Wilko Johnson

[B1 RMA]

I have just listened to an interview on Radio 4's front row on the guitarist from Doctor Feelgood. He has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and in true rock and roll 'it's better to burn out than fade away is doing a tour.

I remember back in the 70's going to see them at the Portsmouth Guildhal where the band started off playing really tight pub rock as it was in those days. All of a sudden the guitarist who looked like an office junior with a clean cut boys hair style suddenly 'flew' across the stage playing mind blowing incenduary guitar it was up there with Jimi Hendrix, John Campbell and a few others in so for as a jaw dropping experience if you haven't seen this guy try to catch him I don't think he has changed at all.

[basalte]

Its a shame....Wilko is a legend and a true original...  I always tended to go for guitar sounds where you can tell who the guitarist is...Dr. Feelgood brings back days in the fifth form reading the NME about the "pub rock" craze but I was (just) too young to go to gigs (or was I just a swot ?) and Wilko was also an admitted big influence on Andy Gill out of Gang of Four, still my fave post punk band.

[B1 RMA]

I was lucky enough to see Doctor Feelgood and Ducks Deluxe in a big pub in London (I'll have to dig the tickets out as I always try to keep them) that shows my age. And the place was heaving and must have been full of real fans of both bands because the band just fed off the hot sweaty atmosphere.