Ian Dury; The Man and His Music Quiz

Answer: The Blockheads

Ian Dury had previously fronted Kilburn and The High Roads which although achieving cult status in and around the London area had little commercial success. The line up for The Blockheads usually included the following: pianist and guitarist; Chaz Jankel, drummer; Charley Charles, bassist; Norman Watt-Roy, keyboard player; Mickey Gallagher, guitarist John Turnbull and the brilliant former Kilburn's saxophonist Davey Payne. This line up remained pretty much the same for most of the bands successful career.
The band's name was taken from a track on the first album; "New Boots and Panties" simply called "Blockheads":

"Why bother at all about Blockheads?
Why should you care what they do?
Cos after all is said and done
You're a Blockhead too!"

Answer: He had contracted polio as a child

Ian Dury was born in 1942. When he was seven years old he contracted poliomyelitis which left him with a partly paralysed leg. Ian was outspoken about disabilities; his song "Spasticus Autisticus" to mark The International Year of Disabled Persons in 1981 was banned by the BBC for its uncompromising lyrics.

"Hello to you out there in Normal Land
You may not comprehend my tale or understand
As I crawl past your window give me lucky looks
You can be my body but you'll never read my books...

...So place your hard-earned peanuts in my tin
And thank the Creator you're not in the state I'm in
So long have I been languished on the shelf
I must give all proceedings to myself."

Answer: Curing smallpox

Well Ian was nothing if not eclectic! This song gives a long list of things Ian was grateful about from Buddy Holly and Elvis to taking his mum to Paris and other more basic requirements.

"Cheddar cheese and pickle, the Vincent motorsickle
Slap and tickle
Woody Allen, Dali, Dimitri and Pasquale
Balabalabala and Volare"
The list goes on... and what a saxophone solo that is by Davey Payne, brilliant stuff.

Answer: Madness

Suggs of Madness and Ian had struck up a friendship and Suggs invited Ian to sing on their single "Drip Fed Fred". Of course by this time Ian was very ill with cancer but he still performed the song live with the band. A trooper 'til the end, Ian performed "Mash It Up Harry" live on Jools Hollands' "Later" TV show just a few weeks before his death. Ian finally succumbed on March 27th 2000, mourned by many as a true one-off. Suggs described him as "Possibly the finest lyricist we've seen" and eulogised about him in the song "Oranges and Lemons Again":

"Oh it's the crooked leg, the crooked mile
The hotel lift and a menacing smile
The energy of an itinerant child
To catch a glimpse of Mr Oscar Wilde

Waterborn, Southend on Sea
Twisted, bent, disability
Lord Upminster, Bo Diddley and Richard the Third
With the most unroyal mouth that you've ever heard..."

Answer: Profoundly In Love With Pandora

"The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾" was a brilliant book by Sue Townsend. It focused on the angst of teenager Adrian Mole as he struggled to balance changes in his family life with his love for his girlfriend Pandora Braithwaite.
The book (and its sequels) was turned into a successful TV series for which Ian Dury wrote the theme tune. "Profoundly In Love With Pandora" was a minor hit for Ian in 1985.

Answer: Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" reached the number one spot in 1979 and was Ian Dury's biggest hit. A brilliant driving rhythm powered by Norman Watt-Roy's bassline, coupled with Davey Payne's wonderful saxophone work meant this would be a sure-fire hit. The off the wall lyrics by Ian and Davey were the icing on the cake and it rightly remains a classic piece of rock music.

Answer: Cats

Ian Dury was never afraid of expressing his opinions in a forthright and colourful manner. He was fiercely loyal to his friends and colleagues but also a fully paid-up member of the 'awkward squad'.
Andrew Lloyd Webber asked if Ian would like to help write the lyrics for "Cats" but Ian was not interested; "I can't stand his music... I said "No" straight off. I hate Andrew Lloyd Webber.... every time I hear "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" I feel sick, it's so bad." Well that's not all he said but I have no wish to be banned from FT!

Answer: Gene Vincent

The lyrics were taken from "Sweet Gene Vincent" from the "New Boots and Panties" album.
Ian's influences were many and varied and included blues, jazz, reggae as well as music hall but rock and roll was the one of the biggest factors in his music. Gene Vincent (1935-71) was one of Ian's heroes and he wrote the song in tribute to one of his idols.

Answer: Billericay Dickie

"Billericay Dickie" is about a bricklayer from Essex who fancies himself as a bit of a lady's man. The song was never released as a single in the UK due to its rather choice language and fairly obvious sexual metaphors. It first appeared on the "New Boots And Panties" album and remains one of Ian Dury's most popular and enduring songs.

Answer: False

The single was released by Stiff records in 1977 and sold around 19,000 copies; not enough to make the charts in those days! Stiff deleted the single after two weeks. It's hard to think now that the phrase might never have gained currency as a synonym for excess and may well have been lost to the annals of rock. Ian Dury did not want singles included on the debut "New Boots and Panties" album so it was initially pressed without "S&D&R&R" on the record.
It was included on later pressings although the title was never shown on the track listings!
Of course in 1977 the dear old BBC had its knickers in a twist over punk rock and the antics of the Sex Pistols etc and with no appreciation of "S&D&R&R"'s irony banned the song from its playlist. Not for the first time the ban only increased interest in the song and guaranteed its place in music history.