Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Feelgood (band)
For other uses of the term, see Dr. Feelgood (disam- band was never as popular as with Johnson, but still enbiguation).
joyed their only Top Ten hit single in 1979, with "Milk
and Alcohol". Johnson never achieved any great success
Dr. Feelgood are a British pub rock band formed in outside of the band, apart from a brief spell with Ian Dury
and The Blockheads from 1980. Fans always speculated
1971. Hailing from Canvey Island, Essex, they are best
known for early singles like "Back in the Night" and about a return by Johnson that never occurred.
"Roxette". The groups original distinctively British R&B
sound was centred on Wilko Johnson's choppy guitar
style. Along with Johnson, the original band line-up included singer Lee Brilleaux and the rhythm section of
John B. Sparks, known as Sparko, on bass guitar[1] and
John Martin, known as The Big Figure, on drums. Although their most commercially productive years were
the early to mid-1970s, and in spite of Brilleauxs death in
1994 of lymphoma, a version of the band (featuring none
of the original members) continues to tour and record to
this day.
1
1.1
Career
Early years
The band was formed in Canvey Island in 1971 by Johnson, Brilleaux and Sparks, who had all been members
of existing R&B bands, and soon added drummer John
Martin. They took their name from a 1962 record by the
American blues pianist and singer Willie Perryman (also
known as Piano Red) called Dr. Feel-Good, which
Perryman recorded under the name of Dr. Feelgood &
The Interns. The song was covered by several British beat
groups in the 1960s, including Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. The term is also a slang term for heroin or for a
doctor who is willing to overprescribe drugs.[2]
By late 1973, the bands driving R&B had made them one
of the most popular bands on the growing London pub
rock circuit, and they recorded their debut album, Down
by the Jetty, for United Artists in 1974.[3] Like many pub
rock acts, Dr Feelgood were known primarily for their
high energy live performances honed through constant
touring and regular performances, although their studio
albums like Down by the Jetty and Malpractice (1975)
were also popular.
Despite Mayos departure in 1981, and various subsequent line-up changes which left Brilleaux the only remaining original member, Dr Feelgood continued tourTheir breakthrough 1976 live album, Stupidity, reached ing and recording through the 1980s. However, the band
number one in the UK Albums Chart (their only chart- then suered an almost career-nishing blow when Briltopper). But after the follow-up Sneakin' Suspicion, John- leaux died of cancer on 7 April 1994.
son left the group because of conicts with Lee Brilleaux. As Brilleaux had insisted prior to his death, Dr Feelgood
He was replaced by John 'Gypie' Mayo. With Mayo, the reunited in May 1995, initially with vocalist Pete Gage
1
2
(not to be confused with guitarist Pete Gage of Geno
Washington and Vinegar Joe), and recommenced touring
in 1996. Though the band contained no original members
at this point, the musicians backing Gage had all previously played as members of Dr. Feelgood for at least ve
years, and in some cases for over a decade. In 1999 Gage
was replaced by Robert Kane, formerly of The Animals
II and The Alligators, who celebrated his 1,000th gig as
the frontman of Dr. Feelgood in April 2007.
PERSONNEL
2 Personnel
2.1 Current members
Kevin Morris (b. Kevin John Morris, London, 15 May
1955) [10] drums (March 1983 present)
P H (Phil) Mitchell (b. Philip Henry Mitchell, London,
19 March 1953) [11] bass (March 1983-March 1991,
May 1995-present)
1989 present)
present)
Every year since Brilleauxs death, a special concert
known as the Lee Brilleaux Birthday Memorial has been
held on Canvey Island, where former and current Feelgoods celebrate the music of Dr Feelgood, and raise money 2.2 Former members
for The Fair Havens Hospice in Westcli-on-Sea. Fans
Lee Brilleaux (b. Lee Collinson, 10 May 1952, Durban,
attend from all over the globe, and the 17th event was
South Africa, died 7 April 1994) [14] vocals, harmonheld on 7 May 2010. Still based in the UK, Dr Feelgood
ica, occasional slide guitar (January 1971-April 1994)
continue to play across the world, with concerts in 2010 in
Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Finland, France, the Nether John B Sparks[1] (b. 22 February 1953) [14] bass guilands, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
tar (January 1971 to April 1982)[15]
Band manager Chris Fenwick organises an annual walk
The Big Figure (b. John Martin, 8 November 1946) [14]
around Canvey to commemorate Brilleauxs life, as well
drums (January 1971-April 1982) [15]
as additional walking tours during which he points out
3
Wilko Johnson (b. John Wilkinson, 12 July 1947, Canvey Island) [14] lead guitar (January 1971-March 1977)
Gypie Mayo (b. John Phillip Cawthra, 24 July 1951,
Hammersmith, died 23 October 2013) lead guitar (April
1977-March 1981; substitute for Gordon Russell March
1989-April 1989)
Substitute musicians
Henry McCullough lead guitar (March 1977-April
1977; following Wilko Johnsons departure)
Barry Martin lead guitar (May 1989-June 1989; following Gordon Russells departure)
2.3
Timeline
Gallery
Robert Kane
Steve Walwyn
Phil Mitchell
Kevin Morris
UK discography
4.1
Albums
[19][20]
[19]
4.2
5 References
Singles
[20] Moon, Tony (2002). Down By The Jetty The Dr Feelgood Story (2nd ed.). Borden, Hants: Northdown Publishing Ltd. pp. 122123. ISBN 1-900711-15-X.
Bibliography
Jost, Roland; Nttil, Teppo, Mkinen, Rauno
From Roxette To Ramona, Dr Feelgood And Wilko
Johnson On Record ISBN 3-033-00460-1
Down By The Jetty The Dr Feelgood Story by Tony
Moon Northdown Publishing 1997 (Rev 2002)
ISBN 1-900711-15-X
External links
Ocial website
Wilko Johnson ocial site
Archive of former ocial website
Hometown website
Dr. Feelgood biography at the Allmusic.com website
2006 interview with Wilko Johnson
Ocial site of the Julien Temple lm on the early
years
Review of Oil City Condential movie
EXTERNAL LINKS
8.1
Text
8.2
Images
8.3
Content license