Yeah. It gets really boring them interviews with all these questions about 'your next plans' and 'what do these lyrics mean' etc etc...... It's nice getting to see the true personality and person behind the lyrics and/or music, with no presenter ego and interruptions. Fom what ive seen of Dury he was a class act
Ian Drury was a wonderful, kind hearted person. I had the privilege of acting with him in a production called Bad Voodoo in the New Voices series. Ian played Bartholomew and I played the part of Stacy Grimm. Amazing memories that I highly value. Rest In Peace my old Friend. Graham Daw
I've seen biographies of him on TV and they also say he could be very prickly, that he had quite a harsh exterior - maybe it was a 'punk' thing? For e.g. Andy Serkis, whom I think went on to play him in a biopic tells of seeing him in an Indian restaurant and saying hello (he was a fan) but getting short shrift. But he was a great performer, had a great presence and his passing was a big loss.
In winter 2022 I saw a report of Arthur Scargill on a picket line for the railway workers who were and are still striking. He and Parky are still with us but Ian Dury died from cancer in 2000 and Diana Dors has also passed away. RU-vid is fantastic for showing talented people in their prime.
Priceless.. What a man.. Give credit to Parky for encouraging this.. The pity is the subject matter hasn't progresses too far in the last 30 years.. Time to get off our bums and stand up and support disabled people even more.. Miss you Ian..
Aussie Tim, I'm 59 , Ian was a beautiful man and I loved his punk music. I think he had a better insight than his recommended career as a solicitor. A legend and a gentleman. His music and lyrics will survive. I do not see any disability with Ian, Every one has one physical, mental, emotional etc problems. He made a Mega big influence in Australia. England our brothers produced fine art. Long live Ian Dury
What an interesting guy he was, those stories, such a humble guy, and seems very self conscious. And Parky just facilitates him chatting away. Never talks over him like todays self-impressed interviewers. So forward thinking for the disabled community, they ways he advocated for them back then. And look at that - Diana Dors and Arthur Scargill. Amazing.
What a wonderful man Ian Dury was, very eloquent. I was maybe a bit too young at the time to really appreciate him (although I very distinctly remember his music). I've read some comments below from people who actually knew/worked with him, how fantastic is that? Really appreciate being able to see videos of interviews such as these (which I never saw at the time).
And now, all these years later, the terrible loneliness and isolation of the disabled has now metastasized, and in America especially, into a society-wide, fundamental condition of life. Along with GPS, Google and Spotify, the digital age has walled us off much more effectively than any virtual medieval town or royal decree could ever dream of achieving.
He's so bloody funny. The audience seem to miss out on most of his jokes, but he's hilarious. So down to earth and straight up about his life and his problems. Love Autisticus Spasticus. :) I miss him so much! RIP Mr Dury!
I had the pleasure of seeing Ian Dury and The Blockheads in concert at the Adelaide Festival Theatre when they toured Australia back in 1981 and it was one of the best concerts I've ever been to as The Blockheads were a great live band & Ian's interaction with the audience between songs was fantastic...❤
saw him in sydney same tour - still one of my best ever gigs [certainly top 10] - still on relatively high rotation on my playlist... [loved andy serkis portraying him in the biopic]
Thanks for posting the interview (parts 1 & 2), brilliant to see Dury again, and be reminded of his delightful (mischievous) character. I was a huge fan of Ian and the Blockheads back in the 70's, saw them live a couple of times. He was a fantastic entertainer. I did try reading his Biography, that was bit challenging, as it seems there was an unpleasant side to him too.
He wore his affliction like a badge. He made me laugh while at the same time listening to great catchy music. " came home to find another man's kippers in the grill;so he sanded off his winkle, with a Black & Decker drill"
Thank you for keeping this interview alive. It's a pity that a way hasn't been found to sharpen old footage in the way that Peter Jackson's team were able to restore old audio. But as or content, I just felt every sentence Ian spoke could have been the start of so much more information; such a wealth of experience and insight. What a wonderful man; intelligent, independent and loving. We're losing all the wrong people.
I worked with The BLOCKHEADS last year - they were amazing - and DEREK HUSSEY, ex-roadie, took Ian's place - if you get the chance GO AND SEE THEM!!!! Ian's spirit is channelled through Derek!
Was Wilko with them? After surviving cancer surgery in 2014 he said a couple of years ago, aged about 70, "I still can't get used to the idea that I've got a future" Blockheads are made of different stuff.
YES !!! i saw the blockheads at a madness concert in Ramsgate some years back also the lightning seeds were there , Madness were the main act but the place really came alive when the Blockheads came on , I was absolutely blown away by how the front man whom i believe was Derek H made the band real again ! Amazing & sounded perfect. But of coarse know one could really take the place of Ian Dury ! Madness were tooo distorted & out of tune i thought & the lightning seeds wernt that good either tbh!! ive started buying vinyl again & ian dury & the blockheads are on my list 🙌🏼😁
Wow, Ian Dury is a blast from the past! I love a ‘groove’ and he was brilliant at it, I never realised he was so disabled, what a guy! His optimism about how disabled people would be treated going forward is quite poignant - but I’m sure he would be saddened were he to realise just how badly those forthcoming governments would actually treat disabled people!
I saw him in concert in Edinburgh late 70s,,tremendous gig, the Blockheads were one of the best backing bands I've ever heard, and I've seen many bands.
Brilliant interview.. Ian Dury was such a great artist, very underrated amongst young people today. I love how he didn’t let his disability hold him back. I read an interview with his daughter which was really interesting. She said although he was the most genuine humble man, he could become verbally nasty at times, but I think deep down he was slightly bitter about his disability, which I don’t blame him for.
Graham, I had the pleasure of meeting him after his concert in Wellington New Zealand in the early eighties and he was as engaging and nice as we see him here,only complaint i have is he mixes tobacco with his pot but we soon sorted that by introducing him to some great Kiwi pot, Maori wowie. had drinks with him at his hotel they were staying in. RIP. The Firm is the King,(is what he wrote on the autograph momento of the occasion.) A great geeser!
Got to see him live in Glasgow not long before he passed away. Best gig I've ever been to. Him and the Blockheads put on a tremendous show. Fantastic guy.
***** I'm probably a similar age, and as an innovator he was obviously ahead of his time. How would you describe his performance in 'Reasons to be cheerful - Pt. 3'?
Sir Ian,, you have amazing charm and wit...these days everybody is cheap and nasty and nobody has any style.. you have so much more style, charm than anybody in our modern society....i i wish you all the best and please continue to be yourself....
Wow i just looked up Sir Michael Parkinson he is STILL alive aged 85 years old also a Legend of British broadcasting amazing! he was on tv when we lived in England 50 years ago we emigrated to New Zealand in 1974 Wow!!!
Love Ian Dury, great music and great guy. His musical style and content is unlike anyone else. Had a lot to bear but was incredibly positive and creative. Apart from the hits some really good different stuff: One Love, I Believe, Itinerant Child, You’ll See Glimpses, Pam’s Moods etc. Great stuff. RIP Ian
And the summer holidays at Chailey Heritage can be lonely for the few children who are left there for the duration, without many visits. My sister used to bring them down to Brighton, on day trips. On one occasion, Matthew Corbett was extremely kind when he entertained one of them for most of the afternoon, during a film shoot, with his Sooty alter-ego.
I've just discovered him on RU-vid and I loved him the first time I saw him. Intelligent, humble and with such a nice voice and personality. He is very attractive and his sense of humor was wonderful. Yes I would have liked to run my fingers through his hair and help him if he needed something. His disability made him sexy to me.
You really are a dimwit aren't you? Speaking as someone who cares for a disabled family member......giving people handouts isn't kindness, it just looks like it. What this government is trying to do is to get people who are disabled to achieve their very best. Why condemn people to a life of hand-outs. There is nothing worse As for Ian Drury......wonderful. And what a real character. He is one of life's winners and his disability is an irrelevance
***** I wasn't talking to you....I was talking to T Hemphill. Sorry if you thought otherwise. Either way, you cannot dispute that there were/are thousands of scroungers on disability and sickness benefit who have no reason for not working. The fact that they have to be tested has seen loads of them simply sign off. He says people are dying after having their benefits stopped and he is a fucking liar....name me one person who died as a result of losing their benefits
England is home to the nastiest fascists and they take after the worst rats: whoever's contributed to build (or destroy) the US of A. You're Lucky you're entitled an opinion wait until Cameron's testicles get bigger, you might return to where you come from. Don't pester me anymore and...don't hit the wrong button
I'm not hitting the wrong button this time. Neither am I hiding behind a screen name like you. I am no fan of Cameron, but I accept that there are some things that come with being Prime Minister that aren't going to make you popular Now run along you silly little keyboard warrior. Its easy to have a big mouth when you are hiding behind an alias.
Wonderful to see one of our great characters - one of my best evenings ever was going to see the Live Stiffs tour and Ian was definitely the highlight. God bless him x
I first heard Ian & The Blockheads on WBLS & WKTU in New York. Reasons To Be Cheerful was a big hit. I didn't know anything about his life until recently. He's really cool. I want to see more of his acting roles. I also want to see the biopic that Andy Serkis did.
Great interview! We need these coloufful characters nowadays, good grief, where are they? This seems like a completely different age to nowadays when I watch this.
So much respect for Ian. I had no idea how crippled he was until I saw this. What a totally loveable genius. I saw the travesty of a 'biopic' with Andy Zerkis playing ian. Did no justice to this prince of a man's intelligence and sensitivity or his genius. just portrayed him as a wasted rock star. i used to love Zerkis, but this one interview has totally changed my mind about him. Zero integrity. Might as well have been Ian Drury on the Planet of the Apes.
Ian Dury was an Upminster lad and I was Upminster Bridge in those days. The Bridge House (now The Windmill) was where we all met. A lot of those people he mentions were people the rest of us tried to avoid. However Ian was a true talent because he feared no one and he did his own thing. Brilliant guy.
This is great, Ian Dury was fantastic in this interview, very genuine and just a normal bloke. Sitting next to him scargill who when Mr Dury spoke to him responded like a wet fish. Ian Dury and others like him ought to be applauded and people like scargill and the current loony left who are causing strikes in this country on the railways and NHS etc. ought to have a word with themselves and listen to Mr Dury who was very humble, appreciated his issues but didn't expect anything from others because he just got on with it. Shame on the labour party and liberals that don't accept that those in similar positions can achieve. I don't think Ian Dury would tolerate the woke brigade of today, he had substance, energy and a determination to succeed, whatever was put in his way. Great man and total respect, RIP.
Iron Foot Jack has a wikipedia page for anyone who wants to check out more about those old soho bohemians. He must have died within a year of Ian meeting him. And, sad to say that soho is a much less interesting place now, of course. The last 20 years has not a good time for odd eccentric british characters, for various reasons. Maybe it will see a revival in the future...
....and with Wilko on guitar. I can't remember anyone from a band talking about performing specifically for a disabled audience. This was 1979. 43 years ago. Parky got this right. An amazing and insightful interview.
This is a wonderful interview. Have to say I particularly love the way that Ian Dury apparently turns to Arthur Scargill - head of the National Union of Miners, by the way - and speaks to him as though he's some kind of authority on the music scene of Swinging London - see around 2:25 - and reminisces about "The Ballad and Blues Association...Ramblin' Jack Elliott", almost as if he wants to say "Come on, you were there, Arf!"...Quirky, unpredictable, peculiar and delightful - Ian Dury, in other words.
And thats how you conduct an interview. Ask a question, shut up and listen to the answer, its not about you. Parky was the best. Drury was a great, very much missed
She was a really good actress as well, especially in 'The Amazing Mr. Blunden.' You probably won't see this since you wrote your nice comment ages ago but I'm putting off things I need to do by watching youtube!
