Box Sets #8 - Dr Feelgood - All Through The City (With Wilko 1974-1977)

Dr Feelgood were something of a strange phenomenon being a straightforward blues/rock band who in 1974 competed in the albums market against the likes of Yes and King Crimson, and in the singles market against the Bay City Rollers and David Cassidy. Nevertheless despite the relative lack of commercial success in their early years, they established a hard core of loyal and enthusiastic followers.(They did eventually achieve one top ten single with 'Milk and Alcohol' in 1979).

The line up between 1974 and 1977 featured the jagged, choppy rhythms of guitarist Wilko Johnson and of course the growling vocals and bluesy harp blowing of Lee Brilleaux and it is this line up which is featured in this long overdue box set.

Bringing together the first four albums and a selection of alternate versions and out takes, this set really captures the essence of the band particularly as one of the albums is the live 'Stupidity'. For it was as a live act that they could perhaps best be appreciated, so thankfully this set also comes complete with a DVD featuring a fair number of their live performances.

While they may not have been musically innovative (much of their sound harks back to the rock and roll/blues music of the late 1950's or early 1960's), they certainly influenced a number of artists that followed through the punk era and beyond.

The box set can now be found on Amazon UK for the ridiculously cheap price of £12.62 and you even get a free auto-rip which means you can download the set before it is even despatched.

This is good solid rock and roll without the frills. As Wilko famously said, "Pedals? I'm a guitarist not a cyclist".

Buy it now.