Biography of The Feelies

The Feelies, consisting of Glenn Mercer (guitar/vocals), Bill Million (guitar/vocals), Keith DeNunzio (bass), Vinny DeNunzio (drums) and part-time member Anton Fier (drums), formed in New Jersey in 1977. In 1980, they released their debut avant-pop masterpiece, Crazy Rhythms, to critical acclaim but to no commercial response. Mercer and Million left the band dormant while working on outside projects such as the Trypes, Willies and Yung Wu; Fier left to work on his own Golden Palominos projects. Revived interest in the band, thanks in part to R.E.M.'s Peter Buck citing the band as an influence, led to a reactivated version of the Feelies in 1986, featuring Brenda Sauter on bass and Dave Weckerman on percussion. Produced by Peter Buck, The Good Earth was released in 1986 by Coyote to an enthusiastic college radio audience. They continued to be college radio mainstays for the rest of the decade, though mainstream success has eluded them. ~ Chris Woodstra