Dr. Feelgood - Oil City Confidential (rock doc)

For about 18 months in 1974-1975, in the post-glam rock England, Dr. Feelgood was London's top R & B pub band.



"The group's original distinctively British R&B sound was centered on Wilko Johnson's choppy guitar style. Along with Johnson, the original band line-up comprised John B. Sparks (bass guitar), John Martin aka The Big Figure (drummer) and Lee Brilleaux (vocals). Like many pub rock acts, Dr. Feelgood were known primarily for their high energy live performances, although studio albums such as Down by the Jetty (1974) and Malpractice (1975) were also popular. Their breakthrough 1976 live album, Stupidity, reached number one in the UK Albums Chart (their only chart-topper).[3] But after the follow-up Sneakin' Suspicion, Johnson left the group due to perceived conflicts with Brilleaux. Despite its thriving British success, Dr. Feelgood was unable to find an audience in the United States." (via Wikipedia)

Julien Temple, friend to the Sex Pistols back then, and rock doc maker of the excellent rock docs - The Sex Pistols "The Filth & the Fury" and the very excellent Joe Strummer "The Future is Unwritten" - has put together a closer look at the Feelgoods and English culture in 1975 called "Oil City Confidential". According to the film's Facebook page, "Oil City Confidential" is Julien Temple’s last film in his trilogy on British music of the 1970s. It is a prequel to his landmark films about punk featuring Dr. Feelgood. Here's the trailer.



"Rather than being standard 'rockumentaries', Julien uses the music as a prism through which he examines the social and cultural conditions of the times. The films share his characteristic cinematic language - an irreverent and anarchic style of montage of archive and fictive footage, which he pioneered in The Great Rock & Roll Swindle."

The film has its UK and Irish premiere next week. Here's a cool TV clip of the Feelgoods in their 1975 prime doing "She Does It Right".


Even better news is ahead for us rock fans - The Guardian reported in December that Julien Temple's next project is to be a rock movie (with actors) on The Kinks, and the brother Davies' rivalry! YES! A story worth telling methinks.