This is a documentary about Dr Feelgood, which is just great. It was done by Julian Temple and mainly narrated by Wilko Johnson, who is still a real character. It must have taken ages to find all the clips that were used from old films, the documentary still had not even got to the point where the Feelgoods get signed, even after about an hour into it. Lots of interesting stuff is referenced (Essex floods of 1953 etc), but Wilko is easily for me, the star of the show and certainly his own man. When the band were taking off, the band were pretty heavily into the old alcohol, except for Wilko, who didn't drink and would get depressed a lot (taking loads of speed probably doesn't help). He split from the band after a disagreement about songs to be put on their new LP, and that is when I lost interest in them. The Feelgoods were the first proper band I saw live (Reading Top Rank in 1976 I think), and I loved them. I hitch hiked to the gig and back from Catterick, (by myself), but it was well worth it. I remember I met up with and went with Robin Collins and a mate of his I can't remember, who both lived in Oxfordshire (Robin in Lewknor). Myself and Robin both got the Stupidity live LP when it came out (helping it get to no 1!), and I have fond memories (and a bootleg DVD) of watching them on The Geordie Scene while I was skiving off school in 1975. Marvellous times indeed. They were certainly ahead of their time, just before punk rock broke, and a welcome change from ELP, Genesis and Prog Rock, I can tell you. It's a pity they now consist of no original members. Personally, I think they should change their name and stop calling themselves Dr Feelgood. Then again, what the Hell, I don't care that much what they do now.
toodle pip
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