Wikidata: Item Q354002, en:Wikipedia - English singer, songwriter and actor
Ian was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads.
They had a UK number 1 hit with Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick in 1979
Ian was born in 1942. He was the son of William Dury and Margaret Cuthbertson "Peggy" Walker.[1]
He spent periods of his youth in Cornwall (with his mother's relatives) and Switzerland (where his father chauffeured for a Swiss millionaire).
At the age of 7 he contracted polio, from which he never fully recovered.
He left the school at the age of 16 to study painting at the Walthamstow College of Art. He studied under Peter Blake at the Royal College of Art from 1964. From 1967 he taught at various colleges in the south east of England.
Ian's marriage to (1) Elizabeth Rathmell was registered in the Apr-May-Jun quarter of 1967 in the Barnstaple district.[2] They had 2 children, Jemima and Baxter, who is also a singer. They divorced in 1985.
In 1971 he formed his first band, Kilburn and the High Roads with pianist Russell Hardy, guitarist Keith Lucas and bassist Humphrey Ocean. They became well known on the London pub circuit, and once opened for The Who but disbanded in 1975.
In 1977 he released a solo single, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll which was banned by the BBC, and an album New Boots and Panties!! which achieved platinum status.
In October 1977 he formed his new band, Ian Dury and The Blockheads after he began writing songs with Chaz Jankel. As well as Rhythm Stick, this period also produced What a Waste and Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3 which reached number 3 in the charts.
During the 1980s and 1990s he took several small parts in television shows and films. He also wrote the theme song Profoundly In Love With Pandora of the first television series based on the "Adrian Mole" character created by author Sue Townsend.
In March 1996 Ian was diagnosed with cancer. He nevertheless wrote a further album and toured once more with The Blockheads with their final performance on 6 Feb 2000 at the London Palladium, six weeks before Ian died.
In 1999 Ian married sculptor (2) Sophy J Tilson.[3] They had 2 children, Bill and Albert.
Ian's death was registered in 2000 in London, England.[4]
Ian died on 27 March 2000 and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, Barnet, London, England.[5]
Ian was in an obituary on 28 March 2000 in Washington DC, United States. He died (age 57) on 27 March 2000.[6]
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