A recording contract with United Artists, tours with Brinsley Schwarz and Hawkwind, Down by the Jetty, further touring with with Kokomo and Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers (the Naughty Rhythms Tour), Malpractice, and when Stupidity shot to #1 after only a week in the charts things looked decidedly rosy.
Things, however, aren’t always as they seem, and a combination of relentless touring, the constant demand for Wilko to produce material, a rift between a non-drinker and the party harder rest of the band and a a disagreement over the inclusion of Lew Lewis’ Lucky Seven on Sneaking Suspicion saw Wilko leave the band in March 1977.
The rhythm section (John B. Sparko Sparks on bass guitar and drummer John The Big Figure Martin) hung around until April 1982, leaving Brilleaux to soldier on with fairly stable lineups until his death from cancer on 7 April1994. The details are all there on the Wikipedia page, complete with a photo of current vocalist vocalist Robert Kane in Barcelona from March 2009 which probably says all that needs to be said about the brand name’s continuing commercial viability.
Having grabbed the All Through the City (with Wilko 1974-1977) box set I’m keeping my eyre out for the Julien Temple about the band’s early days (Oil City Confidential), but that, I think, will just about do it.