On This Day 24/10/1978 Dr Feelgood

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On this day, 24 October 1978, rock band Dr Feelgood played Cardiff Top Rank with support provided by Squeeze.

The band were formed on Canvey Island in 1971 by Johnson, Brilleaux and Sparks, who had all been members of existing R&B bands, and soon added drummer John Martin.

They took their name from a 1962 record by the American blues pianist and singer Willie Perryman (also known as "Piano Red") called "Dr. Feel-Good", which Perryman recorded under the name of Dr. Feelgood & the Interns.

The song was covered by several British beat groups in the 1960s, including Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. The term is also a slang term for heroin or for a physician who is willing to over-prescribe drugs.

Dr Feelgood are best known for early singles such as "She Does It Right", "Roxette", "Back in the Night" and "Milk and Alcohol", Feelgood’s Guitarist Wilko Johnson left the group because of conflicts with Lee Brilleaux the previous year. He was replaced by John 'Gypie' Mayo.

With Mayo, the band was never as popular as with Johnson but still enjoyed their only Top Ten hit single in 1979, with "Milk and Alcohol".

Squeeze had just released their first EP and their self-titled debut album (March 1978) the album was the source of two singles ("Take Me I'm Yours" and "Bang Bang") produced by the band themselves.

On This Day 28/09/1978 Wilko Johnson

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On this day, 28 September 1978, former Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson played Cardiff University with his group Wilko Johnson’s Solid Senders.

As member of the pub rock/rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s. Johnson was known for his distinctive guitar playing style which he achieved by not using a guitar pick but playing fingerstyle. This enabled him to play rhythm guitar and riffs or solos at the same time creating a highly percussive guitar sound.

Johnson and Dr. Feelgood were an influence on the English punkmovement. Paul Weller said of Johnson: "Wilko may not be as famous as some other guitarists, but he's right up there. And there are a lot of people who'll say the same. I can hear Wilko in lots of places. It's some legacy."

In 1977, Johnson was a founding member of Solid Senders, with keyboardist John Potter, bassist Steve Lewins, and drummer Alan Platt. They signed to Virgin in 1978 and released the album, Solid Senders that year.

The Wilko Johnson Band played at the 'Front Row Festival', a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor, Islington in late November and early December 1977, featuring many early punk rock acts. This resulted in the inclusion of two tracks by The Wilko Johnson Band ("Dr. Feelgood" and "Twenty Yards Behind"), on a hit double album of recordings from the festival. The Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival compilation album (March 1978).

On This Day 19/06/1974 Brinsley Schwarz/Dr Feelgood/Dave Edmunds

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On this day 19 June 1974, A trio of bands, Brinsley Schwarz/Dr Feelgood and local favourite Dave Edmunds, played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lodge. They were later augmented by Ian Gomm on guitar and vocals.

In 1974, they arranged for Dave Edmunds to produce their sixth album The New Favourites of... Brinsley Schwarz, which was more polished, and again received good reviews.

Dave Edmunds

This association also led to their touring as Dave Edmunds' backing band, appearing on the live tracks of his Subtle as a Flying Mallet album. In addition to the albums, Brinsley Schwarz also issued a series of singles under their own name, and various pseudonyms, such as "The Hitters", "The Knees", "Limelight" and "The Brinsleys" but these all failed. They recorded a final album, It's All Over Now, in 1974 but this was not released at the time. They finally disbanded in March 1975.

Dr Feelgood

Brinsley Schwarz Setlist

Country Girl

Hooked on Love

Trying to Live My Life Without You

Small Town, Big City

Honky Tonk

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding

It's Been So Long

Private Number

Happy Doing What We're Doing

Surrender to the Rhythm

You're So Fine

Hip City

Ju Ju Man

On This Day 21/02/1975 Dr Feelgood

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On this day, 21 February 1975, Canvey Island pub rockers Dr Feelgood played Cardiff University on their Naughty Rhythms Tour.

Also on the bill were Kokomo and Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers.

Dr Feelgood had just released their debut album Down by the Jetty .

Paul Weller and Bob Geldof have acknowledged the influence of Down by the Jetty, as have Blondie, the Ramones and Richard Hell, who were introduced to the album by Blondie's drummer Clem Burke.

In 1976, prior to being signed, Paul Weller's band The Jam demoed a cover of "Cheque Book".

A copy of the album is also glimpsed on the sleeve of the 1985 album Our Favourite Shop by his later band The Style Council.

The album was a primary influence on The Strypes, who covered "I'm a Hog for You Baby" on their 2013 debut album Snapshot.

In 2006, Uncut magazine listed the album at number 87 on its list of the 100 greatest debut albums.

Formed in 1971. the group are best known for early singles such as "She Does It Right", "Roxette", "Back in the Night" and "Milk and Alcohol". The group's original distinctively British R&B sound was centred on Wilko Johnson's choppy guitar style. Along with Johnson, the original band line-up included singer Lee Brilleaux and the rhythm section of John B. Sparks, known as "Sparko", on bass guitar and John Martin, known as "The Big Figure", on drums.

Although their most commercially productive years were the early to mid-1970s, and in spite of Brilleaux's death in 1994 of lymphoma, a version of the band (featuring none of the original members) continues to tour and record to this day.

On this day 24/10/1978 Squeeze/Dr Feelgood

On this day. 24 October 1978, rock band Squeeze played Cardiff’s Top Rank supporting rock band

Dr Feelgood.

Hailing from Canvey Island, Essex, Dr Feelgood are best known for early singles such as "She Does It Right", "Roxette", "Back in the Night" and "Milk and Alcohol", whilst Squeeze had just released their first EP and their self-titled debut album (March 1978) the album was the source of two singles ("Take Me I'm Yours" and "Bang Bang") produced by the band themselves.

Guitarist Wilko Johnson left the group because of conflicts with Lee Brilleaux the previous year. He was replaced by John 'Gypie' Mayo.

With Mayo, the band was never as popular as with Johnson but still enjoyed their only Top Ten hit single in 1979, with "Milk and Alcohol".