Dr. Feelgood

Dr. Feelgood is a British group from Canvey Island, United Kingdom, active from 1971 to the present. It works in blues rock, British blues, British rhythm & blues, proto-punk, pub rock and rock, and is closely associated with the British pub rock scene.

Formation and early development

The band forms in 1971 and is initially based in Canvey Island, Essex, on the Thames estuary. It breaks into the London circuit in 1974. Its early sound combines angular rhythm and blues with a raw, jerky style that later makes the group an influence on post-punk artists.

Classic line-up and members

The classic line-up includes Lee Brilleaux on vocals and harmonica, Wilko Johnson on guitar, John B. Sparks on bass, and John “The Big Figure” Martin on drums. Other members include John “Gypie” Mayo, Buzz Barwell, Kevin Morris, Dave Bronze, Robert Ford and Phil Mitchell. Lee Brilleaux and Wilko Johnson are among the best-known figures in the band’s history.

Recordings and chart success

Dr. Feelgood’s debut album, Down By The Jetty, appears in 1974. The following year the live album Stupidity gives the band commercial success and reaches number one in the UK charts. “Milk and Alcohol”, released in 1978, becomes its only UK Top 10 single.

Line-up changes and later activity

Johnson leaves during sessions for a planned fourth album, and Mayo replaces him on guitar. The band later moves in a more mainstream direction, with mixed results. Mayo leaves in 1981. Despite further line-up changes, Dr. Feelgood continues to tour and record. After Brilleaux dies in 1994, the group reunites, initially with Pete Gage on vocals, and resumes touring in 1996. Robert Kane later becomes frontman, and he marks his 1000th gig with the band in April 2007.

Memorial concerts

After Brilleaux’s death, the Lee Brilleaux Birthday Memorial concert series takes place on Canvey Island, bringing together former and current members to celebrate the band’s music and raise money for The Fair Havens Hospice in Westcliff-on-Sea. Fans attend from many countries, and the 20th and final event takes place in 2014.