Oh crap, not another one.
I should add that, although their 80s pop hits were lots of fun, the real reason The J. Geils Band should be remembered is for their albums of blues and r&b derived stuff. They were as close to an American version of the early Rolling Stones as has ever been heard by sentient mammalian ears. And a lot funnier.
Have I mentioned that this death shit is really starting to piss me off?
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9 comments:
I was lucky enough to see J. and Magic Dick in a small venue in Norwalk,CT.in the 2000's.
Magic Dick apologized prior to "Whama Jama" saying he wasn't 25 anymore...I understood ;-)
I had very good friends who knew J.
He lived close to Lime Rock Race Course and was involved in the vintage euro car racing, I think Alfa's, scene. He made a point of never mentioning his band connection.
J. had to have been the most low key lead guitar/ band leader of his generation.
rob
A real shame. Listening to "Serves You Right to Suffer" from "Full House Live" right now. Agree with Stevie on the best of the band's music.
RIP J.
Was there any other band that managed the transition from great roots R&B to great trashy '80s jukebox music? I used to listen to "Flamethrower" on the juke box at the Kettle of Fish every night, playing pinball.
Interviewed him once. Nice guy, low-key, all business. Got the distinct impression that the guys in the band would be a lot less broken up if this had happened to Peter Wolf.
Pete said...ouch
What did he tell you ?
I have nothing new to add except this really saddens me. A heck of a great guitarist.
Captain Al
I used to play 'Live: Full House' incessantly at full volume. With him goes the Grant's Tomb of rock trivia questions: Who was the only Gentile in the J. Geils Band? Very sorry to hear of his passing.
J. Geils Band, yeah, every time I saw them they gave it 110 per cent. Great fuckin' band. Saw them at the Whisky not long after 1st LP caught on. Next thing you know, they were second bill at the Forum to Ten Years After with Yes as opener. Speaking of Rick Wakeman, that's the first I ever saw him. We only had The Yes Album, Fragile wasn't out yet, and this guy definitely wasn't Tony Kaye. Looked like an uglier version of Joni Mitchell with a tacky cape. Super pale and creepy looking under the lights. Apparently, he fancied himself some sort of wizard. But, in hindsight, maybe it's just schtick.
Another great show I recall was at the Claremont Colleges where the Geils Band had the debut LP Eagles as opener. Sandy met me at The Wildcat where I had just finished my after school gig. A customer tipped me a huge vial of hash oil which came in handy, particularly after the concert. We hooked up with some Czechoslovakian student who had a house just slightly off campus. Fucked his brains out all weekend. He spent the next week following us around and completely fucked up his exams.
Also, in 1973 they played the Santa Monica Civic behind the just released Bloodshot. We went to the after show which was at The Classic Cat. I did some impromptu dancing to "So Sharp" when "bottomless" was still kinda novel on the West Coast.
Last time I saw them they opened for The Stones in 1981 at the goddamned Los Angeles Coliseum. The "Cracked Mirror, Dull Blades and You" show. I hated Freeze Frame and Centerfold. They still gave it 110 per cent though. Blow your face out. We all need a helping of Magic Dick once in a while.
VR - good morning
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