What Do You Think Is The Ultimate J Geils Band album? Or Song?

Saw them for the first time at the Beacon the other night. Face was blown out, house was partied, whammer was jammed, sno was coned, blood most assuredly did not run cold... it was a pretty incredible show. Wolf blowing the whistle to kick off the filthy groove of the final part of "Give It To Me" was great to see live. Definitely my favorite part of what I consider to be the ultimate Geils tune.

 

Nightmares is my favorite album
Detroit Breakdown my favorite song

 

I had the exact same experience last November in Detroit. Give It To Me was the highlight of the show, everybody on their feet with the balcony shaking below us. See 2:21 in the clip below:

 

Agreed!

I wonder how many folks that vote for the MTV period material have even heard their earlier (and better) material.

That having been said, Angel in Blue is a good song.

 

They're doing Wait again on the current tour. I don't think it's been done since the reunion.

 

I like Flamethrower!

 

I'm not a big fan of the band, which gives me the freedom to say Freeze-Frame.

 

Bloodshot

 

Words I personally live by 'First I Look At The Purse'.

 

Nightmares...was their peak, for me. Saw them live around that period.

 

I love everything through Freeze-Frame, but Sanctuary and Love Stinks were the first two albums I heard by the band and are still my favorites.

I really wish the OP had added a poll to this thread; would have liked to have seen just how the voting would have gone.

 

Saw J. Geils Band in Tampa in 1982 on the day John Belushi died; they were fantastic, but so was the opening act - a little-known Irish four-piece called U2.

 

Maybe they will one day do a nice no frills Complete Collection type box so I can snap up all these albums in one fell swoop. All I have now is a single disc comp.

 

Nightmares is great! I also have a soft spot for Bloodshot.

Best song for me: Musta Got Lost (live) from Blow Your Face Out

 

Album, Freeze Frame. Song, Must of Got Lost.

 

You can get all of the Atlantic albums fairly cheaply on two Original Albums Series sets: Vol. 1 covers first 5 albums & Vol. 2 includes albums 6-10. But, yeah, they are long overdue for a big, all-inclusive box with outtakes, B-sides, etc.
http://www.amazon.com/ORIGINAL-ALBU...&keywords=j.+geils+band+original+album+series

http://www.amazon.com/Original-Albu...&keywords=j.+geils+band+original+album+series

 

The first time my dad played Monkey Island for me, I had no idea it was Geils. Even the album cover was listed simply as "Geils". I couldn't believe this was the same band that did Centerfold, Detroit Breakdown, etc. They're a huge draw any time they come here to the Detroit area; when I still worked for WCSX, it was always one of the biggest events of the concert season. I still enjoy "Nightmares..." from time to time, and have no beef with their 80s output.

 

Debut and Full House

 

thx - do you have these? Sound? I'm assuming these are simply the original cd masterings?

 

Yes, I have them. Sound is a mixed bag and varies from album to album. Most of them seem to be the same as the 1995 remasters - not totally horrible, but louder than the 1990 originals. And the packaging is bare bones - simple cardboard LP replica sleeves, no liner notes. But considering how hard it is to track down most of the early CDs, still a good value. I've seen Vol. 2 for as little as $14.

 

Best three albums in order:

First album - A stellar debut that tells you immediately what they're all about

Full House- Nothing much...just one of the greatest live albums of all time.

Monkey Island- This was their first attempt to slicken up their approach and sound a bit. And it works. GREAT songs ! GREAT performances! I actually prefer this one to Freeze Frame .

Favorite song: That's tough but just off the top of my head and subject to immediate change ( there are so many):

I Do

from Monkey Island

 

For me,the first two studio albums plus Full House is all I need. I wish they would release their set from the Fillmoe East closing week - it really smokes!

 

The morning After

 

Another vote for the 1st 2 studio and their 3rd, Full House (live). I remember thinking their sound was changing with the 4th (Bloodshot?), becoming more commercial. Wolf started hanging out with Faye Dunaway which somehow seemed to represent something negative to me. But lordy, lordy, lordy, I caught them just when Full House came out. 2nd billing to Edgar Winters White Trash at the Rokpile in Island Park NY. A greasy warehouse painted black inside, a real dump but a great place to boogie. J Geils & White Trash, it was almost too much to handle!!. Play Full House and follow it with Roadwork, that's the show I saw that night!

 

My go to studio albums remains Ladies Invited followed by Bloodshot.
But Full House is on my top 5 of best live albums and their 1st is a strong debut as any. Just great tracks with a clean stripped down production.
Once they achieved more sales I guess with Love Stinks and Freeze Frame I kind of see their slip in making great albums since all prior ones including Monkey with it's experimentation into new territory smacked of a grittiness fusing blues, r and b and Funky Judge George Jessel whimsy. The bad boy image was fun and felt sincere.
Would be nice to see a new studio record.