0 Dr. Feelgood - "Malpractice - Italian Pressing" (United Artists, 1976)

One of the coolest (does exist such word?) ever ‘bad habits’ that I witnessed so far, it's the one my faithful partner JP has! He spends almost uncalculated his money on buying... the same record (in both formats) and MANY times! And I suspect this happens with just one purpose on his mind… To find the best sounding pressing or mastering! I admire you mate! Lucky me of course, cause as all record collectors use to do, I do have on my vault some of my fave discs in three or four different mixes but that's it! I prefer to throw my (everyday less and less...) money off my pocket for different things! So, the other day sent me this email:
 “Dr Feelgood Malpractice: you probably heard it a million times before (and I won't blame you for that), both the CD and the UK LP versions sound loud & clear, but the Italian pressing I ripped  yesterday sounds (almost) like a different mix (for some reason), with thundering bass & drums. Surely Feelgood is great for Brilleaux & Wilko, but the rest of the team is kicking some serious ass too, and this is very nicely highlighted on this version. I'm enjoying it even more [damn it, the pounding on "Going Back Home" is so good], so I needed to share it with you!”

 And guess what? For one more time he was 100% right! God bless you man! Next move was to add this bona-fide rip to my i-pod and in the next morning on my way to the job, I touched the play button anxious to hear on my own to what my friend raved so much about the previous night… BOOM-BAM-BOOM! If some of you guys and gals out there is a sound engineer, please explain to me WHY THIS HAPPENS?  I mean, I know this brilliant record upside down from my teens, and this is a CLEARLY better sounding shit! Anyway, I believe I don’t have to tell much (or add…) about the Feelgoods or this record especially that you haven’t read already probably somewhere else, but this is definitely the best garage record of the 70s! Cause for me Dr. Feelgood were actually a garage outfit. Tight as hell, rhythmic like an uzi in a paroxysm mode, more confident in comparison with their debut and with a perfect position between cover toons and the Wilko penned originals! From my house to the place I work it’s about an hour distance, and even if it was early morning, i had a strong will to attend the hearing with some bourbon (the first J. Geils Band record I played right next, made things even worse).  OK, for one more time I'm bubbling up so much saying actually nothing. I'll put a dot here. Listen to this even if you have it. You'll understand why immediately!

Detail: Dr. Feelgood - "Malpractice - Italian Pressing" (United Artists, 1976)

0 Steve Hooker and Wilko Johnson - "Back in the Day" (Thousands Records, MCD 2005)

Everybody knows who Wilko Johnson is right? No? Well OK, for the few visitors of this space not knowing Wilko, think this. If Dr. Feelgood was the Stones, then Johnson is their Keef. I know it's a bit of blasphemy to say that Lee Brilleaux was their Jagger but don't know exactly how else should i start this piece. A Pretty Things type chap, that kicked started a whole generation to dig the blues. Alright, rhythm & blues and rock & roll, but in my head it's the same thing. Most people knowing him through the Feelgoods but the fans (and we 're a lot of them) worship this animal for all his other works. The Solid Senders, the Blockheads and countless one off shoots like the great single with Lew Lewis ("Bottle Up & Go!" - Thunderbolt THBE-001, 1983) or with Steve Hooker.
Who's Steve Hooker now, huh? A cool almost Johnny Thunder-esque (in his youth) bloke, with huge admiration for rock n' roll in general and especially... well everything. He played punk rock in the mid/late 70s with the Heat. A little later with the Shakers cool rock n' roll / rhythm n' blues and not much later rockabilly and soul... In the underground is a well known if not legendary figure. Chuck Berry and Johnny Thunders had him play. Not many lads in the music business did two of the three best in rock n' roll right (only Keith missed the chance)? If I'm right the colaboration with Wilko Johnson produced originally only a single for Line Records (LIMS 200010 E), back in 1988 and on the A-Side placed a great cover tune on the Rolling Stones "It's All Over Now" (bw/ "I Want to Talk To You" which sounds to these ears at least like a "So Alone" outtake!).
"Wilko has been a good buddy since the mid 70's - we shared a lot of stages and made a good little record together". Steve bumped into Johnny Thunders in Paris in the '80's, then jammed with him in London. "I'm sorry he isn't around anymore - it's not like we were best mates but I was fond of him - he wrote some great tunes. Chuck Berry was everything people say he's not - a professional, a gentleman - it was a privilege for The Shakers to tour with him. Boz Boorer is like the brother I never had - we never go for more that a few days without speaking, wherever we might be in the world. Robert Gordon is the greatest singer I ever stood on-stage with - he called me up for a couple of encores in 2002." In April this year, Robert chose Steve to be his support again for his gig at the 100 Club in London. "I respect all of these people - when you work with someone you got to give them some space, then you'll get along fine. I hope to work with another old friend - Flaco Jimenez (who played accordion with Ry Cooder) again sooner or later." - (Interview excerpt taken from http://swaggerjoint.com)
On the year 2005, Thousands Recs gathered all five songs the duo recorded, the two of the aforementioned single plus three more and here they are. The sad thing about this release is that no one gave a shit. I have killed many time and shoes to earth this up. Finally i got it and i tell you it's a shit kicker. A punky rhythm & blues short drink, well crafted and frantically played. Something like the early on Pretties if have lived and grow in late 70s  instead of the 60s. Sure shot. Lemme know your thoughts on this.
320Kbps 

Back in the Day

Detail: Steve Hooker and Wilko Johnson - "Back in the Day" (Thousands Records, MCD 2005)

0 Dr. Feelgood - Going Back Home (The Audio Version - EMI)

I'm looking forward to see Julian Temple's "Oil City Confidential" documentary. To tell you the truth i can't wait! I think of the Feelgoods as the best band came out of the UK in the 70s and yes I'm aware of how many good and legendary (now) bands came out of the island on that decade. I think were by far the best live act! Dr. Feelgood were the first who looked back at the roots of rock & roll and R&B, they stripped it down to the basics, speed-ed it to the max and worked for it from their start to the last days this hero called Lee Brilleaux, 365 days a year!
Sure I adore most of the bands of that first wave of punk rock in England but hey, if there's one truth here is that without the Feelgoods or any other "pub rock" band like the Count Bishops (place here the name of your fave pub band), Johnny Rotten would probably still be a hippie fanatic ("Never trust a Hippie"? Gimme a break Johnny, Hawkwind were punks right?). There's no time to explain myself why Dr. Feelgood were such a great band and influence. If you want to know more, google a little and you'll find plenty of information! From my side, help comes with this live and sweaty document! Hearing it it's believing it! That's the audio disc part of an unbelievable show ( well, actually two) by the gang, recorded of course LIVE (no overdubbed shits here, OK?) on  Kursaal Southend and Sheffield City Hall back at 1975!
Pay some (more) respect to the last of the R&B Mohawks.
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Going Back Home

Detail: Dr. Feelgood - Going Back Home (The Audio Version - EMI)