Wilko Johnson Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.