RIP Wilko Johnson

Roxette (Recorded Live) (Wilko Johnson) (UA, 1976)

This morning I heard that Wilko Johnson passed away, it was sort of expected, but the fact that he was close to death nine or ten years ago and was still with us started to make it seem like he was immortal.

In school a pal of mine was a huge Dr. Feelgood fan and I offered to give him a couple of singles I’d picked up at a jumble sale. I’m not sure why I hadn’t listened to them anyway but he said “before you decide to give them to me, have a listen” - that evening I put Roxette (Recorded Live) on my turntable and … my life changed … for the better.

This was the early 80s, Wilko had already left the Feelgoods so I never got to see him play with them. But I did see him play a lot over the years (and also the post-Wilko line-up of Dr. Feelgood) and he was always amazing. Mostly at The Half Moon in Putney and the Cartoon in Croydon but if he was ever withing striking distance we’d make an effort to see him.

As is the way I got distracted by other music - it wasn’t that I stopped loving him - I never did - it’s just that other loves got in the way and the opportunities dried up.

Back in February he played at the Whitley Bay Playhouse, on my (new) doorstep and in the age-of-covid when other distractions weren’t getting in the way I had no excuse.

He was the same, well, maybe a bit slower, certainly a little less chatty. But still Wilko - pretty much as he was the last time I had seen him in a pub backroom in the late-80s. I didn’t realise (because of the assumed immortality) that it was going to be my last chance, but I’m glad I had it and glad I took it.

Some of my Wilko records