In 2022 we needed ways to connect with ourselves: thank God for the guitar | John Harris
The democratic magic of six strings, two hands and an electric current – a means of self-expression as perfect as it has ever been
In the world of music, two of this year’s seemingly endless losses happened within a fortnight of each other. Both led to outpourings
of appreciation and reminiscence centred on an invention that is heading towards its 100th birthday: the electric guitar, that enduring
symbol of noise, excitement, and the basic human urge to express yourself.
Wilko Johnson – born John Wilkinson, in 1947 – passed away on 21 November. By the time of his death, he had become a kind of left-field national treasure, portrayed in two feature-length documentaries, and given a silent part in the huge TV show Game of Thrones. His obituaries told the story of his roots in Canvey Island, on the Thames estuary, and a later phase of life that had included the resurrection-like experience of being diagnosed with late-stage cancer in 2012, only to be apparently cured. But what really mattered were the two key things he had brought to the prophetic 1970s rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood: songs that beautifully romanticised where he was from (their first album was titled Down By the Jetty), and a unique way of playing his instrument.
