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Guitar Player Pick :: Wilko Johnson

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Wilko Johnson

Guest post by Drew Zackary


Ed. Note: Sometimes, we at Duck & Cover solicit reviews from other writers or musicians. We value the insight they can provide into an industry, of which we are little more than casual observers. Sure, the D&C crew loves music, buys music, watches live music. The problem is we don't actually play music (high school trombone doesn't count as "music"). No matter. You get to a point in your life when you just have to accept the fact you're never going to be a rock star, and no Guitar Hero score will change that. So we go about our lives living vicariously through the musicians whose music we follow. The solicitations for their written opinions are little more than thinly disguised invitations to participate in our fantasy. Because we don't have rock star lives; we have geeky, music-hungry, shoe-obsessed lives. So when I received this month's Guitar Player Pick from sporadic contributor and dedicated guitarist, Drew Zackary, I quietly reflected on the benefits of being a blogger and having a cohesive thought train and grammar skills.

From Drew:

HI JAMES!!!!!

My brother is leaving in a few weeks and says "hmm... what's for pants today?"

Here's some history lessons for you at D&C.

wait. another quote... we spin records for my friend Susan who is drunk in our living room and says (disparagingly, wanting more shins or pitchfork videos something) "jesus christ, do you guys listen to anything after 1979 in this house!?"

me drunk dancing to dr.feelgood "no, i need the soul and that shits not got it!"

Susan-- "you guys are dorks in a dork band but i love you "

GUITAR PLAYER PICK FOR MAY 08

You play guitar. You want to play really really rocking music, like Refused or maybe Black Keys. Hell you think you are legit. You want to be BETTER than the Clash! Right?

Fuck off. Learn history. Here's another lost legend to be hip to.

Wilko Johnson. Study the videos. The hair on my arms stands on end watching him play. A bunch of poor boys from an island off the coast of England. It's legit. It's pure. Wilkso Johnson is the real deal. Proto punk proto and post everything. As my buddy Dave said, "They are one of those 'missing links' lost to history between punk rock and the blues."

Wilko Johnson played like he had sold his soul to the American devil, and he dressed like he was in Interpol when Interpol were shitting in diapers. Rolling Stones in 75?, way too high to rock that damn hard! No pick. Try that you guitar hero playing hipster! That sound, the treble the chang -Chang -CHANG!!!!! Hmmmmm? Where did post punk come from mommy?

Watch, watch guitar players and be jealous. Damn. Makes you want to buy a fender telecaster and smash Spiringsteen's cause he don't play it right.

Drew Zackary plays guitar for Denver band Dicky Jaguar and the Five Percenters. He also drives an ambulance.
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