Features
Barrel Of Fun With The Blockheads
The tour kicks off at The Junction in Cambridge, U.K., April 1 and dates run through May 2 at the Palace Theatre in Essex, U.K.
Additional dates include stops at Moods in Monaco (April 2), New Morning in Paris (April 3), Ripley Blues in Yorkshire, U.K. (April 18) and the Electric Ballroom in London (April 30).
Staring Down The Barrel is the second studio release for the punk and new wave-era British band since frontman Ian Dury died of cancer in 2000. The band was originally known as Ian Dury & The Blockheads.
The album coincides with the 30th anniversary of “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick,” which reached No. 1 in the U.K. singles chart in 1979 and sold more than 1 million copies.
The band’s current lineup features four of the original members: Chaz Jankel (piano, guitar), Mick Gallagher (keyboards), Norman Watt-Roy (bass) and John Turnbull (guitar). New members include Derek Hussey (Vocals), Dylan Howe (drums) and Gilad Atzmon (sax).
Original Blockheads saxophonist Davey Payne will play the April 30 show at the Electric Ballroom.
A biopic is in the works about Dury, staring Andy Sirkis in the title role and produced by Damian Jones. The film, titled “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” is set to be released in 2010.
Jankel is the musical supervisor for the film and The Blockheads have already recorded tracks for the soundtrack.