Ian Drury & the Blockheads

Ian Dury & the Blockheads are a former Pub Rock band formed in London in 1977. Originally fronted by lead singer Ian Dury the band has continued to perform since Dury's death in 2000.

Original members included Chaz Jankel (guitar and keyboards), Norman Watt-Roy (bass), Mick Gallagher (keyboards and piano), John Turnbull (vocals and guitar).

Often if Watt-Roy was unavailable, due to a conflict with Wilko Johnson dates (for whom he also plays bass), his duties are often covered 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.

The band are best known for their hit singles, recorded with Dury, "What a Waste", "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick", "Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3", and "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll". I include all of these below, but first my all time favourite - 'Spasticus Autisticus'.

I liked this one the most as it tackles a difficult subject and if I remember correctly all the money for this track went to charity causes.

'What a Waste' was another favourite of mine at the time...

But the all time popular tracks that got everyone up on their feet were these final three

Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick

Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Generation X

Generation X were a Punk rock band from London in the late 1970s, largely remembered today for being the musical starting point of the career of its frontman / vocalist, Billy Idol. Influenced by the punk rock movement in London in late 1976, guitarist & vocalist William Broad, a university drop-out from Bromley and associate of the Bromley Contingent ; the drummer John Towe, Tony James, a former member of the London S.S. all replied to an advert placed in the Melody Maker that was seeking musicians to form a new West London band around the vocalist/frontman John O'Hara aka Gene October. After a few weeks of rehearsals the band became known as Chelsea, and began by playing a few support gigs in West London and Manchester, primarily playing cover versions of rock and roll songs from the 1960s. However, Gene October felt that Broad and James were becoming too dominant creatively and with 'musical differences' being cited, Broad and James along with Towe abandoned Chels...

Ten Pole Tudor

Tenpole Tudor formed in 1977 when Tudor-Pole (vocals/saxophone) met guitarist Bob Kingston, bassist Dick Crippen, and drummer Gary Long. They played regularly for several years until Tudor-Pole himself (under the moniker of Eddie Tenpole) came to prominence by appearing in the 1980 film, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (filmed in 1978). He was originally billed as a replacement for Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten — performing the songs " Who Killed Bambi ?", " The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle " for the film and subsequent soundtrack. However, manager Malcolm McLaren and the remaining Sex Pistols instead decided to abandon the group and go their own ways. The band released their début album, ' Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary ', in 1981. It sold well, and in addition to the popular " 3 Bells in a Row ", launched two additional hit singles " Wünderbar " and " Swords of a Thousand Men ".

Dexy's Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners were an English pop band with soul influences from Birmingham, who achieved major commercial success in the early to mid-1980s. They are best known in the UK for their songs " Come On Eileen " and " Geno ", both of which peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as six other top-20 singles. The original Dexys Midnight Runners were founded in 1978 in Birmingham, England by Kevin Rowland (vocals, guitar) and Kevin "Al" Archer (vocals, guitar). Both had been in the short-lived punk band the Killjoys. Rowland had previously written a Northern soul-style song that the two of them sang, " Tell Me When My Light Turns Green ", which became the first Dexys "song". The band's members were "Big" Jim Paterson (trombone), Geoff "JB" Blythe (saxophone, previously of Geno Washington's Ram Jam Band), Steve "Babyface" Spooner (alto saxophone), Pete Saunders (keyboard), Pete Williams (ba...

King

Paul King was born in Ireland but moved to Coventry, England, with his parents at a young age. After graduating from Coventry Drama School he joined rock-ska band the Reluctant Stereotypes. King's line up of the band – which also contained record producer Paul Sampson – released an album and three singles before the band disintegrated. After the demise of the Reluctant Stereotypes, King formed the Raw Screens who in 1983 were relaunched as the self-named band King. As lead singer, King was famed for his BIG haircut and spray painted Doc Marten's Boots – whilst Richard James Burgess produced and drummed on most of the band's songs. The band lasted just a couple of years, though both of their albums, "Steps in Time" and "Bitter Sweet" , went Gold, and they had two Top 10 singles with "Love & Pride" and "Alone Without You" .

The Teardrop Explodes

In 1978, Liverpudlian Juian Cope formed The Teardrop Explodes with drummer Gary Dwyer, organist Paul Simpson and guitarist Mick Finkler, with himself as singer, bass player and principal songwriter. Drawing on a post-punk version of West Coast pop music, the band became part of a wave of such Liverpool bands. Cope and Dwyer (and later their manager-turned-keyboard player David Balfe) were the only band constants, although seven other members passed in and out of the line-up during the band's fractious four-year existence. Several well-received early singles (including " Treason ") culminated in the band's biggest hit, " Reward ", which hit number 6 in the UK singles chart and took their " Kilimanjaro " album to number 24 in the album charts. Cope's photogenic charm and wild, garrulous interview style helped keep the band in the media eye, and made him a short-lived teen idol during the band's peak. " Reward " , I remember having...

Muzical Mystery Tour

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