I loved that SE11 venue, situated alongside the Oval Cricket Ground, seeing so many great gigs there back in the day, not least a storming That Petrol Emotion show and rousing appearance by soul legend Geno Washington and The Ram-Jam Band.Īt the latter, I recall one-time Dexy’s Midnight Runners inspiration Geno hollering at one point how he was going to do ‘this next song sideways’. It made little sense, but on the other hand somehow did, and if there was anyone else qualified to perform songs sideways, I guess it would be Wilko. And that first time I clapped eyes on him at Kennington Cricketers will always remain with me. But I at least saw the Wilko Johnson Band a couple of times in the mid-’80s.Īt that point he was touting 1985 mini-LP Watch Out! and, later, 1987’s Call It What You Want, in tandem (or trandem perhaps?) with Watt-Roy and drummer Salvatore Ramundo. I also missed out on his most recent three-piece band’s tour, alongside Blockheads legendary bass player Norman Watt-Roy and drummer Dylan Howe. I’m not quite old enough to have been rubbing shoulders with The Clash, Sex Pistols and The Stranglers at those seminal Dr Feelgood performances in the burgeoning village of London. However he sees his days out from here – and I can only wish Wilko the least possible pain in the coming months – he’s already done enough to secure his place in the great musical hall of fame, and I’m just so glad I got to see him live a few years before. There was certainly a tear in my eye, and thanks to his Camden Town comrades for inviting him on.
If one little bit of me thought it was possible I would have done it.”īut if that Beeb bye-bye was the last live show for Wilko, so be it. But it was not to be, and Wilko added: “It is really upsetting not to perform for the people of Canvey at the end. He was all set to take the stage at the sold-out Oysterfleet Hotel after the Madness gig for two nights, joined by Alison Moyet. Instead, he announced a farewell UK tour the following month, with plans for one more album and a live DVD too. It was only back in December that Wilko discovered his cancer was terminal, deciding against a painful programme of treatment for what he felt might just secure another few months of poor health.
It was very very, very cold and I think this is why I feel down.” It was whipping into my face – how Madness performed for an hour I have no idea. The wind was blowing up an absolute gale. Wilko told Essex-based Echo News: “I only performed one song, but it was freezing. His management reported a couple of days later that Johnson had cancelled for health reasons, and won’t return to the stage.įacing Facts: Wilko Johnson (Photo borrowed along with the logo at the end of this article from his official Facebook page) Unfortunately, that might have been his final public appearance – although I’d love to be proved wrong on that score – with the two Canvey Island homecoming gigs set to follow called off late doors due to an almost-inevitable slide in his health. Needless to say, Wilko played a blinder too, chopping out the ska beat on his customised six-string, the red flex stretching as he hithered and thithered around the stage, before lining up alongside Bedders and Chrissy Boy, that amiable grin never far from his lips. It was all part of the 65-year-old’s on-going campaign to stick two fingers up to the monster that is cancer – pancreatic in his case, and terminal – as the Nutty Boys invited the ailing 65-year-old to join them on their eponymous cover of Prince Buster classic Madness.Īs the snowflakes fell around them, Suggs announced over Woody’s drum beat to a truly-chilled (to the bone) crowd the imminent arrival of the ‘greatest British r’n’b guitarist of all time – bar none’, and on he ambled in dark suit, dark shirt, his trademark black Fender Telecaster with red pickguard around his neck.
#WILKO JOHNSON T SHIRTS TV#
You had to fear for Wilko Johnson on such a freezing cold night with very little Spring about it, his hectic schedule interrupted by this milestone live BBC TV appearance. WAS it really a month ago Madness were fighting off the bitter winter elements outside Broadcasting House, with their special guests including a certain guitar legend? Beeb Farewell: Wilko Johnson during his guest slot with Madness at Broadcasting House last month (Photo: BBC)
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