Twenty Yards Behind With Essex Pub Rock
A Tale Of The Four 'Johns'.
A graceful bow and nod to the whole Pub Rock Scene from the 70's. With great respect to Lee 'John' Collinson (Lee Brilleaux) John Wilkinson (Wilko) John B Sparks (Sparko) John Martin (The Big Figure), all part of Essex Pub Rock/R&B band Dr Feelgood.
I posted this back on 29th April of this year, but I am giving it a re-post in memory and respect to Wilko Johnson who sadly passed away on 21st November 2022. A guitar legend, not in the same style perhaps as guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck etc, but a guy with his own unique, unforgettable and instantly recognizable style of play. His obituary at The Guardian Newspaper. Catch his 'unique' style below with one of my 'Feelgood Favourites':
This song is from one of my favourite local bands Dr Feelgood released on their debut album 'Down By The Jetty' in 1975, it kind of has an almost Ska/Blues Shuffle strut to it with the guitar work punctuated with some blinding harmonica work from the (usually vocalist) the late Lee Brilleaux, what a track! cool bass line and punchy drums. And if you like that 'shuffle guitar' style have a listen to them caught at the BBC in Concert from 1974 with the brilliant track My Baby.
Album Track Listing
- She Does It Right
- Boom, Boom
- The More I Give
- Roxette
- One Weekend
- That Ain't The Way To Behave
- I Don't Mind
- Twenty Yards Behind
- Keep It Out Of Sight
- All Through The City
- Chequebook
- Oyeh!
- Bonie Maronie/Tequila
They formed in the early 70's on Canvey Island, Essex and their first 7"single 'Roxette' was released in 1974 on the United Artists label. The track 'Chequebook' was demoed by The Jam in 1976 in their early days prior to being signed and Dr Feelgood have also been a source of inspiration to bands such as Blondie and even The Ramones. As a band they paved the path between pub rock and punk rock.
They Were
- Lee Brilleaux - Vocals/Harmonica
- Wilko Johnson - Guitar
- John B Sparks - Bass
- The Big Figure - Drums
Pre-Punk Scene & Covers
The album contained many of their own compositions but also covers of 'Boom Boom' an old John Lee Hooker number from 1962, 'Bony Moronie' originally by Larry Williams in 1957 and 'Tequila' by The Champs from back in 1958
The band were a pre-cursor to the punk scene, snubbing the whole over-bloated 'Prog Rock' scene of the day and also the big venues, gigging in grotty pubs around the Essex and London area and one of the main acts on the whole 'Pub Rock' circuit in the mid 70's bringing music back to the masses on a smaller and more affordable basis. They kicked ass, I wish I had been old enough to see them!
Other Pub Rock Acts
Some other really good bands of that whole genre were:
- Bees Make Honey
- Ace
- The Kursaal Flyers
- Kilburn & The High Roads
- Eggs Over Easy
- Brinsley Schwarz
- Graham Parker & The Rumour
- Ducks DeLuxe
- Eddie & The Hotrods
There were obviously a lot more than that but, bear in mind they did all forge the way for other bands, Kilburn & The High Roads went on and morphed into Ian Dury & The Blockheads smashing a U.K. #1 with 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'. Here they are pub rock style in the clip from the BBC with 'Mumble Rumble & The Cocktail Rock'.
Ace were one of the big success stories in their own right scoring a #20 in the U.K. Charts with their song 'How Long' in 1975. The song wasn't evidently written about adultery, more to do with the band's bass guitarist 'moonlighting' for another band. Paul Carrack went on to work with Roxy Music, Mike & The Mechanics, Squeeze and many other bands including 'session work' appearing on keyboards for The Smiths eponymous 1984 debut album.
Brinsley Schwarz spawned Nick Lowe who would produce bands such as The Damned for Stiff Records as well as being an all round song writing legend his records being covered by other artists such as Elvis Costello & The Attractions.
And get a load of this pub rock band, Bees Make Honey caught live playing an old number called 'Caldonia' (originally a 'jump blues' track by the brilliant Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five, recorded originally back in 1945, catch the original at the link), Bees Make Honey sounded pretty awesome and certainly got the crowds going and you can also catch the joy of being in a pub that played live music from the 70's. From reading, the drummer went on to work with the band 'Supertramp'.
Graham Parker & The Rumour were also an awesome act, catch that old soul classic 'Hold Back The Night' at the link, an old 'Trammps' track re-vamped pub rock style.
Eddie & The Hotrods were another Essex band that started off more Pub Rock but kind of broke into the whole Punk Scene as well with their high energy performances, Paul Gray, Bass Player with the band would go onto to join punk band The Damned.
The album 'Down By The Jetty' by Dr Feelgood wasn't released on an Independent label (United Artists), but their style and sound definitely was. Lee Brilleaux actually helped to found the most iconic of independent record labels 'Stiff Records' by providing a 'loan' to get the label up and running.
Guitar Style & Rock n Roll Classics
Wilko Johnson was an awesome guitarist and worked with some of greats including Ian Dury, JJ Burnel and blues harmonica player and ex-member of other local pub rock/punk band Eddie & The Hotrods, Lew Lewis, catch Lew Lewis with his track 'Boogie On The Street' from the album 'Save The Wail'. Harmonica player Lew was friends with Dr Feelgood front-man Lee Brilleaux who helped teach Lew harmonica skills.
Wilko's unique guitar style was influenced by Mick Green from 'Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and also a kind of attempted Chuck Berry 'duck walk' of his own. Have a listen to their classic 'Shakin' All Over' which made it to #1 in the U.K. Charts in 1960.
Wilko was a clever bloke, studying and getting a B.A. in English and English Literature. Wilko has turned his hand to may things including art and acting (Game Of Thrones). His son Simon is also a guitarist playing in local Southend band Eight Rounds Rapid catch their track 'Love Don't' at the link to get an idea of his guitar style, picked up some good skills from his Dad by the sound of it.
The photo was taken by me after a short train journey down to Southend Central Station. The pub is still there, but sadly boarded up. It is a huge grand old building with beautiful old exterior decor from a very different age, it was actually built in 1856. It was saved from closing in 2018 with help from Wilko Johnson raising the amount of money via 'Crowd Funding' needed to keep it afloat. I know many pub rock acts played there and also many famous names have also been there, it sadly closed it's doors in April 2021 due to COVID pressures. I hope they manage to resurrect it rather than just turning it into more flats.
Dr Feelgood as a band were masters of resurrecting old songs and putting their own mark on them, this particular favourite of mine from an old Eddie Cochran number called 'My Way'
Undoubtedly one of their best known and highest charting singles is 'Milk and Alcohol', every pub rock band fans favourite...
The Gypie Era
Still Rockin'
Videos Thanks To:
Pedja Pavlovic [email protected]
Photo
Photo: 𝓐 𝓚ⅰ𝓬𝒌 Ìռძⅰ𝓮 𝓝𝒖ꚍⱿ
Info Sources Thanks To
Disogs.com, drfeelgood.org, Wikipedia.com and the above youtube.com and dailymotion.com links