He was born in Durban, South Africa, to English parents, was brought up in Ealing, and moved to Canvey Island with his family when he was 13. He co-founded Dr Feelgood with Wilko Johnson in 1971 and was the band's lead singer, harmonica player and occasional guitarist. According to one obituary: "Brilleaux and Johnson developed a frantic act, often charismatically dressed in dark suits and loose ties, shabby rather than smart. The rough, and almost ruthless, edge which ran through his vocal and harmonica style reflected the character and philosophy of the band." In 1976, Brilleaux helped found Stiff Records, one of the driving forces of the "New Wave" of the mid- to late-1970s, with a loan of £500. Johnson left Dr Feelgood in 1977 but Brilleaux continued the band with Gypie Mayo on guitar in 1978. By 1984 he was the only founder member remaining. In 1986, he recorded the albumBrilleaux, featuring songs by Johnny Cash. His last performance was in January 1994, at the Dr Feelgood Music Bar in Canvey Island. He died on 7 April 1994 of lymphoma, at the age of 41, at his home in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
Legacy
After a one-year hiatus Dr. Feelgood appointed Pete Gage as their new vocalist. In 2011, contemporary artist and Dr. Feelgood fan Scott King announced his intention to commemorate Lee Brilleaux by erecting a 300 ft gold-plated statue of the musician on the foreshore in Southend-on-Sea close to the legendary Kursaal where the band played some of their most important gigs. An e-petition was launched to collect signatures in support of the project, and it now has approximately 1500 signatures. In 2014, music writer Zoë Howe announced her intention to writeRoadrunner, a biography based on Brilleaux's life, including a collection of his life stories and memories, with classic and unseen images. The book reached 100% crowd-funding via Unbound on 18 May 2014. Howe is also the co-author of Looking Back at Me, an autobiography of Wilko Johnson, the original guitarist with Dr. Feelgood. The book was published, by Polygon, as Lee Brilleaux: Rock'n'Roll Gentleman.
