Lew Lewis

Lew Lewis (b on Canvey Island, Essex) is a "Little Walter-influenced" harmonica player and vocalist who was a member of Eddie and the Hot Rods before forming his own bands, and guesting on albums by The Stranglers, The Clash and others.

Lewis was brought up in the same Canvey Island street as Lee Brilleaux 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 & 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, 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 United Artists Records 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 Top of the Pops 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'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 in 1979. Also in 1979 Lewis, Dr Feelgood and Jools Holland performing as "The Oil City Sheiks" issued a single "Don't Take but a Few Minutes" / "Blues Jam"

...
Wikipedia