Ginger Wildheart’s hard-to-find solo album gets full release

The Wildhearts frontman is also out on tour

Ginger Wildheart and his album The Pessimist's Companion
Author: Steve BeebeePublished 19th Apr 2022

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.

Lexxi Foxx’s real name: Travis Haley


Jet Black’s real name: Brian John Duffy


Buddy Holly’s real name: Charles Hardin Holley


Elvis Costello’s real name: Declan Patrick McManus


Rikki Rockett’s real name: Richard Allan Ream


Blackie Lawless' real name: Steven Edward Duren


Maxim's real name: Keith Andrew Palmer


Rat Scabies' real name: Christopher John Millar