Wilko Johnson has revealed he knew he was on the road to full recovery when he suffered a bout of depression.
He’s battled the illness all his life – but it was absent during his struggle with cancer, which had been expected to kill him until he underwent pioneering surgery in 2014.
Johnson, who returned to action earlier this year, tells the Irish Examiner: “It’s funny. Last night I started to think about my wife, who passed away 10 years ago.
“I said to myself, ‘What’s the matter with you? You ought to be happy you’re still here.’ But it doesn’t work like that, does it?”
Even though he’s on his Still Kickin’ tour of the UK, he hasn’t yet fully got over the 3kg tumour that was removed in an 11-hour operation.
He says: “With the first comeback show, I distinctly remember thinking, ‘Blimey, this is bloody tiring.’ I was still recovering. Actually, I am still recovering.
“I find it much easier now – every day, I feel stronger. You wonder where will it end… Will I end up feeling like Superman?”
Johnson completes his Still Kickin’ run in July, then hits the road with Status Quo in November.
UK tour remaining dates
May 29: Dublin O2 Academy
May 31: Roryfest, Ballyshannon
Jun 06: Lunar Festival, Tanworth-in-Arden
Jul 30: Cambridge Folk Festival
