Wilko Johnson

Wilko Johnson - Live In Japan 2000 - 2001 - Trippin' Elephant (Japan)

The former axeman with Dr. Feelgood, Solid Senders, and Ian Dury & The Blockhead's Wilko Johnson recorded live in 2000 at Shibuya on Air East, Tokyo on 20th November 2000. Wilko's vocals are off key at times, but Wilko was never famous for having Mario Lanza's singing talents! SQ could be better, but that's not unusual for this type of album. However, Wilko can rock and the concert is a real crowd pleaser. Listen to Wilko's "Watch Out! (Live In London)" band, and Dr Feelgood's "Malpractice" album. Check out FeelgoodRarities for related releases, and thanks to the great musicologist, Dave Sez for this info. Hey, Dave! Megaupload didn't do the good Doctor any favours!! [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 128 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Slipping And Sliding
2. Take It Easy
3. She's Good Like That
4. Keep On Loving You
5. When I'm Gone
6. Cairo Blues
7. Beautiful Madrilena
8. Don't Let Your Daddy Know
9. Back In The Night
10.She Does It Right

All songs composed by Wilko Johnson except "Keep On Loving You" by Wilko Johnson, Norman Watt-Roy, & Salvatore Ramundo

BAND

Wilko Johnson - Guitar, Vocals
Norman Watt-Roy - Bass
Steve Monti - Drums

SHORT BIO

Best known as the guitarist in Dr. Feelgood, one of British pub rock's greatest bands, Wilko Johnson went on to a long solo career playing the kind of rootsy, R&B-based rock & roll he loved. Born John Wilkinson (which he inverted to come up with his stage name) in 1947, Johnson grew up in the coastal Canvey Island area, and played around the local music scene during the '60s (often in jug bands). He studied at Newcastle University beginning in 1967, but returned home during breaks to keep up his musical activities. In 1971, after returning from a trip to India, he joined the band that became Dr. Feelgood, and quickly became one of their focal points thanks to his maniacally intense stage presence. Dr. Feelgood played locally for a couple of years and made their debut in London in the summer of 1973; their distinctively scruffy image and menacing energy soon made them a hot commodity on the pub rock circuit. The band released its debut album, Down by the Jetty, in 1975; Johnson stayed for two more studio albums (Malpractice and Sneakin' Suspicion) and the chart-topping live document Stupidity, contributing a number of fine original songs. However, tensions between Johnson and the rest of the group led to his departure toward the end of 1977. Johnson soon formed a backing band called the Solid Senders, which featured keyboardist John Potter, bassist Steve Lewins, and drummer Alan Platt. They signed to Virgin in 1978 and released the LP Solid Senders that year. The following year, Johnson joined Ian Dury's Blockheads, where he remained until 1980; there he met bassist Norman Watt-Roy, who later became a regular collaborator. In early 1981, Johnson released his second album, Ice on the Motorway, and two years later issued the EP Bottle Up and Go! with Lew Lewis; several small-scale LPs, mostly for European labels, followed over the '80s: 1984's Pull the Cover, 1985's Watch Out!, 1987's Call It What You Want, and 1988's Barbed Wire Blues. The latter was the first recording with his new regular group, the Wilko Johnson Band, featuring Watt-Roy and drummer Salvatore Ramundo. Ramundo was replaced in 1988 by Steve Monti (ex-Curve) for the Barbed Wire Blues tour and remained in the band -- which toured almost literally nonstop throughout Europe and Japan for the next decade -- until he tired of touring and was replaced by ex-Blockhead Dylan Howe. Johnson finally had the opportunity to release another album, Going Back Home for Mystic. There has been renewed interest in Johnson's career in the 21st century, due largely to director Julien Temple's Oil City Confidential, a documentary about Dr. Feelgood and Johnson. The film appeared on the festival circuit where it drew rave reviews, as did the soundtrack. As a result, two volumes of The Best of Wilko Johnson were released in 2010, as well as a remastered reissue of Barbed Wire Blues, with more titles planned for re-release. © Steve Huey © 2012 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wilko-johnson-mn0000959997