Struggling with polio for most of his life, Ian was educated, clever and artistic. A true poet and add that to one of the tightest jazz bands that's ever been in the blockheads you have nothing short of brilliance. Instead of punk rock this is pub rock and they were at their best live and I was lucky enough to have seen them a couple of times. As you said Ian was most definitely a one off.
Saw him in Edinburgh once when he gave it everything and kept falling over , the roadies had to keep picking him up . The blockheads were so tight musically. I will never forget them.
Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 - 27 March 2000) was an English singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame in the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads At the age of seven, Dury contracted polio, most likely, he believed, from a swimming pool at Southend-on-Sea during the 1949 polio epidemic. After six weeks in a full plaster cast in the Royal Cornwall Infirmary, Truro, he was moved to Black Notley Hospital, Braintree, Essex, where he spent a year and a half before going to Chailey Heritage Craft School, East Sussex, in 1951. His illness resulted in the paralysis and withering of his left leg, shoulder and arm. Peace out.
Fantastic band, excellent live. Ian Dury was a great performer and lyricist. Many great songs - Sex & drugs & Rock 'n' roll, What a waste, My old man, Reasons to be cheerful, Sweet Gene Vincent to name a few! Cheers
My favourite reactors reacting to my favourite artist!! Ian was one of the greatest wordsmiths that British music has ever produced and should have become our poet laureate. He spearheaded the "New Wave" music scene and with the Blockheads became one of the best live bands on the scene. Despite a very tough upbringing with polio and strict boarding schooling to survive, he forged a truly unique musical path for himself that produced some truly incredible masterpieces that maybe are only truly appreciated if you have a English background, but you both seem to be very international in your taste and knowledge. He certainly wasn't a vocalist but, no one else could do justice to the songs he wrote, they would have lost their meaning. I cried when we lost this incredibly talented man too soon. Peace and love.
In my opinion, this is worthy of Shakespeare: If I was with a woman I'd threaten to unload her Every time she asked me to explain If I was with a woman She'd have tp learn to CHERISH THE PURITY AND DEPTH OF MY DISDAIN look a them larfin' ...
Ian Drury's roadie was a guy called Pete rush who was a friend at school in Bournemouth.And I met him occasionally after school.They wrote a song about him which was called " The sulphate strangle" Unfortunately he died in the cell at the police station in Bournemouth.The Blockheads were a brilliant band.🇬🇧👍
I was a student at university In the mid-1980's. One day I was singing this song aloud while walking down an empty hallway. As I turned a corner, there was one of my professors standing in front of me. Without missing a beat I continued singing. I still remember the shocked & confused look on his face as I passed by singing. I really doubt he had ever heard the song before. Without a doubt he must have thought I was a lunatic.
I absolutely LOVE this song …. and ‘What a Waste’. On hearing, I’m back to the late 70’s in the UK; a wonderfully, exciting, creative time to be in your late teens! ❤❤❤🇬🇧
Ian Dury lived with polio for most of his life, but didn't allow it to dull his undoubted talent..... Ian and his Blockheads enjoyed much success during the late 70's and into the 80's..... Sadly no longer with us.
Coming out of punk, albeit with a fantastic jazz-funk band and Dury’s poetic lyrics, a fantastic combination. Dury contracted polio as a kid, struggled through the harsh regime of the specialist school for disabled children, Chailey Heritage, studied art and became a great songwriter and performer.
when this song first came out I remember thinking.. this was a bit weird, and novelty type song... but catchy...... he also suffered from polio growing up., but didn't let his disability hamper his quest for music.. interesting fellow., look him up
Written by keyboard player/guitarist Chaz Jankel. Davey Payne on saxophone. The last song Ian Dury did before he died on March 27 2000 was Madness feat. Ian Dury - Drip Fed Fred that was released November 1999.
Rythm stick was a nickname for a spliv or cannabis cigarette, many musicians used cannabis a lot. Among other effects are colours seem slightly brighter and beats are more noticable in music.
Ian Dury and the blockheads are one of my favourite bands , I've had his new boots and panties album since I was about 5 or 6 lol please react to sex and drugs and rock and roll . Ian Dury is the Godfather of Punk
First saw this lot in a pub off the Finbough Road in 77. Ian fell over during the opening number and spent the rest of the set going around in circles while lying on the floor. They kicked arse, great band.
Ian was probably one of the most unique and best song writers and lyricist of modern times fantastic live and the Blockheads were pure talent RIP ❤ Dickie. We need another Ian
Ian Drury was a one off genius. The Blockheads are one of the tightest bands ever and they're still going Ian's son Baxter, is also a singer songwriter, a chip off the old block in many ways
I love this tune, when I was a teenager back in the 70's I worked at a cabinet makers and we would have the radio on all day, when this tune came on some of the old lads that worked there would say " he needs bloody hitting ", every old tune holds a memory...
Saw Ian and the boys live a few times back in the day, and they always put on a great show. Ian didn't care what other people thought and you can see that in the lyrics of his songs. New boots and panties is a great album. You should check it out. Thanks guys.
Many thanks for playing and reacting to this, Im glad you had fun with it. Ian and the Blockheads were certainly a force to be reckoned with, sadly he is no longer with us. Music is so enjoyable because there is such a variety of styles and genres which evoke so many emotions. Its great to watch the reactions of someone hearing something for the first time. Back to my collection to find something else interesting for you. Best wishes. Jim
It is always a great fun discovering new artist. And Ian and The Blockheads put us in such a great mood. Thank you kindly. Love and peace from Romania 💚
@@MerchantOfAlba By the way there was a famous jazz musician, I think his name was Roland Kirk who's speciality was to play two saxophones at the same time.🙂👍
When Rush drummer Neil Peart spent some time in London in the early 1970's trying to make it in the music business, he auditioned for a few bands. I remember he wrote that one audition he attended, the band had a singer who was partially disabled. Could this have been Ian Dury & the Blockheads ? Peart didn't make it in London & ended up working in a shop in Carnaby Street before heading back to Canada where he was more successful in his next audition for an up & coming band called Rush. It's funny how things work out sometimes.........
Ned from Spain saying thank you guys for posting this great, humorous and wicked song by a phenomenal band and their fearless leader. Other songs that I love by him and them, Wake Up Make Love to Me, My Old Man, Sex n Drugs n Rock n Roll, If I was With A Woman, What a Waste, Clever Trevor, Aint Half Been Some Clever Bastards, Razzle in My Pocket and many more.
His lyrics are kind of everyday man in the street but with great humour that has a kind of unique poetry. His song lyrics are so clever but kind of child-like. He wrote songs like “The ain’t half been some clever bastards”, “ The razzle in my pocket” (about stealing a porn magazine from a shop when he was younger) and “Reasons to be cheerful”.
Hello. I don't know if you lovely folks have covered Lou Reed yet ..aka the King of New York. Either Lou's solo career or ANYTHING by The Velvet Underground is a must.
I think it's just about the international language of music. Ian is a unique performer, and he definately care what people thought. You must check out Reasons To Be Cheerful. That's my favourite of theirs.
He died before his first child was born, he never was able to hold or even see it. He sarcastically thanked god for this in a interview. He also had a song called "Spasticus Autisticus" about his ailment, and caught a lot of flak from the then existing PC brigade...
@@mick6721 from a comment below the studio version of "Spasticus Autisticus" Ian’s own words about this song: “I’d written this in the Year Of The Disabled”. I was going to start a band called Spastic & The Autistics, because the word ‘spastic’ is a swear word. There was that girl group Bananarama who used to talk about “Spazz Dancing”. Their ignorance is their own affair. I wanted to do something for the Year Of The Disabled so I wrote ‘Spasticus Autisticus’ knowing it would be unacceptable to the BBC. They banned it as they did ‘Wake Up And Make Love To Me’ and ‘ Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll’. They actually don’t BAN it. They just don’t play it. Apparently you could only play it after dark, with written permission. I did about 140 interviews related to the song that year. It was a war cry for my brothers and sisters who are disabled. Only a spastic could understand that. It’s not describing a condition. It’s just being spirited” The video itself is at : ruclips.net/video/UKnBgJG9A8E/видео.htmlsi=3YiicX8ripmvzh5X (Indeed there was no major PC brigade then, but still there was one, even if not major)
Struggling with polio for most of his life, Ian was educated, clever and artistic. A true poet and add that to one of the tightest jazz bands that's ever been in the blockheads you have nothing short of brilliance. Instead of punk rock this is pub rock and they were at their best live and I was lucky enough to have seen them a couple of times. As you said Ian was most definitely a one off.
Saw him in Edinburgh once when he gave it everything and kept falling over , the roadies had to keep picking him up . The blockheads were so tight musically. I will never forget them.
I saw his son’s band down in Bristol years ago and spoke with him about his dad after the gig. Very nice lad.
Your dead right about the blockheads
The only other back up band comparable to them I can think of are the Attractions
Spot on .😂😂
I can always think of a few reasons to be cheerful listening to Ian
but the only one you need is part three
Nice play on words both of you, from another blockhead
@@PhilBurns-oc2vg You could say "There aint half been some clever bastards". And in reply we might say about our talents "What a waste"
Such a brilliant mix of punk and funk. Ian was a true original. And shout outs to Norman Watt-Roy absolutely slaying that busy busy bassline.
The bass line is incredible, I tell people to have a listen if they want to hear a master at work
Reasons to be cheerful is my FAV!!!!! Great Sax solo!!!!
Shame that i can only give 1👍to such a great song
Ian Dury was such an incredible musician who gave the whole world so much enjoyment over the years
Ian and the Blockheads were tighter than two coats of paint.
A very talented writer and put him with the blockheads and they were brilliant one my favourites was "What a Waste " from 1978.
Top class musicians and Ian's genius. Can't go wrong.
Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 - 27 March 2000) was an English singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame in the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads At the age of seven, Dury contracted polio, most likely, he believed, from a swimming pool at Southend-on-Sea during the 1949 polio epidemic. After six weeks in a full plaster cast in the Royal Cornwall Infirmary, Truro, he was moved to Black Notley Hospital, Braintree, Essex, where he spent a year and a half before going to Chailey Heritage Craft School, East Sussex, in 1951. His illness resulted in the paralysis and withering of his left leg, shoulder and arm. Peace out.
Reason to be cheerful: you reacting to Ian Dury😊
Fantastic band, excellent live. Ian Dury was a great performer and lyricist. Many great songs - Sex & drugs & Rock 'n' roll, What a waste, My old man, Reasons to be cheerful, Sweet Gene Vincent to name a few! Cheers
My favourite reactors reacting to my favourite artist!! Ian was one of the greatest wordsmiths that British music has ever produced and should have become our poet laureate. He spearheaded the "New Wave" music scene and with the Blockheads became one of the best live bands on the scene. Despite a very tough upbringing with polio and strict boarding schooling to survive, he forged a truly unique musical path for himself that produced some truly incredible masterpieces that maybe are only truly appreciated if you have a English background, but you both seem to be very international in your taste and knowledge. He certainly wasn't a vocalist but, no one else could do justice to the songs he wrote, they would have lost their meaning. I cried when we lost this incredibly talented man too soon. Peace and love.
In my opinion, this is worthy of Shakespeare:
If I was with a woman
I'd threaten to unload her
Every time she asked me to explain
If I was with a woman
She'd have tp learn to CHERISH
THE PURITY AND DEPTH OF MY DISDAIN
look a them larfin' ...
Many thanks. Glad you enjoyed it ☺️
Musical sensory overload, pure genius, all of them!
a poet . with a very hard life and illness. fought to overcome it. hats of sir , cheers guys
I’m an Aussie and this song was huge here. Still love it!!
👍
Fun fact. Chaz Jankel, The Blockheads keyboardist and guitarist wrote "Ai No Corrida" made famous by Quincy Jones.
You know how you love a song that becomes even better because your parents hate it? This was the one for me.
Yes! 😀
Childhood polio left him with a need for a walking stick but he rocked it.
Yeah, I love his lyricism, his use of London accent, references to working class culture, music hall, allsorts. The band was amazing, too.
RIP Ian Drury, he certainly was different!
Ian Drury's roadie was a guy called Pete rush who was a friend at school in Bournemouth.And I met him occasionally after school.They wrote a song about him which was called " The sulphate strangle" Unfortunately he died in the cell at the police station in Bournemouth.The Blockheads were a brilliant band.🇬🇧👍
I saw him in concert in Coventry. He literally embodied his hit "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll".
I was a student at university In the mid-1980's. One day I was singing this song aloud while walking down an empty hallway. As I turned a corner, there was one of my professors standing in front of me. Without missing a beat I continued singing. I still remember the shocked & confused look on his face as I passed by singing. I really doubt he had ever heard the song before. Without a doubt he must have thought I was a lunatic.
Awesome 👍 Thanks for sharing 😊
Another big hit from Ian was “Sex & Drugs & Rock and Roll”
Absolutely loved this back in the day.....Ian was a very clever ( Trevor!) Songwriter/poet😊
I absolutely LOVE this song …. and ‘What a Waste’. On hearing, I’m back to the late 70’s in the UK; a wonderfully, exciting, creative time to be in your late teens! ❤❤❤🇬🇧
Celebrating the groove.😊
Wonderful ❤😊. Now you have to react to Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3. Love Ian Dury.🎉🎉
I loved this song back in the day.
Ian Dury lived with polio for most of his life, but didn't allow it to dull his undoubted talent..... Ian and his Blockheads enjoyed much success during the late 70's and into the 80's..... Sadly no longer with us.
Coming out of punk, albeit with a fantastic jazz-funk band and Dury’s poetic lyrics, a fantastic combination. Dury contracted polio as a kid, struggled through the harsh regime of the specialist school for disabled children, Chailey Heritage, studied art and became a great songwriter and performer.
Ian was a victim of polio he caught as a child and was partially paralysed.
Ian was a fantastic poet who then with the blockheads put his poetry to music
That was Fun haven't herd that for years
when this song first came out I remember thinking.. this was a bit weird, and novelty type song... but catchy...... he also suffered from polio growing up., but didn't let his disability hamper his quest for music.. interesting fellow., look him up
The B side of this song was a funny song called "There Ain't Half Been Some Clever Bastards".
Before The Blockheads, Ian Dury was part of the pub rock band Kilburn And The High Roads.
He had Polio hence his physical appearance. He died from colon cancer. He was freaking awesome!
Written by keyboard player/guitarist Chaz Jankel. Davey Payne on saxophone. The last song Ian Dury did before he died on March 27 2000 was Madness feat. Ian Dury - Drip Fed Fred that was released November 1999.
🇬🇧
There was no-one like Ian Drury, before or since. "Reasons To Be Cheerful" next by this great & very unique band. 🎵🎶🎼❤
Ian Dury was unique
I think the subtext is that we are all just human beings wherever we come from.
Take your eyes off my walking stick and concentrate on the rhythm stick!
Ian is singing about a universal human truth. Brilliant musicians. Great song.
Check out “Swett Gene Vincent” by them as well. It was Ian’s tribute to Gene Vincent.
Rythm stick was a nickname for a spliv or cannabis cigarette, many musicians used cannabis a lot. Among other effects are colours seem slightly brighter and beats are more noticable in music.
I am glad that you mentioned the bass line, I came here to highlight it. It's a complete work out on the instrument.
I saw them by accident. I was a very lucky boy.
This was a NO.1 single in the UK
I love "My Old Man" buy Ian Dury... Quite different in tone, it's actually a little moving...
But it has an equally FUNKY bass line!
Listen to Ian Dury also: Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt. 3. Also very funny.
add in his "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" !!!
Ian Dury and the blockheads are one of my favourite bands , I've had his new boots and panties album since I was about 5 or 6 lol please react to sex and drugs and rock and roll . Ian Dury is the Godfather of Punk
New boots and Panties still top of my CD Collection, I wore out the vinyl but kept the cover, all the love to Ian, Legend!!
Funky funky
First saw this lot in a pub off the Finbough Road in 77. Ian fell over during the opening number and spent the rest of the set going around in circles while lying on the floor. They kicked arse, great band.
Ian was a great Gene Vincent fan with his recording of sweet Gene Vincent
Ian was probably one of the most unique and best song writers and lyricist of modern times fantastic live and the Blockheads were pure talent RIP ❤ Dickie. We need another Ian
I'm another Ian!! Oh, wait, that's not quite what you had in mind; sorry.
Alba's, the image was all stage. They were well grounded people during "day yo day" life.
What a band, and what a poet he was... amazing...
Ian Drury was a one off genius.
The Blockheads are one of the tightest bands ever and they're still going
Ian's son Baxter, is also a singer songwriter, a chip off the old block in many ways
Cool! Love it!❤
I love this tune, when I was a teenager back in the 70's I worked at a cabinet makers and we would have the radio on all day, when this tune came on some of the old lads that worked there would say " he needs bloody hitting ", every old tune holds a memory...
Such a great memory 😍
His son Baxter Dury is a musician, too. He's got a good song called, I'm Not Your Dog.
Saw Ian and the boys live a few times back in the day, and they always put on a great show.
Ian didn't care what other people thought and you can see that in the lyrics of his songs.
New boots and panties is a great album. You should check it out. Thanks guys.
So many great songs from them.
Passed away 24 years ago RIP.
Try their song “wake up and make love to me’
Many thanks for playing and reacting to this, Im glad you had fun with it.
Ian and the Blockheads were certainly a force to be reckoned with, sadly he is no longer with us.
Music is so enjoyable because there is such a variety of styles and genres which evoke so many emotions.
Its great to watch the reactions of someone hearing something for the first time.
Back to my collection to find something else interesting for you.
Best wishes. Jim
It is always a great fun discovering new artist. And Ian and The Blockheads put us in such a great mood. Thank you kindly. Love and peace from Romania 💚
@@MerchantOfAlba By the way there was a famous jazz musician, I think his name was Roland Kirk who's speciality was to play two saxophones at the same time.🙂👍
His son Baxter dury is putting out some pretty damn good music :)
Gotta love Ian Dury, he once got punched in the face by Omar Shariff !!!!
I mean how cool is that.
When Rush drummer Neil Peart spent some time in London in the early 1970's trying to make it in the music business, he auditioned for a few bands. I remember he wrote that one audition he attended, the band had a singer who was partially disabled. Could this have been Ian Dury & the Blockheads ? Peart didn't make it in London & ended up working in a shop in Carnaby Street before heading back to Canada where he was more successful in his next audition for an up & coming band called Rush. It's funny how things work out sometimes.........
Oh, thanks for sharing ☺️
fantastic talented band
Have met JohnnyT a number of times
Ned from Spain saying thank you guys for posting this great, humorous and wicked song by a phenomenal band and their fearless leader. Other songs that I love by him and them, Wake Up Make Love to Me, My Old Man, Sex n Drugs n Rock n Roll, If I was With A Woman, What a Waste, Clever Trevor, Aint Half Been Some Clever Bastards, Razzle in My Pocket and many more.
I'm sure the bass player was being paid by the note!
People like Ian and the group Madness made me form and choose my life's motto , Better to be mad than sad.
There is a live version of this. It is amazing.
No.1 must listen is Sex and Drugs and RocknRoll by Ian Drury and Blockheads.
Bought this as a present and never gave it. Still in it's paper bag.
His lyrics are kind of everyday man in the street but with great humour that has a kind of unique poetry. His song lyrics are so clever but kind of child-like. He wrote songs like “The ain’t half been some clever bastards”, “ The razzle in my pocket” (about stealing a porn magazine from a shop when he was younger) and “Reasons to be cheerful”.
Hello. I don't know if you lovely folks have covered Lou Reed yet ..aka the King of New York. Either Lou's solo career or ANYTHING by The Velvet Underground is a must.
Great Choice!!
I think it's just about the international language of music. Ian is a unique performer, and he definately care what people thought. You must check out Reasons To Be Cheerful. That's my favourite of theirs.
I think it is about sex
Great Fun
No - no deeper meaning … just the world over - let’s get hit by the rhythm stick!
Amazing 😍
Ian Dury and the Blockheads - simply brilliant album "New Boots & Panties."
You should hear his song SEX AND DRUGS AND ROCK N ROLL.
When this came out I thought being hit with rhythm sticks had something to do with bdsm. Years later clicked he was talking about drum beat
Never really a fan but this has a great bass line.
Left and centre of the punk revolution, which lasted 15 years..🤪
He died before his first child was born, he never was able to hold or even see it. He sarcastically thanked god for this in a interview. He also had a song called "Spasticus Autisticus" about his ailment, and caught a lot of flak from the then existing PC brigade...
@@mick6721 from a comment below the studio version of "Spasticus Autisticus" Ian’s own words about this song:
“I’d written this in the Year Of The Disabled”. I was going to start a band called Spastic & The Autistics, because the word ‘spastic’ is a swear word. There was that girl group Bananarama who used to talk about “Spazz Dancing”. Their ignorance is their own affair. I wanted to do something for the Year Of The Disabled so I wrote ‘Spasticus Autisticus’ knowing it would be unacceptable to the BBC. They banned it as they did ‘Wake Up And Make Love To Me’ and ‘ Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll’. They actually don’t BAN it. They just don’t play it. Apparently you could only play it after dark, with written permission. I did about 140 interviews related to the song that year. It was a war cry for my brothers and sisters who are disabled. Only a spastic could understand that. It’s not describing a condition. It’s just being spirited” The video itself is at : ruclips.net/video/UKnBgJG9A8E/видео.htmlsi=3YiicX8ripmvzh5X (Indeed there was no major PC brigade then, but still there was one, even if not major)
Sex + drugs + Rock 'n 'roll, Ian Dury RIP
I don't remember the song sounding like this. Is there a significant difference between the radio recording, and live performance?
'Rhythm stick'... "Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it". Post punk/New Wave [of the art rock sub-genre].
🔥🔥🔥🔥😁
This came from nowhere to be UK No.1 in 1979.
don't judge british music from this song
Forget Eminem,ian duty was the first white rapper
Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
i think with the music being dull back then it was like a challenge sent out there to others who can do better like a wake up wheres the talent