When legendary rock guitarist, Wilko Johnson, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January of 2013, his reaction was to go full steam ahead and literally become the epitome of the mantra “Carpe diem.” He linked up with long time friend and celebrated guitar player, Roger Daltrey of The Who, to record 11 tracks to be released digitally on November 25th and on CD, December 9th. With all expectations of this being one of Wilko’s last recordings, Johnson was miraculously re-diagnosed in 2014 and was able to get surgery to have the cancer removed giving him a new lease on life. Roger is prepping to hit the road with The Who on their 50th anniversary tour and Daltrey will be donating his royalties from sales of the album to Teen Cancer America. Check out the track list and more info below.
WILKO JOHNSON & ROGER DALTREY ‘GOING BACK HOME’ SPECIAL DELUXE EDITION
Wilko Johnson, legendary guitarist with Canvey Island rock pioneers Dr Feelgood, and Roger Daltrey, lead singer of rock giants The Who, are set to release a special Going Back Home, Deluxe Edition digitally on November 25 and physically on December 9 through Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).
Recorded in November of 2013, Going Back Home featured 11 tracks, ten of which are Johnson originals from both his Dr Feelgood days and solo years, plus his version of “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window,” an outtake from Bob Dylan’s classic album Highway 61 Revisited. The Going Back Home, Deluxe Edition contains the original album as well as unreleased tracks from the studio sessions alongside live songs from the Royal Albert Hall and Shepherds Bush Empire concerts in London from February of this year.
Wilko Johnson was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in January 2013 and was given only ten months to live after rejecting chemotherapy. The guitarist seized the opportunity to make the most of his time left embarking on his “farewell tour” and recording Going Back Home with Roger Daltrey. In April 2014, Johnson was re-diagnosed and had a radical, life-saving operation to remove the tumour, which left him Cancer-free. Roger Daltrey is preparing to take to the road for a tour celebrating The Who’s 50th anniversary but they are talking about working together again in the not too distant future. Daltrey is donating his royalties from the album to Teen Cancer America.
Influenced by raucous old school British rhythm & blues Going Back Home, Deluxe Edition mostly features re-makes of vintage Wilko gems, including the Feelgoods’ “All Through The City,” “Keep It Out Of Sight” and “Going Back Home” – the latter co-written in 1975 with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates’ guitarist Mick Green – plus Everybody’s Carrying A Gun, originally recorded by his post-Feelgoods group The Solid Senders, and the solo ‘80s rockers “Ice On The Motorway” and “I’m Going To Keep It To Myself.” There is also a hidden gem, the heart-wrenching ballad “Turned 21,” which until the album came out earlier this year had never been properly released. A cover of Bob Dylan’s “Can You Please Crawl Out Of Your Window” rounds out the collection.
To add to the album’s recent success, Going Back Home was recently voted Classic Rock Magazine’s ‘Album Of The Year’ at the tenth annual Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards in Los Angeles.
Wilko Johnson And Roger Daltrey – Going Back Home, Deluxe Edition will be available as a digital download and a physical 2 CD edition.
Track list for Going Back Home, Deluxe Edition
Original Disc
All Through The City (Wilko Johnson)
Sneaking Suspicion (Wilko Johnson)
Going Back Home (Wilko Johnson)
Everybody’s Carrying A Gun (Wilko Johnson)
Keep It Out Of Sight (Wilko Johnson)
Keep On Loving You (Wilko Johnson, Norman Watt-Roy, Salvatore Ramundo)
Some Kind Of Hero (Wilko Johnson)
Turned 21 (Wilko Johnson)
I Keep It To Myself (Wilko Johnson)
Ice On The Motorway (Wilko Johnson)
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (Bob Dylan)
Bonus Disc
Muskrat (Unreleased track)
Some Kind Of Hero (Vocals Wilko Johnson)
Keep On Loving You (Vocals Wilko Johnson)
Turned 21 (Vocals Wilko Johnson)
Going Back Home (Radio Edit)
Wilko Johnson Band Live At The Shepherd’s Bush Empire (02.25.2014):
All Right
Barbed Wire Blues
Dr. Dupree
When I’m Gone
Roxette
Wilko Johnson / Roger Daltrey Live:
Going Back Home – Live At Royal Albert Hall, Teenage Cancer Trust 2014
I Keep It To Myself – Live At Royal Albert Hall, Teenage Cancer Trust 2014
Keep On Loving You – Live At Royal Albert Hall, Teenage Cancer Trust 2014
Sneaking Suspicion – Live At Royal Albert Hall, Teenage Cancer Trust 2014
All Through The City – Live At Royal Albert Hall, Teenage Cancer Trust 2014
Everybody’s Carrying A Gun – Live At The Shepherd’s Bush Empire (02.25.2014)
Some Kind Of Hero – Live At The Shepherd’s Bush Empire (02.25.2014)
