27 July 2021
‘Superman’s Big Sister’ by IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS
The title was purposefully misspelled ‘Sueperman’ to avoid
any copyright issues with DC Comics, publisher of Superman,
the comic hero.
Single from third LP Laughter.
Big tune…
IAN DURY: Facebook
29 November 2020
Artist: IAN DURY
12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000
Album: LAUGHTER – Dury‘s third LP with
legendary guitarist Wilko Johnson as
one of the guest musicians.
Released: 28 November 2020 – 40 years ago
AllMusic / Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: “Ian Dury gradually moves away from disco with ‘Laughter’. The steady dance pulse is still apparent, but it’s balanced by rockers and pub singalongs that give the album more depth. Dury’s humor is at its most basic, as the titles of “Uncoolohol,” “(Take Your Elbow out of the Soup) You’re Sitting on the Chicken,” “Oh Mr. Peanut,” and “Fucking Ada” indicate, and his lyrics aren’t quite as stunningly fluid as before. Still, the record is fun, and “Superman’s Big Sister,” “Yes & No (Paula),” and “Over the Points” are pretty infectious, but the record can’t help but illustrate that Dury’s peak period is over.’ Score: 3.5/5.
Ian Dury: “I called it Laughter to cheer myself up.”
Turn Up The Volume: Although his first two albums – New Boots and Panties!! and Do It Yourself – were almost impossible to match, ‘Laughter’ was/still is vintage Ian Dury cabaret and fun.
Single…
– SUPERMAN’S BIG SISTER –
IAN DURY: Facebook
Ian Dury about the Pope…
The late great Ian Dury wasn’t in it for the money…
IAN DURY
27 May 1978
SOUNDS
Great magazine covers from the past…
IAN DURY
27 May 1978
Sounds
27 March 2019
Nineteen years ago today, on 27 March 2000, the brilliant
singer-songwriter and actor IAN DURY died of cancer, only 57.
It was in 1977, after his former band Kilburn and The High Roads split, that Ian Dury
formed and fronted The Blockheads and became an idiosyncratic star. It was the era of punk, but Dury had his own musical vision (a mix of jazz, funk, rock, disco and music-hall) and his own particular way of poetic story-telling. He became a sort of singing stand-up comedian as his lyrics were full of wordplay, clever humour, sharp impressions of daily
life in good old Britain and weird characters wrapped in splendid tunes. To remember
this wayward and one-of-a-kind artist and performer Turn Up The Volume! picked these
three timeless crackers…
– HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK –
– SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL –
– SWEET GENE VINCENT –
IAN DURY: Biography – Facebook Page
(photo on top: AP Press / FB Ian Dury)
Going back in sonic history…
29 September 2017
Artist: IAN DURY (his fab band ‘The Blockheads’ formed ‘officially’
a month after the LP’s release, therefore only Dury was credited)
Album: NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES!!
Released: 30 September 1977 – 40 years ago
Note: notorious single ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll‘ was not on the first pressings of the LP
Roy Carr wrote in NME: “It’s impossible to bag Ian Dury, except to say that he has taken the essence of the Cockney music hall and utilised rock as a contemporary means of expression.
On occasions, Ray Davies has dallied with a similar approach, but Dury has none of the self-conscious pretensions that Davies exposed in his flawed ‘Flash Harry’ caricature. Ian Dury feels no need to adopt a transatlantic voice to comply with his subject matter, preferring to deliver ribald and bittersweet monologues in the tone of voice he was born with. Whether or not you buy New Boots and Panties at least make hearing the album a priority…”
Turn Up The Volume! says: unique voice, impressive razzle-dazzle tunes and crazy stories (which I only could fully understand after a speed course ‘learn cockney in 48 hours‘) – his best ever achievement…
Three Top Tracks: Wake Up And Make Love With Me / Sweet Gene Vincent / Blockheads…
* WAKE UP AND MAKE LOVE WITH ME (lyrics video) – this gem hasn’t aged one bit…
* SWEET GENE VINCENT – cracking rocker…
* BLOCKHEADS – Arrrrrrrrrggghhhhhhhhhh…
Full album…
.
IAN DURY: Website – Facebook – Discography
R.I.P. legend… (Harrow, 12 May 1942 – Londen, 27 March 2000)
