The Blockheads discography

Last updated

The Blockheads discography
Ian Dury One.jpg
Studio albums6
Compilation albums3
Video albums1
Singles10

Formed in 1977 to promote Ian Durys' album New Boots and Panties!! on the first Stiff Records tour of the UK, Chaz Jankel, Norman Watt-Roy, Charlie Charles, John Turnbull and Mick Gallagher became known as 'The Blockheads' (a reference to a song on Dury's album). As 'Ian Dury & The Blockheads' they went back out on tour, this time without Jankel, and in 1978 released "What a Waste"/"Wake Up and Make Love with Me" a single that reached number five in the UK charts. They were then joined by saxophonist Davey Payne and toured the US supporting Lou Reed across North America, ending with their own dates in California (with backline roadie Pete Rush).

Contents

In late 1978 Jankel returned to the fold and composed "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" with Dury. The band recorded it in The Workhouse Studios, Old Kent Road, London and in 1979 had a number one hit record with it in the UK. Ian Dury & The Blockheads went on to record the Do It Yourself (1979) album, toured Europe and the UK recording in Rome "Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3", which was released as a single in late 1979 reaching number three in the UK charts.

In 1980 Jankel, once again, left the band to pursue solo projects in California and former Dr. Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson joined Dury, Watt-Roy, Turnbull, Charles, Gallagher and Payne to record and release a third album for Stiff Records called Laughter (1980) and released "I Want to be Straight" and "Supermans Big Sister" as singles. They toured throughout 1981 in the UK and Europe, sometimes augmented by Don Cherry on trumpet, ending the year with a tour of Australia.

In 1982 Ian Dury & The Blockheads disbanded and were not to play together again until 1987, when they went out to Japan in June to play three shows in four days, disbanding again until 1990, when the death of Charles in September of that year re-united them to play two Benefit gigs at The Forum, Camden Town, in aid of Charles' family. Jankel returned from America and Steven Monti picked up the drumsticks. The band, now augmented by Merlin Rhys-Jones on guitar and Will Parnell on percussion, recorded a live album Warts & Audience at the Brixton Academy in December 1990.

Jankel returned to California and the band toured Spain in January 1991. Once again the band stopped working until August 1994 when, with the return to England of Jankel, the band were invited to play the Madstock Festival in Finsbury Park in August, which led to a series of hit-and-run gigs in Europe, Ireland, the UK and Japan throughout the rest of 1994 and 1995. In March 1996 Dury was diagnosed with cancer and, after recovering from an operation, was determined to write another album.

Studio albums

Year of ReleaseAlbum TitleNotes
1979 Do It Yourself
1980 Laughter Final Album with Charley Charles
1997 Mr. Love Pants
2002 Ten More Turnips from the Tip Final Studio Album with Ian Dury
2001Brand New Boots and PantiesA tribute album, a re-recording of New Boots with guest singers
2004Where's the Party?
2009Staring Down the Barrel
2013Same Horse Different Jockey
2017Beyond the Call of Dury [1]

Live albums

Year of ReleaseAlbum TitleNotes
1990Live! Warts 'n' Audience
2001 Straight from the Desk Recorded in 1978
2003Straight from the Desk - 2Live at Patti Pavilion
2006Live in Colchester(exclusively available via iTunes)
200830 (30th Anniversary Show)(exclusively available via iTunes)

Compilation albums

YearTitleNotes
1978 Live Stiffs Live
2005Reasons to be Cheerful
2010Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Videos

YearTitleNotes
1978Live at Rockpalast 1978 MIG – MIG 90517
1985Hold On to Your Structure
2006Live in Colchester DVD

Singles

YearTitleAlbumNotes
1977"Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"
1977"Sweet Gene Vincent"
1977"Billericay Dickie"
1978"What a Waste"
1978"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"
1979"Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3"
1980"Sueperman's Big Sister" Laughter
1982"Twist & Shout"Released 10 December
produced by Laurie Latham
B-side: "Take Out the Lead"
1985"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"
1999"Dance Little Rude Boy" Ten More Turnips from the Tip

See also

Related Research Articles

Ian Dury British punk and new wave singer-songwriter and actor

Ian Robins Dury was a British singer-songwriter and actor who rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer of Ian Dury and the Blockheads and before that of Kilburn and the High Roads.

Chaz Jankel English singer, songwriter, arranger, composer, multi-instrumentalist

Charles Jeremy Jankel, better known as Chaz Jankel, is an English singer, songwriter, arranger, composer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

"Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" is a song and single by Ian Dury. It was originally released as a Stiff Records single, with "Razzle in My Pocket" as the B-side, on 26 August 1977. The song was released under the single name "Ian Dury", but three members of the Blockheads appear on the record – the song's co-writer and guitarist Chaz Jankel, Norman Watt-Roy on bass and drummer Charlie Charles.

Kilburn and the High Roads were a British pub rock band formed in London by Ian Dury in 1970. The band released one studio album in 1975, disbanding the same year. AllMusic credits the band with being "an undeniable influence on punk and new wave".

<i>New Boots and Panties!!</i> 1977 studio album by Ian Dury

New Boots and Panties!! is the debut album by Ian Dury, released in the UK on Stiff Records on 30 September 1977. The record covers a diverse range of musical styles reflecting Dury's influences and background in pub rock, taking in funk, disco, British music hall and early rock and roll, courtesy of Dury's musical hero Gene Vincent. There are cheeky love songs and character stories based on the working-class people of the East End and Essex Estuary areas where he grew up. The songs are frequently ribald and profane, but also contain humour and affection for his characters.

Mick Gallagher Musical artist

Michael William Gallagher is an English Hammond organ player best known as a member of Ian Dury and the Blockheads and for his contributions to albums by the Clash. He has also written music for films such as Extremes (1971) and After Midnight (1990), and the Broadway play Serious Money (1987).

Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick

"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" is a song by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, first released as a single on Stiff Records in the UK on 23 November 1978. Written by Dury and the Blockheads' multi-instrumentalist Chaz Jankel, it is the group's most successful single, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 1979 as well as reaching the top three in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and it was also a top 20 hit in several European countries.

<i>Do It Yourself</i> (Ian Dury & the Blockheads album) 1979 studio album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Do It Yourself is a 1979 album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads. It was the first album to be credited to Ian Dury & the Blockheads rather than Ian Dury alone, although Dury had used the full band name for the "What a Waste" 7" single of 1978. The album was released in the wake of the chart-topping hit single "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick", and reached number two in the charts, behind ABBA's Voulez-Vous. Do It Yourself sold around 200,000 copies, and was Dury's second Platinum album.

<i>Laughter</i> (Ian Dury & The Blockheads album) 1980 studio album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Laughter is the third studio album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads; released in 1980, it was the last studio album Dury made for Stiff Records. It was also the last studio album he made with the Blockheads, until 1998's Mr. Love Pants, though a live album Warts 'n' Audience was produced in 1991.

<i>4,000 Weeks Holiday</i> 1984 studio album by Ian Dury and the Music Students

4,000 Weeks' Holiday is a studio album by Ian Dury and the Music Students, released on 27 January 1984 by Polydor Records. It is Dury's only studio album with the Music Students and his fifth overall.

<i>Ten More Turnips from the Tip</i> 2002 studio album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Ten More Turnips from the Tip is the fourth and final studio album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, and Dury's ninth overall. It was compiled and released in 2002, two years after Dury's death in March 2000.

<i>Mr. Love Pants</i> 1997 studio album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Mr. Love Pants is a 1997 album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, released on East Central One under Dury's own label Ronnie Harris Records.

What a Waste 1978 single by Ian Dury & The Blockheads

"What a Waste" is a song and single by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, originally released in 1978 on the Stiff Records single BUY 27 "What a Waste" / "Wake Up and Make Love with Me". The song has remained in The Blockheads' set following Dury's death.

Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3

"Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3" is a song and single by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, initially released as the single "Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3 / Common as Muck" issued on 20 July 1979 and reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart the following month. It is the last single to be released by the band in their original line-up.

<i>The Bus Drivers Prayer & Other Stories</i> 1992 studio album by Ian Dury

The Bus Driver's Prayer & Other Stories is the seventh solo album by Ian Dury, released in 1992 by Demon. Despite being recorded after the successful live reunion of Ian Dury and the Blockheads, inspired by the death of their drummer Charley Charles, the album is not a Blockheads record. All of the band, however, except bassist Norman Watt-Roy, appear on the album.

Dance Little Rude Boy

Dance Little Rude Boy is the penultimate single to be released by British rock band Ian Dury and the Blockheads. The single was recorded at RAK Studios when Dury was still able to perform. It was released after Dury's death, on East Central One / Ronnie Harris Records, in 2002.

<i>Straight from the Desk</i> 2001 live album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Straight from the Desk is a live album by Ian Dury & the Blockheads recorded on 23 December 1978 at the Ilford Odeon, Ilford, East London.

The Blockheads English rock band

The Blockheads are an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Originally fronted by lead singer Ian Dury as Ian Dury and the Blockheads or Ian and the Blockheads, the band has continued to perform since Dury's death in 2000. Current members include Chaz Jankel, Norman Watt-Roy (bass), Mick Gallagher, John Turnbull John Roberts (drums). If Watt-Roy is unavailable, bass is often played by Nathan King. There is a rolling line-up of saxophonists that includes Gilad Atzmon, Terry Edwards or Dave Lewis and from time to time, the original sax player, Davey Payne. Between 2000 and 2022 the band's lead vocalist and main lyricist was Derek Hussey.

Norman Watt-Roy Musical artist

Norman Joseph Watt-Roy is an English musician, arranger and composer.

<i>Live Stiffs Live</i> 1978 live album by various artists

Live Stiffs Live is a live album released in 1978 by Stiff Records. It compiles concert performances by several of the record label's artists recorded during the "Live Stiffs Tour", which ran from 3 October to 5 November 1977.

References