Billericay Dickie

 

Ian Dury would have turned 84 today had he not died far too young from bowel cancer 26 years ago. I think this is a good time to remember him here.

He was an exceptionally talented singer, songwriter, actor and artist who refused to let his disability – polio, which he contracted at a young age – stand in his way.

Together with some fellow students from an art school, he formed his first band, Kilburn and the High Roads, in the early 1970's. They became local stars with their pub rock, and even back then he incorporated various influences and instruments into their songs that were rather atypical for that sound.

However, he didn’t really get his career off the ground until he signed a record deal with Stiff Records. Alongside Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric, he was part of the first wave of bands on the label, which was set to herald a new era in music. Drawing on classic rock, Ian Dury incorporated elements of jazz, funk and new wave into his songs. He often sang in a North London Cockney accent, which made it difficult for me to understand some of his lyrics. Ultimately, his debut album brought together a host of timeless songs that are still well worth listening to, even after almost fifty years.