Wilko Johnston

[Tertonmike]

O.I.C.

Ta.

[Ivor]

Well it’s been a busy week so only getting around to a report now.
In short it was great. Utterly unpretentious “heads down riff driven” blues and R&B played by guys who knew every square millimetre of their chosen instrument. I’d say most of the mostly male 45+ audience were familiar with the Dr Feelgood years but the newer material from Wilko’s Solid Senders onwards was new to them. It didn’t seem to matter. Wilko just stood there and delivered his limited vocals and within the first minute or so the appeal of each song was revealed.
Verse. Verse. Chorus. Verse. Manic Guitar break. Chorus. Verse.
Lovely.
A few old standards were included for good measure. Bulli Bulli. My Girl Josephine and Johnny B Goode for a finale (Bye Bye Johnny Bye Bye).
I noticed the Feelgood songs he did were the ones he wrote himself, Roxette, She does it Right and Twenty Yards Behind.
A fantastic gig in a small pub, as it should be, with musicians at the top of their game. Normal Watt-Roy on bass (Think Riff-Raff from the Rocky Horror Picture Show) is a force of nature. Not any nature we’re familiar with on this planet but a force nonetheless. The drummer was a young fella’ who could hold his own in any company, solid unfussy and managing to be fast and loose at the same time.
The atmosphere is worth a mention too. Everyone havin’ a good time, guys boppin’ who haven’t bopped in decades. People were turning around to make they weren’t blocking the view of those behind. Strangers helping others up on stools, empties being passed back and those delivering pints given a clear path!
If (hopefully when) he comes back make a point of going. There are few enough bands doing this sort of music at this level left.

[cybot]

Enjoyed reading that Ivor - made me feel like boppin' again :-) Also made me feel nostalgic for the good 'ol days of rock n' roll
and decent people all around....sigh :(


'You don't need a penny just to hang around
But if you've got a nickel, won't you lay your money down?
Over on the corner there's a happy noise
People come from all around to watch the magic boy

Down on the corner, out in the street
'Willy And The Poor Boys' are playin'
Bring a nickel, tap your feet'
John Fogerty-CCR

[Derek]

Well it’s been a busy week ...empties being passed back and those delivering pints given a clear path!

…and a great pint too

A super night, Norman Watt Roy is a figure to frighten, (in both senses of the word - appearance and skill) the last time I seen a bass player this busy was watching the late and very great John Entwhistle,

Fran please pass on my thanks to your mate for choosing Santana in the O2 over Wilko & Norman in The Leeson Lounge.

[Ivor]

The best of the pics

[Ivor]

Video from the Leeson Lounge gigs

Especially for Derek
http://youtu.be/wzOVmq_1Y5U

for all of us
http://youtu.be/qB1ckQwBlb0

http://youtu.be/w9eFubya-LM

[Derek]

Nice one
Yep, a force of nature that Norman Watt Roy

[fergus]

Great bass playing....he is in a space all of his own, that guy!!

[Fran]

This was a fantastic gig. Just listen to those clips above - it was bloody great!

Have a look at his playing - he's apparently strumming but there's this clear-as-a-bell lead coming out of the guitar!! I didn't realise in advance just how good a guitarist he is.

Another clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olTVU9Qi29U


Fran

[Ivor]

Have a look at his playing - he's apparently strumming but there's this clear-as-a-bell lead coming out of the guitar!! I didn't realise in advance just how good a guitarist he is.

He makes it look effortless but..... he strums with his nails on the down stroke and simultaneously picks with his thumb. Most of his early influences were bands with two guitarists so.... he copied the technique from a young Mick Greene who was playing with Johnny Kidd & the Pirates in the early sixties. His first fender had a red scratch plate to disguise the blood from his fingers.
What struck me at the gig was how Wilko's sparse playing (and vocals) allowed Norman to almost 'overplay' the bass-lines