On 27th March it will be 20 years since punk/new wave
singer, songwriter and actor, Ian Dury died.
Fondly remembered as the lead singer of Ian Dury and the
Blockheads, he contracted polio as a 7 year old during the 1949 epidemic.
He claimed that he caught the disease at a swimming pool in
Southend-on-Sea and after 6 weeks spent in a full plaster cast in hospital, he
spent the next few years convalescing from the illness in varying hospitals
throughout the UK
Musically, he first came to prominence as lead singer of the pub
rock outfit “Kilburn and the High Roads” who released one album in 1975 before
disbanding later in the same year.
Next came the infamous “Blockheads” who had the reputation as one
of the top live new wave bands. With such wonderful output as Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll*,
Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3, and my personal favourite the truly wonderful
What a Waste, Ian Dury and the
Blockheads amassed a massive fan base with musical influences ranging through
jazz, rock and roll, funk and reggae genres.
(* Sex & Drugs &
Rock & Roll was actually released under the single name of “Ian Dury”, but
three of the Blockheads also appeared on the recording).
Their biggest hit was the immortal Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. Reaching no.1 in the UK Ireland , Australia and New Zealand
Dury was initially diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 1996. He
underwent surgery only for tumours to be later found in his liver. At that
stage he was informed that his prognosis was terminal.
 |
| Ian Dury Memorial Bench - Richmond Park, London. |
He died of metastatic colorectal cancer on 27th March
2000. Madness singer Suggs described him as “possibly the greatest lyricist
we’ve seen.” Very much a fair call I strongly suggest.
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