The best live record ever: and it reached No1! Just a few years into the 1970s, rock had become self-indulgent, and pompous, and singles were increasingly cheesy. But on the pub-rock live circuit Dr Feelgood were building a reputation for their sweaty, speedy, choppy, Canvey Island-bred rhythm and blues. The ace in their hole was their mop-topped, black-clad, bug-eyed guitarist, Wilko Johnson, who careered around the stage like a madman with a machine gun, chopping out funky riffs in a totally unique style. This 1975 live set (released in 1976) was fresh, unrelentingly exciting and inescapably danceable.
Comprised of recordings taken from 1975 tours, the live Stupidity finally captures the relentless, hard-driving energy of Dr. Feelgood at their peak. All the music on Stupidity is presented raw and without overdubs, making it clear that the dynamic friction between guitarist Wilko Johnson and vocalist Lee Brilleaux could propel the band toward greatness. While many of the versions here don't differ in form from the original studio versions, these unvarnished performances are considerably more exciting, revealing the Johnson originals "She Does It Right" and "All Through the City" as minor rock & roll classics.
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracks
1. Talking About You - 1:59
2. Twenty Yards Behind - 2:06
3. Stupidity (Solomon Burke) - 2:20
4. All Through The City - 2:54
5. I'm A Man (Ellis McDaniels) - 5:10
6. Walking The Dog (Rufus Thomas) - 2:58
7. She Does It Right - 3:05
8. Going Back Home (Wilko Johnson, Mick Green) - 3:47
9. I Don't Mind - 2:13
10.Back In The Night - 3:09
11.I'm A Hog For You Baby (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 3:17
12.Checking Up On My Baby (Sonny Boy Williamson) - 3:17
13.Roxette - 3:04
14.Keep It Out Of Sight - 2:59
15.Riot In Cell Block No. 9 (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 3:48
16.Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry) - 4:02
17.All Through The City (Stereo Version) - 3:04
18.Roxette - 2:23
19.Boom Boom (Johnny Lee Hooker) - 2:44
20.Rock Me Baby (B.B. King, Lil' Son Jackson) - 4:57
21.All Through The City (Stereo Version) - 3:13
22.Oyeh ! (Stereo Version) (Michael Robert "Mick" Green) - 2:31
23.I'm A Hog For You Baby (Stereo Version) (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 3:05
24.Stupidity (Stereo Version) (Solomon Burke) - 2:08
All songs by Wilko Johnson except whete noted
Tracks 1-7 Live at Sheffield City Hall, 23rd May 1975
Tracks 8-15 Live at Southend Kursaal, 8th November 1975
Track 16 Live at Friar's Aylesbury, May 17th 1975
Tracks 18-20 Live at Cardiff Top Rank, June 19th 1974
Dr Feelgood
*Lee Brilleaux - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Slide Guitar
*Wilko Johnson - Guitar, Backing Vocals
*John B. Sparks - Bass Guitar
*The Big Figure - Drums, Backing Vocals
1974 Down By The Jetty (2014 Japan SHM edition)
Free Text