Live! All the Best, Mate

The title All the Best, Mate is a valedictory drawn from Ian Dury's song "My Old Man" about his late father. In this case, it refers to Dury himself, who died five months before the release of this album. The phrase also signals the disc's contents, as it is a live set containing performances of most of Dury's best-known songs. He staged a reunion with his band the Blockheads in September 1990 to play a series of benefits for Blockheads drummer Charlie Charles, who was suffering from cancer. After Charles' death, they stayed together, and the show contained here was recorded December 22, 1990, at Brixton Academy in London. Nine of the 15 songs are drawn from Dury's 1977 debut album, New Boots and Panties!!!, among them the Top Ten British hit "What a Waste!" Also included are the Top Five British hits "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" and "Reasons to Be Cheerful Pt. 3." The band, led by Chaz Jankel and featuring Wilko Johnson (who replaced Jankel in the Blockheads in 1980), sounds as good as ever, and so does the always roughly engaging frontman. Fans may note the omission of an occasional favorite ("Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll," a song that bequeathed a slogan to popular culture, is particularly missed), but this is a solid set of Dury's best material. That it is being sold at what is called a "lite price" despite a CD-busting running time of over 78 minutes only adds to the value. The studio versions are preferred, but this is a strong performance before an enthusiastic audience, bringing out the best in the material.