In 1991 I was doing hartbeat! and for a planned feature on John Wilkinson a.k.a. Wilko Johnson I needed to interview the guy. I didn’t have chance to visit him personally, so the interview was conducted by mail (snail mail) mediated by Steve Hooker, another Southend musician. I duly mailed a questionnaire and soon the written answers were in my letter box.
I recently read Wilko’s autobiography “Don’t You Leave Me Here”, and I discovered that his point of view towards some incidents has changed. I can only recommend the book, if you’re interested in Wilko Johnson and Dr. Feelgood.
01 Did The Roamers (1963-1964) indeed feature the Figure?
WJ The Figure was indeed in The Roamers.
02 What was the line-up of The Heap (1964-1965)?
WJ I can’t really remember – they were just some school friends.
03 The Flowerpots (1965-1967) featured Wilko on guitar and violin. Did they go on tour in Germany and what do you recall of the tour?
WJ There was no violin!! And the band toured Germany before I joined.
04 The Fix (1966-1967) were Dave Higgs, Lee Brilleaux, Sparko and Lew Lewis… right?
WJ I was in The Fix briefly with Dave Higgs. I don’t remember doing any gigs.
05 You were at university 1967-1970. What were your subjects?
WJ Right. English language and Literature.
06 In 1971 you made a trip to India. What was so legendary about it?
WJ Nothing!
07 In the winter 1971 Dr. Feelgood was started. Was Terry Howarth the first drummer?
WJ Terry Howarth was the first drummer.
08 Then Will Birch?
WJ Yes, but Will Birch only played one or two gigs.
09 Did John Potter replace Will Birch?
WJ No!
10 Then the Figure?
WJ Figure was the only permanent drummer.
11 “Down By The Jetty” was the first Dr. Feelgood LP. Was it also your first studio experience? What do you recall?
WJ It was my first experience in a studio. I soon became aware that recording technicians love a nice, clean result and a musician should be aware of this.
12 What are the achievements of “Malpractice” in comparison to the first LP?
WJ None that I’m aware of.
13 In 1976 “Stupidity” – a live album – was released. Was it purposely done or just a good tape being about? Have you got a favourite live album? Are you a record collector? How do you value the live recordings of a classic Blues artists?
WJ Live recordings are a lot quicker to do!! A good live record should in some way capture the atmosphere of an occasion… No, I am not a record collector, but I consider any permanent record of the work of great bluesmen to be of the utmost importance. One of my favourite live records is the bootleg of Bob Dylan’s first electric gig.
14 Towards the end of the recording of “Sneakin’ Suspicion” (1977) you leave Dr Feelgood. The reason given is commonly said to be a discussion over musical purity.
WJ I was sacked from Dr. Feelgood as soon as all the recording for the “Sneakin’ Suspicion” LP – including, of course, my own latest compositions – was completed. If four or five drunks sitting in a room taking it in turns to hurl ill-considered abuse at an innocent, hard-working teetotal, god-fearing guitar player can be called a discussion…
15 Or was it a clash of personalities?
WJ How could anyone possibly clash with such masters of reason…?
16 In 1978 you hit scene with The Solid Senders. Was John Potter the keyboard player?
WJ Yes, keyboard and self-esteem.
17 Where did Alan Platt come from (he later played in Roy Sunford’s band)?
WJ Glasgow, I think…
18 Steve Lewis (ex-The [Count] Bishops) was a member of the Solid Senders. What did he do after the Solid Senders?
WJ I don’t know, I don’t care.
19 Also in 1978 the album “Sales Point – Alive” was released featuring Stevie Lewis, John Platt and John Potter. How long did this line-up stay together?
WJ This line-up were never together.
20 Why no other incarnation of The Solid Senders?
WJ One was enough.
21 In 1978 you play on Mick Farren’s “Vampires Stole My Lunchmoney” LP. Any interesting memories?
WJ Several extremely interesting memories were accidentally erased.
22 What was it like working with Farren, Larry Wallis, Andy Colquhoun?
WJ Same answer.
23 In 1979 you became member of (Ian Dury’s) Blockheads. Did you plan it as a permanent thing?
WJ I never plan anything as a permanent thing.
24 How long did you actually play with The Blockheads?
WJ About two years…
25 What line-up shifts did you outlive in the band?
WJ None.
26 What was going on “live”?
WJ Some great gigs, both with Blockheads and my own band.
27 When did you found the new Wilko Johnson Band? What was the first line-up?
WJ In the summer of 1979. It was Russell Strutter on bass, Alex Bines on drums, myself, guitar and vocals, and occasionally John Denton on piano.
28 In 1980 the “Ice On The Motorway” LP was issued. Why on a small label?
WJ Faute de mieux.
29 Mickey Gallagher played on the album. Did he come over from the Blockheads?
WJ Mickey Gallagher played keyboards on the album as John Denton was unavailable at the time.
30 Russell Strutter was obviously an old friend.
WJ Yes, he was.
31 How long did this line-up exist?
WJ From 1979 to 1981.
32 Were you booked as Wilko Johnson?
WJ We called the group Wilko Johnson, but were often advertised as Wilko Johnson’s Solid Senders.
33 In 1982 you formed a group with the infamous Lew Lewis. How long did that band last?
WJ About a year only.
34 Any vinyl available?
WJ A couple of bootlegs not worth buying.
35 What was the line-up?
WJ Lew Lewis, vocals and harmonica, myself, guitar and vocals, Russell Strutter on bass, John Denton, piano, plus Topper Headon and some other drummers.
36 Reminscenses?
WJ Often good, mostly confusing.
37 What was working with Lew like?
WJ Often good, mostly confusing.
38 In 1984 you teamed up with an ex-Blockhead, Norman Watt-Roy. Why?
WJ I have always considered Norman to be the best bass player in the world.
39 Then Salvatore Ramundo was on drums. A big surprise, really, as the music of his previous band, Le Mat, was so diametrically opposed to your music.
WJ Salvatore Ramundo was introduced to me by Steve Hooker when I needed a drummer. But Sav had played with R&B bands as well as Le Mat.
40 How long did this line-up stand?
WJ Six and a half years so far.
41 What’s on the agenda?
WJ Consult a fortune teller!
42 Why is everything so low key these days?
WJ Because I love being obscure and poverty stricken.
43 How constant is your gigging these days?
WJ Constantly constant.
44 How many different line-ups of the Wilko Johnson Band can you remember?
WJ All of them…
45 Why so little vinyl?
WJ Why so much Jason Donovan?
46 In 1986 “Wooly Bully” appeared on “All Night Garage Service” – a compilation LP. Was it the same line-up which recorded the 6-track “Watch Out” 12 inch a year earlier?
WJ Yes.
47 In 1987 Line Records released both an LP and an identical CD “Call It What you Want”. Any comments?
WJ This album was a compilation from various different times – and bands. It was only released in Germany.
48 In 1988 the LP “Barbed Wire Blues” was released, also on the German Line Records label. What was the line-up recording it?
WJ Norman Watt-Roy, Salvatore Ramundo, myself, and John Denton on piano and Charles Shaar Murray playing the harmonica.
49 Any comments?
WJ Take the record out of the sleeve, place it on the turntable, lower the needle and listen to the music! It is the first album I made with all original songs.
50 Where did you play your first gig?
WJ At the local youth club, probably.
51 Do you remember something like the outstanding gig?
WJ Not really.
52 Do you often go to gigs yourself?
WJ No.
53 Do you “feel Southend”?
WJ No.
54 When did you start playing right-handed guitar?
WJ I got my first guitar for my fifteenth birthday which was in July. I am actually left-handed and so was the guitar. However, I was a very slow learner, and everyone at school seemed to play better than me. So when Christmas came, I got a right-handed guitar and started all over again.
Steve Hooker, another Southend lad and Garage Rock musician, who was the mediator of this interview by mail, added a couple of interesting notes.
a) There was an LP on Underdog Records of France in 1984 titled “Pull The Cover”. This was all covers. The line-up was Russell Strutter, bass, Buzz Barwell, drums, Wilko, guitar and vocals, puls Slim piano and accordion on tow tracks. Some of this material can also be found on Line’s “Call It What You Want”.
b) There’s a new live LP “Don’t Let Your Daddy Know” on Bedrock Records.
c) Most of the Wilko Johnson Band LPs have been released in Japan with really good covers and liner notes.
d) You can listen to Wilko on other artists’ records including Pearl Harbour’s LP, Johnny Thunders’ “Que Sera” LP or Steve Hooker’s “It’s All Over Now”.
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