50 Years of Sax and Drugs and Rock ’n’ Roll

Published on: 21 May, 2026
Updated on: 21 May, 2026

In Dury and the Blockheads in 1978. Wikipedia

By Charles Whiting

Dragon music reporter

The Blockheads at the Boileroom, Saturday, May 23.

Sean Lock, the late, much-lamented comedian, played the debut Ian Dury and the Blockheads album to me when it came out in 1977. He’d borrowed it from his older brother Paul and we listened furtively in Sean’s bedroom.

It was called New Boots and Panties.

I was into punk, which was just starting at the time, but this new wave, mutant disco, Cockney pub rock, jazz, funk, punk just blew me away… I’d never heard anything like it.

Ian died of liver cancer aged 57 in March, 2000. Possibly the last gig he ever played was Guilfest in 1998. The annual Guildford festival was in August that year and the weather was hot. Ian was not looking very well behind the main stage before going on.

“We put up a small marquee to keep him out of the sun,” recalls Nick Andrews, of the Guilfest team.

The Blockheads are playing a 50th Anniversary concert at the Boileroom on Saturday.

After Ian’s passing Derek “The Draw” Hussey took over as the frontman, but sadly he died too, in 2022. And veteran bassist Norman Watt-Roy has now stepped back.

But the band has brought in new talent to keep the music alive, with Mike Bennett doing the lead vocals.

The current touring line-up features long-standing members Chaz Jankel (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Mick Gallagher (keyboards, piano) and John Turnbull (guitar, vocals).

Nathan King has taken over the bass guitar from veteran Norman Watt-Roy and John Roberts is on the drums.

The rotating saxophone section features Dave Lewis, Gilad Atzmon or Terry Edwards.