Ten More Turnips from the Tip
Encyclopedia
Ten More Turnips From The Tip is the final album by Ian Dury
and the Blockheads. It was compiled and released in 2002, two years after the singer's tragic demise from cancer in March 2000.
and gave her blessing for the Blockheads to finish the album. However, it is unlikely the final album corresponds to this list as the Blockheads were only allowed limited access to Ian Dury's songs by his estate and many of the songs were revamped tracks from the early 1990s with additional overdubs by The Blockheads. "Dance Little Rude Boy
" would have definitely been on the list though as it was one of the songs recorded at RAK (it would later be released as a single).
An initially sceptical Laurie Latham
was brought in to produce the album's assembly. Latham had worked on a good number of Ian Dury's albums, including all of his Stiff Records
work. Although Latham disliked albums of out-takes and demos put together after the artist's death (a common occurrence in the music business) he was eventually won over by the quality of the songs. Latham is responsible for a number of small edits to the songs, for instance he swapped the beginning for the ending on "Cowboys" and added the small sound bite of Dury sipping tea on "The Ballad of The Sulphate Strangler".
Two songs were written by Dury so late in his life that he was too ill to even record guide vocals for them. "I Could Lie" was the very last Ian Dury & The Blockheads song ever written and as Dury was weak from his illness, Jankel recorded both the demo version and final version. Jankel would also have performed lead vocals on "You're The Why", but when it was played at Dury's funeral Robbie Williams
offered to sing it if it were ever recorded. In contrast "I Believe", "Cowboys" and "One Love" date back to the recording sessions at Sonnet Studios for The Bus Driver's Prayer And Other Stories in 1991.
Dury's brother-in-law Jake Tilson designed the album's sleeve and booklet. Fans contributed a number of the items and tickets pictured within it amongst various paintings, including one by Ian Dury himself (of Chas Jankel). Peter Blake
, Jock Scott, Sophy Dury and Humphrey Ocean (a member of Kilburn and The Highroads Dury's pub-rock band in the mid seventies) were responsible for other pieces while the front featured a photograph of Dury as a child along with his father William Dury and their dog Bella.
Following a surprising lack of record company interest, negotiations with lawyers and Dury's accountant Ronnie Harris delayed the release of the album by six months but it was greeted by warm reviews and tracks from the album remain in The Blockheads live set to this day.
Additional Personnel
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
and the Blockheads. It was compiled and released in 2002, two years after the singer's tragic demise from cancer in March 2000.
History
The album came to be after Dury's second wife Sophy found a list of songs under the title 'Ten More Turnips From The Tip' among her husband's papers. The list, described as 'almost like a will' by Blockheads keyboard player Mick Gallagher in Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Song By Song, included four tracks recorded at RAK Studios in October 1999 amidst other titles that presumably include some that were not recorded. Sophy gave this list to Chas JankelChas Jankel
Charles Jeremy Jankel professionally known as Chaz Jankel, is a musician best known as the keyboard player and guitarist with Ian Dury and the Blockheads...
and gave her blessing for the Blockheads to finish the album. However, it is unlikely the final album corresponds to this list as the Blockheads were only allowed limited access to Ian Dury's songs by his estate and many of the songs were revamped tracks from the early 1990s with additional overdubs by The Blockheads. "Dance Little Rude Boy
Dance Little Rude Boy
Dance Little Rude Boy is the last single to be released by British rock band Ian Dury and the Blockheads while Dury was still alive. Recorded at RAK Records 1999, the single was recorded when Ian was still able to perform....
" would have definitely been on the list though as it was one of the songs recorded at RAK (it would later be released as a single).
An initially sceptical Laurie Latham
Laurie Latham
Laurie Latham is a British rock producer who worked with Glenn Tilbrook, Paul Young and others.He has produced albums by Echo & the Bunnymen, Squeeze and Slapp Happy.-Career:...
was brought in to produce the album's assembly. Latham had worked on a good number of Ian Dury's albums, including all of his Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
work. Although Latham disliked albums of out-takes and demos put together after the artist's death (a common occurrence in the music business) he was eventually won over by the quality of the songs. Latham is responsible for a number of small edits to the songs, for instance he swapped the beginning for the ending on "Cowboys" and added the small sound bite of Dury sipping tea on "The Ballad of The Sulphate Strangler".
Two songs were written by Dury so late in his life that he was too ill to even record guide vocals for them. "I Could Lie" was the very last Ian Dury & The Blockheads song ever written and as Dury was weak from his illness, Jankel recorded both the demo version and final version. Jankel would also have performed lead vocals on "You're The Why", but when it was played at Dury's funeral Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
offered to sing it if it were ever recorded. In contrast "I Believe", "Cowboys" and "One Love" date back to the recording sessions at Sonnet Studios for The Bus Driver's Prayer And Other Stories in 1991.
Dury's brother-in-law Jake Tilson designed the album's sleeve and booklet. Fans contributed a number of the items and tickets pictured within it amongst various paintings, including one by Ian Dury himself (of Chas Jankel). Peter Blake
Peter Blake (artist)
Sir Peter Thomas Blake, KBE, CBE, RDI, RA is an English pop artist, best known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. He lives in Chiswick, London, UK.-Career:...
, Jock Scott, Sophy Dury and Humphrey Ocean (a member of Kilburn and The Highroads Dury's pub-rock band in the mid seventies) were responsible for other pieces while the front featured a photograph of Dury as a child along with his father William Dury and their dog Bella.
Following a surprising lack of record company interest, negotiations with lawyers and Dury's accountant Ronnie Harris delayed the release of the album by six months but it was greeted by warm reviews and tracks from the album remain in The Blockheads live set to this day.
Track listing
- "Dance Little Rude BoyDance Little Rude BoyDance Little Rude Boy is the last single to be released by British rock band Ian Dury and the Blockheads while Dury was still alive. Recorded at RAK Records 1999, the single was recorded when Ian was still able to perform....
" (Dury/Jankel) - 4:34 - "I Believe" (Dury/Gallagher) - 4:24
- "It Ain't Cool" (Dury/Rhys-Jones) - 5:46
- "Cowboys" (Dury/Jankel) - 4:41
- "Ballad of The Sulphate Strangler" (Dury/Jankel/Watt-Roy) - 5:59
- "I Could Lie" (Dury/Jankel) - 4:35
- "One Love" (Dury/Jankel) - 3:33
- "Happy Hippy"" (Dury/Rhys-Jones) - 4:43
- "Books and Water" (Dury/Jankel) / "Ian's Poem" (Jock Scott) - 6:36
- "You're the Why" (Dury/Jankel) - 4:30
Personnel
- Ian DuryIan DuryIan Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
- Vocals - Chas JankelChas JankelCharles Jeremy Jankel professionally known as Chaz Jankel, is a musician best known as the keyboard player and guitarist with Ian Dury and the Blockheads...
- Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals on "I Could Lie" - Mickey Gallagher - Keyboards
- Johnny Turnbull - Guitars, Banjo on "Cowboys"
- Norman Watt-RoyNorman Watt-RoyNorman Watt-Roy is the bassist for The Blockheads, previously known as Ian Dury & the Blockheads.In November 1954 the Watt-Roy family, including Norman, his older brother Garth and his sister, moved to England...
- Bass - Dylan Howe - Drums
- Gilad AtzmonGilad AtzmonGilad Atzmon is an Israeli-born British jazz saxophonist, novelist, political activist and writer.Atzmon's album Exile was BBC jazz album of the year in 2003. Playing over 100 dates a year, he has been called "surely the hardest-gigging man in British jazz." His albums, of which he has recorded...
- Saxophones - The Breezeblocks - Backing Vocals
Additional Personnel
- Jock Scott - reading "Ian's Poem"
- Steven Monti - Drums on "Ballad Of The Sulphate Strangle" and "Happy Hippy"
- Davey PayneDavey PayneDavid 'Davey' Payne is an English saxophonist best known as a member of Ian Dury's backing band The Blockheads, and his twin saxophone solo on their 1978 UK #1 single "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"....
- Saxophones & flute on "Ballad Of The Sulphate Strangler" and "Happy Hippy" - Robbie WilliamsRobbie WilliamsRobert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
- Vocals on "You're The Why"
Trivia
- Tacked onto the end of "Books and Water" is a poem by Scottish poet Jock Scott. The lyrics are printed in the album's booklet under the title "Ian's Poem".
- "Ballad of The Sulphate Strangler" is a tribute to one of Ian Dury's old minders, Pete Rush. Despite its quality Dury had wanted to keep the song unreleased to spare the feelings of Rush's mother Marge (mentioned in the song). Marge Rush died in the early 1990s and the Blockheads felt able to release it in 2001.
Sources
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Song By Song by Jim Drury, first published 2003, Sanctuary Publishing.