Wilko Johnson Guitar Playing: 5 Ways He Created His Unique Style
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Wilko Johnson Guitar Playing: 5 Ways He Created His Unique Sound · Source: Alamy Stock Photo / Jill ODonnell
Wilko Johnson’s guitar playing should be studied by all players. His approach and charisma are unrivaled. How did he do it all so well?
The Guitar Playing Of Wilko Johnson:
All About Wilko Johnson:
- Wilko Johnson’s playing style was based around sharp, percussive, rhythmic playing. His fingerpicking and distinctive chord shapes formed his sound.
- The Fender Telecaster was central to Johnson’s musical identity. Creating the raw and stripped-back sound that became synonymous with bands such as Dr Feelgood and The Blockheads.
- Wilko Johnson’s playing proved that less is more. The simplicity in his playing was still enough for thrilling live performances and chart success.
Influences
Born in Essex, just an echo after the Second World War in 1947, John Andrew Wilkinson was part of the post-war boom of talent that erupted in the 60s and 70s. Wilko Johnson’s guitar playing started in the late 50s’ having been fascinated by The Shadows on Television. After all, the idea of the electric guitar becoming a solo instrument was still very new at this time.
Johnson’s main influence was Mick Green, guitarist of Johny Kidd & The Pirates. Green’s playing style and instrument choice would become vital in shaping Wilko Johnson’s own guitar playing.
Purchasing his first Fender Telecaster for £90 in 1965, over £1,500 today, Johnson proved that he could compete with fellow guitar heroes with very little gear, a couple of chords, and some distinctive stage presence.
Fingerstyle
So no pick? If you listen to any of the Dr Feelgood hits, you can hear fast riffs and big chords. And yet, Wilko Johnson didn’t use a plectrum. His fingers must have been made of string stuff!
Unlike regular or traditional fingerstyle, associated with country or folk music, Johnson would use a revolving pattern with his thumb and fingers. Johnson has talked about how his right hand was constantly moving in a down up, down up, down up, down up pattern.
What’s so special about Wilko Johnson’s guitar playing? That rhythm doesn’t seem so special. The magic happens with a combination of quick pentatonic licks, in which he’d strike each individual note with his fingers, whilst also dampening the strings in between playing. His chord shapes were vital in achieving this.
Chord Shapes
Johnson describes his guitar playing as ‘like riding a bike’ except that it’s ‘very easy to do, but quite difficult to describe’. So, just what was he doing to get such hits like Roxette and She Does It Right?
Instead of playing a conventional open chord shape, Johnson would play an inverted barre chord, similar to what Jimi Hendrix played. This is the lower half of a barre chord. He’d only play from the D string down. Allowing for the root note, major third, perfect fifth, and then another root note on the high E string. All of the key ingredients of a chord, done in the Wilko way.
This shape allowed him to easily mute and dampen the strings by lifting his fingers off the fretboard, but keeping them on the strings. Furthermore, this also allowed easy access to the pentatonic scale for those quick and reciognisable licks. Chuck in a couple of hammer-ons, and you’re there.
Notable Hits
When I think of Wilko Johnson, I think of his work with the rough-and-ready 70s rock band, Dr Feelgood. They were rough around the edges, but were an incredibly tight band. Despite success, Johnson left the group in 1977 whilst recording their fourth album.
Roxette
Roxette isn’t actually the band’s biggest hit; that came in 1979 with Milk and Alcohol, after Johnson had left. However, Roxette really captures the Essex lad’s playing. Hearing that minor third hammer onto the major third, followed by a stab of that G chord. It’s so simple, but can really get a crowd going.
Route 66
Despite being a cover of Chuck Berry’s 1961 track, Wilko Johnson undertook a complete overhaul of the track to suit his own style. The only similarities between the Dr Feelgood version and the original are the lyrics and I, IV, V blues chord progression.
Once again, Wilko Johnson uses the chord shape that we looked at earlier, this time in the key of A, and with a rather upbeat tempo. You also have to look at the group’s stage presence. The influence of The Shadows comes in once again with the band’s movements on stage. Whilst Wilko completes a vast composition of unsettling facial expressions.
Ian Dury and The Blockheads
After leaving Dr Feelgood, Johnson had plenty of solo and band success. He even appeared in Game Of Thrones! Ian Dury was known for having a tight band behind him, and Wilko Johnson fit that bill perfectly.
Telecaster
As aforementioned, Johnson’s first ‘proper’ guitar was a 1962 *Fender Telecaster that he purchased in 1965. He used this extensively until Fender built him a replica of that guitar that he used with Dr Feelgood and beyond.
Johnson also recalls having a lesser-seen 1962 Fender Stratocaster, and during the 1980s, he can be seen playing another Telecaster with a humbucker in the neck.
The Wilko Tele is definitive for being black with a red pickguard. Otherwise, Wilko’s gear is few and far between, and he was known for saying that he only saw ‘this thing‘ when he played live.
Sadly, Wilko Johnson left us in November 2022 at the age of 75. His music, style, character and humour will live on for many generations to come. Another great shame is that neither Thomann nor Sweetwater stocks red pickguards for Telecasters…
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