"...Doctor's Orders..."
In 2012
and 2013 – EMI finally got round to doing the Dr. FEELGOOD catalogue of albums
on United Artists between 1975 and 1981 – all contained in two tasty Book Sets.
The April 2012 "All Through The City" 3CD/1DVD Book Set gave us the
WILKO JOHNSON years from 1974 to 1977 - while July 2013's 4CD/1DVD Book Set
"Taking No Prisoners" followed through with the GYPIE MAYO years from
1977 to 1981. All contained superlative PETER MEW CD Remasters done at Abbey
Road from original master tapes. And that's where this gorgeous Japan-Only
repro SHM-CD comes in...
In late
March 2014 - Warner Brothers Japan (under the Parlophone label) reissued all 9
of their albums (7 studio and 2 live) on their exclusive SHM-CD format – most
with generous amounts of Bonus Tracks (see list below). Super High Materials
CDs don't require any special equipment on which to play them – they're just a
better variant of the CD format put out by Toshiba Japan in the late 2000s
(superior retrieval and sound). Each release comes with fully detailed 5"
Mini LP Repro artwork (inner sleeves, booklets etc), a Japanese OBI strip and
plastic protective. Here are the details for one the best Gypie Mayo
contributions to the mighty Feelgood catalogue...
Released
26 March 2014 in Japan-Only – "Private Practice" by Dr. FEELGOOD on
Warner Brothers/Parlophone WPCR-15508 (Barcode 4943674166787) is an 'Extended
Edition' SHM-CD in 5” Mini LP Repro Artwork with 11 Bonus Tracks and plays out
as follows (74:20 minutes):
1. Down
At The Doctors
2. Every
Kind Of Vice
3.
Things Get Better
4. Milk
And Alcohol
5. Night
Time
6. Let's
Have A Party [Side 2]
7. Take
A Tip
8. It
Wasn't Me
9. Greaseball
10.
Sugar Shaker
Tracks 1
to 10 are their 5th studio album "Private Practice" – released
September 1978 in the UK on United Artists UAS 30184 (it peaked at No. 41 on
the UK LP charts).
BONUS
TRACKS:
11. Down
At The (Other) Doctors
non-album
B-side to "As Long As The Price is Right" – a UK 7” single released
April 1979 on United Artists UP 36506
12.
Cheque Book – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977
13. Back
In The Night – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977
14.
Lucky Seven – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977
15.
Lights Out – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977
16.
Sneakin' Suspicion – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977
17.
Great Balls Of Fire – live at The Paddocks, Canvey Island, 10 June 1977
Tracks
12 to 17 first appeared as Previously Unreleased on the July 2013 "Taking
No Prisoners (with Gypie 1977-1981)" 4CD/1DVD Book Set
18.
Don't Take But A Few Minutes
19.
Blues Jam
Tracks
18 and 19 are Dr. Feelgood as THE OILY CITY SHEIKS. Both tracks were non-album
A&B-sides of a UK-only 7” single released June 1979 on United Artists UP
36514. The A is a Chuck Berry cover - the B-side is a Dr. Feelgood instrumental
20. Milk
And Alcohol (New Recipe)
21.
She’s Got Eyes On You
Tracks 20
and 21 are the non-album A&B-sides of an April 1989 UK 7" single on
EMI Records EMI 89
NOTES:
Tracks 11, 18, 19, 20 and 21 first appeared on the September 2001 “Singled Out:
U.A//Liberty A’s B’s & Rarities” 3CD set – all tracks Remastered by DENIS
BLACKHAM. To my knowledge – outside of that 3CD EMI sweep – this is the only
other place The Oil City Sheiks tracks have appeared.
The
5" card artwork is immaculate right down to the colour inner sleeve with
the boys loitering with intent on Harley Street with some decidedly dodgy
nursing assistant. The 24-page white booklet is the usual thing with these
Japanese SHMs – the lyrics in Japanese and English and little else. The CD
label is Parlophone in silver so doesn't ape the United Artists original album
(shame). But the great news is that the album and most of the extras use the
PETER MEW Remasters from 2013 (5 are 2001 DENIS BLACKHAM Remasters). The Audio
on this baby is jumping – full of power and clarity. What a hugely enjoyable
listen...
Feelgood
albums could be patchy (especially later on) but after the "Be Seeing
You" album of 1977 – Gypie Mayo had settled in by 1978's "Private
Practice" and truly made himself as much a part of that classic Dr.
Feelgood sound as their founder Wilko Johnson had between 1975 and 1977. The
whole "Private Practice" album works – opening with the hugely
enjoyable Mickey Jupp number "Down At The Doctors" (charted at No. 48
in September 1978). That's followed by one of my faves "Every Kind Of Vice"
– a fantastically hooky guitar riff leaping out of your speakers courtesy of a
kicking Martin Rushent production (Richard Gotteher handled the rest of the
album). Their cover of Eddie Floyd's "Thing Get Better" is good
rather than great - but you can't say the same of the brilliant "Milk And
Alcohol". A genius rocker co-written between Gypie Mayo and that other
great pub-rocker of the day – Nick Lowe - it's probably the song their most
remembered for. Side 1 ends with the wickedly catchy "Night Time" – a
hooky guitar with "...jump in the shower...wash the world off my
back...I'm gonna get you baby...that's a natural fact..." lyrics. Look out
ladies Lee's on the prowl...
Side 2
opens with the joyous "Let's Have A Party" – an old Phil Baxter tune
from the Forties than Wanda Jackson had a hit with in 1960 on Capitol. The
Feelgoods keep it handclapping and fun – a perfect start to Side two. Both Mayo
and singer Lee Brilleaux trumped up the goods with "Take A Tip" – a
fantastic speeding rocker about "Nosebleed Sam" down at the racetrack
gritting his teeth as pushes his luck just a little bit more. More wit and fun
come with the love-rat-denial song "It Wasn't Me" penned by Mayo and
the mighty Nick Lowe. "Greaseball" is a hip instrumental care of
guitar man Mayo - but the record and side end on another winner "Sugar
Shaker" – a chugger that will give you neck spasms as you boogie along to
its charms.
Five of
the bonus tracks are from a Previously Unreleased Dr. Feelgood concert from 10
June 1977 with the Gypie Mayo line-up in Canvey Island. Southend boy Mickey
Jupp gave them "Cheque Book" - while Wilko's "Back In The
Night"whips the crowd into riotous form (raw and gutsy stuff). "Lucky
Seven" is a Lew Lewis song and has fantastic audio (Bass, Drums and
Guitar) as Brilleaux growls through the microphone. A muscular "Sneakin'
Suspicion" and rollicking cover of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of
Fire" leave the crowd panting. The non-album single sides only add cream
to an already tasty bit of Canvey Island pie.
Dr.
Feelgood is etched in my heart and this album along with them. As Lee would say
to us punters of Pub Rock - "...Take a little tip from Mister Race Track
Tony...stick it on the nose and ride your pony..."
Amen to
that baby...
PS: The
nine Dr. FEELGOOD March 2014 Japan-only Warner Brothers/Parlophone SHM-CD
Reissues are:
1. Down
At The Jetty (January 1975) – WPCR-15503 (Barcode 4943674166718) + 11 Bonus
Tracks
2.
Malpractice (October 1975) – WPCR-15504 (Barcode 4943674166732) + 9 Bonus
Tracks
3.
Stupidity (Live) (September 1976) – WPCR-15505 (Barcode 4943674166749) + 11 Bonus
Tracks
4.
Sneakin’ Suspicion (May 1977) – WPCR-15506 (Barcode 4943674166756) + 12 Bonus
Tracks
5. Be
Seeing You (September 1977) – WPCR-15507 (Barcode 4943674166763) + 3 Bonus
Tracks
6.
Private Practice (September 1978) – WPCR-15508 (Barcode 4943674166787) + 11
Bonus Tracks
7. As It
Happens (Live) (May 1979) – WPCR-15509 (Barcode 4943674166794) + 11 Bonus
Tracks
8. Let
It Roll (September 1979) – WPCR-15510 (Barcode 4943674166800) + 2 Bonus Tracks
9. A
Case Of The Shakes (September 1980) – WPCR-15511 (Barcode 4943674166817) + 2
Bonus Tracks
Note: 1
to 4 feature Wilko Johnson on Guitar - 5 to 9 feature Gypie Mayo
