Wilko Johnson
Wilko Johnson is the guitarist from 1970s band Dr Feelgood, whose fierce stage performances became the classic image of rock and roll and inspired countless imitators. We’ll be showing Oil City Confidential, Julien Temple’s film about Dr Feelgood, followed by a Q&A with Wilko. Also, don’t miss the rare opportunity to hear Wilko giving an Astronomy lecture in The Idler’s Academy.
Wilko’s style combines lead and rhythm guitar in driving riffs and a stuttering machine gun frenzy. As the songwriter of early Dr Feelgood favourites like ‘Back in the Night’, ‘Dr. Dupree’ and ‘Sneaking Suspicion’, he proved himself one of the best and most original exponents of rhythm ‘n’ blues styles this side of the Atlantic. Wilko and the Feelgoods inspired a generation of artists including The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Jam, The Boomtown Rats, The Ramones and Blondie. After leaving Dr Feelgood, Wilko entered the ranks of Ian Dury’s Blockheads, co-writing several songs with Ian and featuring on the Laughter album.
In 2008, acclaimed film director Julien Temple set out to make Oil City Confidential, a documentary film about the birth of Dr Feelgood. During the filming he met Wilko, “one of the great English eccentrics.” In order to accommodate Wilko’s many extraordinary facets, the project went way beyond completion date and budget and has created a renewed fever of interest in Wilko.
Wilko Johnson’s MySpace page
Wilko Johnson’s Facebook page
Links:
- Interview with Wilko Johnson on Blues in London
- Interview with Wilko Johnson in The Times
Watch the official trailer for Oil City Confidential:
