I would argue that Jonathan Richman belongs to the 'Real Massachusetts' club too.
Posted on 04/11/2017 4:46:17 PM PDT by Drew68
GROTON, Massachusetts —
5 Investigates has learned John Warren Geils Jr., the artist known professionally as J. Geils and part of the rock group The J. Geils Band, was found dead in his Groton, Massachusetts home.
He was 71.
Geils and the band are best known for their album, "Freeze Frame" and the song "Centerfold," which hit No. 1 for six weeks.
Geils formed the band during his time at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he studied mechanical engineering.
At Worcester, he formed J. Geils Blues Band with Danny Klein, Magic Dick Salwitz, Stephen Jo Bladd, and Peter Wolf, with Seth Justman becoming the last member before the band released its debut album in 1970.
The J. Geils Band was influenced by soul music and rhythm and blues, but it moved toward pop and rock by the time the album "Love Stinks" came out in 1980.
After 11 albums, the band's 12th album, "Freeze Frame," hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts for four weeks in 1981 and remained on the chart for 70 weeks. The title track "Freeze Frame" made it to No. 4.
While on tour, opening acts for the band included the Eagles, Billy Joel, ZZ Top and U2.
The band broke up a few years later.
Geils has called Groton his home for 35 years.
In my younger and wilder days they were my band. I’m getting old.
My son, Greg (AKA Ace) and I loved Geils. We also appreciated Martha Quinn, the original “Babe” on MTV! Good Times
“The summer of love was only 50 yrs ago, man.”
==
Meh, it’s not summer yet.
My parents wouldn’t let me go to San Francisco with flowers in my hair back then. Which was fine by me, I don’t like traveling, anyway and I would have felt silly wearing flowers.
We are not all Massholes.
Nice comment on someone’s passing, Classy.
RIP...
“Centerfold”... my blood runs cold, my angel is the centerfold...
Remember it well... As well as a host of other J. Geils band tunes.
Saw them live in June 1977 at JFK stadium with Dicky Betts, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Peter Frampton.
Sad news. Hate to hear this stuff...
I remember.
I got to see them in a relatively small venue in the late 1970s. It was a great show.
RIP.
Scary to think how your friends decided to give you that nickname
“Oh my God! That bowling ball, it’s my wife!”
“First I Look At The Purse” - J.Geils Band
Album Version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC-2CDhquDs
Live version (rocks!!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip7wwUre4mc
I would argue that Jonathan Richman belongs to the 'Real Massachusetts' club too.
That’s not even a full house.
Followed quickly by the Autumn Of Gonnorhea and Winter of Pubic Lice
The late Levon Helm of The Band fame— When I go away- Electric Dirt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIU65PPqPUo
Keith Emerson of ELP — the most sad to me since he suicided since he couldn’t really play anymore.
I was a *MASSIVE* ELP fan! I would listen to “Works” all 6 sides over and over.
Gonna miss J. Geils. Really distinct style, no-holds-barred topics, great rock-n-roll.
I went to San Francisco back in the day. Shoulder length hair and probably looked like I fit right in, except I didn’t.
Have always been extremely far to the right even in my “hippie days”.
Yes, much better than the pop slop of the early 80’s
Baby Boomers, for all we complain about them, still hold the honor of being responsible for the greatest music ever recorded. Kids today, born in the 90s and later still listen to music recorded by people born in the 1940s. That's how much this stuff endures.
And now they are all hitting their 70s and are starting to drop like flies. As bad as 2016 was, '17 will be worse and '18 and '19...
The Ramones are the only band I can think of off the top of my head where all the founding members are dead. The Beatles and The Who are two for four. Yep. It won't be long.
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