Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation

The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the first volume only chronicled the USA.

Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969 emerged in 2001. It features music from countries such as Iceland, Uruguay, and Japan. I’m profiling and rating each of the 109 tracks, working backwards.

Track 85 – How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation

From: Cheshunt, United Kingdom

Credits

4/4. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO FEEL (U.S. Single Version) – The Creation
(Bob Garner/Eddie Phillips)

PERSONNEL/BOB GARNER: vocals * EDDIE PHILLIPS: guitar, vocals * KIM GARDNER: bass, vocals * JACK JONES: drums
Produced by SHEL TALMY for INTERGLOBAL RECORDS CORP.
Recorded in London, England
Decca single #32227 (1967) [U.S.]

The Creation

The Creation have the opening song on Nuggets II, but they also feature on the fourth disc.

The Mark Four formed in Hertfordshire in 1961. The group included vocalist Kenny Pickett, guitarist Eddie Phillip, bassist John Dalton, and drummer Jack Jones. They released a series of singles, including ‘I’m Leaving’.

Dalton left The Mark Four in October 1965 to join The Kinks. He was eventually replaced by Bob Garner, and the band became The Creation. They enjoyed success with ‘Making Time’ and ‘Painter Man’, but split in 1968.

The Creation only released one album in the 1960s, but their influence outweighs their output. They were adored by Paul Weller, Pete Townsend, and The Sex Pistols, while Jimmy Page copied their idea of playing guitar with a violin bow.

How Does It Feel to Feel

‘How Does It Feel to Feel’ came from late in The Creation’s 1960s career. Vocalist Kenny Pickett had already left the band when they recorded it.

But it’s engaging – the driving rhythm, the off-kilter psychedelia, and the straightforward melody coalesce into a great package. The guitar freakout in the middle is also terrific. Bob Garner’s vocal delivery is reminiscent of John Lennon’s sardonic drawl.

‘How Does It Feel to Feel’ also predicts the direction that Oasis would take in the 1990s.

Shel Talmy provides a huge, booming production showcasing Phillips’ monstrous, shuddering guitar chords, Kim Gardner’s heavy bass crunch, and some mind-bending vocal harmonies. According to Garner, the song was written in about five minutes, improvised from a line snatched from Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.”

“How Does It Feel To Feel” originally surfaced as a German single in 1967; that November an even more feedback-charged version–the one featured here–was released in the U.S.
Mike Stax, Nuggets II liner notes

The Aftermath

The song was later covered by Ride. Ride was on the Creation label, also home to Oasis, Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, and Felt. Alan McGee named his label after The Creation, while he named his band Biff Bang Pow! after a Creation song.

Over all these years, I’ve mainly made a living through the music. I’ve never stopped writing and recording and when Boney M covered “Painterman” back in the 70’s, that sold over 7 million copies altogether which was very nice!! I’ve had various successes including one with Rockpile and The Shadows did one of mine, some out in Germany and more recently, in ’97 had a big hit with “Hillbilly Rock, Hillbilly Roll”, by the Woolpackers from Emmerdale!! Quite a change of style – it started all the Line Dancing craze, which is still popular now.
Eddie Phillips, Creation Records

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10 Comments

Lisa or Li

November 23, 2025 / 8:35 am Reply

None of them do much for me beyond that hammer beat.
- Aphoristical
  
  November 25, 2025 / 10:18 am Reply
  
  Thanks for listening. I find that era of rock music pretty interesting, as everything was expanding.
  - Lisa or Li
    
    November 25, 2025 / 10:31 am Reply
    
    You are welcome. What do you think the biggest impetus was for the expansion?
    - Aphoristical
      
      November 27, 2025 / 9:34 pm Reply
      
      Technology was increasing rapidly, plus just imagination. Feels like most variations on pop/rock music had been invented by 1969 – smidgeons of metal, electronic music, etc.
Christian's Music Musings

November 23, 2025 / 1:34 pm Reply

“How Does It Feel to Feel” combines raw-sounding guitar-driven music that at times seems close from going off the rails with neat vocal harmonies. This creates an interesting contrast.
- Aphoristical
  
  November 25, 2025 / 10:19 am Reply
  
  Yeah, i think it does a lot at once, impressive that it remains coherent.
Badfinger (Max)

November 24, 2025 / 4:47 pm Reply

I really like this band. When I found them I noticed they a Who/Kinks feel. I like this one…sounds like an experimental track. It’s controlled chaos and it works. I also like Ride’s version. The song I know the best is Makin’ Time. It looks like they would have been a bit more successful or at least remembered.
- Aphoristical
  
  November 25, 2025 / 10:20 am Reply
  
  Lots of influential people cited them as an influence – but their output was so small that it’s hard to put them in the same league as Who and Kinks. Lots of talent though.
Vinyl Connection

November 27, 2025 / 11:58 am Reply

An absolute highlight of Nuggets II. Love it.
- Aphoristical
  
  November 27, 2025 / 9:37 pm Reply
  
  Almost everything on Nuggets II has been great so far – I think I gravitate to the more polished and eclectic Nuggets II, rather than the garage rock of Nuggets.