Wilko Johnson
Wilko Johnson (born John Peter Wilkinson in Canvey Island, Essex, on 12 Jul… Read Full Bio ↴Wilko Johnson (born John Peter Wilkinson in Canvey Island, Essex, on 12 July 1947; died 21 November 2022) was an English guitarist, singer, songwriter and occasional actor. He was a member of the pub rock/rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s. Johnson was known for his distinctive guitar playing style which he achieved by not using a pick but instead relying on fingerstyle in a way that enabled him to play rhythm guitar and riffs or solos at the same time creating a highly percussive guitar sound.
Johnson left the band in April 1977, following disagreements over the tracks to be included in the "Sneakin' Suspicion" album. Johnson maintained that he was kicked out of the band, while the remaining band members claimed that he had left voluntarily.
In 1977, he was a founding member of Solid Senders, with keyboardist John Potter, bassist Steve Lewins, and drummer Alan Platt.
The Wilko Johnson Band played at the 'Front Row Festival', a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor, Islington in late November and early December 1977, featuring many early punk rock acts. This resulted in the inclusion of two tracks by The Wilko Johnson Band ("Dr. Feelgood" & "Twenty Yards Behind"), on a hit double album of recordings from the festival. The Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival compilation album (March 1978) which reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart.
In 1980, Johnson joined Ian Dury's band, The Blockheads. Around 1984 he then re-formed The Wilko Johnson Band, joined by Blockhead bassist Norman Watt-Roy and Italian born drummer Salvatore Ramundo. 'Sav' Ramundo left the band in June 1999 and was replaced by Steve Monti (future Curve and The Jesus and Mary Chain drummer).
Johnson's second solo album, Ice on the Motorway, was released in 1981, and his EP "Bottle Up and Go!" with Lew Lewis followed in 1983. Several albums were released on European labels over the next decade.
The studio album Red Hot Rocking Blues was released in 2005.
On 13 July 2013, he performed an unannounced hour-long live set with Norman Watt-Roy and Dylan Howe at the Village Green Festival in his home town of Westcliff-on-Sea. Subsequently, he occasionally performed informal unannounced sets at his local pub, the Railway Hotel in Southend. Johnson played a set on the final night at Wickham Festival in Hampshire on Sunday 4 August 2013.
In March and April 2014, Wilko, together with Watt-Roy and Howe, appeared on several UK dates as support to the "Frantic Four" (the classic line-up of Status Quo on what was billed as their last ever tour). He performed "All Through the City" and "Going Back Home", with his classic duckwalk, on Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny for New Year TV show, 2014–15.
website wilkojohnson.com
Johnson left the band in April 1977, following disagreements over the tracks to be included in the "Sneakin' Suspicion" album. Johnson maintained that he was kicked out of the band, while the remaining band members claimed that he had left voluntarily.
In 1977, he was a founding member of Solid Senders, with keyboardist John Potter, bassist Steve Lewins, and drummer Alan Platt.
The Wilko Johnson Band played at the 'Front Row Festival', a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor, Islington in late November and early December 1977, featuring many early punk rock acts. This resulted in the inclusion of two tracks by The Wilko Johnson Band ("Dr. Feelgood" & "Twenty Yards Behind"), on a hit double album of recordings from the festival. The Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival compilation album (March 1978) which reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart.
In 1980, Johnson joined Ian Dury's band, The Blockheads. Around 1984 he then re-formed The Wilko Johnson Band, joined by Blockhead bassist Norman Watt-Roy and Italian born drummer Salvatore Ramundo. 'Sav' Ramundo left the band in June 1999 and was replaced by Steve Monti (future Curve and The Jesus and Mary Chain drummer).
Johnson's second solo album, Ice on the Motorway, was released in 1981, and his EP "Bottle Up and Go!" with Lew Lewis followed in 1983. Several albums were released on European labels over the next decade.
The studio album Red Hot Rocking Blues was released in 2005.
On 13 July 2013, he performed an unannounced hour-long live set with Norman Watt-Roy and Dylan Howe at the Village Green Festival in his home town of Westcliff-on-Sea. Subsequently, he occasionally performed informal unannounced sets at his local pub, the Railway Hotel in Southend. Johnson played a set on the final night at Wickham Festival in Hampshire on Sunday 4 August 2013.
In March and April 2014, Wilko, together with Watt-Roy and Howe, appeared on several UK dates as support to the "Frantic Four" (the classic line-up of Status Quo on what was billed as their last ever tour). He performed "All Through the City" and "Going Back Home", with his classic duckwalk, on Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny for New Year TV show, 2014–15.
website wilkojohnson.com
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Wilko Johnson Lyrics
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window He sits in your room, his tomb, with a fist…
Down By the Waterside Down by the waterside Tiretracks in the mud With my backdoor…
Going Back Home I wanna live the way I like Sleep all the morning Goin'…
Hello Josephine Hello Josephine. How do you do? Do you remember me…
I Keep It to Myself I looked at you a thousand times This time when I…
She Does It Right If there's something that I like It's the way that woman…
You're In My Way I got no class I drive too fast I make big money But…