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Kilburn and the High Roads

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Kilburn and the High Roads
OriginLondon; Cambridge
Genres
Years active1970 (1970)–1975 (1975)
Labels
Past membersIan Dury
Russell Hardy
Keith Lucas (Nick Cash)
Humphrey Ocean
Rod Melvin
David Newton-Rohoman
Ian Smith
Edward "Ted" Speight
George Khan
Charlie Hart
Terry Day
Davey Payne
Charlie Sinclair
Chris Lucas

Kilburn and the High Roads were a British pub rock band formed in London by Ian Dury in 1970. The band released one studio album Handsome in 1975, disbanding the same year. AllMusic credits the band with being "an undeniable influence on punk and new wave".[1]

History

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Dury formed Kilburn and the High Roads in 1970. The band consisted of Ian Dury as lead vocalist and lyricist, pianist Russell Hardy, guitarist Edward "Ted" Speight (later replaced by Keith Lucas), bassist Charlie Hart (later replaced by Humphrey Ocean and later by Charley Sinclair), saxophonist George Khan (later replaced by Davey Payne) and drummer Chris Lucas (replaced by Terry Day and later by David Newton-Rohoman, who used crutches).[1] The band performed their first gig in 1971 and were regulars on the pub rock scene by 1973.[1] The Kilburns also supported the Who on their Quadrophenia tour of late 1973.[4]

The band signed to Warner Bros. subsidiary Raft Records and recorded an album in 1974 but it remained unreleased when the label was shut down.[1] The band were managed by fashion entrepreneur Tommy Roberts, presaging acquaintance Malcolm McLaren's involvement with the Sex Pistols. Signing to Pye subsidiary Dawn Records, the band released debut single "Rough Kids" the same year and a second single and their re-recorded debut album Handsome in 1975, before disbanding soon afterwards.[1][5]

Dury then formed the short-lived Ian Dury and the Kilburns and later, with different personnel, a new group, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, initially releasing records under his own name alone. Dury's solo success led to the release of a second Kilburn and the High Roads album, Wotabunch! in 1977, despite the group's earlier demise, largely duplicating the first album but remixed from earlier demos and later a compilation EP, The Best of Kilburn & the High Roads on Dury's next label, Stiff Records, in 1983.[1]

In 2016, Cherry Red Records released an expanded edition of Handsome with a bonus disc containing a previously unreleased 1974 Capital Radio broadcast.[6][7]

Legacy

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Davey Payne followed Dury into the Blockheads. Keith Lucas (as Nick Cash) went on to form punk band 999. Humphrey Ocean recorded a one-off single for Stiff Records in 1978,[8] written by Dury.

Suggs has credited Kilburn and the High Roads with being "a huge influence" on Madness.[9] Paul Simonon of the Clash has credited Dury as an influence on punk.[10] The Sex Pistols were inspired by Chris Thomas' production on the first Kilburn's single to work with him;[11] it has also been suggested that John Lydon borrowed some of his early performance style from Dury,[10][12] although the claim is rejected by Lydon.[13]

Personnel

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Kilburn and the High Roads

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  • Ian Dury – lead vocal, percussion (also lyricist and songwriter) (1970–75)
  • Russell Hardy – piano (also songwriter) (1970–74)
  • Rod Melvin – piano, vocals (also songwriter) (1974–75)
  • Edward "Ted" Speight – guitar (1970)
  • Keith Lucas (Nick Cash) – guitar (1971–75)
  • Charlie Hart – bass (1970, 1972–73)
  • Ian Smith – bass (1971)
  • Humphrey Ocean – bass (1973)
  • Charley Sinclair – bass (1974 –75)
  • George Khan – saxophone (1970)
  • Davey Payne – saxophone (1971 –75)
  • Terry Day – drums (1970, 1972 –73)
  • Chris Lucas – drums (1971 –72)
  • David Newton-Rohoman – drums (1973, 1974 –75)
  • George Butler – drums (1974)

Ian Dury and the Kilburns

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  • Ian Dury – lead vocal (1975 –76)
  • Rod Melvin – keyboards (1975 –76)
  • Edward "Ted" Speight – guitar (1975 –76)
  • John Earle – saxophone (1975 –76)
  • Giorgi Dionisiev – bass (1975 –76)
  • Malcolm Mortimore – drums (1975 –76)
  • Chaz Jankel – keyboards, guitar (1976)[14]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Album Title Label Recorded Released
Handsome Dawn Records 1974 1975
Wotabunch! Warner Bros. Records 1974 1977

Singles

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Song Title Label Recorded Released
"Rough Kids"/"Billy Bentley" Dawn Records 1974 1974
"Crippled with Nerves"/"Huffety Puff" Dawn Records 1975 1975[15]

Compilations

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Album Title Label Recorded Released
The Best of Kilburn & the High-Roads Stiff Records 1982 1983
Upminster Kids[16] PRT Records 1974–75 1983

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Kilburn & the High Roads – Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ian Dury". AllMusic.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  3. ^ E, Gaz. "Ian Dury-fronted KILBURN & THE HIGH-ROADS get 'Handsome' 2CD reissue treatment". Über Röck-Kick Ass Rock N Roll. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Kilburn and The High Roads". Nostalgia Central. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Kilburn And The High Roads: Handsome – Album Review | Louder Than War". 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Handsome 2016 edition". Discogs. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Handsome: Expanded Edition". Cherry Red Records. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Stiff – Humphrey Ocean And The Hardy Annuals". Stiff-records.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  9. ^ Du Noyer, Paul. In the City: A Celebration of London Music, Random House, 2010, p200
  10. ^ a b O'Hagan, Sean (29 November 2009). "The life and times of Ian Dury – pop". Theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  11. ^ Birch, Will. Ian Dury: The Definitive Biography, Pan Macmillan, 2010, p137
  12. ^ "Ian Dury: Before The Blockheads when he fronted Kilburn and the High Roads". DangerousMinds. 30 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  13. ^ "johnlydon.com – interviews – Q Magazine, June 2002". Johnlydon.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Kilburn & the High Roads". Punk Music Catalogue. 22 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Crippled With Nerves". 21 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  16. ^ "Kilburn & The High Roads Featuring Ian Dury – Upminster Kids". Discogs. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
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