Ian Dury and the Blockheads

I loved this track!!!

In October 1977, Ian Dury signed up for the Stiff Live Stiffs Tour, alongside Elvis Costello And The Attractions, Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric and Larry Wallis. Dury's new combo, now augmented by guitarist John Turnbull and pianist Mickey Gallagher, was christened Ian Dury And The Blockheads and the group became the surprise hit of the tour.

To capitalise on this, Stiff Records launched a concerted Ian Dury marketing campaign, resulting in the Top Ten hit WHAT A WASTE. NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES continued to sell in greater quantities and in November of that year, Dury released the memorable HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK, a Number One. Dury was now a bona fide pop star and, with The Blockheads, toured to great acclaim, conquering a number of European territories.

Whilst NEW BOOTS AND PANTIES headed towards its remarkable 90 week chart run, the group commenced work on the follow up, to be entitled DO IT YOURSELF. Another Top Ten single, REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL, kept Dury in the public eye during this arduous period of recording. The album was eventually released in June 1979 in a Barney Bubbles-designed sleeve of which there were over a dozen variations, all based on samples from the Crown wallpaper catalogue.