Essential Atlantic: J. Geils Band, BLOODSHOT

The J. Geils Band was rocking with serious momentum in 1973. In late 1972, the group released its first live album, Full House. The single-LP live record was an incendiary document of the J. Geils Band's infinite party-rocking powers, captured one night at Detroit's Cinderella Ballroom.

Frontman Peter Wolf and company followed Full House with Bloodshot, The J. Geils Band's third studio effort. Released on April 12, 1973, original pressings of the record arrived on translucent lollipop-red vinyl. Opening with the rousing rendition of the Showstoppers' 1967 party-rock classic, "(Ain't Nothin' But a) House Party," Bloodshot is arguably the closest the J. Geils Band came to catching the group's live energy on a studio record. Tracks including "Back to Get Ya" and instant classic "Southside Shuffle," the album's sole single, "Give It to Me," broke through the top 40 to peak at #30 for the week of June 23, 1973. The #1 song in America that week: Paul McCartney and Wings, "My Love."

With the J. Geils Band relentlessly rocking across the continent to promote the album, Bloodshot went on to peak at #10 on the Billboard 200 for the week of June 16, 1973. The most popular LP in America at the time: Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway. Bloodshot still stands as the J. Geils Band's highest-charting album of the 1970s. Its popularity wouldn't be surpassed on the US charts in the act's catalog until Freeze-Frame hit #1 in February 1982.