Ian Dury The Blockheads

The band who coined the phrase Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick in the 1980s, The Blockheads were the musical force behind the articulate and though provoking lyrics of the enigmatic shaman - Ian Dury. Sadly he is no longer with us, but Dury's band have continued gigging. This title sits the original line up down and discuss with them the back catalogue of hits they enjoyed, as well as their memories of the great man.

When punk rock star Ian Dury disappeared to make films in the late 80s, he left his teenage son in the care of his roadie, in a rundown flat in Hammersmith. But this was no ordinary roadie; this was the Sulphate Strangler. The Strangler, having taken a lot of LSD in the 60s, was prone to depression, anger and hallucinations. He was also, as the name suggests, a drug dealer. What could possibly go wrong? In a period that we can now only imagine, a young Baxter ricocheted from one adventure to another, narrowly swerving one disaster only immediately to collide with another. At times, his situation was perilous in the extreme - the world is lucky to have him at all. Chaise Longue is an intimate account of those escapades, evocatively illuminating a bohemian west London populated with feverishly grubby characters.

More Than Just A Record Label! Told here for the first time, the complete story of the legendary Stiff Records

'Does a fantastic job tracing the development of Dury's career. It also shows how Ian's life shaped his uniquely individualistic style.' Peter Hook (former Joy Division and New Order bassist), Daily Mirror. Widely described as 'punk's poet laureate', Ian Dury is a cultural icon. With his band The Blockheads, he exploded onto the television screen in 1978, appearing on Top of the Pops with his hit single 'What a Waste', followed later that year by 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'. By now Ian was thirty-six and had worked hard for many years to reach this moment, struggling all the while to find acceptance in spite of the disability he suffered as a result of childhood polio. And yet fame, when it came, almost destroyed him. This groundbreaking and authoritative book gives the first in-depth and compelling account of the life of this charismatic yet complex artist. Author Will Birch interviewed Dury several times during his lifetime, and has also spoken to more than sixty people who were extremely close to Ian, including family members, fellow musicians, friends, lovers and business associates.

Widely described as 'punk's poet laureate', Ian Dury is a cultural icon. With his band The Blockheads, he exploded onto the television screen in 1978, appearing on "Top of the Pops" with his hit single 'What a Waste', followed later that year by 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'. By now Ian was thirty-six and had worked hard for many years to reach this moment, struggling all the while to find acceptance inspite of the disability he suffered as a result of childhood polio. And yet fame, when it came, almost destroyed him. This groundbreaking and authoritative book gives the first in-depth and compelling account of the life of this charismatic yet complex artist. Author Will Birch interviewed Dury several times during his lifetime, and has also spoken to more than sixty people who were extremely close to Ian, including family members, fellow musicians, friends, lovers and business associates.

Here is the complete, no-holds-barred biography of the late, great self-made Essex lad himself!The abrasive Dury always met life head on, in his relationships and in his music, and this acclaimed biography does not shrink from chronicling some of his darker moments as well as his triumphs. Author Richard Bells talked to over 50 of Dury's friends as well as Dury himself shortly before his death.Dury's extraordinary life was always a battle. As a rocker, lyricist, artist and actor he was unsentimental and uncompromising. As a man he was harder to fathom - until now. In this classic rock biography, the self-styled 'diamond geezer' stands revealed as a real diamond after all.This edition is updated to cover the release of the biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock 'N' Roll, and includes original interviews with Oscar-winning actor Andy Serkis who portrayed Dury in the film.

Have you noticed that some people in infosec simply have more success than others, however they may define success? Some people are simply more listened too, more prominent, make more of a difference, have more flexibility with work, more freedom, choices of the best projects, and yes, make more money. They are not just lucky. They make their luck. The most successful are not necessarily the most technical, although technical or "geek" skills are essential. They are an absolute must, and we naturally build technical skills through experience. They are essential, but not for Rock Star level success. The most successful, the Infosec Rock Stars, have a slew of other equally valuable skills, ones most people never develop nor even understand. They include skills such as self direction, communication, business understanding, leadership, time management, project management, influence, negotiation, results orientation, and lots more . . . Infosec Rock Star will start you on your journey of mastering these skills and the journey of moving toward Rock Star status and all its benefits. Maybe you think you can’t be a Rock Star, but everyone can MOVE towards it and reap the benefits of vastly increased success. Remember, “Geek” will only get you so far . . .

'A fantastic tribute to an amazingly creative musical period . . . An instant pop classic, worthy of a place on your shelves beside the handful of music books that really matter.' John McTernan, Scotland on Sunday Punk revitalized rock in the mid-seventies, but the movement soon degenerated into self-parody. Rip It Up and Start Again is the first book-length celebration of what happened next: post-punk bands who dedicated themselves to fulfilling punk's unfinished musical revolution. 1978 - 1984 rivals the sixties for the sheer amount of fabulous music created, the spirit of adventure and possibility that infused it, and the way the sounds felt inextricably connected to the political and social turbulence of the day. Simon Reynolds, acclaimed author of Energy Flash, recreates a time of tremendous urgency and idealism in pop music. Packed with anecdote and insight, populated by charismatic and maverick characters, Rip It Up and Start Again stands as one of the most inspired and inspiring books on popular music ever written. 'I had never expected there to be a book on this subject; had I done so, I would never have dared to hope it could be as good as this.' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian Book of the Week 'This remarkable and perfectly timed cultural history is required reading.' Q Magazine