Back cover to the Feelies' "Fa Cé-La" single, 1979
At a show this weekend celebrating the cult New Jersey act's 40th anniversary, the band was joined on stage by Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan for a delightful, sped-up, high energy take on the Motor City 5's second 45, "Looking At You." Glenn Mercer shreds so hard on this.
The band was formed thanks to two of its original members finding their way through a Stooges cover in a garage, so it makes perfect sense they'd help to celebrate their existence with a cover of an iconic MC5 song these many years later.
I moved to the New York City area myself close to 30 years ago, to go to school in Manhattan. My first night in town, I found my way to the Path train and headed directly to Hoboken, New Jersey, where Ira Kaplan worked the soundboard that night for a show by the Feelies, who'd recently reformed. I don't remember what covers were played that night, but I sure was glad to be there, watching the Feelies on home turf.
Here's to many more years of Feelies music, and one hopes an area show sometime soon!
