Dr Feelgood was a band of the 1970’s. Famous for ‘Milk and Alcohol; Roxette; She Does it Right… their pub blues changed the music scene. It dragged it from big venues in which the audience became increasingly regarded as consumers back to a tactile arena of smoky beer-swilling public houses where the musicians looked into your eyes for real, not just in the imagination. If punk was the anarchy and chaos, then Dr. Feelgood was the adrenalin that pushed it into the spotlight. Without pub rock, I doubt punk and much that followed would have had the platform. All good things come up from below—the empowerment to get up there because it means something to the many. Stadium and arena rock was and still is merely an egotistical journey into nihilism and isolation.
Although they have lost members and none of the original band remain as members, it is the legacy of a time gone that they seek to preserve. Yes, the likes of Wilco Johnson and Lee Brilleaux are now elsewhere, but the musicianship and the personality remain. They are a blues rock band; keeping it contemporary in an age of throwaway meaningless drivel where two tonnes of coal have to be displaced to find anything shiny is difficult. Music promoters want you as a cash cow. Few can afford to just love your idea and your practical application. That has been strangled out. So for those who say bands like Dr. Feelgood are a relic or a tribute band, they are right, but that does not make them any less important.
On the 8th November this relic of music that mattered and musicians who care came to llminster and on the 24th November they are at The Tivoli at Wimborne. Dorset Eye caught up with them, and they agreed to be interviewed.
DE. Although you have international popularity do you see yourself as essentially an Essex band?
Yes …the mythology of the “Thames Delta” being the Essex answer to Mississippi and its attendant blues scene is a fun tribute to our blues heroes that goes back to our school days where Lee Brilleaux, Phil Mitchell and myself first met and played together.
DE. For me ‘She Does it Right’ epitomises Nick Hasted’s observation that you are the ‘John the Baptist to punk’s messiahs’. Would you agree?
Who am I to disagree … Wilko nailed it!
DE. Do you mix up your set lists on tour and which tracks tend to remain permanent (if any)?
The set list varies according to our desire/preference/whim to play certain songs and of course audience requests … however key songs always remain including Back in the Night, Milk & Alcohol, Down at the Doctors, Roxette etc … our philosophy has always been that you play to and for the audience.
DE. As non original members what drives you to keep the spirit of Dr Feelgood going?
Despite all the changes in personnel, the music,it’s energy and our audience has always driven the band to continue … when Lee died we stopped for a year and only reformed when we were requested to carry on by fans and promoters who contacted our office from all over the World.
Obviously it would never be the same and in many ways we carry on as a tribute to Lee who had said that it was his wish for the band to continue.
DE. Do you still see yourselves as ‘Hiroshima in a pint mug’?
That’s a great “mental” image … I know I often feel like I’m going to explode on stage!
DE. The production on your live albums makes them sound almost studio. Do you do anything different to other bands when recording live concerts?
The sound of our live albums depends on who mixed and produced them, you can tidy up the sounds and re balance as much or as little as you like.
Dave Bronze and myself have just been listening to the master tapes from ” Live in London” originally released in 1989 as we are planning to re release the whole show next year as a digipak in correct chronological order … warts an all!
DE. Do you have similar musical… influences and who are they?
We are all around the same age and have favourite players and artists that have influenced us – ie: all the great Jazz, Blues and Pop artists from the 20th century and in some cases before and beyond!
Steve would cite Rory Gallagher as a favourite … Phil – Larry Taylor from Canned Heat … my boyhood hero who I saw live in 1967 when I was 11 was Keith Moon … he looked like he was having so much fun … and then he kicked his kit all over the stage in a haze of smoke bombs … I was smitten!
DE. How important is it to you to produce an album like Repeat Prescription with new interpretations of the Feelgood favourites.
There was a desire by Robert and some of the fans to have his voice on the songs … it was a fun project and I particularly enjoyed the re interpretations where we completely changed the feel and arrangements to some of our most known songs.
DE. Feelgoods are firmly tagged as a ‘pub-rock’ band: high-energy, gritty, tell-it-like-it-is, no nonsense. How easy (or difficult) is it to project that sort of image today?
The music and attitude of the band remains the same … total commitment, no slacking … ever … it can be hard at our age!
DE. What are your plans for the future?
We have a full calender of live shows booked for next year and are also filming a new DVD and CD for future release.
Thank you to Dr Feelgood and drummer Kevin Morris in particular for answering our questions.
You can find out more about the members of the band and their history at their website.
