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
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
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
Kilburn and the High Roads
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)
