Dr. Feelgood

7 April 1994 – Flamboyant Frontman LEE BRILLEAUX Of R&B Legends DR. FEELGOOD Passed Away 30 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

7 April 1994

LEE BRILLEAUX, the flamboyant frontman/harmonica player of British R&B rock legends DR. FEELGOOD passed away 30 years ago this day, on 7 April 1994 due to throat cancer, only aged 41.

The band, co-founded by eccentric guitar prodigy Wilko Johnson topped the UK Charts with their 1979 live LP, titled Stupidity, and scored several hit singles. In 1976 Brilleaux helped fund the iconic punk/new wave label Stiff Records.

ROXETTE
Their debut single – 1974

STUPIDITY


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DR. FEELGOOD: Story – Albums

The Late Great Guitarist WILKO JOHNSON About Legendary British R&B Rockers DR. FEELGOOD

Posted on by JL

18 November 2023

The legendary guitarist who passed away last year, about
the early days of British r&b rockers Dr. Feelgood.

If you never heard about Dr. Feelgood (1970–1994) discover them here.

(Image on top: Cover of Wilko Johnson‘s solo ‘best of’ album)

Smoking Clip For ‘DOWN AT THE DOCTORS’ By DR. FEELGOOD – 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

For your eyes

4 June 2023

Band: DR. FEELGOOD
Who: Legendary British blues-punk-pub rockers
Active: 1971-1994 / 6 albums with original line-up

The original line-up featured Wilko Johson. He was born named in John Andrew Wilkinson in 1947. He was known for his innovating guitar playing style which he achieved by not using a guitar pick but playing finger style. This enabled him to play rhythm guitar and riffs or solos at the same time creating a highly percussive guitar sound. Awesome. He left the band in 1977 to start his own. He passed away in 2022. Aged 75.

Original charismatic vocalist Lee Brilleaux (born Lee John Collinson in 1952) passed
away in 1994, only 42, due to lymphoma. It meant the end of the real/original group.
A sort of cover band continued/continues, legally, under the name of Dr. Feelgood.

DOWN AT THE DOCTORS was the lead single of their final,
stupendous LP Private Pratice, released 45 years ago.
in 1977.

Here’s the clip.
Smoke it, Lee.

DR. FEELGOOD: Bio – Discography

R.I.P. WILKO JOHNSON (75)

Posted on by JL

23 November 2022

Sad, really sad news.

I’ll never forget the very first time I saw WILKO JOHNSON play. I was a teenager
(yes I always was a music junkie and gig addict, actually from I was 6 and discovered
The Beatles) and went with mates to London in 1976.

He blew me away with his manic, never-heard-before guitar style while running like
a madman with a stare from left to right and back on the stage of Hammersmith Odeon with rhythm & blues legends Dr. Feelogood. They just scored a no 1 hit with their awesome fuzz and buzz live album Stupidity.

Wilko (born John Peter Wilkinson in 1975 in Canvey Island, Essex, England ) was a feelgood doctor for 3 years (1974-1977) before starting his solo journey. He recorded several LPs with his band and played gigs until his last breath. Also on his shelf is the longplayer he canned with The Who‘s Roger Daltrey (‘Going Back Home‘ – 2014)

In 2013 he broke the news that he had terminal cancer and went on a farewell tour.
But after a couple of gigs, he had to call it a day due to his devastating condition.

Sometime later Johnson announced that he was cured and cancer-free and (there must
be a rock God?) and he returned with what his heart and soul and his guitar did for a very longtime: entertaining countless fans with his razzle-dazzle rock ‘n roll music until 2 days ago.

Via his Twitter account, just today, we got the dreadful news: “This is the announcement we never wanted to make, & we do so with a very heavy heart: Wilko Johnson has died. He passed away at home on Monday 21st November. Thank you for respecting the family’s privacy at this very sad time. RIP Wilko Johnson.

Paul Weller once said: “Wilko may not be as famous as some other guitarists, but
he’s right up there. And there are a lot of people who’ll say the same. I can hear Wilko
in lots of places. It’s some legacy.”

Three great Wilko moments.

– Live with Dr. Feelogood –

– The Wilko Johnson Band –
Live on Later With Jools Holland – 2011

– Wilko demonstrating his guitar technique –

WILKO JOHNSON: Bio – Discography

Amazing Artwork! R & B Rockers DR. FEELGOOD 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Band: DR. FEELGOOD (Canvey Island, Essex, England)
Who: Legendary rock and blues quartet fronted by
the late Lee Brilleaux and Wilko Johnson on guitar.

Artwork: Cover of their smoking live LP Stupidity.
The album topped the UK Charts 45 years ago today,
on 9 October 1976.

Full album…

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DR. FEELGOOD: Facebook – Bio

BIG BLASTS FROM THE PAST – 5 Classic Albums Turning 45 In 2021

Posted on by JL

These 5 classic LP’s turn 45 in 2021…

– BLONDIE – BLONDIE

Released: 10 December 1976 – debut LP
Rolling Stone wrote: “Everything is sung by Deborah Harry, possessor of a bombshell zombie’s voice that can sound dreamily seductive and woodenly Mansonite within the same song. It’s an interesting combination and forces all the songs on Blondie to work on at least two levels: as peppy but rough pop, and as distanced, artless avant-rock.”

Stream here…

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– RAMONES – RAMONES

Released: 23 April 1976 – debut LP
AllMusic wrote: “With the three-chord assault of “Blitzkrieg Bop,” Ramones begins at a blinding speed and never once over the course of its 14 songs does it let up. The Ramones is all about speed, hooks, stupidity, and simplicity. The songs are imaginative reductions of early rock & roll, girl-group pop, and surf rock.”

Bop here…

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– STUPIDITY – DR. FEELGOOD

Released: 15 September 1976 – third LP
AllMusic wrote: “Comprised of recordings taken from 1975 tours, the live Stupidity finally captures the relentless, hard-driving energy of Dr. Feelgood at their peak. All the music on Stupidity is presented raw and without overdubs, making it clear that the dynamic friction between guitarist Wilko Johnson and vocalist Lee Brilleaux could propel the band toward greatness.”

Go nuts here…

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– DESIRE – BOB DYLAN

Released: 5 January 1976 – 17th LP
Rolling Stone said: “In typical Dylan style, the follow-up to Blood on the Tracks was mostly bashed out in one all-night New York session, fueled by tequila. “Sara,” his account of his crumbling marriage, and the politically charged “Hurricane” highlight the last great album
he’d make for many years.”

Here comes the hurricane…

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– HOTEL CALIFORNIA – EAGLES

Released: 8 December 1976 – fifth LP
Billboard said: “The casually beautiful, quietly-intense multileveled vocal harmonies
and brilliant original songs that meld solid emotional words with lovely melody lines
are all back in force, keeping the Eagles at the acme of acoustic electric soft rock.”

You can check out any time you like,
but you can never leave!…

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Legendary British R & B Rockers DR. FEELGOOD Topped UK Album Charts With ‘STUPIDITY’ This Day In 1979

Posted on by JL

9 October 2020

This day in 1979 the legendary British R & B rockers DR.FEELGOOD led by the
late charismatic singer Lee Brilleaux and fabulous guitarist Wilko Johnson, who
paved the way for the punk generation, immortalized their steamy live shows with
a red-roaring live album called STUPIDITY that topped the UK albums charts this
day in 1971.

If you never heard of them, then you really
need to check out their live force here…

STUPIDITY in full…

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DR. FEELGOOD: Facebook – Bio

Debut Single ‘ROXETTE’ by DR. FEELGOOD (1974)

Posted on by JL

Top singles from the past…

8 April 2020

feel

Band: Dr.Feelgood (UK)
Note: Flamboyant frontman Lee Brilleaux passed away 7 April 1994.
Legendary, original guitarist and singer/songwriter Wilko Johnson  
is a cancer survival, alive & kicking and still going strong. He recorded
with Roger Daltrey an album called ‘Going Back Home with ten
Johnson songs and a Bob Dylan cover. The LP reached No 3 in the UK
Single: Roxette  
B-side: (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66  
Released: November 1974
Album: Down By The Jetty 

Here we go…


DR. FEELGOOD: Biography / WILKO JOHNSON: Facebook

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