Wilko’s gone back home …

[uwe]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/23/wilko-johnson-dies-aged-75

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV0yYcN9QnE&list=RDvV0yYcN9QnE

No one jerked a sound from the Tele like he did.



A lifelong friend and supporter of all things botanic nature as well.

[Dave W]

Farewell to a guitar legend.

Never have been able to figure out his technique even though he explained it.

[uwe]

Wasn't that idiosyncratic combined rhythm/lead licks/solo-playing patterned after this guy?



Back in the Dr. Feelgood craze in 1976/77, Wilko would always cite Mick Green as his role model in interviews, it really was "Mick Green here, Mick Green there". And the Dr. Feelgood success actually pushed the Pirates back into the limelight too who had before been relegated to the oldies circuit.





I gather Johnny Kidd & The Pirates never meant much in the US then?



I saw Mick Green last shortly before his death in Van Morrison's band at a concert in Frankfurt, Van the Man was - as usual - in a bad mood and the band was much too quiet for the hall, but Green's guitar playing still stood out.

*************

I can't let this post finish without drawing a connection to you-know-who ... Shortly before Johnny Kidd's tragic death in a car crash, there was a Pirates line-up featuring Nick Simper




Yes, him with the (fiesta?) red P-Bass - lovely playing in the middle eight at 01:15:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrXA7D1_9uc&list=RDwrXA7D1_9uc&index=1


And to make matters worse, a late line-up of the Pirates (still with Green on board) featured Johnny Gustafson on bass and lead vocals:




Yes, him before the Orange rig:




And here with beard and one of the earliest Wal basses:

[Dave W]

Yes, he definitely cited Mick Green as a big influence. But Wilko had his own style.

From the 2014 Roger Daltrey/ Wilko album of the same name. I had listened to the album but hadn't seen this video until Ray Duke posted it on FB. Great blend of old and new, plus some Canvey Island views.

[uwe]

I posted that here back then! Canvey Island sure is/was a place. If it wasn't for the Feelgoods none of us would ever have heard of it. And I'm glad that those Heinkel 111s (plus the V1s and V2s that followed later) had such bad aim.

[uwe]

Wilko in a different setting ...