J. Geils C/D

J. Geils were a huge point of pride in the Boston area. The classic “(Ain’t Nothin’ But A) Houseparty” riff was played all the time on TV as an ad for the preeminent classic rock station, WBCN. Wolf had been a famous DJ for them (before Geils, I believe). And after having been one of the biggest American live draws in the 70s, they had one of the more unlikely #1 records.

I think mention upthread but my 8th grade math teacher and basketball coach was super into them – he’s the one who got me into them and he had all their records. So I had to as well. They are def. my first “I’m obsessed with them” band.

30+ years later, I can still sing 85% of the lyrics to their songs (including the really oddball ones on Freeze Frame) and yet I’m still kind of routinely surprised at what a broad fucking career they had. In addition to a sneakily enormous stylistic range (yes, Stones and New Wave but also disco and prog), they have a ton of killer ballads and some very tasty playing, mostly from Magic Dick, Justman and Geils.

Perhaps most surprising is what a complete frontman Wolf turned out to be. There are definitely moments where the Woofa Goofa in the mid-70s can be a little too much to take, but the guy could move from macho Jagger-y growl to convincing white soul revue leader to sensitive balladeer pretty effortlessly.

If I thought we’d get more than 10 people, I’d run an artist poll on them on ILM. They really do deserve one.

Elvis T. was asking about vintage live clips upthread...I didn't know they did The Test in '73.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmSB2CZuDjI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S755FSgGEo0

"Looking For A Love" & "Floyd's Hotel"

Feel I should also add that as a tall, thin geriatric millennial who started having knee/leg problems in his late '30s, this is insanely painful music video to watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwOzeaL08Gg

Wow thanks for those live clips. Impossible to not move after that

30+ years later, I can still sing 85% of the lyrics to their songs (including the really oddball ones on Freeze Frame)

Yeah this bit from “Insane Insane Again” just popped into my head, as it does about once a week: open fire, shell shock, knee jerk, lock step, shrink wrap, clap trap, mind bend, echo send, chicken coop, drug soup, nerve food, solitude, back track, meat rack, cardiac yakety yak