Milk and Alcohol (New Recipe): Rhino Reissues Dr. Feelgood's "Singles" On Vinyl

Milk and Alcohol (New Recipe): Rhino Reissues Dr. Feelgood’s “Singles” On Vinyl

Dr Feelgood Singles — BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM

Dr. Feelgood made their album debut early in 1975 with Down by the Jetty on the United Artists label. International audiences – not to mention artists including Paul Weller, Richard Hell, Blondie, and Ramones – took notice of the U.K. pub-rockers and lead guitarist Wilko Johnson. The band remained on UA through 1980’s A Case of the Shakes when the label was merged with the revived Liberty Records. Now, the 1989 compendium Singles (The U.A. Years +), originally issued on the parent EMI label, is being reissued on vinyl for the first time. On June 11, Rhino will revisit the 26-song, 2-LP anthology on standard black vinyl and limited-edition recycled vinyl made from the scraps of unused colored vinyl. The latter format will be available exclusively through Rhino’s webstore, and each copy will be unique thanks to the combination of vinyl. (Don’t worry, the recycled vinyl will play just fine.) Recycled vinyl greatly reduces CO2 emissions and prevents the unnecessary creation of new plastic.

Lee Brilleaux (vocals), John B. Sparks a.k.a. Sparko (bass), John Martin a.k.a. The Big Figure (drums), and Wilko Johnson (guitar/vocals) formed Dr. Feelgood in Essex, 1971. The band’s debut single “Roxette” arrived in anticipation of Down by the Jetty in November 1974; it opens this compilation which tracks the band’s A-sides only through 1989’s “Milk and Alcohol (New Recipe)” on EMI. The roughly 15-year span of this collection saw numerous personnel changes in the band including the departure of Wilko Johnson after 1977’s “Sneakin’ Suspicion,” Dr. Feelgood’s first chart hit. Sparko and The Big Figure would hold on a bit longer, remaining with the group through 1982 and playing on such hits as “She’s a Windup,” “Down at the Doctors,” “As Long as the Price Is Right,” “Put Him Out of Your Mind,” and the band’s lone top ten U.K. single, “Milk and Alcohol” (co-written by Nick Lowe and Wilko’s replacement, Gypie Mayo).

Following Sparko and The Big Figure’s departure, Lee Brilleaux temporarily disbanded Dr. Feelgood. But he soon reformed the band with guitarist Gordon Russell, bassist Phil Mitchell, and drummer Kevin Morris. The new lineup remained stable into the early 1990s, and Mitchell and Morris still play in the band today. Sadly, Lee Brilleaux died in 1994.

While Singles (The U.A. Years +) isn’t a definitive A- and B-side chronicle, it is an enjoyable trip back through the major highlights of Dr. Feelgood’s long musical career. There’s no word on this vinyl reissue being remastered. Look for the 2-LP set from Rhino on June 11. For those looking for this title on CD, it’s still readily available from Amazon U.S. as well as from third-party sellers on Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada.

Dr. Feelgood, Singles (The U.A. Years +) (EMI LP 7 92440 1, 1989 – reissued Rhino, 2021)

2LP Black Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP Recycled Vinyl: Rhino.com

Side 1

“Roxette”
“She Does It Right”
“Back In The Night”
“Going Back Home”
“Riot In Cell Block No. 9”
“Sneakin’ Suspicion”

Side 2

“She’s A Wind Up”
“Baby Jane”
“Down At The Doctors”
“Milk And Alcohol”
“As Long As The Price Is Right”
“Put Him Out Of Your Mind”

Side 3

“Hong Kong Money”
“No Mo Do Yakamo”
“Jumping From Love To Love”
“Violent Love”
“Waiting For Saturday Night”
“Monkey”
“Trying To Live My Life Without You”

Side 4

“Crazy About Girls”
“My Way”
“Mad Man Blues”
“Don’t Wait Up”
“See You Later Alligator”
“Hunting Shooting Fishing”
“Milk And Alcohol… (New Recipe)”

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song and beyond, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with labels including Real Gone Music and Cherry Red Records, has released newly-curated collections produced and annotated by Joe from iconic artists such as Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Spinners, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Meat Loaf, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Liza Minnelli, Darlene Love, Al Stewart, Michael Nesmith, and many others.

Joe has written liner notes, produced, or contributed to over 200 reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them America, JD Souther, Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, BJ Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, Petula Clark, Robert Goulet, and Andy Williams.

Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray.

Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

1 thought on “Milk and Alcohol (New Recipe): Rhino Reissues Dr. Feelgood’s “Singles” On Vinyl”

Jackson Burnett
May 18, 2021 at 8:26 am

The whole idea of a company selling something on “recycled” colored vinyl is honestly pretty novel. Then again, I anticipate it being kind of a headache if Discogs users decide to submit each and every color combination Rhino makes…

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