The Blockheads/Sons of the Decent, La Belle Angel, Edinburgh 8th March 2024

Another quick beer and the room is filling. The set up for The Blockheads is quick and at 8:30 they appear on stage. They do a wee warm up, you know just making sure all the instruments are in tune. This had the hairs on my neck standing up, just that couple of minutes pointed to a musicality that I’ve rarely heard at rock gig, or is this a punk show or something else altogether?

Now, that’s the thing about The Blockheads, where do they fit in the great genre debate? They will forever be associated, and rightly, with Ian Dury. There was no doubt Dury was a proper punk, his lyrics were punk, his demeanour and attitude were punk and his look definitely fitted within that descriptor. The music of The Blockheads was definitely not punk. Three chords and crashing drum sound were not on their radar, rather they made jazz, funk, fusion, with a bit of rock thrown in, their sound. This caused The Blockheads issues at the start of their journey as they couldn’t find a label willing to have them. Then Stiff Records came along, they found a home and then, bang, they were off. Hits, Top of the Pops and records that were banned on the BBC all followed. Punk attitude with a jazz beat had arrived and, on Friday night, it arrived in Edinburgh.

The band burst into “Wake up and Make Love with Me”, singer Mike Bennet greeted us with the standard Blockheads ‘Oi, Oi”. He went onto own the stage. He had two sizable boots to fill. First Ian Dury’s, the writer of all the words sung tonight and Derek Hussy who replaced Dury for the couple of years before his own death in 2022. Bennet did a great job; he made the part his own; a cross earring, neck chains by the pound and a wee bit of eyeliner made the look, his antics and voice made the tune. The lyrics delivered across this set were some of the greatest words every put to song in musical history. Dury’s words were clever, they were cutting, they came with an agenda and there was no subject off limits. It would have been a disaster if their showcasing had died with him, it was great to hear these songs and observations again.

The night took us all over The Blockheads history. John Turnbull, the ever present guitarist did the most of talking and got the balance just right in guiding us through the history of the songs and simply cracking on with them. “What a Waste” kicked in followed by “There Ain’t Half Been Some Clever Bastards”; I always think it says a lot about a bands musical output when the B-sides are as well-known as their flip sides, particularly when those A-sides have appeared on Top of the Pops.

Now, I mentioned musicality. Man, this band just kept on delivering. The Blockheads were home to my favourite bass player of all time, Norman Watt-Roy. Norman has stepped back from the band and has been replaced by Nathan King, who at 53 years of age, is a veritable pup within this line up. King absolutely owned the bass line, he slapped, picked and tapped his way through the set, prowling the stage with his ever-changing bass face. Dave Lewis provided the sax parts, alto and tenor, and often both at the same time. Absolutely outstanding.

“Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll” whilst not being allowed on the BBC, certainly summed up the punk vibe from ’77 and really set the crowd alight in Edinburgh. “I Wanna Be Straight” followed and, after “Billericay Dickie”, my favourite of the night “Sweet Gene Vincent”.

In my view, very few tunes can’t be improved with cowbell (now that’s a debate opener), Mick Gallagher, who has been a Blockhead forever, started banging his. “Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3” kicked in. Another great song with a huge musical backdrop. Props to drummer John Roberts who gave the whole evening a solid beat that just made sense to every song.

“Hit Me With You Rhythm Stick” brings the main set to an end. The crowd loved it. It’s peppered with solos and a prowling singer who takes us back to the great days of The Blockheads on the telly.

As the night comes to a close, I watch Chaz Jankel. For me, he is the quarterback of the band. He wrote most of the music we have listened to for the last 90 minutes and is equally as responsible for The Blockheads sound and back catalogue as Ian Dury. He is a self-effacing performer who just does his thing with minimal chat, but that ‘thing’ is epic.

The evening ends with ”Lullaby for Francis” and a pumping “Blockheads”.

There are a couple of things I will remember from the night, the first is the smiles, not just in the crowd, and there were plenty there, but on stage. The band spent the night grinning as they played their fantastic music. I guess they have got to a stage in their careers where it's just there to be enjoyed and they have the time to enjoy one another as friends, comrades, and performers. My other takeaway was looking at my wife and daughter throughout. They loved it, dancing, singing and sticking their hands in the air. Music is great, and one of it's greatest strengths is its ability to bring people together. Another great family night of music indeed.

As we left into the cold Edinburgh night, I asked what they both thought. For my wife, she reckoned it was probably the best gig she’s been to (and she’s been to a few). My daughter simply said “beautiful”.

Family lesson learned, we can watch the TV any night, seeing The Blockheads is a rare opportunity. If you have that opportunity, take it, you ‘ll not be disappointed.

Oi Oi