Dr Feelgood, James Oliver Band

Foillowing the departure of Wilko Johnsom and the passing of Lee Brillaux the band carried on wiith Pete Gage as frontman.

Pete Gage's eventual departure had not been entirely unforeseen, and the remaining members had already been scouting for a possible replacement in the event of his loss. Over the years of playing festivals all over Europe, the band had often found themselves bumping into old friends playing in a number of touring British R&B acts, but it was a chance encounter with Geordie veterans, The Animals, and their charismatic singer, Robert Kane, at a Sicilian rock festival that was to eventually provide Dr Feelgood with the most enduring line-up in the band’s history.

Kane had joined The Animals in 1994, but in the five years that followed, he had tired of the role, and was looking for something different, a fact that was to prove a fortunate coincidence for the Feelgoods.

An enquiry was made and, following some promising rehearsals, everyone agreed that Robert Kane would be an excellent choice to front the band. It was during one such rehearsal, that Kane questioned why Phil Mitchell kept pointing out the "harmonica breaks" as he didn't play harmonica. The answer came in somewhat typical "Feelgood" fashion from Kevin Morris who replied, "Well you'd better learn ... we've got gigs in a week!" So, in the words of Kane himself... "I did"

A year later, the band released "Chess Masters" a critically well-received powerhouse of favourite Chess R&B classics being given an unmistakably "Dr. Feelgood" workout.

15 years and over 1,800 gigs following Kane’s arrival, and with a total of 80 years service between the current line-up, the journey continues for Britain’s most enduring, and best loved R&B band, who continue to enthrall audiences as far away as Japan with the kind of "no-nonsense" live energy that first endeared Dr. Feelgood to a generation of music fans over thirty five years ago.