J. Geils Band

Certain Songs #780: The J. Geils Band – “Centerfold”

February 4, 2017 by Jim Connelly

Album: Freeze Frame
Year: 1981

This, right here, is my platonic ideal of a pop song.

The first time I heard “Centerfold,” I thought to myself “this is a song that should hit #1 all around the world.” Of course, I’ve thought that many many times, but, thanks a lot to an incredibly clever video that was in double-plus heavy rotation on MTV (with the accompanying rumour that MTV VJ Martha Quinn was in the video), “Centerfold” was a #1 hit single here, and in other countries, as well.

Certain Songs #779: The J. Geils Band – “Love Stinks”

February 3, 2017 by Jim Connelly

Album: Love Stinks
Year: 1980

Alternating big “Louie Louie” guitars, squealing synths and hilariously relatable lyrics, 1980’s “Love Stinks” was almost a warmup for the huge success that was just around the corner.

Never speeding up past a slow march, “Love Stinks” is delivered with the supreme confidence of old pros who know exactly what they’re doing every step of the way.

Certain Songs #778: The J. Geils Band – “Must Of Got Lost”

February 2, 2017 by Jim Connelly

Album: Nightmares…And Other Tales From the Vinyl Jungle
Year: 1974

The evolution of The J. Geils Band from their beginning as a blues band to their end as a massive pop band is a story best told by somebody who actually knows it.

The things I truly know about the The J. Geils Band are as follows: J. Geils was the guitar player, but despite the band being named after him, he didn’t write very many of the songs, which seems weird. Once they started writing their own songs, about three albums in or so, the bulk were written by keyboardist Seth Justman and singer Peter Wolf, whom I’m guessing that a lot of people initially assumed was the “J. Geils” of the J. Geils band.

Oh, and their harmonica player was Magic Dick, which is one of the five all-time greatest names ever in popular music.