Feelies Reunion (Of Sorts) This Sunday In Hoboken

From today's Star-Ledger:

Since the Feelies' demise, singer-songwriter-guitarist Glenn Mercer has continued to perform with bands, including Wake Ooloo and Sunburst. Mercer is recording his first solo album and will perform songs he has written for it as well as Feelies material at the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival on Sunday.

Former Feelies drummer Vinny DeNunzio, one of several ex-band members who participated in sessions for Mercer's album, is receiving equal billing at the free outdoor Hoboken event. Guitarist Adam Berardo, bassist Bob Torsello and another ex-Feelie, percussionist Dave Weckerman, will join them. (full story here)


Here's some Feelies history from the excellent Lost Bands Of The 80's blog:

New Jersey's the Feelies were once dubbed "The Best Underground Band in New York." by the Village Voice. Named after Aldous Huxley's "Feelies" (virtual reality movies with a sense of touch as well as sight and hearing), from his book "Brave New World", the Feelies released their first record, "Crazy Rhythms" on the legendary Stiff records label in 1980. After splitting up and working on other projects like the Willies and the Trypes, they regrouped and recorded "The Good Earth" (Coyote) in 1986 with Peter Buck of R.E.M.co-producing. Soon they appeared in the high school reunion scene in Jonathan Demme's film "Something Wild". A&M released the follow-up, "Only Life" in 1988, followed by "Time for a Witness" in 1991, but on July 5 of that year the Feelies played their final show at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ.

This is great news for fans of old-school jittery jangle. According to the festival's schedule, Mercer & DeNunzio's combo will be playing the Observer Highway stage at 1pm. This street fair becomes a total mob-scene around 2pm, so the timing is perfect to grab up some unhealthy carnival food, catch a great set of Hoboken musical history out in the sun, and split before the chubby balding mooks roll in for Southside Johnny (aka The Jersey Shore's Jimmy Buffett) and The Jukes' set at 3pm.

The Feelies - "Forces At Work" mp3
The Feelies - "Raised Eyebrows" mp3

Buy Feelies Music Here.