And the sad new continues… John Warren Geils Jr, leader and GUITARIST for the J.Geils Band (the singer was Peter Wolf, which was kinda confusing) has passed away at the age of 71.

J.Geils were the first great band out of Boston in the ‘70s, and, although best known for their rockin’ early ‘80s pop hits "Centerfold" and "Freeze Frame", they were originally signed to Atlantic as a blues and R&B band. Their first album – the self-titled one from 1970 – highlights Geils’ stinging tone and is as tough as nails, and their early live album Full House, was an incredible blast of manic high energy.

The early band was a massive influence not only in blues circles but also in the rock underground – in the UK Dr Feelgood and Eddie & The Hot Rods were clearly influenced by them, and Radio Birdman’s Deniz Tek covered their great "Hard Driving Man" in his early band TV Jones in Sydney. Interestingly, the great country-rock innovator Gram Parsons included a cover (sung by his then-guitarist Barry Tashian of ‘60s Boston legends The Remains) of one their songs – the Don Covay-inspired "Cry One More Time" - from his first solo LP.

Let’s remember J.Geils with some of his band’s best, and then a few prime covers from Eddie & The Hot Rods, Gram and even Thin Lizzy!

"Hard Drivin’ Man"

"Sno-Cone" (a great showcase for Geils’ guitar and the fabulously named harp player Magic Dick!)

"Looking For Love"

"Cry One More Time"

"First I Look At The Purse"

"Centerfold"

“Cry One More Time” as covered by Gram Parsons (actually it’s Barry Tashian singing it, but it’s on Gram’s album) from 1973

“Hard Drivin’ Man” covered by Eddie & The Hot Rods in 1976

“Hard Drivin’ Man” covered by Thin Lizzy in 1974

- DL