A FILM about legendary Canvey rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood has won a prestigious award.

Oil City Confidential, which was premiered in October last year and will be released on DVD next month, won the Mojo Vision Award for best rock film.

Wilko Johnson, 62, the band’s original guitarist and songwriter and star of the film, accepted the award at the glitzy ceremony in London.

Afterwards, he said: “I remember starting off the acceptance speech by saying I had never won an award before, but beyond that my memory is an absolute blur.

“The film has been so well received and I would like to thank the guys who did such a good job of making it.

“I met Jimmy Page and spoke to Roger Daltrey on the night, which was great. It’s been a while since I attended a big event like that.”

Former Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker asked to have his photo taken with Wilko and invited him to appear on his Six Music radio show.

Chris Fenwick, who has managed the band for almost 40 years, also went on stage to accept the award He said: “I’d never been up a red carpet before and it’s something I could get used to. The film has been great for the band.”

Dr Feelgood are credited in the movie with inspiring the late Seventies punk rock explosion, with their back-to-basics approach to rock and roll.

The band hit their peak when live album Stupidity reached number one in the UK album charts in 1976, but Wilko left during the making of the follow-up album after a fall-out with late, great frontman Lee Brilleaux.

Dr Feelgood are still touring, although none of the original members are now playing in the band.

Wilko is also in more demand than ever, thanks to the film, playing with his own band and as a solo artist.

The film was directed by Julien Temple, who is also famous for his landmark movies on punk figureheads the Sex Pistols, in the Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle and the Filth and the Fury, and Joe Strummer, in the Future is Unwritten.

Phil Alexander, Mojo’s editor-in-chief, said: “Canvey’s pre-punk pathfinders Dr Feelgood deserve a film like this.

“They are genuine heroes of British music and Wilko Johnson is an absolutely phenomenal guitarist who has influenced everyone from Joe Strummer and Mick Jones to Steve Albini.”