Wilko Johnson
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Wilko Johnson (born John Wilkinson on 12 July 1947, in Canvey Island) is a guitarist particularly associated with 1970s British rhythm and blues band, Dr. Feelgood. From Canvey Island in Essex, Johnson played in several local groups before moving to the University of Newcastle upon Tyne to study English. Returning to Essex, he played with the Pigboy Charlie Band, which evolved into Dr. Feelgood – a mainstay of the 1970s 'pub rock' movement.
Johnson developed his own unique style, coupling a choppy guitar style with a novel dress sense (he favoured a black suit and a 'pudding bowl' haircut) and jerky movements.
It should be noted that Johnson's unique, highly percussive guitar style, was due to the fact that he did not use a pick in his right hand, something that enabled him to comp rythm and play riffs or solos at the same time. Such a style - which also made it easier to move around abruptly on stage with the jerky movements of an automaton without the fear of losing his pick - was probably derived, at least in part, from blues-oriented American fingerstyle guitar.
He maintained this style even after leaving Dr. Feelgood, a step that meant he missed out on Feelgood’s greatest UK success, the punk-tinged Top 10 single "Milk and Alcohol", although he was still with Dr. Feelgood when their live LP, Stupidity, reached number one in the UK album charts.
In 1977, he was a founder member of the Solid Senders, and a couple of years later joined Ian Dury’s band, The Blockheads. He then formed the Wilko Johnson Band, joined by Blockhead bassist Norman Watt-Roy and drummer Salvatore Ramundo. Salvatore was replaced by Steve Monti (former Curve and The Jesus and Mary Chain drummer).
The Wilko Johnson band still play on the pub circuit.
