Musician Wilko Johnson, famous guitarist of the British band Dr. Feelgood and actor of the series ‘Game of Thrones’, died on Monday (21/11) at the age of 75. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but he was over the disease and lived for a decade after being sentenced to natural death.
John Wilkinson, his birth name, was born on July 12, 1947 in Canvey Island, an oil town in England. He studied Anglo-Saxon literature at Newcastle University and worked as a teacher before forming Dr. Feelgood in 1971 with local friends.
In an age of flamboyant glamor and progressive rock, they played an angry, minimalist version of blues and R&B, dressed in cheap suits and ties that made them look like “cheesy bank robbers,” as Johnson himself once put it.
The “moneyless mod” look and fast, loud rock was called “pub rock”, but it was a forerunner of the punk movement and ended up inspiring many other bands, which sparked the punk explosion in the UK.
With three influential albums to their credit, they were at the pinnacle of global fame, reaching No. 1 in the UK, with US tours planned and a huge deal with CBS Records. But everything came crashing down in 1977, when Johnson left the band due to differences with singer Lee Brilleaux, who died in 1994.
Johnson later said that had the band been able to follow through on their management’s demands to perform well, “I’m sure we would have been multi-millionaires. But we didn’t make it. We were from Canvey Island. We were just great friends and we we are left”.
Despite the split, Dr. Feelgood remains active until the singer’s death, but Wilko Johnson has moved on. He went on to play in Ian Dury’s band the Blockheads before forming his own band and a devoted fan base, mainly in the UK and Japan.
In addition to music, Johnson also dabbled in acting. He was invited and accepted to play the character of Ilyn Payne, a mute knight who serves King Baratheon (Robert and his heir Joffrey) in four episodes of the series “Game of Thrones”, between the first and second seasons (2011- 2012).
In 2012, Johnson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he only had a short time to live. The prospect of death revived his creative energy. He refused chemotherapy and decided to go on a farewell tour, recording a “final” album, “Going Back Home”, with Roger Daltrey of The Who.
“I suddenly found myself in a position where nothing else mattered,” he told the Associated Press in 2013. And suddenly none of that matters anymore. You are walking down the street and feel intensely alive. ‘Oh, look at that leaf!’ You look around and think, ‘I’m alive. Isn’t that amazing?'”
But a fan of Dr. Feelgood, who was also a cancer specialist, came into her life offering to help. Johnson accepted. She underwent surgery to remove her eight pound tumor and in 2014 she announced she was cancer free.
He released another album, ‘Blow Your Mind’ in 2018, and has been playing with his Wilko Johnson Band until last month.
Upon learning of his colleague’s death, Roger Daltrey paid his respects. “More than anything Wilko wanted to be a poet,” he wrote on The Who’s official website. “I was lucky enough to know him and have him as a friend. His music lives on, but this time there is no escaping the final curtain.”
Recall Dr. Feelgood’s pioneering spirit with Wilko Johnson and the guitarist’s recent mod collaboration with Roger Daltrey below.
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Source: Terra
Amanda Larkin is a celebrity journalist at Gossipify, known for her in-depth interviews and unique perspectives on the entertainment industry. She covers celebrity news and gossip, providing readers with engaging and informative content, and understanding of the inner workings of the industry. She’s respected for keeping readers up to date with the latest trends and providing a fresh perspective on the celebrity world.
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