Robert Kane – Interview: Did Somebody Call A Doctor

Robert Kane – Interview: Did Somebody Call A Doctor

With 26 years and counting as vocalist with r n’ b legends Dr Feelgood, Robert Kane is about to release his first solo album, which I’ve reviewed for RPM, natch. This seemed like the perfect time to put some questions to him about his 50-plus-year career, which may be more varied than some people realise.

After founding The Showbiz Kids in the 1970s alongside Olga (yes, he of The Toy Dolls), Robert became the singer with the reformed Animals, before joining Dr Feelgood in 1999. Some 1000-plus gigs later, he’s still happy on the road, and having seen the band recently in France, I can tell (see what I did there) that they are still loving it, and are very much on fire at the moment. Catch them if you can.

RPM: The press release says that you’ve had these songs sitting around for a while, from various periods in your career. Why did you choose this moment to release your debut solo album, and which is the oldest song? 

R.K: I write all the time, even if it’s just a line or two that might get used later, but a lot of finished songs don’t fit with what you’re currently doing, so if there’s no outlet for them and they just get left behind, languishing in a kind of no man’s land. One day, I was playing one of those songs at home and realised I’d never played it to anyone, and I thought, ‘Well, does a song actually exist if no one has ever heard it?’. It was then that I realised that I needed to get some of these songs together and get them out there. Originally, I was hoping to have the album out about five years ago and had got started on it when COVID came along and everything just stopped. When things opened up again, I was so busy with Dr Feelgood that it had to be put on hold until I had the time (and money) to get it done. And that time is Now! 

RPM: While the styles are slightly different, did you ever consider any of them for Dr Feelgood?

R.K: Well, Dr Feelgood is an R&B band and these songs are all rooted in R&B but there are many styles within the genre and I never heard these as Feelgood numbers. 

RPM: Tell us a little about the musicians that you chose to play on the album. What’s your history with them?

R.K: I worked with guitarist George Fearon in a band called The Alligators from 1989 to 1994, and two of the songs on the album were written with him. 

There are two drummers on the album  – Dave Dodsworth, who was also in The Alligators and Ian Hamilton, who is in great demand in the North East of England, where I live. 

Bass is played by Frankie Gibbon who also played some keyboard and even drums on one track. Also the recording was done by him at his studio. 

Steve Dawson played guitar alongside Hilton Valentine when I was in Animals ll from 1994-99 and he’s on a couple of tracks. He also did the mixing and mastering. 

Dave Chapman plays organ on one song and he was recommended to me by Steve Dawson. 

I play harmonica and rhythm guitar. 

RPM: I recently heard the first single by The Showbiz Kids, thanks to YouTube. I’m always fascinated by the history behind an artist. It’s a really good track, reflective of the era. Naturally, your voice and approach have changed over the years, and most singers take a long time to find their voice, which you clearly have now. What are your fondest memories of this time? 

R.K: It was a great time. I was young and ambitious and we really worked to try and make it.  We became very popular locally and worked a lot in London too but although we did our best to get a record contract it just didn’t happen for us. Good times though. 

RPM: While Dr Feelgood are pretty much always on the road, do you plan on releasing another solo album in the future? 

R.K: It has been mentioned, so I wouldn’t rule it out.

RPM: And, speaking of future releases, are you and Gordon Russell working on new songs at the moment, or do they just arrive when they’re ready to? ‘Damn Right!’ was such a welcome surprise; 11 great, new songs by Dr Feelgood that fit so well into the set. You obviously all had a blast recording them; it’s evident in each song. 

R.K: Gordon and I have got plenty of ideas but like all these things it’ll happen when the time is right. 

RPM: As a lifelong fan of Feelgood and a frustrated harmonica player, I have to ask. I read somewhere online that, during your audition, or perhaps just afterwards, the band gave you a nod during a practice, to tell you where the harp solos were. Your response was “I don’t play harp”, and they said “well, you better learn quickly, the tour’s coming up”, or words to that effect. Correct me if I’m wrong. And, how did you learn? After years of trying to ad-lib, I had some very technical harmonica lessons, which, as I had suspected, couldn’t teach me the ‘feel’ necessary for r n b. 

R.K: Yes, it’s true. When I auditioned and said I didn’t play, they said, ‘Can you sort that out for next week?’ My first thought was, ‘Does that mean I’ve got the job?’ 

Anyway, I had a harmonica with a busted reed, which I’d been given by The Alligators’ harmonica player but it had just been sitting in a drawer for years. So when I got home, I got this out and spent a few days frantically sucking and blowing and trying to get something out of it that sounded vaguely musical! By the end of the week, I’d managed to play a bent note with a bluesy feel to it and thought, ‘That’s it, I’ve cracked it!’ Of course, I hadn’t but I had enough to bluff my way through the songs. A few weeks later, I did my first gig with the band, and that was a bit nervy but it went really well. I never had any instruction or lessons, I just picked it up by gigging constantly, and twenty-six years later, I still don’t know what I’m doing! 

Buy Robert Kane’s ‘Blues Is Blues’ : Here.

Author: Martin Chamarette

Robert Kane- ‘Blues Is Blues’ (Conquest Music)

Robert Kane- ‘Blues Is Blues’ (Conquest Music)

Life is full of surprises. It seems like just the other day I was reviewing ‘Damn Right’, the first Dr Feelgood album to contain all original songs, and damn fine it is too. That was an unexpected treat. And in March, I finally got to see the band live, in France, with Robert Kane in his element. Now, after an illustrious career, I’m listening to his debut solo album, ‘Blues Is Blues’.

 The blues can be a tricky one. Simple, yes. Easy, no. I freely admit that, as a young man, I really overdid my blues obsession, and, rhythm and blues aside, don’t listen to that much now. I am, inevitably, a bit of a snob, musically speaking. I like my blues rough, economical and from the heart. Thankfully, this was pretty much Robert’s instruction to the musicians involved in the recording.

So, we have 11 songs, mainly originals that he hadn’t previously recorded, but felt that they deserved to be heard. Every track was nailed on the first or second take, predominantly live, and this is partly why they really stand out. Lead single, ‘Halfway To Memphis’, hits out with some slide guitar and his wailing harmonica, which are also both present on ‘Heart Attack Baby’. A fine way to start. ‘Staying Home’ really pares things back, just a lone vocal and a picked guitar melody. Suitably mellow for the subject matter; “Life ain’t easy, but life is good. Gonna stay home and live the way I should”. I hear you.

‘How Many Times’ uses a refrain you will indeed have heard many times before, but we are dealing with a medium that generally uses three chords, so it shouldn’t be a surprise. What counts is that, when done properly, as here, that’s all you need. ‘Man Who’s Got The Blues’ broadens the blues palette, with some classy keyboard playing, yet never overplayed. Perfect for a smoky club.

‘Baby, Please Come Home’ is essentially a rewrite of ‘Baby, Please Don’t Go’, and Robert’s version of ‘The Ballad Of Staggerlee’ has added some new verses to the blues classic. But, rawest of all is the album closer ‘Jawbone’. A lone vocal describes the mythical character, which could easily be a lost blues traditional. I’ve always said that Mr Brilleaux was the greatest white rhythm and blues singer ever. After 26 years and counting with Dr Feelgood, it’s clear that Mr Kane is a blues voice to be reckoned with. He is steeped in the music, assured in his place, and it’s a pleasure to hear.

Buy Here

Author: Martin Chamarette

Dr Feelgood, Crossroads, France, 27th March 2025

Dr Feelgood, Crossroads, France, 27th March 2025

Prior to moving to France in 2019, I made my final pilgrimage to Canvey Island, such is my love for all things Dr Feelgood. So, in 2025, it was with surprise and relief that I noticed that the band were playing a mere 2 hr drive away. I’m out of practice with driving distances for gigs, but this was not to be missed, given the quality of last year’s ‘Live In Caen’ album and the recent ‘Damn Right’ studio album.

Call it coincidence, but it’s around 40 years since I last saw them, and once again Gordon Russell is on guitar, a man who has given as much to the history of the band as Wilko and Gypie. In fact, with the exception of Robert Kane on vocals, it’s the same line up as in 1984. I won’t be drawn into semantics, this line up rocks and is worthy of the name.

So it begins with ‘Drives Me Wild’, and the energy level doesn’t let up for 1 hr 20 minutes, which is pretty remarkable, really. What is clear from the outset is that the band are loving playing together, and feed off each others enthusiasm. The venue, an unassuming small warehouse of a building, just off a dual carriageway, isn’t too inviting from the outside. However, once inside, it’s impressive to see there’s a decent space for wheelchair users, and the sound is impeccable tonight. And, it’s packed out.

Classics like ‘I Can Tell’ and ‘Roxette’ are interspersed with new tunes like ‘Keep It Undercover’ and ‘Damn Right’, which fit right into the set, such is the quality of songs that Gordon and Robert have written together. It’s a joy to see and hear Gordon let it rip live, I think some here are surprised by the ferocity of his playing, when required (see ‘If My Baby Quits Me’). And boy, is it loud!

Robert covers every inch of the stage, encouraging the mainly French audience to sing the choruses, which gets a good response. He’s stamped his mark as a frontman in his own right, and his style is assured. With the rhythm section of Kevin and Phil, he knows everything will be spot on. Even the much used ‘See You Later, Alligator’ has a freshness tonight.

‘Gimme One More Shot’ is followed by the inevitable and deserved encore. The evening has flown by and the mood is euphoric. Feelgood have a long history with France, and it’s clear that they continue to be treasured over here. I’d love to have heard some tunes from ‘Doctor’s Orders’, but I guess those of you in the UK will get to hear them soon as they gear up dates to celebrate it, maybe even some from ‘Mad Man Blues’. They continue to be the undisputed leaders of rhythm and blues, so keep your eyes peeled for upcoming dates.

Author: Martin Chamarette

Dr Feelgood, ‘Live In Caen’ (Grand Records)

Dr Feelgood, ‘Live In Caen’ (Grand Records)

The most pleasant and unexpected surprise of 2022 for me was being able to say “there’s a great new album from Dr Feelgood”. I admit that I’d not followed their recent releases closely, though I respected their decision to carry on flying the Feelgood flag. Quite by chance, I heard the first single from ‘Damn Right!’ and immediately my ears pricked up. ‘The guitar sounds familiar’, I thought to myself. And, sure enough, it was the return of Gordon Russell, one of my favourite guitarists. This was clearly a very good thing, as the tunes he wrote with Robert Kane are truly worthy of the Feelgood name and legacy.

And he seems to have given them a shot in the arm onstage as well. So, here we have 20 songs from stages around Europe, with the band sounding vital and sharp. From ‘Drives Me Wild’ onwards, it is a joy to hear them having a ball. The four new tunes fit in perfectly with the classics, ‘Mary Ann’ sounding particularly excellent next to ‘All Through The City’. Kane does his thing without sounding like Brilleaux, and I really like his style. It’s hard to believe that on joining the band, he didn’t play harmonica, because on ‘Going Back Home’ he’s obviously done his homework.

It’s no secret that The Big Figure and Sparko are my favourite rhythm section ever, but Phil and Kevin have been playing together for so long that they also have a special chemistry. ‘Damn Right I Do’ and ‘Keep It Undercover’ sound even better live, and with ‘Roxette’, ‘Milk And Alcohol’, ‘Down At The Doctors’ and ‘She Does It Right’, it’s one hell of a set list.

I’d love to hear them include ‘Dangerous’ one day, and keep my fingers crossed they’ll return to France this year. For all of you in the UK, make the most of a good thing and catch them on tour soon. Doctor’s orders!

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Author: Martin Chamarette

Diamond Dogs – ‘As Your Greens Turn Brown’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

Diamond Dogs – ‘As Your Greens Turn Brown’ (Wild Kingdom Records)

As my learned colleague, Craggy waxed lyrically when he reviewed ‘Honked’ the first of these Anniversary albums from Diamond Dogs, I went on a journey down the Rock and ROll highway and played every Diamond Dogs album released and the overriding thought I had was –  Damn this band was smoking hot when they got in that groove.

They were honking on the whole Faces early ’70s Stones vibe and they were killing it every time and the most important thing was they had the tunes to go with the swagger and if those five albums were my gift to the world I’d be so proud of my band and the songs we’d created. Its quite some collection and as the band aged like a good wine they changed taste but remained true to their roots and sound.

On reflection, it seems like yesterday the band were rolling into my small village and pitching up their amps in a restaurant at the rear of my local boozer on a Sunday night after having a show in the City cancelled they then proceeded to Rock the socks off the locals with a wonderful and impressive set. These sets are pressed on vinyl as well as CD and contain a plethora of bonus tracks (singles B Sides) to wrap up the tunes from that period in a perfect set.

As Your Greens Turn Brown: After the keys introduce the listener with a bit of ‘Bloodshot’ before kicking up a shitstorm in the shape of the fantastic no holds barred ‘Goodbye, Miss Jill’ even now it makes me smile a five-mile smile when the band kicks in and the harmonica starts honkin’.

The record ebbs and flows superbly with the highs being particularly high and when the band gets going man they sounded authentic and passionate.  The lulls when they’d kickback. Their blend of Hammond and Rock and Roll overdrive mixed with a few horns stabs here and there is timeless. Let the good times roll on the ballsy ‘Hardhitter’ and then they can drop a few gears as they venture off into Small Faces territory via ‘Singing With The Alleycats’ it’s easy to see how these guys got gigs with Punk rockers like the Damned or Rockers like The Cult and Nazareth when you hear the raw ‘Bite Off’ with its too fast to live riff and with that variety in mind you pick up the flavour of just how talented a songwriter Sulo is and he lives these songs and wears them on his sleeve you can’t bluff Rock and Roll this good which is why he attracted the likes of Darrel Bath and Steve Klasson into the fold.

 

The band were comfortable letting go and cutting loose as they were doing the jig is up country-tinged ‘Anywhere Tonight’ as they were doing the whole Thin Lizzy duel guitar kick-off that had songs like ‘Boogie For Tanja’ being so effortlessly good. Then when they needed to turn down the lights they could glide into ‘Yesterdays Nymph’ in one fell swoop. When Sulo took the mood down he has a wonderful tone on his voice and as far as taking on the Brits doing the whole R&B thing there’s no contest Diamond Dogs were more consistent than a lot of their contemporaries churning out albums of exceptionally high quality and this bad boy is right up there with the best of them and when your B Sides are as good as your A-Sides you know you’re onto something.

Fifteen songs of exceptional quality its like they once said Too much is never enough! Bring on the next one and I’ll get me filled up on more trips down memory lane and promise myself to play these records more often they deserve it and so do you – Buy it!

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Buy Diamond Dogs Here

Author: Dom Daley

OIL CITY CONFIDENTIAL TIN PLUS DR FEELGOOD VINYL

OIL CITY CONFIDENTIAL TIN PLUS DR FEELGOOD VINYL

VINYL DEALS
BOX Sets

Buy an Oil City  Confidential Tin and a Classic  Dr Feelgood collectors Vinyl  and get a Double Wilko Best of CD FREE

Oil City Confidential

10th Anniversary Box Set in a Limited Edition Tin
get this with a Dr Feelgood Limited edition Vinyl  plus Free Best of Wilko Johnson Double CD  for £30 Here
Buy vinyl & tin DVD Here

Classic Film in a  Limited Edition Tin packed with Extras

Classic Film in a  Limited Edition Tin packed with Extras

Julien Temple’s acclaimed, award-winning documentary Oil City Confidential is available once more as a Tenth Anniversary special edition in exclusive limited Oil City tin with bonus DVD of Wilko Johnson – ‘Live At Koko, Camden Town, London, March 2013’.

This special edition deluxe tin includes:-

  1. Oil City Confidential Film DVD with new artwork
  2. Bonus DVD of Wilko Johnson Live at Koko 2013
  3. 24-page booklet featuring BBCs Mark Radcliffe essay reminisces of Dr. Feelgood (“The Day I Met The Band That Changed My Life”)
  4. Ultra rare photos
  5. Postcard of Canvey-centric map of the world created by Lee Brilleaux and Phil Ashcroft

This is the story of Dr Feelgood, four men in cheap suits who crashed out of Canvey Island in the early ’70s, sandpapered the face of rock’n’roll, leaving all that came before a burnt-out ruin – four estuarine John-the-Baptists to Johnny Rotten’s anti-Christ. Taking London by storm, they sped through Europe and conquered the UK with No 1 chart success, before imploding just as punk was born and America beckoned with open arms. Contributions from members of The Clash, Blondie and The Sex Pistols join Dr Feelgood with collaborators Jools Holland and Alison Moyet to tell the story of Canvey, ’70s England and the greatest local band in the world.

Winner of the Mojo Vision Award 2010, Best Documentary at the Kermode Awards 2011 and Best International Film 2009 (Cult Award, Turin Film Festival).

‘A rip-roaring account of one of the best bands Britain ever produced by a film-maker who looks increasingly like our very finest rockumentarian’ – Mark Kermode, The Observer.
‘Nothing less than a master-class in musical hagiography, beautifully photographed, superbly edited and utterly involving’ – ***** Time Out.
‘I don’t think Julien Temple has ever made a film as good, and as purely insightful as this’ – ***** The Guardian.

 

(There is an option to buy a Tshirt for £5 (normally £15). These are for a limited time only and while stocks last…….if you are buying a Tshirt, please state which size you would like when ordering: Small, Medium, Large or XL (all these sizes are limited quantity/while stocks last…………..)

Order the Tin Here

The Feelgood Band – Pelton Arms 3rd November 2018

The Feelgood Band – Pelton Arms 3rd November 2018

Armitage Smith

As I walk past the Indian Restaurant situated on the Parade of shops at the end of my Road I often see stuck up in the window entertainment to entice potential customers into sampling their wares. These normally come in the form of an A4 poster with a picture of a George Michael, or a Michael Jackson tribute act who will, whilst you are eating, sing all their hits. I can’t think of anything worse than having “Wake Me Up Before You Goa Goa” ringing in my ears, ruining my Chicken Bhuna (Did you see what I did there?).
However, there is a time and a place for tribute acts; when your favourite band becomes so huge that the only venues that they play are enormodomes which means binoculars to see them and a second mortgage to pay for the privilege, Metallica. Or after years of services they have retired from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus, Rush. The saddest thing is if that all Classic era members are now playing in the great gig in the sky, Ramones and Motörhead. Then there’s the anomaly that is The Feelgood Band. Playing Clubs and Pubs the same size and sometimes even bigger than Dr. Feelgood the band they pay homage to. To blur the lines even more between Tribute and the Real Thing is that both feature no original members. To be fair the current Dr. Feelgood line-up has been playing together longer than Lee Brilleaux, Wilko Johnson, The Big Figure and John B Sparks ever did. That period though (1971-1977) is the basic remit for The Feelgood Band, to recreate that Canvey Island R&B energy and swagger. Watching The Feelgood Band at The Pelton Arms I felt I was an extra in either a Sky Arts or a BBC4 Docudrama. Considering the Pub has doubled as The Nags Head from the “Only Fools and Horses” prequel “Rock & Chips” this could be plausible. When vocalist Mark introduces the band for a second I think he’s gone off script wondering who are these people he’s name checking. None of The Feelgood Band go out of their way to look like the members they are mimicking, no Brilleaux dirty white suit, but they have the moves and flavour, but most importantly they really and I mean really do sound like Dr. Feelgood from that time period. “Roxette”, “She Does It Right”, “Going Back Home” et el are all “Close your eyes and you would think you were there” moments.

Having said that though the band do stray into some of Wilko’s post Feelgood solo recordings with a healthy dose of songs that the band recorded with Gypie Mayo; “My Buddy Buddy Friends”, “She’s A Wind Up”, “Down to The Doctors” and even “No Mo Do Yakamo” from 1980’s “A Case of the Shakes”. Disappointingly for me as I love it, no “Milk and Alcohol”. I’m not sure why it wasn’t included, maybe unlike the others, it can’t be Wilkoised.
At the stroke of 11 pm The Feelgood Band wrap things up to the dying sounds of Bonfire Night Fireworks and I have no idea who had the better time; the band or the audience.

 

Feelgood Band

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(Band photo courtesy The Feelgood Band Facebook Page)