Keith "Lew" Lewis (1955 – 16 April 2021)1 - Lew Lewis 1955 - 2021
''CanveyIsland.org''. Retrieved 19 April 2021. was an English harmonica player and vocalist, who was a member of Eddie and the Hot Rods before forming his own bands. Influenced in style by

Little Walter Marion Walter Jacobs (May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968), known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter, whose revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on succeeding generations, earning him ...

, he also guested on albums by

The Stranglers The Stranglers are an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene. Scoring 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are one of the longest-surviving bands to have origin ...

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and others.

Career

Lewis was born in Hammersmith, London, England, and moved to Canvey Island when he was thirteen. He soon became friends with

Lee Brilleaux Lee Brilleaux (born Lee John Collinson; 10 May 1952 – 7 April 1994) was an English rhythm-and-blues singer and musician with the band Dr. Feelgood. Early life Lee Brilleaux was born in Durban, South Africa, to English parents, was brought up ...

, who taught Lewis to play harmonica. Lewis' first performances were as a member of the Southside Jug Band on Canvey Island, which included future Dr Feelgood members Brilleaux and John B Sparks, together with Chris White. Guitarist Dave Higgs joined and they renamed themselves the Fix. Higgs later invited Lewis to become a member of Eddie and the Hot Rods, where Lewis performed on their first two singles "Writing on the Wall" and "Wooly Bully". He was known as a wild frontman, but left "after falling out with the management". He then released a solo single for

Stiff Records Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London, England, by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007. Established at the outset of the punk rock boom, Stiff ...

, their fifth single "Boogie on the Street" / "Caravan Man", backed by a thinly disguised Dr Feelgood; the B side of the single later appearing on '' Hits Greatest Stiffs''. Briefly moving to

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he released "Out for a Lark" / "Watch Yourself", which could credit Brilleaux and Sparks, as they were on UA. He returned to Stiff for his next single "Lucky Seven" / "Night Talk" (1978) his most successful single, which led to his appearing on ''

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'', and which was covered by Dr Feelgood on their album '' Sneakin' Suspicion'' and also appears in the film, ''Oil City Confidential''. His album ''Save the Wail'' (1979) produced by Paul Riley, featured Buzz Barwell (ex Dr. Feelgood) and Bob Clouter (Ex

Mickey Jupp Michael Graham "Mickey" Jupp (born 6 March 1944, in Worthing, Sussex, England) is an English musician and songwriter, mainly associated with the Southend music scene. Career Jupp played in several Southend bands after leaving art college in 196 ...

's The Orioles) on drums, Rick Taylor and Pete Zear on guitars and Johnny Squirrel on bass, collectively known as Lew Lewis Reformer, they were, stylistically, "between pub rock and blues-rock". They toured Europe, being particularly popular in France and appeared on

Musikladen ''Der Musikladen'' (german: The Music Shop) was a West German music television programme that ran from 13 December 1972 to 29 November 1984. The show continued the 1960s '' Beat-Club'' under a new name, and in turn was replaced by ''Extratour' ...

in 1979. Also in 1979 Lewis, Dr Feelgood and

Jools Holland Julian Miles Holland, (born 24 January 1958) is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer and television presenter. He was an original member of the band Squeeze and has worked with many artists including Jayne County, Sting, Eric C ...

performing as 'The Oil City Sheiks', issued a single "Don't Take but a Few Minutes" / "Blues Jam". Lewis was also a guest on several albums, including

' ''

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'' (1978),

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's ''

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'' (1979),

's ''

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'' (1980),

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’s ''

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'' (1981),

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''Ride Blue Divide'' (1982) and Wilko Johnson's ''Bottle Up and Go!'' (1983). In 1987, Lewis was given a seven-year jail sentence for armed robbery, after holding up a post office with a fake pistol, stealing £5,000 and trying to escape on a shopping bike. On his release, he issued a single "Shame, Shame, Shame" whilst ''Boogie on the Street Again!'', a live album recorded in June 1977 and July 1979, was released in Japan in 1999. The 2002 CD reissue of ''Save the Wail'', also included the Stiff singles, "Boogie on the Street" and "1–30, 2–30, 3–35", as well as live recordings from 1977 and 1979. Despite his prison sentence, Lewis had undiagnosed "bipolar and psychotic episodes", and a drug addiction. In November 2009, he announced that having had "mental health issues" and "a breakdown", and been in and out of hospital "for the past eight years", he was finally drug-free, and only taking prescribed medication. Lewis performed with a new band Spooky Blues but, as of December 2010, he was performing as the Lew Lewis band, with Dave Deville (guitar and backing vocals) and Emma May (bass and backing vocals), and was looking for a new drummer to perform on their forthcoming European tours, and a Japanese tour in March 2011. His death was announced by the CanveyIsland.org website on 17 April 2021.

Discography

;With Eddie and the Hot Rods *"Writing on the Wall" / "Cruisin' (in the Lincoln)" (1976) *"Wooly Bully" / "Horseplay (Weary of the Schmaltz)" (1976) ;As Lew Lewis and his Band *"Boogie on the Street" / "Caravan Man" (1976) Stiff (BUY 5) *"Out for a Lark" / "Watch Yourself" (1977) United Artists ;As Lew Lewis Reformer *"Lucky Seven" / "Night Talk" (1978) Stiff (LEW1) *"Win Or Lose" / "Photo-Finish" (1979) Stiff (BUY 48) *''Save the Wail'' (1979) Stiff (SEEZ 16), re-released with bonus tracks in 2002 on Hux 033 *"1–30, 2–30, 3–35" / "The Mood I'm In" (1980) Stiff (BUY 68) ;As Lew Lewis *''Boogie on the Street Again!'' (1999) CD (Vinyl Japan 82) *"Shame, Shame, Shame" / "Louie Louie" (1987) (Waterfront Records WTF 35) ;As The Oil City Sheiks *"Don't Take but a Few Minutes" / "Blues Jam" (1979)

Compilations

*'' Hits Greatest Stiffs'' (1977) Stiff *''Last Compilation'' Stiff *''Motorway Cassette'' Stiff – unclear if ever issued *''Live and Rare'' – Eddie and the Hot Rods (1993) Receiver *''Best of Sniff 'n' the Tears'' – Sniff 'n' the Tears (2000) Chiswick *''Do Anything You Wanna Do'' – Eddie and the Hot Rods (2000) Spectrum *''Stiff, Stiffer, Stiffest: A Stiff Records Collection'' (2001) *''The UA Singles '77–'79'' – The Stranglers (2001) EMI

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Lew 1955 births 2021 deaths British rhythm and blues musicians Music in Southend-on-Sea People from Canvey Island Protopunk musicians British harmonica players English rock singers Eddie and the Hot Rods members