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![]() ![]() That said, perhaps no song exemplifies the energy and the attitude of the band as powerfully “Serves You Right to Suffer.” Clocking in at nearly ten minutes, this hypnotic take on John Lee Hooker’s standard is a sexy, righteous showstopper that revels in Seth Justman’s B3, Daniel Klein’s bass and Stephen Bladd’s drums. The LP is chock-full of such successes - from the great jump blues number “Pack Fair and Square” to Seth Justman’s barrel-house piano-driven “ Hard Drivin’ Man.” Even “ Whammer Jammer” is like an advanced course in rockin’, showcasing as it does JGB’s incredible, not-so-secret weapon Richard Salwitz, who somehow manages to channel an entire horn section through his harmonica. ![]() The opening cut, “ First I Look at the Purse” conjures up a bad-ass “I Don’t Need No Doctor” while their minor-key cover of Otis Rush’s “ Homework” is a note-for-note primer in Chicago Blues. By this point in their career, JGB clearly knew how to listen to each other and it shows. The resulting album Full House is a mix of obscure R&B (“ Pack Fair and Square”) and blues standards (“ Serves You Right to Suffer”) and throughout, the arrangements are tight, mean, and tough as nails. And you knew exactly what you were gonna do when Peter Wolf shouted out, “Are you gonna get it crazy tonight?” Hell yeah, Peter! But if you were lucky enough to be at The Cinderella Ballroom for one of those two Motown concerts, you saw their efforts paid back in spades. You could say they worked their asses off for the privilege of working their asses off. Geils spent the time leading up to this gig just trying to keep the lights on and the wolves from the door. Geils Band did those two nights in April ‘72 required surviving some lean years playing to half-empty bars, working with lazy managers, and dealing with crooked promoters. Only one of the LP’s eight tunes, “ Hard Drivin’ Man,” is officially credited to the band itself, but that doesn’t stop these guys from owning the other seven songs like an R&B revue upholding the finest traditions of American music. Clocking in at just over a half-hour, Full House somehow manages to be both potent and to the point. Cut over two nights at Detroit’s Cinderella Ballroom, this record catches the band at the height of their powers and shows why, even if they hailed from Boston, Detroit claimed them as one of their own. Geils Band so great can be found on their “Live” Full House album - a blast furnace of R&B, soul, and some red-hot rock ‘n roll. All you really need to know about what made the J. Geils, let’s take a moment to celebrate his legendary rock band. ![]() "Live" Full House is a short, punchy shot of rock & roll genius by one of the great bands of the '70s and one of the best live albums ever recorded.In the light of the passing of guitarist and front man J. Geils himself on guitar when you have a magnetic frontman like Peter Wolf or the unstoppable force that is harp player Magic Dick (check "Whammer Jammer" for proof of his greatness), but his soloing on this track serves notice that he could tear off a ferocious solo with the best of them. Geils Band and The Morning After, kicking out the jams on rockers like the Motown chestnut "First I Look at the Purse," Otis Rush's "Homework," and one of the group's first self-penned classics, "Hard Drivin' Man," as well as positively scorching through an incredible version of John Lee Hooker's dark and evil blues "Serves You Right to Suffer." It's easy to overlook J. Recorded in 1972 at Detroit's Cinderella Ballroom, the group runs through songs from their first two albums, The J. "Live" Full House was their first live record, and it is a blast from start to finish. Most live albums tend to be a poor excuse for actually being at the show in question, but the Geils Band's live albums jump out of the speakers with so much joy, fun, and unquenchable rock & roll spirit that you might as well be there. Geils Band made many fine, sometimes great, studio albums but where they really captured their full, thrilling potential was on the concert stage. ![]()
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