Tag: J. Geils Band

Monday 2/20/23 8am ET: Feature Artist: J. Geils Band

The J. Geils Band was an American rock band formed in 1967, in Worcester, Massachusetts, under the leadership of guitarist John “J.” Geils. The original band members included vocalist Peter Wolf, harmonica and saxophone player Richard “Magic Dick” Salwitz, drummer Stephen Bladd, vocalist/keyboardist Seth Justman, and bassist Danny Klein. Wolf and Justman served as principal songwriters. The band played R&B-influenced blues rock during the 1970s and soon achieved commercial success before moving toward a more mainstream radio-friendly sound in the early 1980s, which brought the band to its commercial peak. They performed a mix of cover songs of classic blues and R&B songs, along with original compositions written by primarily by Wolf and Justman, as well as some group compositions written under the pseudonymous name Juke Joint Jimmy, representing compositions credited to the entire band as a whole. After Wolf left the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career, the band released one more album in 1984 with Justman on lead vocals, before breaking up in 1985. Beginning in 1999, the band had several reunions prior to the death of its namesake, J. Geils, on April 11, 2017.

The band first released several Top 40 singles in the early 1970s, including a cover of the song “Lookin’ for a Love” by The Valentinos (which reached No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972), as well as the single “Give It to Me” (No. 30 in 1973). Their biggest hits included “Must of Got Lost” (No. 12 in 1975), “Come Back” (No. 32 in 1980), “Love Stinks” (which reached No. 38 in 1980 and was featured in several films), “Centerfold” (No. 1 in 1982), and “Freeze-Frame” (No. 4 in 1982).

Monday 5/3/21 12am ET: Feature LP: J. Geils Band – Freeze-Frame (1981)

Freeze-Frame is the tenth studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band, and the last one to feature original vocalist Peter Wolf. The album was released on October 26, 1981, by EMI Records. It reached number one on the United States Billboard 200 album chart in February 1982, and remained at the top for four weeks. The album featured the hit singles “Centerfold” (No. 1 US; No. 3 UK) and “Freeze Frame” (No. 4 US). “Angel in Blue” also reached the US Top 40.

Keyboardist Seth Justman wrote or co-wrote all of the album as well as receiving credit as arranger and producer of the material.

A 2013 Spin article called “Flamethrower” the band’s funkiest song and said: “With three avant-gardish anomalies that flirted with harmolodic punk-jazz funk (“Rage in the Cage,” “Insane, Insane Again,” and “River Blindness”) balancing out three slick Top 10 pop hits, 1981’s Freeze Frame holds the rare if not impossible distinction of being simultaneously both the J. Geils Band’s most blatantly pop and mostly blatantly experimental album.”

  1. “Freeze-Frame” 3:58
  2. “Rage in the Cage” 4:56
  3. “Centerfold” 3:36
  4. “Do You Remember When” 4:45
  5. “Insane, Insane Again” 4:43
  6. “Flamethrower” 4:58
  7. “River Blindness” 6:06
  8. “Angel in Blue” 4:51
  9. “Piss on the Wall” 3:02

Stephen Bladd – drums
Magic Dick – harmonica, trumpet, saxophone
J. Geils – guitar
Seth Justman – keyboards, backing vocals
Danny Klein – bass
Peter Wolf – lead vocals
Randy Brecker, Tom “Bones” Malone, Lou Marini, George Young, Ronnie Cuber, Alan Rubin – horns
Cengiz Yaltkaya – conductor
Tawatha Agee, Cissy Houston, Fonzi Thornton, Luther Vandross, Ken Williams – backing vocals

Wednesday 11/4/2020 11:30 pm ET : Feature LP: J. Geils Band – Love Stinks (1980)

Love Stinks is the ninth studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released on January 28, 1980, by EMI Records.

The title song, “Love Stinks” is a rant against unrequited love. It has been covered by industrial metal band Bile, by Andru Branch in the film Love Stinks, Joan Jett in the film Mr. Wrong and Adam Sandler in the film The Wedding Singer.

1. “Just Can’t Wait” 3:24
2. “Come Back” 5:11
3. “Takin’ You Down” 4:05
4. “Night Time” 4:31
5. “No Anchovies, Please” 2:41
6. “Love Stinks” 3:44
7. “Tryin’ Not to Think About It” 6:22
8. “Desire (Please Don’t Turn Away)” 3:35
9. “Till the Walls Come Tumblin’ Down” 4:01

Peter Wolf – lead vocals
J. Geils – guitar
Magic Dick – harmonica
Seth Justman – keyboards, backing vocals
Danny Klein – bass
Stephen Bladd – drums