The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson tells of a man who rocked hard when he was young but now he is not and he was given a diagnosis of inoperable pancreatic cancer which means he has ten months to live. Rather than a lament, he talks of his euphoria at the news and why. He didn't lose his mind but rather he gained it, as he said, for the first time in his life.
To some extent the film is a vindication of things I've been saying in which this circumstance is in some ways a blessing because of the appreciation of the simplest of things.
Completing "The End of the World in Fort Worth" becomes the sum my life's work because it was the last thing I did. My experience while I am doing it is this is the best I can possibly do. Whether that is better than anyone else isn't even in the sky.
Maybe it won't be the last thing I will do but I can't be sure of that and the poignance is a beautiful thing. This is the reason it's so important to me to make clear it is not about death and that statement is no more deluded than Wilko Johnson when he talks of euphoria.
We believe the fact of music as the Sanctuary and it's specifically not an escape from anything because we must still be alive to appreciate it. The Sanctuary we need is not from Death because that comes as it will but rather it escapes from anything which detracts from Life. The fear of Death detracts from people in various ways but there's an anti-climactic sensation when the words come, "You've got cancer, dear."
Although that estimation was flawed, it nevertheless brought the realization of the immediacy in which it will come. The idea of it is disconcerting at first but also comes the expectation to squeeze as much out of life as is at all possible. The worst Life can throw at you has already happened. You have got the Word it's Soon Over. There's no Pollyanna trick in turning that around to the mantra Play On, You're Not Dead Yet.
We recommend the BBC video although it may be blocked to your country. If that's the case, TunnelBear can set whichever country you wish and you can watch that way. Above a certain number of MB's of service, there is a charge but the download is free.
Note: we aren't naturally criminals except insofar as all musicians are sleazoids but we dislike provincialism of the nature shown by BBC in this regard.
To some extent the film is a vindication of things I've been saying in which this circumstance is in some ways a blessing because of the appreciation of the simplest of things.
Completing "The End of the World in Fort Worth" becomes the sum my life's work because it was the last thing I did. My experience while I am doing it is this is the best I can possibly do. Whether that is better than anyone else isn't even in the sky.
Maybe it won't be the last thing I will do but I can't be sure of that and the poignance is a beautiful thing. This is the reason it's so important to me to make clear it is not about death and that statement is no more deluded than Wilko Johnson when he talks of euphoria.
We believe the fact of music as the Sanctuary and it's specifically not an escape from anything because we must still be alive to appreciate it. The Sanctuary we need is not from Death because that comes as it will but rather it escapes from anything which detracts from Life. The fear of Death detracts from people in various ways but there's an anti-climactic sensation when the words come, "You've got cancer, dear."
Although that estimation was flawed, it nevertheless brought the realization of the immediacy in which it will come. The idea of it is disconcerting at first but also comes the expectation to squeeze as much out of life as is at all possible. The worst Life can throw at you has already happened. You have got the Word it's Soon Over. There's no Pollyanna trick in turning that around to the mantra Play On, You're Not Dead Yet.
We recommend the BBC video although it may be blocked to your country. If that's the case, TunnelBear can set whichever country you wish and you can watch that way. Above a certain number of MB's of service, there is a charge but the download is free.
Note: we aren't naturally criminals except insofar as all musicians are sleazoids but we dislike provincialism of the nature shown by BBC in this regard.
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