Pete Gage - Tough Talk - #2

Pete Gage - Tough Talk

Of course, Pete Gage is known to most of us as the singer of a revived "Dr. Feelgood", after their only remaining original member, Lee Brilleaux, had died in 1994. A post 1994 Dr. Feelgood simply doesn't exist for me. Period. But I have to say, Pete Gage did a very good job and was sold way under his profile. That's me crying over spilled milk. But since then, I'm a real fan of Pete Gage. This is only his third outing as a solo artist (afaik). This 2010 release on Goofin' Records (GRCD 6165) is now almost one year old and it's about bloody time I'll say something about it.

Don't expect anything close to a reheated "Dr. Feelgood" outing, although there is "Standing At The Crossroads Again" on this CD. What you get with Pete Gage solo is usually a very laidback sound, somewhere between crooner and rocker. With a lot of Blues thrown in, for good measure. Of the 15 tracks, eleven (twelve) are Pete Gage originals and, to me, the man is a songwriter par excellence. This is stuff I'd like to see live in a small club or in the evenings at home, with a proper dram within reach. The album is best described as a cornupia of sounds, drawing from all over the world. There's Blues, there's Rock, there's Bluesrock, there's a whiff of Cajun and there's the european entertaining style, so far removed from easy listening, that one hardly recognises it as such. Mind you, this is not an easy listening CD, don't get the idea. It's just a relaxing kind of disc (if your idea of relaxing is somewhat near mine).

The CD has been recorded in Finland and features, amongst others, Gypie Mayo, of former Dr. Feelgood fame, whose parts have been played in the U.K. And, best of all, my friends of the finnish rockband Doctor's Order have participated in this enterprise. Archie Hämäläinen on guitar and Teppo Nättilä on bass. And they are doing a hell of a job. Now, if I can only make it to a Pete Gage solo gig one day, that'll be the day! If he's playing anywhere near your place, don't hesitate and grab the chance to see a very fine performer. And don't forget to buy the album.

Cheers

Devon