Wilko Johnson Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer

furiousox

Sad news today about Wilko Johnson (ex Dr Feelgood & Blockheads)
Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he's declined chemo to complete recording his cd then do a short UK farewell tour.
I'll be doing my best to get to one or more of those last gigs.
Wilko (& Norman) best live act I've ever seen.

http://www.facebook.com/WilkoJohnsonBand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9eFubya-LM

mike65

One of the great figures of the London "pub-rock" scene without which punk would not have had a place to play a few years later.

Davidth88

I was at the Leeson Lounge that night OP , in fact I met you !!


Great musician , would love to get to one of those gigs myself

8mv

That's sad news indeed. Never got to see them live but always loved to see Wilco on TV.

furiousox

He's playing Sheffield on Feb 16th
Nearest airport is Manchester or Leeds then Sheffield is about an hour away by train.
Flights are cheap so far.

Sad news alright, only just found out he played the executioner in the first two series of Game of Thrones.

Chelon

Saddest news I've heard in a while. The Leeson gig I rate as the best small venue gig I've ever seen - the band were on fire even by their own extraordinary standards. Thanks again for capturing some vid OP.

Probably too much to hope that he'd return to these shores, but I see he's due to play in Sheffield and also some towns in Eastern France in February. Anyone know why he would play there?

furiousox

He's playing a gig in France on the 6th before the two gigs in Sheffield, no idea why he's stopping off in France.
According to his website more gigs are to follow soon.
Sad to say but I think you'd need to plan on seeing him early in 2013 rather than later.
Really sad about this, those lads and their music have been part of my life for nearly 30 years.

Chelon

See the 3 Sheffield dates are all sold out already...would love to go to the French gigs but flights are a bit more costly. Didn't see mention on his website of further shows beyond Sheffield though?

Realistically though the tickets will go so fast that France may possibly be the best option.

furiousox

More UK dates announced for October

Chelon

furiousox wrote: »

More UK dates announced for October

Can't see these anywhere - where did you see them? Just reading about his illness and October would seem optimistic...:-(

furiousox

Sadly you could well be right.
If you look up wilkojohnson.org on a smartphone the new dates appear.
(not appearing on a pc for some reason)

Dates are

22/10 Shildon Civic Hall
23/10 Wedgewood Rooms
28/10 Dunkerque France
29/10 Gunstone
30/10 Oysterfleet

The Oysterfleet is in Canvey so that could well be his final gig

EDIT: Just googled these dates and they are incorrect and from a previous tour, ignore!

furiousox

Right
Four gigs announced for March
There are his last ever shows
I've booked myself a flight for the final show in Glasgow

http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/wilkojohnson/tour2013.htm

Chelon

furiousox wrote: »

Right
Four gigs announced for March
There are his last ever shows
I've booked myself a flight for the final show in Glasgow

http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/wilkojohnson/tour2013.htm[/QUOTE]

Well spotted - have seen him before in the Glasgow venue. It's big enough, not as intimate as the venues he sometimes plays. Anyone have any info on the other venues listed?

I'm not sure now about seeing him again - it would be awful to miss out on the last shows, but might also be incredibly sad on the night. Will decide over the weekend.

furiousox

It will be a very sad night.
The first time I saw him live was the mid or late 1980's
I was in the koko venue in Camden before for the oil city confidential premiere.
Wilko did a gig after the showing of the film.
It's a bit like the Olympia, old theatre type of place.
I'm debating whether to go to that gig as well or just go to Glasgow.
Ideally I'd love to go to all four but that's not going to happen.

Keep_Her_Lit

Aaaah, this really is shockingly sad news. I am going to miss this genius-lunatic!

So Friday night I was seeing if any new Wilko clips had been uploaded to YouTube. I popped over to his website on the off chance that another Dublin gig was lined up for sometime this year. Then I read the Important Notice and my heart sank. OK, so he couldn't go on playing forever ... but so soon? ... and so abruptly?

The first time I saw Wilko was about 1986/7 in the Boxing Club in Drogheda. The Boxing Club was a kip ... formica tables, stackable plastic chairs, perpetually wrecked jacks and a false ceiling that sagged alarmingly. But it was a great kip and many's the deadly Saturday night was had there. Some of the local bands were a bit iffy (that's being charitable) but plenty of excellent bands played there too. Scullion, with Philip King, Sonny Condell and co., were particular favourites of mine - wonderfully talented songwriters and musicians.

But nothing could have prepared me for the tornado that was Wilko Johnson. Firstly, there was the sound ... it seemed incredible that a three piece band could create such a wall of relentless, driving rhythm. Wilko, Norman and Salvatore were so tight, so sharp, they must have been telepathically linked. And they played out of their skins, each soaked in sweat by the third or fourth number! Then there was the spectacle ... Norman, crawling up and down the fretboard of his bass like some crazed gargoyle (no offence intended, Norman), producing sounds and massive chunky riffs that you will never hear from any other bass player. Salvatore, locked into the beat in a trance-like state, never putting a foot wrong. And Wilko - a fusion of talent, energy, eccentricity and genius which was simply mesmerising.

Riffs and licks that were so infectious, they almost hurt ... and delivered with astonishing athleticism, as Wilko shuttled rapidly from one side of the stage to the other, always facing the audience, as though on rails ... regularly throwing in huge leaps and occasionally turning his battered telecaster on the mob, with his signature wild-eyed manic stare, to give them a good "machine-gunning". I was only a young fella then and had hardly set foot outside my home town. But it was plain to see that Wilko was one of a kind. I saw Wilko twice in the Boxing Club. Each time, it took me weeks to recover from those enormous R&B overdoses - I'd be floating around work for days afterwards, the sounds and words that Wilko had seared into my brain looping over and over.

My apprenticeship finished in 1988 and, as opportunities in Ireland were sparse back then, I did what a few of my pals had already done and headed for London. Needless to say, I didn't waste much time tracking down Wilko. Among the many venues in which I saw him play was The Half Moon, Putney. The crowd there was different; a mix of young enthusiastic fans like myself, more seasoned rockers who had maintained their loyalty all the way from the Dr. Feelgood era and a handful of seriously committed Japanese fans who'd got the bug when Wilko had toured there. I really enjoyed seeing Wilko in venues like that, steeped in pub rock history and always with a hugely appreciative audience.

The first time I saw him in the The Half Moon, I brought along my newly acquired vinyl copy of Barbed Wire Blues (album) and got him to sign it after the gig. I had to wait for a while for the crowd to clear before the bouncers would let me upstairs but they could see I was a genuine fan and duly obliged. Norman was looking nice and relaxed, winding down after the gig, leaning casually against a snooker table while patiently assembling a spliff. Wilko was a gentleman and gave me a warm and friendly reception. We chatted for a minute or two about that town called "Droida" and those mind blowing gigs and I duly departed with my signed LP, which I still have. I saw Wilko many more times over the next decade in various places around London and was grateful to catch his more recent Dublin appearances in the Leeson Lounge and Whelans. I owe the man a debt of gratitude for the sheer joy that his music has given me over the years - ear-to-ear grins guaranteed!! Just like this, actually --->




Alas, the last gig is at hand. How very sad. I will be trying my best to make it over to Koko for the March 6th gig. Hopefully, Wilko's health will still be holding up and we can all rock to Roxette one last time.

Meanwhile, here are a few scans of some low quality snaps that have been lying in a box for the last couple of decades. I'm no photo archivist (never mind photographer) and didn't bother recording any details. Anyway, the first five were taken in the Powerhaus in Islington, mid 90's. The last four were taken in an East London venue, several years earlier. It may have been The Plough in Walthamstow (E17), though I stand to be corrected on that (the decor on the wall is fairly distinctive).

Godspeed, Wilko.

Chelon

Superb post! You've really captured the flavour. I too used to follow him around London, the Half Moon and Dingwalls being two favourite venues. I'll probably try for the Glasgow gig, but very much with mixed emotions...

furiousox

Brilliant post KHL, I thought I was the last man standing from those Boxing Club gigs, obviously not!
I've seen him in the Half Moon a few times and was at the Whelans & Leeson Lounge gigs too.
Thanks again for a great post, those boxing club gigs you describe so well really were out of this world, especially in 1980's Drogheda!

furiousox

Just been announced he's reuniting with Sparko & The Big Figure from Dr Feelgood for the March dates!

Keep_Her_Lit

furiousox wrote: »

Just been announced he's reuniting with Sparko & The Big Figure from Dr Feelgood for the March dates!

Thanks for the update furiousox, much appreciated. That really ups the stakes - there are going to be thousands clamouring for those tickets! Fingers crossed.

furiousox

Just got my ticket for Glasgow!
Did you lads get sorted?

Keep_Her_Lit

Yes, sorted for Camden Town (Koko) on March 6th!

Keep_Her_Lit

6th March now sold out but they've also added 10th March at Koko. Tickets not yet on sale.

Chelon

Got sorted for Glasgow - maybe we could hook up on the night? Koko gig looks good as well.

furiousox

Interview with Wilko in The (English) Times today.
What flights have you got Chelon?
I'm doing an all-nighter.
Over on Saturday, back first thing Sunday morning.

Chelon

Inter view here, fascinating stuff:-
http://forum.musicradar.com/showthread.php?123375-PSA-Wilko-Johnson-interview-in-today-s-Times

I'll be making a weekend of it, though haven't booked flights yet. My girlfriend(never seen Wilko) and another pal(who has) look like they're coming too so should be fun. I can PM you my number if you fancy it.

Chelon

More French dates on his website. They're all fairly close to Swiss border, so flights will be high I expect (ski season)

furiousox

PM sent

furiousox

Interview with Wilko on BBC4 (radio) at 7.15 this evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21187740

two wheels good

Julien Temple's film Oil City Confidential is not to be missed

I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen - in a packed cinema, followed by a talk by the director - in the Cork Film Fest. a couple of years back. Alas, never saw the band live.

mike65

furiousox wrote: »

Interview with Wilko on BBC4 (radio) at 7.15 this evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21187740

you can listen back here shortly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01q03qs

Keep_Her_Lit

Wilko! .... Wilko! .... Wilko!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRar38kN_OY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Jkhd0rVZA

furiousox

Total one off, no-one like him before or since.
Some kind of hero.

Keep_Her_Lit

Roanmore

Just had Roxette by Dr Feelgood on a compilation of the Old Grey Whistle on BBC4 few minutes ago. Great performance.

Chelon

Incredibly, I've just realised that I don't possess any of his solo stuff, only Dr. Feelgood. Anyone know what's the best to go for, the original albums, or the new compilations that are out.

Are the versions on the compilations taken from the earlier albums, or re-recorded?

furiousox

Here's all his releases as well as the two 'Best Of' compilations
Most of the tracks on the 'Best Of' are new recordings of the old songs.
The two 'Best Of' are a good place to start but there are a few dud tracks in there and he's never as good on cd as he is live.

• Ice on the Motorway (1981)
• Pull the Cover (1984)
• Watch Out! (Live In London) (1985)
• Call It What You Want (1987)
• Barbed Wire Blues (1988)
• Going Back Home (1998)
• Don't Let Your Daddy Know (Live in Japan 2000)
• Red Hot Rocking Blues (2005)

I have all these on mp3 Chelon, let me know if you want any.

furiousox

BBC Radio Suffolk interview with Wilko.
Starts at around 2hrs 12mins

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013px5s


Classic bit of Wilko here.
I don't think this song is on any of the albums and I've only heard him play it live once.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbGWupyPQLY

Chelon

Thanks a mill for offer - PM on way

furiousox

Love this shot, it's like something from The Sweeney!

Chelon

More Wilko stuff...he's a busy man :-)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/shows/mastertapes_19feb13

furiousox

Wilko interview from BBC Radio 5 Live this morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0154m6d

He was also on BBC Breakfast TV today.

Keep_Her_Lit

furiousox wrote: »

Love this shot, it's like something from The Sweeney!

LOL! A right bunch of dodgy lookin' geezers. You're nicked!

furiousox

Seriously tempted to buy this for the man-cave!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330702671191?var=540058392896&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

Keep_Her_Lit

That exhibit would never be upstaged. A Solid Sender, for sure. Go for it!

Keep_Her_Lit

http://www.mixcloud.com/johnblaney1/a-howlin-wind-pub-rock-and-the-birth-of-new-wave-pt-9/

Well worth a listen. The Whammy is something else (13:32)!

furiousox

Wilko explains his guitar technique (Jan 2013)
The man is a f'king GENIUS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBfZ8VxsAUk

ugsparky

furiousox wrote: »

Love this shot, it's like something from The Sweeney!

Canvey Island's finest - "leave it aught John ... nice motor ... " seen Wilco a couple of times in the old boxing club in Drogheda ... pure manic genius ... he married an Irish girl apparently ... I wish him well ...

furiousox

Another Wilko boxing club veteran?
There's more of us left than I thought!

furiousox

60 minute Japanese concert from 1992 has appeared on youtube.
I have this somewhere on VHS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfVg7hHfYUE

http://louderthanwar.com/an-open-letter-to-wilko-johnson/