The Wimp & The Wild

The Wimp & The Wild
Studio album by
John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett
ReleasedAugust 1989 (1989-08)
RecordedPace Studios, Milton Keynes + Avocado Studios, Aylesbury
GenrePunk, Folk, Electronic
Length33:25
LabelVM Records[1]
ProducerWild Willy Barrett
John Otway chronology
All Balls & No Willy
(1982) 		The Wimp & The Wild
(1989) 		Under the Covers and Over the Top
(1992)
Wild Willy Barrett chronology
Organic Bondage
(1986) 		The Wimp & The Wild
(1989) 		Open Toed and Flapping
(1994)
Singles from The Wimp & The Wild
  1. "Last of the Mohicans / Fashion"
    Released: 1987
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]

The Wimp & The Wild is the fourth and final album by John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett, released in 1989.[2][3][4]

History

The writing process for The Wimp & The Wild goes back 10 years. "Best Dream" is a re-recording of the Where Did I Go Right track.[2]

Critical reception

AllMusic wrote that "within its corridors lurk some of Otway's finest performances of the age, beginning with an almost heartbreakingly Spartan revision of 'Best Dream.'"[2] Martin C. Strong wrote that the album "ranged from 'wimp-ish' acoustics from John to stripped-down covers."[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by John Otway except where indicated

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Wimp"  
2."Best Dream"  
3."Fashion"Otway, Robyn Boult 
4."Volunteer"Otway, Warren Harry 
5."Blockbuster"Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman 
6."Separated"Bannister 
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Wild"Otway, Boult 
2."House of the Rising Sun"Traditional; arranged by Otway and Barrett 
3."Last of the Mohicans"Otway, Boult 
4."I Believe"  
5."I Am A Lion"  
6."Focke Wolfe"Eddie Stanton 

Personnel

  • John Otway - vocals, guitar
  • Wild Willy Barrett - guitar, bass, drums, drum pads, programming
  • Liam Grundy - piano on "Separated"

References

  1. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 353.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Wimp & the Wild - John Otway | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. ^ "John Otway & Wild Billy Barrett". Trouser Press. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  4. ^ The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. Fireside. 1995.
  5. ^ "John OTWAY biography". The Great Rock Bible.