(TV) Ian Dury

["kayecornell" <kayecornell@supanet.com>]

I was a big fan of Ian  Dury and the Blockheads during my childhood in the
70's. In 1986 my then boyfriend and I had written a radio play and on a
hunch (and with the chutzpah we thought he'd appreciate) we sent a copy to
Ian Dury asking whether he'd narrate it. Answering the phone to him several
days later turned me insideout for a good while, and he went on to narrate
the play for us free of charge.
In 1990 we heard that Ian and the Blockheads were re-uniting for the Charlie
Charles benefit, and 3 days after the tickets went on sale we bought ours at
the box-office. We were dismayed to see that we had got tickets nos. 6 and
7 - what has happened to all the fans ? we thought, and worried that it
would flop - an unbearable thought. Of course, it was packed and it was
brilliant - you could see as the set went on that the initial nervousness
was lost as they warmed to the reaction - and it was not a surprise when
they got together again later that year (and for occasional shows right up
to last summer) to repeat the success.
Having heard of his illness and then seen how frail he was last month
onstage I'd been keeping my ear out for the news of his death. After a hard
day's decorating yesterday I went  to my local for a late dinner and a pint
and heard New Boots being played as I went up to the bar.  The landlord was
looking for company for a lock-in in memoriam and so 5 of us in an obscure
Cornish village sat and drank and listened until nearly 3am.
No rock and roll death has moved me the way this has, regardless that it was
expected. His music struck a unique chord with me - the song 'My Old Man'
especially with its almost unbearable poignancy. And he was a terrific bloke
to boot.
All the best, mate.

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