Spasticus Fantasticus

Following up from the news roundup this week, this is just a (tiny) little bit more on Ian Dury. It was great to hear someone has made a film about someone worthwhile for a change and I thought I’d give those of you who don’t know about him a brief idea of what he was up to. Won’t go too much into his personal history as I suspect there will be an avalanche of that in the wake of the film, but I thought I’d stick up a few bits you might enjoy.

First off, we’ll give you his contribution to the International Year of the Disabled, Spasticus Autisticus . Dury was disabled himself, and whether it bothered him or not you can work out for yourselves. Unfortunately, the authorities didn’t take such a broad view of the subject – the song was considered so offensive it was banned from radio play. Obviously the disabled were meant to be grateful rather than contribute or enjoy themselves.

Realising he wasn’t allowed an opinion or to have fun, Dury may have resorted to self harm (or just gone a bit sub) , before remembering the only way to get a film made about you was to hit all the big words in the title.*

*Mewbox takes no responsibility for the accuracy of these statements or their ordering, by the way. They fell out the sky.

While I’m here, I’ll also add a little something which regular readers will know illuminates a subject dear to the heart of Mewbox, a contribution to the ongoing and endless debate about the value of cover versions. This one includes a little bit of fun had at the expense of the Met when Hugh Cornwell was banged up for having things in his pocket which led the authorities to suspect he might be going out with the intention to have fun. Can’t be having that, sonny!

Apropos of nothing, while we’re the subject of peaches, we thought we’d give you another version. Funnily enough, this one involves another decent bloke, Terry Hall.

Anyway, I hope and doubt that the film will do justice to the work (let’s not discuss life) of a unique talent. If the team behind it manage it, they won’t half be clever bastards .