Wilko Johnson – Live @ Cheltenham Jazz Festival
aaamusic | On 09, May 2015
Saturday 2nd May, Cheltenham
Iconic singer, guitarist and songwriter Wilko Johnson, well known for R&B band Dr. Feelgood in the 70s, was a major influence in English punk. In recent times he’s become equally well known for an extraordinary series of events that have shaped his life.
At this Big Top performance Wilko was joined on stage by legendary Blockheads bassist Norman Watt-Roy and smouldering Dylan Howe on drums.
First to speak was Charlie Chan, the cancer specialist who was a friend of Mr Huguet, Wilko’s medical consultant. “This man shouldn’t be here” he said, pointing at Wilko. It’s true. Wilko was diagnosed as terminally ill and then decided on a farewell tour and final album. Now, with his present tour, he’s celebrating the best outcome imaginable. He’s been miraculously cured through pioneering surgery.
Wilko Johnson thrilled everyone by staring, strutting, duck walking and firing volleys with his machine gun telecaster in a typically jerky style. The audience was mesmerised and euphoric. The funky ‘Back In The Night’, written “back in those fabulous seventies”, was impressive and Dr. Feelgood‘s debut single ‘Roxette’ rocked energetically. An edgy ‘She Does it Right’ sounded electric and the remarkable ‘Dr Dupree’ touched on reggae. An encore of Chuck Berry‘s partly autobiographical song ‘Johnny B. Goode’ was moving and intense.
“If I collapse, it won’t be from emotion” said Wilko and the audience was very relieved that he hadn’t. This was a wonderful evening with huge, overwhelming applause and standing ovations from a grateful audience. It was a one off. An experience embedded in their memories which could never be repeated. Wilko sang “I wanna live the way I like” from ‘Going Back Home’ and we watched him sip orange juice to increase his sugar levels, wishing him good health for the future.
Down By The Jetty, the hugely influential debut album by Dr. Feelgood and mainly composed by Wilko, was recorded at the Jack Jackson Studios. These studios, important in music history, are due to be rebuilt at the Chiltern Open Air Museum. It would be beautiful if we could see him return there sometime.
