1980 saw Ian Dury‘s relationship with THE BLOCKHEADS strained to the limit, the singer’s addictions and other personal issues fueling his writing and performances but affecting camaraderie within the collective. The collective didn’t seem the same too, as the vocalist’s creative partner Chaz Jankel had left the fold and got replaced with Wilko Johnson, and though this line-up managed to record “Laughter” and go on the road, “Lord Upminster” which Dury released the following year found him billed as a solo artist, it wouldn’t be until 1998’s “Mr. Love Pants” that Ian reunited with his old compadres. The more interesting is a concert document from the beginning of the end of their first joint jaunt.
Scheduled for release on April 24th on CD – and a little earlier, on Record Store Day, on vinyl – and titled “Live In London 1980” to pinpoint the place and time of its provenance, the double-disc set focuses on the band’s December 24th show at Dominion Theatre, which was originally transmitted as a special TV performance for “The Old Grey Whistle Test” programme and includes “Sueperman’s Big Sister” and a few other then-fresh cuts alongside classic numbers. Sadly, there’s no DVD or Blu-ray on display, yet, as if to compensate for that, “Live! Warts “N’ Audience” album from December 1990 has been added to the set. Given how rare recordings from the group’s early period are, a nice offer.
THE BLOCKHEADS –
Live In London 1980
CD 1:
1. Upminster Kid (Kilburn And The High Roads)
2. Clevor Trever
3. Sink My Boats
4. I’m Partial To Your Abracadabra
5. Sueperman’s Big Sister
6. Yes And No (Paula)
7. Uncoolohol
8. Delusions Of Grandeur
9. Dance Of The Crackpots
10. What A Waste
11. Hey, Hey, Take Me Away
12. Manic Depression (Jimi)
13. Oh Mr Peanut
14. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
15. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
CD 2:
1. Intro
2. Wake Up And Make Love With Me
3. Clevor Trever
4. Inbetweenies
5. If I Was With A Woman
6. Billericay Dickie
7. Quiet
8. My Old Man
9. Spasticus Autisticus
10. Plaistow Patricia
11. There Ain’t Half Been Some Clever Bastards
12. Sweet Gene Vincent
13. What A Waste
14. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
15. Blockheads
16. Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt. 3
