Posted on 01/20/2013 5:18:31 PM PST by the scotsman
'Wilko Johnson, the influential British rock guitarist who recently played mute executioner Ilyn Pane in the HBO series Game of Thrones, has announced details of his farewell tour, one week after going public with news that he is suffering from terminal cancer.
Johnson first sprang to fame in the early 1970s as the guitarist for Dr Feelgood, an Essex 'pub rock' band whose style and attitude opened the door for punk rock and new wave music. Johnson's aggressive style of guitar playing was picked up and mimicked by bands including The Clash, The Stranglers and The Sex Pistols.
The farewell concerts will take place in March. Johnson has chosen not to undergo chemotherapy for cancer of the pancreas.'
(Excerpt) Read more at ibtimes.co.uk ...
Heartbreaking news. Wilko Johnson is one of my musical heroes. And Dr Feelgood one of my favourite bands of all time.
Although they were/are not well known in the US and Canada, they are one of the most influential British bands of all time, a stripped down, back to basics blues/r&b band whose sound and attitude was loved and copied by punks and New Wave, both bands and fans. Their influence still abounds today, in UK bands like the Arctic Monkeys or Stereophonics. Even recent US acts like The White Stripes.
They were at their peak in the ‘Wilko years’: 1972-77. Although they made great albums through into the 90’s, when lead singer Lee Brilleaux tragically died, also of cancer, aged just 41.
They are one of the best British bands of all time.
Go and listen to them.
The Feelgoods were brilliant. Lee Brilleaux was a great frontman and taken from us all too soon. It is too bad that that the original four did not stay together longer. No band ever did “Hog for you Baby” better.
I honestly had never heard of them before. Based upon your glowing words, went over to Youtube to check ‘em out; saw them perform Roxette (live). Rockin’ tune. The lead singer could wail on harp, I might add.
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