Ginger Wildheart’s hard-to-find solo album gets full release
The Wildhearts frontman is also out on tour
The endlessly creative Ginger Wildheart is to re-release his solo album ‘The Pessimist’s Companion’ via Little Steven’s Wicked Cool label on Friday, April 22nd. Recorded in 2019 it initially saw a very limited release that year through Ginger’s own Round Records label.
“It never got a proper commercial release, due to one thing or another, and was hastily mixed and compiled to meet its pre-order deadline,” Ginger explains. Described by its creator as “rough, urgent and entirely in keeping with the subject matter”, the latest version has been remixed, features a different running order and includes five extra songs.
“This is a deeply personal release for me,” adds Ginger. “I hope you find something here to warm the colder nights alone.”
Listen to 'Stalemate' from 'The Pessimist's Companion' (contains some swearing)
The multi-talented frontman is supporting the album through a seven-date acoustic tour which began in Newcastle on Sunday April 17th and concludes at the Lexington in London this Saturday, the 23rd. He’s accompanied on stage by occasional Wildhearts member Jon Poole – with piano player Carol Hodge joining them at all shows except Huddersfield and London.
The record’s theme of break-up is perhaps especially apt given that The Wildhearts are currently on indefinite hiatus due to ‘ongoing issues within the band.’ A statement issued on March 11th confirmed that all the band’s scheduled gigs were being axed in light of internal problems, and thanking fans for their support. The outfit’s most recent album, 2021’s ‘21st Century Love Songs’ had met with widespread acclaim and reached No.9 on the UK chart.
Since the hiatus was announced, guitarist CJ Wildheart has compiled a new album ‘Lives’ featuring re-recordings and remixes of his solo material, plus songs from his tenures in Honeycrack, The Jellys and The Wildhearts. It’s scheduled for release in June. CJ has also branched out into the culinary world through his hot sauce Devilspit – a dedicated online shop is set to open on May 27th.
Ginger Wildheart UK tour dates
APRIL
Leicester Soundhouse – Tue 19th
Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach - Wed 20th
Blackpool Waterloo Music Bar - Thu 21st
Huddersfield Parish - Fri 22nd
London Lexington - Sat 23rd
Both Ginger and bandmate CJ's albums are now available to buy / pre-order.
Buy Ginger’s album here: orcd.co/pessimistscompanion
Pre-order CJ’s album here: cjwildheart.bigcartel.com
Gallery: The real names of rock and metal stars, including Ginger Wildheart
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday
Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico
Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis
Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk
Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)
Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke
Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford
M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders
Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett
Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls
Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews
Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis
Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum
Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain
Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder
Steel Panther’s real names
Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.