I saw them in 1978. It was a hell of a show. In the middle of the set, Ian gestured for a spotlight to be brought onstage. It flashed into life and he started moving the beam around the audience. It eventually stopped on a young lady near the back, and she was asked to get up on stage for her "prize". Another stage hand brought it on, and Ian presented her with a full set of saucepans. Genius!

"What a Waste" is great. He may well have coined the phrase "sex and drugs and rock and roll" with his song of the same name.

This was the number one single in the UK for weeks if I remember right. You couldn’t get it out of your head. Everyone at school would impersonate ´hit meeeé

Ian Dury was a master wordsmith, infusing his lyrics with wit, depth and cockney slang. His band were all really good musicians, especially the bassist Norman Watt Roy. I'm sure you'll get a lot of recommendations for their songs and I'll suggest a B-side "There ain't half been some clever bastards".

What a crazy bass line.

I was 8 when this song was in the charts, back then in the UK they played the top40 hits on the radio... I think every Sunday night, but I could be wrong, but anyway, pretty much all kids would listen to this radio show with a tape recorder and record every song they liked, then you'd re-listen to them all week and if you really loved a song you'd go to the shop and buy the single on vinyl, after hearing this song... I couldn't get down the shops fast enough to buy it, such a unique and powerful artist, I always loved how he could give that same energy as a punk singer screaming into a mic, without screaming, his voice just had that presence which got your attention, loved the guy, and what musicians, incredible! It's great to see you show such genuine enthusiasm, great reaction!

Classic! What a brilliant guy Ian was and The Blockheads are a super band. Good to see him being covered. My favourite, Clever Trevor. Saw him years back and never tire of his humour. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Thanks Nick , from South London

I think you will also enjoy his "Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3)". Be sure and listen to the full 5 min. version, as there is also a 3 min. radio edit and a 7 min. club mix. The song is literally a list of the simple pleasures of being alive, replete with a lot of arcane cultural references. So you might want to have lyrics handy to follow along. The song never fails to put a smile on my face and make me feel good (as per the title - the part 3 is a gag). Even more so than HMWYRS.

Love Ian Dury and the Blockheads ♥ 😊. Reasons to be Cheerful part 3 is even better. Sheer magic.

Ian was foremost a poet who put his poems to music and what music the Blockheads fantastic musicians

Ian was a genius who never let his physical disability get in the way of his immense talent.Amazing band too who still tour with guest singers .Sex and drugs and rock and roll [along with wake up and make love with me on the b side]was the first record of his that grabbed me and remains my favourite..This was his biggest hit though and love it too.

there's a movie about Ian Dury where Andy Serkis (fantastically) plays Ian. It's well worth a watch if you're interested in him

One of my favourite songs - so funky. Saw him perform back in the 90s and this song still sounded so fresh.

Ians son Baxter is also a very talented musician.

So many Ian Dury greats to choose from.

Mate, really enjoy your informed reviews

I’m glad you finally caught up with Ian Dury and his Blockheads, Nick! Not just a great song, but a great video also. Another interesting song/video combination of theirs is ‘I Want To Be Straight’.

What a really thoughtful and well researched reaction. Hugely enjoyed. I wish Ian himself could have seen this reaction. I'm sure he'd be quite moved. RIP Ian Dury. Let the music live on!

You really need to dive into all things Dury and the Blockheads, a real landmark band of my youth. I only saw them play once, supporting Madness in their comeback Madstock gig in 1992. I had been worried that both bands might have been past their best but I was blown away by both. Too many great songs to recommend only a few but anyway... Try "What A Waste", "Reasons to be Cheerful", "Spasticus Autisticus", "Poopoo In the Prawn" and "I Wanna Be Straight".

My first ever gig was Ian Dury and The Blockheads at the Glasgow Apollo in 1979. I actually remember where I was when I first heard it,I went into Glasgow City centre and bought...it really resonated with me for some reason. The Blockheads were as tight a band as you will ever see,unfortunately apart from Ian Dury,Charlie Charles the drummer is longer with us. You should check out more of their material,especially Reason To Be Cheerful Part 3 which is an excellent song.

Great reaction.

Tune & reaction

Never thought of it before but an English Lou Reed is a pretty good description, his son Baxter is also worth checking out btw, Baxter Dury has produced some great stuff too

The Lou Reed observation is fair comment.

This was the first single I ever bought, and a few years later (by the time I was old enough, I got to see them live. Ian Drury was moon's victim, and was fearless in how he approached his music and his life generally. My step dad had polio too, just before the vaccination became available, and it's a virus that has never gone away in some parts of the world. May I recommend you listen to F*** Off Noddy (after the kids show) next, I got my t-shirt from the gig mentioned above, and wore it to class the next day!

Seen the blockheads a couple of times over the last 6 years,still brilliant.

Beautiful reaction mate!

Just rewatched this, your research is so impressive, and one other factor when he takes his glasses off, I'm also a mountaineer and he was wearing winter mountaineering glasses with gaiters, which have cat4 lenses which are VERY dark, so the stage lights must have been agony for him, I used to sing in a band and it's amazing how bright stage lights are.

I remember when I was a kid in school in Sweden -77 -78 and we heard this and Sex and drugs and rocknroll and Clash and Elvis Costello and .... and... my God the music then was killing us .

sex and drugs and rock and roll is the next one by them you should check out, it's great too

I like this song and Ian Dury. I have heard Nina Hagen do a version of this song with a band called The Freakin' Fukin' Weirdoz. I like both equally.

Inspiration in part for Paul McCartney's notorious bleep classic Temporary Secretary.

I'll never forget when Ian Dury turned round and I gave a a high pitched, embarrassing, squeal when I saw Ian was the Pawnbroker in Judge Dredd movie with Sylvester Stallone.....

You should check out “drip fed Fred” a madness and Dury collaboration

Great reaction to this absolute banger! Thanks!

You must listen to Billericay Dickie, then you will understand everything!

Nick look out for the film of Ian Durys lifestile. Absolute madness. Theres a part where hes sunbathing around the pool and his young son eats some of Ians drugs. Absolute madness. The guy who played him also played Gollom !!!

I endorse all of the above comments. Saw him live twice. It wasn't filmed, I think, but he employed a roadie to pick him up when he fell over on stage.

Been listening to him since 1977. Check out Stiff Records.

Like! Like! Like! Oh my, you've opened a workhole there... good luck! What an artist and what a band. You have a lot to explore... Seeing you hear that for the first time was a joy... And that bass... ❤

That bassline is one of the cleverest basslines ever. Compliments of Norman Watt-Roy.

I've never considered the Lou Reed comparisons before but yeah, I get what you mean. Even though they're from different roots.

There is a movie {Sex and DRugs and RocnRoll] starring Andy Serkis [Gollum] worth checking out....

You are 100% correct. The Blockheads are a first-class band, made up mostly of session men with huge experience in the business, and Ian Dury was probably one of the best lyricists of the 20th Century.

If you don’t enjoy this song you really need to review wether you have any music taste , Ian was fantastic as a performer and the blockheads were as good as a group could be

Please do “I want to be straight”

Hey Bro! Can you do a reaction on Oasis “ Shock of the Lightning“ thanks man 👍

Very nice reaction Nick! But please don't say "groovy" again. That was dead 55 years ago. No need to bring it back.