* En anglais uniquement
The backing band of the legendary
Ian Dury,
the Blockheads were formed in 1977 to back up and promote
Dury on tour for his
New Boots and Panties!! album. Made up of Chaz Jankel,
Norman Watt-Roy, Charlie Charles,
John Turnbull, and
Mick Gallagher,
the Blockheads soon found themselves recording with
Dury -- albeit without Jankel -- and landing themselves a hit as
Ian Dury & the Blockheads with the 1978 single "What a Waste." Their newfound success led to a U.S. tour in support of
Lou Reed, and they went on to further home success in the following two years with the single "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" -- composed by
Dury and a returned-to-the-fold Jankel -- and the
Do It Yourself album. The early '80s were spent (again) without Jankel, who was off to the States for a solo career, but the band and
Dury soldiered on together, releasing the album
Laughter and touring Europe and the U.K. in 1981.
The Blockheads and
Dury dissolved their working relationship in 1982, but staged a reunion, Asian-style, in 1987. The death of Charlie Charles brought them back together in 1990 to raise funds for the departed member's family. A live album,
Warts 'n' Audience, was recorded from the subsequent shows. The band -- minus Jankel, of course -- toured Spain in 1991, but went on hiatus until 1994 (to play the Madstock Festival) following the dates. When leader and frontman
Dury was diagnosed with cancer, he was determined to release another album, and got back together with
the Blockheads for the sessions. The resulting work,
Mr. Love Pants, was released in 1998. A tour followed, but
the Blockheads called it a -- semi-permanent -- day when
Ian Dury passed away in early 2000. The band returned to store shelves with the album
Where's the Party? in 2004, and in 2008
the Blockheads were slated to play a sizable number of gigs in the United Kingdom, culminating in the release of
Staring Down the Barrel the following year. ~ Chris True