In the mid Seventies Brashes record Stores used to have these great record sales where albums went from 99cents to 2.99. I bought some brilliant left of centre records there and managed to find lots of new music. I'd read about this band but didn't know anything about them or what their music was like. But it was dead cheap so I gave it a go. These guys looked like petty gangsters from the film "Brighton Rock" and the music was tough stripped down r & b. But it instantly connected especially the single "Roxette". It was Wilco's lead/rhythm staccato guitar banged up against Lee Brilleaux tough vocals that did it.
They were John the Baptist to the coming of Punk soon after.
To seal the deal in 1976 Trak Cinema's in Toorak used have midnight movie sessions where they played two rock movies. One night "Going Back Home" Feelgood's live was one of the feature films. It was amazing to watch this band. Wilco used his guitar like a machine gun, Lee in a white suit that looked like it had been dragged through mud. I heard he bought a white suit at the start of a tour and never cleaned it. Wilco and the bass player moving back and forth like 2 sharks. Lee staring down the audience. Fantastic!
If you haven't already see "Oil City Confidential" Julien Temples' movie about the Feelgoods....fantastic movie...really shows what an influence these guys were, with punk just around the corner!
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