| Though it took a while for the Blockheads to
assemble into the act we would come to know and love, the roots of
the next stage of Ian Dury’s career, one that would raise him firmly
into the public eye, began to form with the addition of Chas Jankel
to what was now Ian Dury and the Kilburns. This did not get off to
the most auspicious start for what ended up being one of the most
fertile partnerships in music: Dury thought that Jankel was just
another hanger on appearing straight after the gig, not the proposed
replacement for errant keyboardist Rod Melvin, and told him in no
uncertain terms to “f**k off”! |
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However despite this sticky beginning, after
the Kilburns finally
dispersed, Chas and Ian began to make demos in the Summer of 1976
which would make up the bulk of the first Ian Dury solo LP. One
which would be his biggest success and would finally bring him the
fame and critical plaudits Kilburn and the High Roads had been
denied. Dury was well aware that the Kilburns biggest failing had
been not having the musical muscle to back up his smart word-play
and the erratic nature of the band had been part of the reason why
their records had never captured their live show successfully.
Signing to Stiff seemed like a last chance saloon and one he could
not afford to fluff. A bad omen was that the single proceeding it
“Sex And Drugs And Rock N Roll”, though going on to be regarded as a
classic, did not chart. |
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But now with Jankel in position as his musical foil, Davey Payne
back in the fold and newcomers Norman Watt-Roy and Charley Charles
making for an awesome rhythm section, Dury was well set to deliver
finally. And with the “New Boots And Panties” album he did so with a
record that still resonates over the years with a variety of styles
and sounds and above all great song writing and performance. Dury
was smart enough to see which way the winds was blowing and
“Plaistow Patricia” and “Blackmail Mail” were as profane and
exciting as the Punk bands whipping up a storm in the UK. But also
there are many softer moments, including the touching “My Old Man”
and the brilliant evocation of his hero “Sweet Gene Vincent”. It
even begins with the horny and slightly creepy love song of “Wake Up
And Make Love To Me”!
Soon after the Stiff tour was organised and featuring the now
unbelievable line up of Ian Dury and the Blockheads (though the band
name doesn‘t feature on “New Boots, the core that was in place were
joined by guitarist Johnny Turnball and keyboardist Micky Gallagher,
making up for Jankel who didn‘t make the tour bus was back in the
fold soon afterwards. The name Blockheads came about when drummer
Charley was reading the lyrics to the song and blurted out that the
way the “Blockheads” were attired in the song sounded just like the
way he was dressed at the time), Elvis Costello and his brand new
backing band the Attractions, Nick Lowe with a band featuring Dave
Edmunds and new signing to Stiff Wreckless Eric. This provided a key
moment in Dury’s elevation: on the first night having noticed not
too much reaction from the crowd, he stirred them up with what was
to become his famous greeting “Oi, oi” and from then on it was plain
sailing and the Blockheads were the success of the tour. Costello
was miffed at this and all attempts to raise his game never really
came off. |
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In October 1977 “New Boots” entered the charts and would stay there
for a massive 90 weeks in total, making number five in the national
charts. All that was missing now was a hit single and that duly
arrived with “What A Waste” in April 1978. Better still, the next
single would become one of the first “New Wave” chart-toppers. Ian
Dury had hit the top, the most unlikely Pop Idol you could imagine,
at the age of 36.
Early in 1979 the first genuine Ian Dury And The Blockheads LP
arrived. “Do It Yourself” featured neither of the hit singles and
was afforded a frosty critical reception, although it actually made
number 2 in the charts. Its still viewed by most as a far inferior
follow up to “New Boots”, which I find hard to believe personally.
It might have less rough edges and the Blockheads smooth, funky
sheen might be a bit over-powering for some, but its stuffed full of
great songs and dry wit with a slightly dark touch like “This Is
What We Find” and “Uneasy Sunny Day Hotsy Totsy”. Perhaps the
journalists of the time felt that Dury’s time had been and gone and
he couldn’t compete with the bright young Post Punk things. |
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Dury and the Blockheads came back fighting with “Reasons To be
Cheerful (Part Three)” which was funkier, smarter and catchier than
anything the would be Punk Funk gang could ever come up with.
However, things were fragmenting and despite Ian’s image as a
“diamond geezer” he was notoriously difficult to work with and
Jankel for one had enough and left the band to go solo, feeling that
his huge contribution to the Blockheads had been marginalised. He
was replaced by Wilko Johnson for the uneven “Laughter” LP and
although both album and accompanying single met with some success,
soon Ian decided to go solo (again).
What followed was some records of varying quality (“The Bus Drivers
Prayer And Other Stories” probably being the best of his records
without the Blockheads), acting on the small and large screens and
even an ambitious but ultimately catastrophic shot at staging a
musical “Apples”. Dury was a decent actor, but it could never get
near his strengths as a musical performer and he never truly managed
to break away from his past existence as a singer. |
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Eventually Dury and the Blockheads came back together to play some
concerts raise money for an ailing Charley Charles who subsequently
passed away. After a few live gigs, the band reformed on a more
formal basis and produced the wonderful “Mr Love Pants” LP in 1997
which went back to the earlier sound of the band and captured it
brilliantly with ease. Ian, who had always struggled with his
health, sadly passed away because of liver cancer on 27th March
2000, leaving an inspiring and original body of work that few could
equal. The Blockheads continue to this day and offer fine
performances of Ian’s material, often with his friend Derek the Draw
supplying Dury-esque vocals. |
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| I believe that Punk in the UK couldn’t have happened the way it did
without Ian Dury. His influence on Johnny Rotten, the scene’s
pivotal figure, whilst never having been officially acknowledged, I
believe was substantial. Dury bought things back down to the street
level years before Punk, whilst others were writing rock operas
about faraway planets and pixies. He sang of rough kids, drug
addicts, council estates and street life, but he was a world away
from Lou Reed (who he fell out with on an ill starred US tour).
There was no glamour, just the reality. Ian Dury and the Blockheads
despite their style, attitude and inspiration, never really played
Punk Rock. But then again, they didn’t have to. |
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Article above courtesy of Ian
Part Time
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