Feelies Extravaganza
So the Feelies catalogue seems to be out of print. Which looks to me like an opportunity for some enterprising label to step up with what would be, after all, a fairly modest reissue campaign: the four studio albums, maybe a short disc of non-LP rarities (mostly cover tunes), perhaps a live album if a good tape can be found. Six CDs at the most, that’s all.
After all, Galaxie 500’s work has been lovingly kept in print – along with, um, a disc of non-LP rarities and a live album – and those two bands have an awful lot in common: a hugely appealing guitar sound, a heavy Velvets influence, a classical taste in covers, and a small discography (though the Feelies put out their four albums over 11 years and Galaxie 500 did three records in only three years). Small wonder that when Dean Wareham split from Galaxie and put his own group together, he recruited former Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski for the original Luna lineup. The two bands even share the same limitations: sometimes-clunky lyrics, thin production, a record-to-record saminess, a smallish musical vocabulary.
But then, all kinds of good bands have their limitations, and the Feelies are definitely worth hearing. Their records should be right there on the modern consumer’s great smorgasbord. I suppose Galaxie has been helped out by the relative visibility of Luna, and to a lesser extent Damon & Naomi, whereas the various Feelies offshoots (er, Wake Ooloo, anyone?) have remained relatively obscure. Still, given the Feelies’ cult rep, it’s hard to believe there’s not enough of a potential audience out there to justify pressing a few fresh copies of the classic records.
Crazy Rhythms and Only Life are my faves, the first for its twitchy shakes & the second for its assured calm.
After all, Galaxie 500’s work has been lovingly kept in print – along with, um, a disc of non-LP rarities and a live album – and those two bands have an awful lot in common: a hugely appealing guitar sound, a heavy Velvets influence, a classical taste in covers, and a small discography (though the Feelies put out their four albums over 11 years and Galaxie 500 did three records in only three years). Small wonder that when Dean Wareham split from Galaxie and put his own group together, he recruited former Feelies drummer Stanley Demeski for the original Luna lineup. The two bands even share the same limitations: sometimes-clunky lyrics, thin production, a record-to-record saminess, a smallish musical vocabulary.
But then, all kinds of good bands have their limitations, and the Feelies are definitely worth hearing. Their records should be right there on the modern consumer’s great smorgasbord. I suppose Galaxie has been helped out by the relative visibility of Luna, and to a lesser extent Damon & Naomi, whereas the various Feelies offshoots (er, Wake Ooloo, anyone?) have remained relatively obscure. Still, given the Feelies’ cult rep, it’s hard to believe there’s not enough of a potential audience out there to justify pressing a few fresh copies of the classic records.
Crazy Rhythms and Only Life are my faves, the first for its twitchy shakes & the second for its assured calm.
- The Feelies, “Crazy Rhythms” (from Crazy Rhythms, 1980)
- The Feelies, “Slipping (into Something)” (from The Good Earth, 1986)
- The Feelies, “It’s Only Life” (from Only Life, 1988)
- The Feelies, “Sooner or Later” (from Time for a Witness, 1991)
- The Feelies, “Dancing Barefoot” (Patti Smith cover, non-album, 1989)
posted by DW | 18.4.07
4 Comments:
The Feelies were great. I got 'em as they were coming out. On vinyl. If no one LP is perfect (the sound gets a little samey after awhile), there are a dozen to twenty great tracks. And, as a music nut, I would want them all. Heck, I bought the The Bob flexi for "Dancing Barefoot".
Ace
thank you! i have been waiting for *ages* for a kind soul to post "it's only life." i forthwith kiss your feet and butt, not necessarily in that order....
The Feelies are my favorite band.
I think you can buy CDs of some of their stuff (including some EPs that never made it onto factory-manufactured CDs) at the TwinTone site.
My personal favorite is The Good Earth
The FEELIES Live!
I first saw the feelies open for Lou Reed in like 1989. I was lucky enough to see them two more times while I lived in Washington DC in 1990 and 1991. They were AMAZING live, blasting through all those great tunes at double speed, breaking string after string. The feelies were awesome. A live feelies album would be a great thing to have.
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