Wilko Johnson, the guitarist from Dr Feelgood was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas. The news of the cult musician dying came as a shock to his friends, family and fans, but Wilko is certainly not taking illness lying down and, as he explained to Reuters, is making the absolute best of his final months. Not only is he set to go on tour, he has also hinted towards the possibility of making a new album.

As soon as the news of his illness was made public, there was an instant surge of interest in all things Wilko Johnson, including all dates of his upcoming, hastily planned tour being sold out in quick time. The news of his death then, in many ways, has been liberating for the musician. "It makes you feel so alive," he said. "Just walking down the street, man, everything looks really intense. Any little thing you look at, it almost gives you a kind of childlike consciousness." 

This new way of thinking is a big turnaround for Johnson who has a history of suffering with depression. "I'm a miserable so-and-so... but all that stuff whatever it was I used to worry about - it doesn't matter. What's gone, what is and what will be, do not matter."

All of this positive thinking seems to have resulted in a surge of creativity, which results in some news that will delight fans: ''I think there will be an album. It's going to be rough and ready, because we've got about three or four days and we're just going to go in and to bash it down. We're not going to twiddle with anything.'' (Boston.com) 

Wilko Johnson & Julien Temple

Wilko Johnson and Julien Temple at the MOJO Honours List Ceremony, 2010