical companion piece to Zoe Howe's November 2015 autobiography of the
same name). Devoted to the Feelgood's legendary frontman - Canvey Island's very
own 'Lee Brilleaux' – I’ll admit that I ripped the shrink-wrap off this uppity
little sucker this morning like a 59-year old given a personal audience with
Gal Gadot in full Wonder Woman regalia.
Yummy I thought - and bugger
me sideways with an Amazonian bow and arrow – but I was right. "Rock 'n'
Roll Gentleman: His Musical Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" is a
Roxette Wind-Up, a Milk and Alcohol, a Nosebleed Sam, a
Racetrack Tony, A Cigarettes and Stockings Pony and a No Mo Do Yakamo - all rolled
into one....
First things first –
content. For sure Discs 1 and 2 are slightly problematical for fans like me who
have already invested in the April 2012 "All Through The City..."
Wilko Johnson Box Set and the July 2013 follow-up Gypie Mayo Box Set
"Taking No Prisoners..." – in that we have these Peter Mew Remasters
already. That doesn't of course mean that newcomers aren't in for the treat of
their lives playing CD1 and 2 – they absolutely are. Lean and mean – the
Feelgoods in full flow between 1975 and 1980 was/is an awesome sonic beast to lay your weary ears on (Discs 1 and 2 concentrate primarily on those years).
But for us old timers that
still leaves upgraded audio versions of songs on Discs 3 and 4 – LPs even the
most die-hard uber fan may not have like 1982's "Fast Women And Slow Horses"
on Chiswick right up to and including the "Down At The Doctors" LP
released on Grand Records the month LB died (April 1994). Even now I find that
he passed aged only '42' deeply saddening and hard to believe. But what a
20-year legacy Lee Brilleaux and his fabulous R&B band of anarchic heroes
left behind. There's a lot to digest so let's get to gentlemanly details...
UK released Friday, 7 July
2017 (14 July 2017 in the USA) - "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman: His Musical
Journey With Dr. Feelgood 1974-1994" by LEE BRILLEAUX on Parlophone
0190295919214 (Barcode 0190295919214) is a 4CD Book Set of Remasters containing
93-Tracks (2 Previously Unreleased) that plays out as follows:
Disc 1 (74:29 minutes):
1. Cheque Book
2. I Don't Mind
3. All Through The City
4. She Does It Right
5. Roxette
6. Keep It Out Of Sight
Tracks 1 to 6 are from their
debut LP "Down At The Jetty" - released January 1975 in the UK on
United Artists UAS 29727 (all tracks recorded in Mono)
7. I Can Tell
8. Rolling And Tumbling
9. Watch Your Step
10. Riot In Cell Block
Number Nine
Tracks 7 to 10 are from
their 2nd studio album "Malpractice" - released November 1975 in the
UK on United Artists UAS 29880 (all tracks in Stereo from here on in)
11. Stupidity (Live)
12. Going Back Home (Live)
13. Back In The Night (Live)
14. I'm A Hog For You Baby
(Live)
15. Checkin' Up On My Baby
(Live)
16. Walking The Dog (Live)
Tracks 11 to 16 are from
their 3rd LP (first live) "Stupidity" - released September 1976 in
the UK on United Artists UAS 29990 (peaked at No. 1 on the UK LP charts)
17. Johnny B Good (Live)
(B-side of the "Free Collector's Single" on United Artists FEEL 1
that came with the first 20,000 copies of "Stupidity")
18. Sneakin' Suspicion
19. Nothin' Shakin' (But The
Leaves On The Tree)
20. Lights Out
21. Lucky Seven
Tracks 18 to 21 are from
their fourth (3rd studio) album "Sneakin' Suspicion" (last with Wilko
Johnson) - released May 1977 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30075
22. Everybody's Carrying A
Gun (Olympic Version) - outtake from the "Sneakin' Suspicion"
sessions first released April 2012 on the "All Through The City..."
Box Set
23. Baby Jane
24. I Thought I Had It Made
Tracks 23 and 24 from their
fifth (4th studio) album "Be Seeing You" - released September 1977 in
the UK on United Artists UAS 30123.
Disc 2 (72:12 minutes):
1. She's A Wind Up
2. The Blues Had A Baby And
They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (No. 2)
3. Looking Back
4. Ninety-Nine And A Half
(Won't Do)
Tracks 1 to 4 from their
fifth (4th studio) album "Be Seeing You" - released September 1977 in
the UK on United Artists UAS 30123.
5. Take A Tip
6. Down At The Doctors
7. Milk And Alcohol
Tracks 5 to 7 are from their
sixth (5th studio) album "Private Practice" - released September 1978
in the UK on United Artists UAS 30184
8. Let's Have A Party (Early
Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
9. As Long As The Price Is
Right (Second Version) - re-recorded version released April 1979 as a UK
7" single on United Artists UP 36506
10. Matchbox (Live)
11. My Buddy Buddy Friends
(Live)
12. The Blues Had A Baby And
They Named It Rock 'n' Roll (No. 2) (Live)
13. Lights Out (Live)
Tracks 11 to 13 are from
their seventh album (2nd live) "As It Happens" - released June 1979
in the UK on United Artists UAK 30239
14. Put Him Out Of Your Mind
15. Hong Kong Money
16. Shotgun
17. Riding On The L&N
18. Feels Good
Tracks 14 to 18 are from
their eight album (sixth studio) "Let It Roll" - released September
1979 in the UK on United Artists UASG 30269
19. Jumping From Love To
Love
20. Best In The World
21. Drives Me Wild
22. No Mo Do Yakamo
23. King For A Day
24. Violent Love
Tracks 19 to 24 are from
their ninth album (seventh studio) "A Case Of The Shakes" - released
September 1980 in the UK on United Artists UAG 30311
Disc 3 (74:07 minutes):
1. Pretty Face (Live)
Track 1 from their tenth
album (3rd live) "On The Job" - released August 1981 in the UK on
Liberty Records LBG 30328
2. Waiting For Saturday
Night
Track 2 is the A-side of a
October 1981 UK 7" single on Liberty Records BP 404. Also featured as a
lone 'new track' on the November 1981 compilation LP of singles called
"Casebook" on Liberty Records LBG 30341
3. Crazy About Girls
4. She's The One
5. Monkey
6. Trying To Live My Life
Without You
7. Sugar Bowl
Tracks 3 to 7 are from their
album "Fast Women And Slow Horses" - released October 1982 in the UK
on Chiswick Records TOSS 4
8. Hit Git And Split
9. You Don't Love Me
10. Neighbour, Neighbour
11. Close But No Cigar
12. I Don't Worry About A
Thing
13. I Can't Be Satisfied
Tracks 8 to 13 are from the
album "Doctors Orders" - released October 1984 in the UK on Demon
Records FIEND 29
14. Dimples
15. Dust My Broom
16. Tore Down
17. Mad Man Blues
18. My Babe
19. Rock Me Baby
Tracks 14 to 19 are from the
album "Mad Man Blues" - released October 1985 in France on Lolita
Records 5042
20. I Love You, So You're
Mine
21. You've Got My Number
22. Grow Too Old
23. Don't Wait Up
24. Come Over Here
Tracks 20 to 24 are from the
album "Brilleaux" - released in the UK August 1986 on Stiff Records
SEEZ 65.
25. See You Later Alligator
Tracks 25 is the A-side of a
November 1986 UK 7" single on Stiff Records BUY 255
Disc 4 (77:06 minutes)
1. Hunting, Shooting,
Fishing
2. Heartbeat
3. Hurricane
4. Quit While You're Behind
5. Nothing Like It
Tracks 1 to 5 are from the
album "Classic" - released September 1987 in the UK on Stiff Records
SEEZ 67
6. Let's Have A Party (Live)
7. (Get Your Kicks On) Route
66 (Live)
Tracks 6 and 7 are from the
album "Live in London" - released May 1990 in the UK on Grand Records
GRAND 08
8. Heart Of The City
9. My Sugar Turns To Alcohol
10. World In A Jug
11. Standing At The
Crossroads Again
12. Down By The Jetty Blues
Tracks 8 to 12 are from the
album "Primo" - released June 1991 in the UK on Grand records GRAND
12
13. Poison Ivy - PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED
14. Wolfman Calling
15. One Step Forward
16. Tanqueray
17. Styrofoam
18. She Moves Me
Tracks 14 to 18 are from the
album "The Feelgood Factor" - released July 1993 in the UK on Grand
Records GRAND 17
19. If My Baby Quits Me
(Live)
20. Roadrunner (Live)
Tracks 19 and 20 are from
the album "Down At The Doctors" - released April 1994 in the UK on
Grand Records GRAND 18
The presentation is the same
as the two previous Dr. Feelgood sets - a 'Book' Box Set with an attached
booklet in this case of 50-pages. Although the 4CDs give a truly fantastic
overview of his 20-year stay with England's best rocking R&B band - you do
wish there was a DVD to get a glimpse of their raw magnificence - so a bit of a
let down there. But if you want visual Dr. Feelgood fronted by Lee Brilleaux -
I direct you to my in-depth reviews of "All Through The City" from
2012 and "Taking No Prisoners" from 2013 - stunning Box Sets that
both have wonderful DVD elements. Each CD is also a picture disc of Lee at
different stages of his two-decade career as frontman. And at less at twenty
quid - this new 2017 Box Set is priced to go whilst still offering huge value
for money.
Researched, compiled and
co-ordinated by TIM CHACKSFIELD - the liner notes are truncated passages of Zoe
Howe's "Rock 'n' Roll Gentleman..." autobiography. Weirdly there are
no mastering credits at all - so Disc 1 and 2 are Peter Mew Remasters from 2012
and 2013 whilst Disc 3 and 4 are the Grand Records Remasters done in the
Nineties. The audio on each CD is fantastic - full of punch. The photos are
cool - full colour plates most of them of Lee in full sweaty flow as his band
annihilates some club somewhere. There's an album photo discography starting on
Page 43 that pictures those LPs few bought in 80s and 90s when the band had
effectively stopped selling. It took me years to locate a vinyl copy of
"Mad Man Blues" LP pressed up in France whilst the Stiff LPs were
about at the time of release but quickly disappeared after that. Let's get to
the musical action...
Lead Guitarist and band
founder member Wilko Johnson led the initial advance of four albums on United
Artists - "Down By The Jetty" and "Malpractice" in 1975,
the stunning live LP "Stupidity" in September 1976 that saw them top
the album charts and his final studio set "Sneakin' Suspicion" in May
1977. "Roxette", "She Does It Right", "Going Back
Home", "Back In The Night", "All Through The City",
"Riot In Cell Block No. 9" - so many great tracks and all sounding
huge and punchy. New boy axeman Gypie Mayo joined the gigging clan - infusing
new blood and a different sound. And with indecent hast the band quickly pumped
out the brilliant and wildly underrated "Be Seeing You" LP in
September of 1977. The album title was a nod to the Feelgood's fave cult TV
show from the 60ts - Patrick McGoohan's "The Prisoner" - with the
record's Producer being credited as ‘No. 6’ (Nick Lowe) and the Engineer as
'No. 2' (no one seems to know who No. 2 is to this day).
The next LP put them back on
the chart-map big time – 1978's "Private Practice" with the huge hits
"Milk And Alcohol" and "Down At The Doctors". For me every
song is a classic (“Take A Tip” is wisely included here as are the other two
mentioned above) and I own the Japanese SHM-CD of it just to pet it and stroke
it every now and then. The first of only two Previously Unreleased tracks now
presents itself - an Early Version of "Let's Have A Party" features a
more Fifties Rock 'n' Roll feel with some crude and rude Rockabilly guitar.
It's a run-though for sure but a fun one. The remastered sound hammers in with
the superb single version of "As Long As The Price Is Right". By the
time the Feelgoods got to 1981's third live set "On The Job" few were
bothering any more. The Charlie Musselwhite cover of "My Buddy Buddy
Friends" is kick-ass nonetheless. And the tracks from the hugely
underrated "Let It Roll" and "A Case Of The Shakes" LPs are
full of Nick Lowe winners like "Best In The World". Despite "Let
It Roll' featuring a sort of muted Production value - songs like the John
Mayo/Mike Vernon "Put Him Out Of Your Mind" and the band-created
"Hong Kong Money (Pete Wingfield co-write) show they still had that witty
edge to both the rhythms and the lyrics.
Although I've had the later
vinyl albums for years I never did get round to replacing them all with the
Grand Records CD reissues - so the last two CDs are treats for me and I suspect
for many fans who don't know much of the band's output past 1980. The Johnny
Guitar/Dave Tice single "Waiting For Saturday Night" is an example -
an absolute bopping winner you need in your living room. In fact Johnny Guitar
provides many of the goodies on the delightfully named "Fast Women And
Slow Horses" LP on Chiswick Records from late 1982 - "Crazy About
Girls" and the seriously Wilko-mania influenced "Sugar Bowl" - a
guitar 'n' harmonica racer that is guaranteed to make your neck jerk and your
barroom-dancing-feet itchy.
I'm not surprised this set
offers us six tracks from the excellent "Doctors Orders" LP - with
cover-version winners from Young Jessie, Willie Cobbs, Mose Allison and a great
slide take on the Muddy Waters classic "I Can't Be Satisfied" - the
band sound like the fire in back in their bellies - "Hit Git And
Split" even going into an old-days "Back In The Night" refrain
as it plays out. A forgotten record is the wild "Mad Man Blues" LP -
a warts 'n' all recording where the band sound like they miked-up in someone's
living room and let rip. It's raw, mean and fantastically exciting - a
souped-up cover of Little Walters' "My Babe" being a perfect example
- Neo Rockabilly meets Dr. Feelgood Pub Rock. Unfortunately the
"Brilleaux" album felt to me like the goods were sliding away -
better was the huge Dave Edmunds production of their Bill Haley cover for
"See You Later Alligator" - even if those synths now sound a tad
dated.
Gordon Russell joined the
ranks for the "Classic" LP in 1987 with excellent cuts like
"Heartbeat" and the fun "Hunting, Shooting, Fishing"
(bought the 12” single at the time). There’s a storming version of Nick Lowe's
brilliant "Heart Of The City" - a tune he penned around the
"Jesus Of Cool" LP. Another great Rock 'n' Roll writer and witty
tunesmith Mickey Jupp provides "Standing At The Crossroads Again - a clear
stand out on the "Primo" LP. The second Previously Unreleased track
is a cover of The Coasters Lieber-Stoller classic "Poison Ivy" – but it
could be any bar band at this point. Better is a great slow Blues from Dave
Bronze on "One Step Forward". And on it goes to a live turn at Jr.
Walker’s “Roadrunner” – back full circle to the music and influences they so
obviously loved...
To sum up – there is no
doubt that you can feel the quality of tunes start to slip on Discs 3 and 4 – but
there is still so much to love here. And Discs 1 and 2 are wall to wall with
greatness that few bands matched then or now.
"...Hit git and
split...I'm coming back home to you..." – Lee Brilleaux sang on their
manic cover of Young Jessie's "Hit Git And Split" in the forgotten
years of 1984. Well you were welcome in my home back then buddy and you're
still welcome now.
"Rock 'n' Roll
Gentleman..." is a fabulous celebration of not just a truly great frontman
- but that of his kick-ass band too. I haven't enjoyed a listen this much in
years. Stick the needle in again baby - I love it to friggin' bits...
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