So, on Saturday I went to London's Kentish Town Forum to see English blues rock guitarist Wilko Johnson. This has been a name that ive heard time and time again when discussions of great, or influential, guitarists has cropped up over the years but I hate to admit that ive never really taken the time to get to know his music.
When the chance to see him perform live cropped up, especially after what was thought to be a terminal battle with cancer a few years back, I jumped at the opportunity to see a man who is a part of English rock history. The few (mainly Dr Feelgood) tracks that I did know did turn up in the set, and I got to see Wilko's interesting playing style of the choppy machine gunning of his guitar first hand, and the strange walking across stage almost as if on roller skates. The whole show was pretty to the point with minimal interaction with the crowd from Wilko, but this seemed almost part of the raw dirty style of the music played by the band. Even so, the whole band seemed happy to be on stage throughout the entire set, which bought a great atmosphere to Bye Bye Johnny playing out the show with the whole crowd singing along.
An unexpected pleasure for me, was also the choice of support. I initially went to see a band I knew little about but they came with a well respected heritage, which is what I went to see. The support came in the form of Joanne Shaw Taylor, who I knew nothing about. Joanne is an English blues guitarist and singer, apparently she's been around for a number of years with a few albums to her name and found at a young age as an aspiring blues player. Well, her performance was nothing short of fantastic. Joanne's set was complete with traditional deep soulful blues, all the way to the hard blues rock, familiar territory with the likes of SRV, full with ripping blues solos which kept both her and the crowd smiling throughout. Not that I want to compare, but Joanne's set was probably the highlight of the night for me.
Go to www.joanneshawtaylor.com for more info and check out her great live performance of Watch Em' Burn
Just last February Wilko Johnson, having been previously diagnosed with cancer and having refused further treatment, had resigned himself to his fate. With his farewell tour finished and having recorded a final goodbye album with Roger Daltry, with his typical humour said at the time "It was a case of hurry up so I can hear it. I mean blimey, I'm supposed to be dead already"
Wilko's acceptance of his condition had drawn many an admiring comment, he had even gone through the arduous task of television interview's explaining his thoughts and how he'd made the decision that would inevitably mean the end of his life would not be far away. Wilko's doctor had told him he had until October last year, yet his determination in carrying out his last tour and recording had seen him carry past that date.
As you watched his interviews and obvious ailing body you had to think this may be the last time you would see him.
A silent farewell was waved at the time to one of the great characters of rock.
Months passed and nothing further was heard. It all seemed as inevitable as Wilko had intimated.
Then, last night the BBC midnight news with there usual or rather unusual habit of slotting in a piece of breaking music news announced that at the Q (magazine) Icon awards that night there was a completely surprising appearance by none other than Wilko himself, who had just received his award.
With his usual upbeat and cheerful Canvey Island bonhomie he probably gave one of the all time show stopping acceptance speeches anyone could possibly give.
"He was cured of his cancer". (!!!!????)
He went on to explain that after a second Doctor, a curiously named Mr Chan, had seen his case and then proceeded with the therapy required. Well maybe a little more than therapy, Wilko had an 11 hour operation to remove the tumour from his body,
"it weighed 3kg - that's the size of a small baby!" he told, you might think would be an open mouthed audience.
"it was so big I had trouble playing me guitar around it ", probably meaning during his tour dates. "Anyway they got it all".
"I'm now recuperating and hoping to regain my strength completely soon and go back on the road".
He finishes his speech adding "The moral of the story is you never know what's going to happen".
Er yes Wilko... we've got no idea either.
One things for sure though, Wilko Johnson is a most remarkable man.
Get well soon mate.
"It was a case of hurry up so I can hear it. I mean blimey, I'm supposed to be dead already"
Wilko Johnson's doctor had told him he had until October last year. After diagnosed with cancer and his refusal to undergo any further treatment he'd already openly explained his decision with no regrets earlier in 2013.
Since then he'd settled for playing one off gigs while he felt strong enough, then came the chance to record one last time in November.
Alongside Roger Daltrey, who together created the new album 'Going Back Home', spoke in an interview given to the Daily Telegraph today about the new and likely last recording he'll likely ever make. They had hoped to record together for several years but circumstances had dictated a somewhat swift action.
Daltrey : "I said, I'll sing anything he wanted me to and it's turned out amazing. You lose all that kind of pretentiousness of trying to do something different, or something new, and just do what you do".
The final result is an album that is full of rock and roll. It goes back to the roots of their early years and has all the toughness and attack of the early tyro's of rock like Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.
From the very beginning of Dr Feelgood in the early 70's the young Wilko's guitar style was obviously influenced by the legendary Pirates guitarist Mick Green and The Who hardly need prove their early rock and roll credentials, but to hear Daltrey tackle these songs is a revelation. It's a voice you'll not be familer with when you hear this album preview track. The albums official release date is March 10.
They are doing a one-off gig on February 25th at the Shepherd Bush Empire, London. It is going to be some night.
Here is "I Keep It To Myself".
There's been many interviews with Rock musicians that have been made only months before their demise, of course their own mortality is never a question in the interview as their future at the time couldn't possibly be predicted.
But this mornings interview with Wilko Johnson on BBC Breakfast TV was possibly one of the most amazing moments in rock and roll interview history as he spoke for the first time on national television about his recent diagnosis of cancer since his managers open letter to the press at Christmas (> see post) . Wilko has declined any treatment for the disease.
A clip has since appeared on the BBC website of the interview. This transcription tries to capture the way in which Wilko talks, with sentences and thoughts running on in staccato fashion. Rather like those famous guitar riffs.
BBC interviewer : How are you right now?
Wilko : "I'm feeling fit and fine at the moment.. I received this diagnosis that I have pancreatic cancer just before Christmas and um .. the effect on me has er .. well not what I would have expected when they gave me the diagnosis.. it was a surprise to me but I remained absolutely calm, not a flutter and um.. when I walked out of the hospital into the sunshine suddenly I felt this elation.. I just felt so alive, everything was tingling.. I'm looking around and everything.. and everything.. I'm alive!
As I say I'm not feeling ill.. and er by the time I got home I was most euphoric it seems to me that...finding this out I dunno that somehow I'd completed my life and er.. I've had a good life no cause to complain really and er.. I was feeling fine. Being by nature a miserable so and so.. this is bound to come down crashing tomorrow morning or something but I'm happy to say it hasn't. I have remained feeling in very good spirits since. "
At this point a section seems to have been unnecessarily edited out of the clip is his further view on only 6 months to live.. this part is paraphrased.
"with 6 months to live I thought I don't have any more to worry about. It was like a relief to me. I can't do anything about the past and there isn't much of the future, I won't have say to worry about er.. the tax man or the rubbish man, everyday things.. I just live now in the present."
The clip continues
Wilko : "I've been told.. I was told that I've got maybe 6 months I can expect to feel healthy before the cancer starts its work.. and er so anyway the first thing I did was er I went for two weeks to Japan which is a place I love very much, I've toured there very often, I have many good friends there and er.. it was, it was the right move and er.. and so we're just thinking if we got 6 months before I get sick then.. right 2 weeks in Japan, then I did some gigs in France last week, working an album er.. cuz you know when I'm working an album er.. I just slap it down, don't fiddle about right so it won't take up too much time and .. hopefully I'll still be fit in March to complete this farewell tour"
BBC interviewer :Tell us about the tour because you've had your fans really excited about it, a sell out.
Wilko : "Er yeah as I said most of this.. er most of this interest that's been shown in this whole business happened while I was away in Japan, I came home to find myself (laughs) besieged by reporters and photographers (laughs).. I should have thought of this years ago you know.. but um.. we've chosen the venue.. I say we, they did it really my mates you know but er.. obviously I had to get venues that were available at that time you know.. got to do it as quickly as we can before I start to crumble. So we picked venues that were firstly available and secondly we have had good time at in the past."
Sadly the website clip ends here. You might think the BBC would have the decency to show the entire interview without editorial interference especially since it's now on line and would use little more of their precious 'publicly owned' web space.
Wilko did go on to talk about his love for astronomy and the dome he has on his roof that houses his telescope and the times he spends in there even when it's raining and cloudy.. "you can still line the telescope up.. it's operated by the computer".
Also when asked how he liked seeing himself in Dr Feelgood in 1975 (several clips of which shown before the interview) he simply replied "I don't like looking at myself"
If anyone's real character can be measured by how they face their own mortality then Wilko Johnson is truly a giant of a man. His self deprecating humour and honest view of what will be his final months alive visibly left the two BBC interviewers open mouthed with wonder at the open acceptance of his own mortality as if they could have been interviewing the Dalai Lama himself.
In a time when the clamour of self inflated ego's are streaming to us by the day on all platforms of the media Wilko's selfless expression of his life and future was and will be a very rare and inspirational moment for anyone who saw it.
Make no mistake Wilko Johnson is a genuine Rock and Roll hero.
Here is the mighty Dr Feelgood back in 1975.
I am very sad to announce that Wilko has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the pancreas. He has chosen not to receive any chemotherapy.
He is currently in good spirits, is not yet suffering any physical effects and can expect to enjoy at least another few months of reasonable health and activity.
He has just set off on a trip to Japan; on his return we plan to complete a new CD, make a short tour of France, then give a series of farewell gigs in the UK. There is also a live DVD in the pipeline, filmed on the last UK tour.
Wilko wishes to offer his sincere thanks for all the support he has had over his long career, from those who have worked with him to, above all, those devoted fans and admirers who have attended his live gigs, bought his recordings and generally made his life such an extraordinarily full and eventful experience.
Thank you.
Robert Hoy (Manager)
London's legendary 100 Club venue has lost out in its bid to become a listed building.
The venue, which has frequently been threatened with closure over the past few years, secured a sponsorship deal that ultimately allowed it to stay in business, but its management had also bid to achieve the status of a listed building to help secure its long-term future.
A spokesperson for the Minister said: "There's no denying the club's place in British pop music history but in the end it's only the stage and the signage that mark it out as being any different from any other basement club. I can't help but feel that giving the cradle of punk rock listed building status would not be quite in tune with that movement's driving spirit."
Yeah very likely! More to the point, the whole of that part of Oxford St is under redevelopment and the site of the 100 club is right in the way of the wrecking ball. Aside from the building (there's only a door visible from the street) the stage is the very thing that has the heritage. The Marquee Club once in nearby Wardour St tried to shift its venue and keep the name/logo and that failed.
Here's Wilko Johnson at the "100" in 2007 looking suitably miffed at the whole sorry business.
