Another Side of Wilko Johnson

No harm to the Estate of Wilko Johnson was intended by this video. I wanted to shed some light on another side of Wilko Johnson that many people don't know. If you liked this video and would like to see more remember to like, share, and subscribe to my KZbin page.

[@clivegiblin8144]

Just to balance the situation and show Wilko's kindness. When Wilko found out that one of his former roadies from 30 years back was dying of malaria with no money in Ghana, he contacted me and offered to pay my plane fare to take him some money to pay for him to go to hospital and get treatment Without Wilkos intervention he would have died.

[@oopnews3773]

That's true, without Wilko I would be dead and my son would have never been born. He is ten years old, his name is Wilko and we still live in Ghana. Wilko was an excellent man, Norman and Wilko were magic, worked for them for six wonderful years. RIP we still love you.

[@GrumpyOldGit60]

How very interesting... a diet of speed and no sleep will mangle the head of anyone.

[@jamesparkes6280]

I've got a sneakin suspicion someone's 'still' puttin something over on me.

[@mikeryan6293]

Knew someone years ago who rented a flat from Jake Riviera. He was told what an awkward bugger Wilko was to work with. He got too big for his boots and had to go.

[@randybackgammon890]

If I had to choose bettween post Feelgoods Wilko and post Wilko Feelgoods I'd choose Wilko any day apart from the exellent 'Shes a wind up'.Wiko had to move on I feel.His creative spark no longer fitted with theirs.Pity...There was no one like Dr.Feegood in '75.Mind in retro I have to say I quite like the this '77 album more than I did at the time ✌️

[@madkeysfilms]

All good musicians tend to change their style as time goes on. Those that don’t tend to get stale.

[@1599maybole]

This was when they were recording Sneaking Suspicion and it was in 1977. Wilko was the star and he wrote the songs.

[@deansongs]

I see no response to your comment good sir.

[@crimsontyger8576]

The Genesis analogy didn't really work because little changed. Dr Feelgood carried on, but were never the same after Wilko left. I just want to say that early Feelgood were my favourite (no disrespect to the other members) but after Wilko they became just an R&B outfit. The magic of Lee's and Wilko's stagecraft was lost along with Wilko's unique take on writing modern R&B songs. I know Wilko took bits of Mick Green's playing and some of Wayne Kramer's stage act but Wilko was one of a kind and - to reiterate - the magic was lost when he left the band.

[@andrewc2024]

Haha, love Wilko- was this a case of a three day crash after a speed binge perhaps.. in which event one might say this was classic A-side Wilko, not the other side! (Agree, he wasn't indispensable in Dr F, but he was undoubtedly the creative force behind their success and arguably most compelling version of the band).

[@andrewthegraciouslordrober327]

Wilko wrote that Dr. Feelgood Mk I went into Rockfield to record that album without any songs written to record at all. Lee refused to try to write songs, saying that was for "educated" people to do (Wilko had a degree from Newcastle University, and had tried being a teacher), despite being a voracious reader and later life completer of the Daily Telegraph crossword, which put extra onus on the - to date - sole in house song writer. Maybe Wilko was up in his room trying to write songs to record? Lee's songwriting output over ....how many? albums is pretty meagre. Even his Mum commented on that in "Oil City Confidential". Perhaps this illustrates the void between Wilko, Figure and "Sparko" on the "drinking / non writing" side of the band and Wilko on the other that existed by the time of the Rockfield sessions. Lee also blocked the one Wilko song already written and offered for the sessions, called "Paradise", because it referred to already married Wilko's girlfriend at the time (can't ever see Lee singing this, ever, though). A fairly gruelling touring schedule might also have eroded the relationship, such that the last thing the two main characters wanted was to spend even more time in each other's company. Others have also written of Wilko's personality, and the two Julien Temple films did a fair job of making him an English "character" and one off, which his autobiographies certainly reinforce. Zoe Howe's book on Lee makes him out to be a very ........... trenchant character.

[@madkeysfilms]

Some of what you say here is true but you were not there and I was. Lee Brilleaux was an intelligent and well read guy…..the book he plonked down on the bedside table in the room we shared was Brendan Behan’s “Borstal Boy”. Wilko’ s ego had become so big he had a job to get through the door and in fact did not come out from his cottage for two days while the band and Bert de Cousteau waited. The band, Sparko, Figure and Lee had grown to absolutely despise Wilco and he did nothing to try to repair that massive bridge. I relaise now that Andrew Lauder had me booked to play on the sessions because he knew I would bring a no nonsense vibe to the recordings. After trying to get him to open up for two days and nights I everntually got Wilko to open his door and sat with him discussing the problems. He was extremely high on speed and paranoid as hell and was oblivious to his imminent departure form the band. Yes, he was a big part of the image of the band and the songwriting but lets face it there were no great songs…really just pub rock 12 bars blues. Sparko, and this week for Philippe’s summarize it for us and indirectly supposed Figure were lovely guys and I worked with Figure later on tour with Chris Farlowe…The Big Figure….a wonderful man. The documentaries and Oil Slick film show these guys looking rather embarrassed. Yes, I think Wilko did mellow in time but I don’t think he ever realised how his attitude and totally unacceptable actions had ruined what could have been a very good US market for Dr Feelgood.

[@andrewthegraciouslordrober327]

“I look back on Dr Feelgood sometimes and I would do a lot of things differently,” Johnson said in 2012. “Oh man, I was intolerable.” - Think that answers one point. As regards ego - well, he’d written all the original songs on two successful albums, and won the battle with the record company about the sound on a live album that went to # 1 on which 6 of his feature, so he had something about which to be egotistical - he’d done it his way, and won. I even wonder if Wilko ever thought their sound needed the addition of a “no nonsense” keyboard player. Had he heard that a session man had been discussing possible changes in band personnel, and messing with internal band politics behind his back, as your video refers, it might well have been a long walk out of Wales. Didn’t say Lee was uneducated. He refused to try to write songs, which placed extra onus on Wilko. So, they went into Rockfield without much to record. Six of one…… The first Julien Temple film is called “Oil City Confidential”, btw. Highly recommended. @@madkeysfilms

[@deansongs]

@@andrewthegraciouslordrober327 right?! Pretty sure you will not get an answer to this. If you have to say someone is the greatest human being by a book they have in their pocket or on their table, I don't even know what to say. Like to use that as a criticism of someone else? I think I just choked back a little vomit.

[@rainblaze.]

@@andrewthegraciouslordrober327 I agree with you, for all that that might be worth. That was the first thing that i thought of when listening to this video. That wilko was certainly feeling the strain to produce more and more material is, i think, undoubted. If i remember he even stated this in OCC. And this along with the pills and expectaion of him fromhis band mates , and fear of failing of leting the side down, all contributed to his bravado and paranoid behaviour, you don't have to be Freud to see how these things play out. But there is no question lee was egotistical and gruff individual, no matter what books he carried around in his pocket. He stuck me as the kind of guy who was could have likely a borstal boy him self. So his interest might not have been exactly misplaced in this regard.

[@theelvisguru9490]

@@madkeysfilmsyou may have known them but to say “there were no good songs” and to describe it all as 12 bar blues shows that knowing someone and being a musician doesn’t necessarily make you correct. Of all the millions of comments ever written about them I think yours shows how you can know people without “getting”them. But at least you have a 5 minute story to dine out on. . . Thanks to Wilko!

[@danielmoran9902]

It always makes me laugh when a celeb dies and ''Oh, he/she was THE GREATEST! A wonderful human being, such a loss, praise, praise, praise....!'' Nobody ever says ''weeeeeelllllllll...........there was this one time......what a shit house, etc....'' I'm sure he was great, and I love Feelgood, but we're all just human. They'll be forming a queue to slate me when I bite the dust! Hahaha!!!

[@brilleaux58]

Fascinating thank you

[@michaelbailey8729]

Shame really. He was in a bad place I suspect. The arrogance can be a mask for the fears.

[@ashleybarker937]

Wilko was booted out of Feelgood in 1977.

[@ricardolorrio8228]

yeah he got that wrong

[@louistracy6964]

Lee Brill. x

[@deansongs]

I appreciate what he has to say, but Wilko was Wilko and I'm not sure I dug Dr. Feelgood without Wilko. I guess that's why you we're thrilled with double scale, and Wilko is a legend. I guess it all comes down to what Teddy Roosevelt said.

[@madkeysfilms]

I did not get double scale…in fact I didn’t get paid what I deserved. Wilko was a pain in the ass, rude, difficult and completely out of sync with the rest of the band. Produc er Bert De Cocteau was a gentleman and was trying make a great record for the band…This was a man who produced The Thrill Has Gone by BB King and Wilko showed him no respect can’t ever forgive him for that. I’m not commenting anymore.

[@deansongs]

@@madkeysfilms Pretty sure I got that rate from what you said in this post that they were going to pay you, and I'm also pretty sure that it wasn't Wilcko that promised you that. If you can tell me a Dr. Feelgood album after he was gone that was good, tell me and I will listen to it! It can be one that you're on or not. I just haven't heard anything by them that was any good after he left.

[@deansongs]

@@madkeysfilms oh, I didn't see that you weren't commenting anymore. Totally get that. Indefensible Behavior is sad to try to defend! There are two ways to be a good human being. The better one is Love In Action. The second best is creating Beauty. If you have neither, that's okay, but it's really rough to try to take down someone who does either. Carry on my good trumpster from England.

[@michaelbailey8729]

They were different after Wilko. Not so unique but still good. Songs like Baby Jane and Hong Kong Money were epic.

[@ricardolorrio8228]

Wilko Johnson was a bit of a moody git.. he blew his career because of it... he said after that, he made every mistake you could make ...

[@elizabethanderson2968]

Thats why he ended up as a cult icon and Oil City Confidential confirmed Wilks was a real character. Joined the Blockheads, then Having Norman on Bass and Dylan Howe on drums wasn't too bad a way to end up... then that minor thing of Roger Daltry wanting to do an album... played Fuji Rock Festival and Tokyo 15 plus times... but, yeah, made every mistake you could make.

[@stephenrice4554]

Straight bloke admitted his cock up