Oil City

Don't worry, this is nothing to do with the price of oil or the major oil spill in the U.S. I recently watched the Julian Temple documentary on Dr. Feelgood called "Oil City Confidential". The title refects the band's roots in Canvey Island, Essex in the shadows of large oil refineries. The film is well worth seeing and confirms that Wilko Johnson is every bit as unhinged off the stage as on it.

I first encountered the Feelgoods in 1975 when they were on the bill at the Reading Festival. Having just turned 16, I managed to convince my parents that I should be allowed to go - my friend's uncle obligingly gave us a lift in his HGV all the way to St. Albans and we hitched from there. It was a major event with bill toppers being Hawkwind, Yes and Wishbone Ash. But the real surprise was Dr. Feelgood - their debut album "Down By The Jetty" had just been released but they were relatively unknown compared to the other big names on the bill. It's a long time ago now, but I can still remember the impact of Wilko's manic strutting around the stage and the power they generated. As soon as I got back to Scotland, I bought the album which I still have to this day. It was defiant to the point of being in mono and with a single black and white sleeve in an era when Roger Dean's elaborate artwork adorned many a gatefold album cover. The Feelgoods were never slaves to the vagaries of fashion.