They were invited to play the original Woodstock, but turned it down, reportedly saying, "Three days in the mud - who needs it?".
The band was founded in Massachusetts in 1967, when J. Geils was attending the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. They broke up in 1985, but had several reunions.
In their younger days, they earned the name "The Jewish Rolling Stones" because of their R&B sound and their wild live shows.