The J. Geils Band

One of the defining blues-rock outfits of the ’70s, The J. Geils Band were known for their rousing live shows before finding even greater success as hitmakers in the ’80s. ∙ After working Boston’s infamously tough late-’60s rock circuit, they earned airplay for hard-driving covers of The Valentinos’ “Lookin’ for a Love” and The Contours’ “First I Look At the Purse.” ∙ In 1971, they headlined the final show at New York’s legendary Fillmore East, alongside The Allman Brothers Band and bluesman Albert King. ∙ An iconic live band, they earned their first Gold record with the 1972 concert LP Full House, which contained definitive versions of such tracks as “Whammer Jammer.” ∙ They embraced New Wave on 1980’s Love Stinks, whose title track has been covered numerous times, including by Adam Sandler in the 1998 comedy The Wedding Singer. ∙ “Centerfold,” from their 1981 Platinum album, Freeze Frame, became the group’s biggest hit and was later included on Billboard’s Greatest Of All Time Hot 100 Songs chart. ∙ The band reunited in 2013 to perform at the Boston Strong concert, which benefited victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.