Razzle In My Pocket...
Razzle In My Pocket...
He was a fella I admire a lot, let's face it he didn't exactly have it easy, but rather than letting the world slap him in the face, he slapped back...only harder. From reading and watching the film about him I understand he possibly wasn't the easiest person to work with though. He wrote songs about many and varied subjects and used a lot of places from Essex/East London in the titles ranging from 'Billericay Dickie', Plaistow Patricia' and even when he was in his former band Kilburn & The Highroads a song about the place I guess he knew well with the track 'Upminster Kids'.
The Early Days Line Up:
- Norman Watt-Roy - Bass
- Charley Charles - Drums
- Ian Dury - Vocals
- Chaz Jankel - Guitar
- Davey Payne - Sax
- Mick Gallagher - Keyboards
- John Turnbull - Guitar
They were signed up by Stiff Records and joined the 'Stiffs Live Tour' which featured acts such as Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Larry Wallis.
I remember my Sister having the 'New Boots & Panties!!' album released by the legendary Indie Label 'Stiff Records' in 1977, I especially loved the track 'Blockheads' with it's wonderfully 'observational' and amusing lyrics basically taking the 'p*ss out of the stereo-typical drunken Essex Yob' of the time (they still exist!). Also catch the song Live with the late and great Wilko Johnson on guitar with his 'trademark' machine-gunning the audience with his battered up guitar at the end.
Track Listing For The Album
- Wake Up And Make Love With Me
- Sweet Gene Vincent
- I'm Partial To You Abracadabra
- My Old Man
- Billericay Dickie
- Clevor Trever
- If I Was A Woman
- Blockheads
- Plaistow Patricia
- Blackmail Man
With the wonderful gentle start, rocking into overdrive on Sweet Gene Vincent to the Old School Musical style 'saucy seaside' double entendres of Billericay Dickie to the downright desperate lustful honesty of Wake Up And Make Love With Me. What a wonderful mixture of good lyrics and music.
I also remember very well first hearing the 7" single of 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' when it first came out, my Sister brought it on single and I have to say it was as awesome then as it is today, hitting the top spot for them in the UK Charts in January 1979. I still have the single at home, slightly warped and beautifully scratchy when last played (possibly nicked from her record collection!๐). It was originally released on the Stiff Record label in 1978 with the marvellous B Side There Ain't Half Been Some Clever Bastards.
You can catch some more of Kilburn & The Highroads at my other post at the link Twenty Yards Behind With Essex Pub Rock. And also whilst on the subject of Essex you can also catch my other post on this site 'They Don't Know About Us' which features Kirsty MacColl, Stiff Records and Romford's very own 'special' Elvis impersonator!
Finally, if you were wondering why the photo from God's Own Junkyard in Walthamstow? and why not some art from Romford or Upminster?ย it's because Ian Dury went to Walthamstow Art College after leaving school. Other notable figures that attended the same college were Peter Greenaway the film director, Vivian Stanshall musician from the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Ken Russell also a film director and renowned artist Peter Blake also taught there. Added to which about the only colourful display you'd get in Romford is a pointillistic baton of sick on a pavement after someone had one too many drinks on a Friday night out๐คฎ...Blockheads!!
Many Thanks to:ย
pinterest.co.uk/alisonburke64 for the old photo of Romford